The Right Decision - Mule Deer

[stone]

For myself camtrapping started solely as a hunting tool when I built my first homebrew. Didn't take long to shift to a balance between hunting and photography. Still the vast majority of my camera sets are targeting locations to find old mature mule deer timber bucks. Most of the older bucks I have on cam I will never set my eyes on, even with spending weeks hiking through their stomping grounds straight through the rut - the only time of the year they may make a mistake and let their guard down. I think that is one of the things I like about cam trapping in timber in British Columbia - its an opportunity to see these ghosts. In Nov 2021 this guy made a mistake, and was in the freezer if I wanted - I let him walk, thinking he had more potential, and knowing full well that I will very likely never see him again. I think he was only a 5 years old and my thought process at the time was solely hunting related or so I thought. "More Potential" - tine length, heavier, wider, bigger? Not sure what I wanted to see... Its not long after season that I start wondering what the will be showing up on cameras the following June, and he with a handful of other mature bucks on various sets were back triggering the cameras.

When I saw this pictures I came to the realization that one of the things that makes the decision easier to let a buck like this walk away is that value he brings in another year of photos. He may never fill my freezer but he definitely had more to give as a photo subject, and he timed this shot perfectly - fresh blanket of snow before the ground was disturbed by a single track and not a moment to soon, as this was the last picture on the camera before the batteries died. I won't be back to this camera until June next year when in heading up to his summer range with anticipation of his 2024 photo round - hopefully he is back again as the cougars and wolves have a slightly higher success rate than myself. I attribute that to more time in... .

The old Sony 4.1MP cams can still put out some great shots.

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[pastorjim08]

Brutal conditions but a great photo

[ghosthunters]

That was a great read. And one great photo.. well done


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[zaj56]

That is a great story that I can relate to in many ways! I have had pictures of a great whitetail buck for over 5 years now and would have a hard time killing him if I had the opportunity mainly because I would stop getting pictures of him,,,although I rarely get more than one or two pics a year.Your picture is stunning and I agree that the p41 cameras under the right conditions(close-ups and snow) are hard to beat.

[saltlick]

That is a great story and pic

[Bekincrus]

Really a pleasant and interesting read!
A vision that I fully share, my compliments!!!

[cameratrapcodger]

Thanks for your thoughts and the photo. I can't remember who said it, one of the pioneer camera trappers, but it was a similar view -- 'you'll learn a lot more by taking their pictures than by shooting them'.

[westcocanuck2]

Great read and good to hear Stone, and it would appear your admission mirrors the sentiments of other hunters too.

[Woody Meristem]

Great catch on the camera. Most hunters might not let him go, but he's better off alive appearing in front of cameras and some day feeding a predator and all the other critters that eat the leftovers.