For a hunter there is nothing worse than being strapped to a desk during the fall. You look out the window and see gray clouds and cold winds rolling in. Everyone else is happy to stay inside, but you know this is prime weather for chasing (white)tail. So you're stuck in the office. What to do, what to do...I'd suggest feeding your addiction to horn porn. Field and Stream has set up a website of photo galleries to tease any online hunter. Luckily this site is SFW. It's full of user uploaded pictures of deer captured on trail cams. (And there's a million dollar prize if one of the trail cams captures an image of Sasquatch.)
The images even have a seedy, voyeuristic quality about them, hence the pornography reference. Mostly taken at night, the photos are grainy and the deer are unaware, but you get a great look at the animal's rack...the kind of stuff that makes a hunter go weak in the knees. Take a look and try to stay calm.
For those of you unfamiliar with a trail cam, I'll explain what it does on the next page.
So, a trail cam is basically a modern substitute for scouting. They strap onto trees and take a photo when triggered by a motion sensor. It's a sweet contraption if you don't have time to pattern the deer on your property everyday. But beyond that, trail cams capture all sorts of nightlife. I've seen photos of bobcats chasing chipmunks, bears scratching their backs on trees and trespassers sneaking onto the farm. Undoubtedly, though, the image that gets us the most excited is a big buck with a hefty set of antlers walking by.
Trail cams have evolved rapidly in recent years. Originally they shot photos on a roll of film that you would have to retrieve and develop. Then companies released models with digital cameras. Now you can even get versions that email the picture to you from the woods. It's like Big Brother meets Daniel Boone.
I still prefer the old-fashioned way of scouting on foot (which is probably why I haven't shot a deer yet this year), but I also enjoy checking out what others are seeing on their property. Just call me a deer voyeur.
