Deer
Turkey Hunters- We might just have a better take on things?
Once we get into the naturally percieved slowdown that occurs after Christmas and New Year’s holiday season, we turkey hunters are in military style planning for opening days, what states we’ll hunt, what new honey hole, which gun, new ammo, new calls, old favorite calls, new hunt surefire device, and so on… We have logistics to think about, which hunting buddies to catch up with, scouting, that nasty old bird that must die (which we’ll likely chase again another year), and all sorts of little details that occupy our preparation.
It got me to thinking as to the type of folks that seem to end up obsessed with chasing gobblers and why we have so much in common and yet squabble over the little details. We discuss and argue the various things that contribute to the hunt’s success or taking the shotgun for a walk back to the truck. This also includes methods, and the cargo bags of gear and gadgets, of course. Together we all know that we will have our days of being soundly defeated, and our butts handed to us no matter how well prepared or determined we may be. We’ll not let that gem of logic deter us.
It was this line of thinking that brings me to the thought to convey here. We as turkey hunters are active participants, keenly interested in cause and effect, and judge things mostly by what they do or how well they work. We immerse ourselves in the experience of the hunt, and should we win the day, we are elated. We do know that a pea brain sized bird can humiliated us in ways that cannot be duplicated elsewhere. It makes it no less of a great hunt. By nature we are conservative leaning, and that is not an absolute, but similar to the crowd of engineers I align myself as. In my perspective I identify myself as an engineer and a turkey hunter, and as a runner, triathlete as side interests. Of course this is behind the priorities of family, God and country in my view.
It is not to say all turkey hunters are conservative or republicans and I know many that lean just as far to the liberal side. I would not hesitate to share a hunt with them. Yet the things I now mention are the things that we share in common, and we get along fine. In part that we are about tangible things, factual findings, not emotional drivel, not political correctness, or chant of the day. As hunters we understand the cycle of life, our mortality as well as that of our quarry, We are studies of the natural world, and how things and or actions work or do not work. We see the value of conservation efforts that improve our forests, and quality of wildlife. We witness & participate in the comeback from market hunting to vastly improved wildlife populations. All of this in stark contrast to the anti-hunting rhetoric out there. It is these personal qualities that I believe we apply in our everyday lives.
Like many of you I suspect, find it nearly intolerable to watch the news, the racism narrative being vomited on us. The anti-gun this and that, anti-hunting, this or that. If you don’t believe in God, then no one else should either. If you don’t believe in my God, I’ll cleanse you by cutting off your head. Somehow everyone is offended or civil rights violated because of my white privilege, and the nonsense goes on and on. We witness senseless revenge killings of the police, yet disregard the actions of those that basically commit suicide by cop. As if criminal behavior should just be ignored and do as one dam well pleases. My rant stops here.
A facebook post caught my attention as it sums up my response to a lot of the foolishness that is reported in the news and exploited by our political leaders. The precepts here apply well to many things, including hunting. I’ll stick my neck out and claim that for the most part we as hunters are well aware that we own each and all of our decisions we make. In the woods, ill choices send us home empty handed in game and the grand experience anticipated. This precept also is handy when it comes to safety, and being ethical as hunters and as people. I’ll share the post here:
“Everything you do is based on your choices you make. It’s not your parents, your past relationships, your job, the economy, the weather, an argument / conflict, or your age that is to blame. You and you alone are responsible for every decision and choice you make. Period.’
My point which may seem a bit jumbled as I find current events beyond unreasonable and frustrating is that maybe the world would be better off if more people thought more like a hunter would. I will go as far as to say a turkey hunter’s perspective. Do any of us turkey hunters care if that great box call was crafted by a black (yellow, purple, green, whatever) man? A woman? A disable person? A (name religion) person? We care how much for the call, and is there any story or history that goes along with the call. Do any of us feel that white privilege (fill in whatever absurd idea applies) when a gobbler teases us for two hours at five yards past our range limit then walks away to one lone hen after you played the game the best you ever have? Would any of us not respect a land owner because of some discriminating factor? Tell me that any of us turkey slayers would not hunt a monster gobbler on a prime spot because the land owners were black, or a gay couple? We’ll give them the respect they deserve… Duh… Moving along… Not saying that we are perfect by any stretch, or that we don’t have racists in our ranks, but in our world, this foolishness has no place in our decision making, or in our treatment of others.
The silver lining in this rash of miserable news and currently sentiment is that for us as hunters it is an opportunity. We can go about our daily lives treating others well, and with the respect we would like for ourselves. The more folks recognize us as a group that treats people well, the better off we’ll be. Be an ambassador for our sport. Apply this generously with landowners that grant you access, and to those that don’t. Those folks will observe your actions and you can change hearts and minds by living well. It will be a better day when those that exploit any and all situations to win an argument, to get out of personal responsibility or not contribute to the common good, or to claim some perceived injustice, and get back to the type of thinking we do as hunters. Doing what it takes and making good choices to make a positive goal realized. It’s optimistic, but just the same a good way to be.
© 2015 Mike Joyner- Joyner Outdoor Media
Post Deer Season- Time to Implement a New Game Camera Strategy
Seems kinda an odd idea doesn’t it? Give me a few minutes of your time to follow what I lay out here and you may agree or take with you a few ideas you may adopt. It is much more about critical thinking on how things are done as it is not so much being a slave to technology. Once you read through this you will realize that marketing has overdone their job, and you really don’t need an inventory of $600-$800 cameras to have an effective and state of the art setup. It is just as easy to waste your hard earned dollars and have them not do the job at all or being stolen as quickly as you put them up. To preface how I intend to layout my thoughts across here, think in the perspective of a detective, after all you are looking to collect covert data correct? I design image sensors for a living and do a fair amount of camera work for the US Navy and other military/police services, this makes all of this second nature. To be frank, you and I cannot afford most of what the military gets to put into service (although I get to test some cool stuff), but the principles and methods which they are used are applicable to catching big bucks on camera just as you might poachers and thieves.
Technology primer (one of much confusion)
- For starters, do not let marketing fool you into more pixels is better, same confusing misinformation used in selling cell phones. most of the game cameras out there use 1/4″-1/3″ format sensors and once in a while you see a high quality deer cam with 1/2″ or 2/3″ sensor. Unless it is a large format sensor with a high quality glass lens in front of it, you are getting duped. Think optical system. Fine resolution comes from the increased ability to resolve a feature in front of the lens. Without detailing all the math of lines-per-mm and a second issue of crosstalk(where the truth is actually told) it is safe to say you are not getting more resolution in a 1/4″ sensor past 3-4MP with a cheap plastic lens in front of it. When you see them at high pixel counts with out increasing sense area (format size) and not using better lenses you have more pixels looking at the same resolved spot, and you also get less dynamic range as smaller pixels have less capacity to capture photons (light) I get counter arguments all the time to this. Talk to the news photographers who toted Nikons/Canons with 3-5mp 1 inch or full frame sensors and compare what they got against 10mp-20mp cameras that are cheap and again with small format sensors. The resulting pictures are worlds apart in quality. To make the point even simpler in terms of economics, the cost is directly related to size of the sensor and to a lesser extent the cost of supporting electronics. Sensors are made on silicon wafers and it boils down to a simple real estate equation and yield during manufacturing. Unless you plan on making huge prints or require significant digital zoom/cropping you really have little case for spending big money on deer cams. As I lay out my preferred set up, there is a call out for three cameras per setup,and they each have different functions/costs/requirements.
- Flash- if you are only interested in what critters are passing by during shooting hours, flash and the expense of it, makes no sense. For the rest of you, black flash is the way to go especially for security. There is a misuse of the term IR (infrared) in the game cam industry. This has to do with distinct wavelength bands and that is an entirely separate topic Anyone in the military dealing with weapon sighting systems would understand my comment. Essentially all of them are near-IR and barely so. Many of these cameras have a red glow giving away their location, standard strobe flash is an obvious giveaway to criminals which can be useful for decoy cameras. There are some studies that show where black flash does not emit a visible glow to humans and also not to spook deer. A low pass optical filter eliminates any energy in the visible spectrum. For those interested in geeking out on definitions: wiki/infrared
One of the disclaimers I need to make here is no matter how good or sophisticated a system is implemented, it can be defeated by two distinct groups. First is the professional, as they will have working knowledge on how cameras work, how they store /transmit data, and how they get power. Like any predator they will be steadfast studies in your movements, and be keen on any clues you leave behind. You do design your camera setups to make it take a long time to disable. A professional will pass up spots if they cannot get in and out quickly. The second is the other end of the scale, and you can’t fix stupid, they may destroy your stuff, but will likely be around long enough to get caught. The real goal here is to deter. As a land owner or someone who leases land, having to deal with the hassle of court, and bad relations that follows will leave a bad taste in your mouth, making your victory over crime seem less appealing. What we are addressing in reality is the low hanging fruit and the majority of folks that will bug out once they become aware of your intent of tracking deer but to also manage your place/property against trespass and or theft. I cover the security aspect first here as it doesn’t work well to have deer cams if they disappear before you get to check the pics of deer you hope to see.
First- Main Camera
My basic approach to each location I wish to check for game movements or security purposes involves a minimum of two cameras and in most of my installs I use three. 1st camera is my main workhorse, a 3mp to 8mp camera ideally black flash, and depending on budget, a cell type that transmits SMS to save money on data plans and send pics directly to your cell phone. I also use a common system of RF transmitters that go to a DVR that sends email of pics when movement is detected. For remote locations or where a center base of operations is not applicable the game cams with cell capability are showing great promise and the pricing has now broke though under $200. I use these main cameras to capture whatever my main interest is in the location. Faster triggering cameras do have an advantage, but it is also one that slower triggering cameras can be overcome when placing cameras to look at deer coming straight on, or angling in. I personally want to see the width of their headgear. But for setups that only offer side profile and deer walking through perpendicular, the faster triggering cameras are a must. Marketing points out the great advantages in one particular scenario, and omits the other possible setups. My point is buy the feature where and when you need it. This allows you more money for more cameras and lets you think about where you really do need to spend the extra dollars. As a side note, as much as it is desirable to share deer cam pics with your buddies, they also provide clues to those with less ideal intentions. Not only can location be figured out, flash range, blind spots, or even how far one need to be to not get a clear defined image of lets say a thief in progress? Sharing exactly what you have and showing enough pics will give those that understand imaging enough clues to thwart your efforts. In my case, I have the luxury of updating and testing new stuff all through the year, and I do not disclose much. Having pics show up on your smartphone is a quick way to let others know that you are on top of your place, and matters little if your home or not. We have found that to be useful as public information.
Second- High Security Camera ( I want to keep and own my main camera)
The second camera sole job is to monitor my first camera. It can be a cell transmitting type but it adds cost. I prefer a 3-5mp camera with SD card, small footprint,long battery life, the ability to accept external battery is handy (I’ll modify it if it does not, not a particularly hard modification to do) and camo case if I can get it. They now have some with bluetooth for remote viewing when nearby. which is great as this camera should be hidden, high, above normal sight line. Keep in mind that when snow is on, or a muddy area, footprints reveal where you go as well as everything else. In terms of catching thieves this is the most important camera and should be the most difficult to find and least accessible to remove. Borrowed from an observation in the hobbyist world of game cams, one can give the appearance of remote transmitting with the addition of a 1/4 wavelength rubberized antenna, and it is difficult to know whether it is real or not. Truthfully any camera can be modified to adapt an rf /or cell transmitter. The power for it is another discussion. Depending on your model camera a 6V lantern battery (many cameras run on 6V, but you do need to check) and the addition of a small solar panel to trickle charge the batteries is advised. Using brown/grey wire they can easily be routed/placed in the crotch of the tree and made difficult to spot.
Third- Decoy Camera
In an ideal setup, this is actually your most import piece in the puzzle. It should also be the least expensive purchase. This should be the first thing any one sees no matter which direction of approach. Key word: Highly visible (not neon). Do not for any reason buy off the self fake cameras, they are a dead give away even among the least intelligent criminal among us. Flashing LED- dead giveaway . In fact the solution is super easy. Get on craiglist, ebay , garage sales etc, look for needs-repair, broken, as-is deer cams and or security cameras. they can be got from $5 to $30. Remember you are not interested in getting them working, otherwise you are paying for the possibility of that. You are looking for used or like new outer appearance but not broken and obviously not capable of working. Same deal for lens. Remember most deer cams do not appear to do much of anything when working. Why some game cam companies insist on having a led signal when a pic is taken is beyond me, I can see it for test and setup, but once it is set to go, the deer could care less. You can put in old batteries to have realistic weight if you like. I also do this to make it realistic. If you can get your second camera to monitor the first camera and this one it is a plus. I normally setup this way. You are just more likely to capture a thief stealing the decoy camera.
Why do I disclose all this? As a designer/engineer It bothers me to see folks pay for technology that they don’t need and in some cases does not serve them well at all. I have no fear that my disclosure will make it easy to disarm my setups, as only the installer knows which is which and would take more than a few minutes to figure out. By that amount of time, their images have been captured and emailed, and is a losing proposition for the criminal. I know of fun stories of perps having their faces captured an emailed while they stole a cell enabled camera. some also now have GPS location (or triangulation from cell towers which makes police work even easier.)
Late season camera scouting
when the guns are oiled and put away after the big deer chase, it is ideal to put up new cameras. especial with the addition of boot leather scouting. Where deer go when pressured, when things settle back down is all good intel for next season. Most hunters want to know what deer made it through the season and other cool stuff like when they drop their antlers. I personally like it for tracking turkey flocks as spring and fall seasons are my particular passions. You can also benfit from end of year sales, post season sales as most places do not want to carry inventory for another 7-8 months. Plenty of good reasons to enjoy your deer cams.
BTW for some great information and reviews on game cameras, tips, and modifications check out:
© 2014 Mike Joyner- Joyner Outdoor Media
New!! Joyner Outdoor Media website launch and contest
Launch Day! Rolling out the new Joyner Outdoor Media website! A new responsive style site. One by one the individual book sites will be updated. Current ongoing book project sites will be updated from a place holder or requests for info to full content websites as well.
We’ll be kicking the tries over next few weeks to correct any goofs or make improvements. As we grow so to will the main site. The online stores are just now up, and will be expanded shortly.
To celebrate the launch, we’ll be giving away a signed set of books “Hills of Truxton” and “Tales From The Turkey Woods” at 1000 likes, 2500 likes, 5000 likes, and 7500 likes. At 10,000 likes a lucky winner will be invited on an all expense paid hunt with author Mike Joyner and a story of the experience to be included in “Grand Days In The Turkey Woods” currently being written. The winner may choose New York, or winner’s home state, or possibly others. Winner responsible for travel to and from the event, and license. Further details on additional incentives will be forthcoming.
Winners will be pick at random, and announced on facebook. Hunt trip winner will also be announced on facebook, and the resulting story will be reviewed with the winner before publication
© 2014 Mike Joyner- Joyner Outdoor Media
NY Wild Turkey Records
If you have harvested a legally tagged wild turkey gobbler in NY (registered or not registered w/NWTF records) with one or more of the following attributes and interested in being interviewed for a book project:
Please contact mjoyner@joyneroutdoormedia.com
Note: Non registered birds- measurable attributes must be verified for consideration.
Typical score greater than 75.000 (weight x1 + beard x 2 + L & R spur x 10)
Non-Typical score greater than 105.000 (weight x1 + beard(s) x 2 + L & R spur x 10)
Weight greater than 26.5 lbs. (verifiable certified weight)
Beard Length greater than 12″ (verifiable length)
Spur Length greater than 1.625″ (verifiable length)
Color variations, Hens with spurs
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Empire-State-Limb-Hangers/139342609441424?v=info
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