# Whats more valuable?



## Elkoholic8 (Jan 15, 2008)

What is more valuable to an archer scouting for a good buck, a spotting scope or trail camera? 

I have been hunting for a while now and never taken a big buck with my bow so that is my new goal. Which tool is more valuable in finding "the buck" to go after?


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## truemule (Sep 12, 2007)

It depends on how much time you can spend scouting. If you don't have a job, have money and enjoy the woods get a spotting scope. If you have a few extra bucks don't have all the time in the world, but have a good idea of wher eyou want to start looking. Get a camera. Spend some time glassing with some binoculars to find the general areas the deer are in. Scout it with a map. Decide where you think you can ambush, set up a camera and see what you get.

Personally I unless you are looking over alot of land spotting scopes aren't all that necessary or useful.


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## dkhntrdstn (Sep 7, 2007)

I would say both. You also can add in time in the mountions and time spent behind your spotting scope and binos. Also miles on your boots.if you had to chose one I would say a trail camera so you can look at other place for one in case he not one area.


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## Elkoholic8 (Jan 15, 2008)

Well I do have a job, and little money so getting both is out (I have to sell one of my bows to buy a scope or cameras). I have a basic idea of where I want to hunt but the country is very steep, so covering several miles on foot will be tough. I can see where each item would be worth their weight in gold. I have a good pair of binos, so I can glass a little bit with those. I also like the idea of being able to look in two places at the same time.

Thanks for the responces so far!!


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## big_bucker (Jul 17, 2008)

personally i would say get the camera, my buddy set his up most of last year and the pictures that he captures are awesome, you will find that there are bucks, and bulls in that area that you might not see with your spotter. and you also get to see what other critters roam the area at night.


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## bigbuckhunter64 (May 6, 2008)

Lots of times I havent seen a lot of bucks that roam where I hunt while glassing, but seeing them on camera at night most of the time lets me know they are there and when preasure from hunting comes in, I know where they are going to try and get away to. So I would say a camera


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## bowgy (Oct 10, 2007)

I like both too, but I haven't read of any spotting scopes getting stolen while in use :wink:

Just something to think about if you can't afford both at this time.


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## MEEN (Jan 27, 2009)

Trail cams are a complete waste of money. Its a gimmick that has a huge marketing compain to tell you that you Need one. Are they cool? Yes. Exciting to see what critters show up? Heck ya. Will they help you harvest a big Buck? No. 

The very most important thing is scouting a large area from one vantage point (trail cams scout a tiny little spot). So it is very important to have a good scope to judge sex and size.


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## jahan (Sep 7, 2007)

MEEN said:


> Trail cams are a complete waste of money. Its a gimmick that has a huge marketing compain to tell you that you Need one. Are they cool? Yes. Exciting to see what critters show up? Heck ya. Will they help you harvest a big Buck? No.
> 
> The very most important thing is scouting a large area from one vantage point (trail cams scout a tiny little spot). So it is very important to have a good scope to judge sex and size.


I strongly disagree, there are tons of places where the trees are way to thick to be able to pattern a big buck. Sometimes the big boys will never come out of the thick stuff. A great way to see what is in an are like this is to put a camera on a good game trail and see what is coming through that area. I think it is a good idea to do both if you can, but you can place cameras in multiple locations and it is like you are in three places at once.


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## muleydeermaniac (Jan 17, 2008)

I have seven trail camers, bought over the years. I use them wuite a bit in scouting for me because work won't warrant that much time off. I have shot a couple and so has my brother using the areas and patterns the cameras reveal. My cameras also tell date and time so patterning a buck is simple. They work great! On the other hand I do have a spotting scope as well. But it's used mainly on the hunt, and a couple scouting trips is all.


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## MEEN (Jan 27, 2009)

jahan said:


> I strongly disagree, there are tons of places where the trees are way to thick to be able to pattern a big buck. Sometimes the big boys will never come out of the thick stuff. A great way to see what is in an are like this is to put a camera on a good game trail and see what is coming through that area. I think it is a good idea to do both if you can, but you can place cameras in multiple locations and it is like you are in three places at once.


I disagree even stronger. :wink: A few thoughts

1) The question was camera or spotting scope. NOT cameras.

2) A camera only covers a small small nook of that thick area. My binoculars can cover the entire edge of the thick stuff. Trust me, those bucks come out. So why your watching a few small areas I am watching the entrances to those areas and about a hundred others.

3) A big buck never uses the same path and generally even cycle feeding areas. SO even if you do get one to say cheese on your camera, good luck seeing him in the tiny spot your camera caught him in once the season rolls around. Unless you got a feeder.

4) Have you used a trail camera or cameras? If you have, did you harvest a deer?

5) I have tried trail cameras. I was more successful with glassing and then judging the buck with my spotting scope to decide how big he was.

6) If you have multiple cameras.... Like seven. Then yeah I can see that being effective.

I guess the bottom line is this. A spotting scope is going to be most useful in sexing and scoring deer. I don't think it's going to help you find more deer. That takes much more patience than the average Joe has to be picking out ears and tails from a mile away through a scope. A trail camera might show you a few deer but odds are you will never see him again. So I guess you be the judge, but I do like that a spotting scope is harder to steal.


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## hunter_orange13 (Oct 11, 2008)

i have to agree with both of you i think. i have a spot that thick and open in spots. you can't use the tcam in open spots, and its amazing what you see! its hard to use a spotting scope if you can only see 30 yards though. i have a tcam and some deer that i never see in person are crossing the spot at night. which is cool. because when you're asleep, or at work, or stuck in traffic, the camera is doing scouting for you. 

a lot of it depends on how thick of an area you hunt.


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## big_bucker (Jul 17, 2008)

saying that your harvest rate with a camera is less is bull, my buddy had the same bull on his camera all the time and he wanted to shoot that bull and sure as **** he shot that bull he wanted from 9 yards with his bow this year


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## MEEN (Jan 27, 2009)

big_bucker said:


> saying that your harvest rate with a camera is less is bull, my buddy had the same bull on his camera all the time and he wanted to shoot that bull and sure as **** he shot that bull he wanted from 9 yards with his bow this year


Elk are a completely different species buddy. Were talking about deer here. Thanks though


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## stablebuck (Nov 22, 2007)

If you want to hunt out of a stand I would say CAMERA...if you are going to spot and stalk hunt then definitely a scope...especially in the early season above the treeline...


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## big_bucker (Jul 17, 2008)

MEEN said:


> big_bucker said:
> 
> 
> > saying that your harvest rate with a camera is less is bull, my buddy had the same bull on his camera all the time and he wanted to shoot that bull and sure as **** he shot that bull he wanted from 9 yards with his bow this year
> ...


first off i aint your buddy and 2nd no need for the attitude


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## TopofUtahArcher (Sep 9, 2009)

Time in the woods is more valuable to me than a few pictures of a waterhole or trail ... and if you have the time to scout a place to put a camera, and then check it regularly to see what is frequenting (before some schmoe deletes your pics or steals your $150+ camera) you might as well have some good glass to use while there... not to mention a trail-cam is very limited in its capture area - though good for tight spots where animals may congregate - but you don't get to choose the quality of animals that you'll get pictures of, whereas glass will go with you wherever the animals take you. :O||: 

I am bringing in some sample cameras in March to test if you are considering them seriously and maybe we could work out a "Field test" for you since I know where you live  - I would only recommend a camera with IR flash as they are not detected by wary hunters looking to get free gear off public lands -8/- (Speaking from experience of loosing a couple + treestands  )

If you are looking for some glass, that is a bit different, cause they are so wide ranging in quality and prices... figure out what the best you can afford will cost, then sit on your hands and save up for a pair of Swarovski glass or a scope... you won't regret it.


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## team-A&S (Feb 1, 2010)

I think you're all on crack! Glass is great when hunting the open, desert sheep, elk, or perhaps gophers on a good golf course. Trail cameras are awesome for setting up that buck for an opening day slaughter. Ok so I said it, each have their place. But one does not over power the other except for in opinion.


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## proutdoors (Sep 24, 2007)

MEEN said:


> 3) A big buck never uses the same path and generally even cycle feeding areas. SO even if you do get one to say cheese on your camera, good luck seeing him in the tiny spot your camera caught him in once the season rolls around. Unless you got a feeder.


I have to disagree with this claim. I think the single most effective way to consistently harvest mature mule deer bucks during archery season is by patterning them, which is easier to do than patterning mature bull elk.

Having said that, I tend to agree with team-A&S, both have their place. But, if I had to chose a camera or glass, I will take glass EVERY time. That way I can pattern them from far away.


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## MEEN (Jan 27, 2009)

proutdoors said:


> MEEN said:
> 
> 
> > 3) A big buck never uses the same path and generally even cycle feeding areas. SO even if you do get one to say cheese on your camera, good luck seeing him in the tiny spot your camera caught him in once the season rolls around. Unless you got a feeder.
> ...


I didn't say they didn't have a pattern. The big bucks I watch have several bedding and feeding areas so to put a camera that watches a 20 ft arc in hopes of patterning the buck is well crazy! IMO. At least we can agree on the glass.  With glass you know whats there. You never know what you will find on a camera. The best would be to have both because it depends on the situation, but that is not an option.


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