August 11, 2019
The flow of game camera photos seems to slow for us in the summer months. This was generally true in 2019, although we did see some regular action from deer as well as coyotes. Not a single turkey on any cameras at all the last two months, but it is possible that they were flooded out during a few of the very high water/heavy rain events that covered the area in water. We also let the grass grow really tall and probably missed some activity do to the obscured vision. Regardless, there was still plenty to see including a nice array of bucks in full velvet.
The Fawns
I always look forward to watching the fawns appear and then tracking their growth. It amazes me how quickly they grow up. When they first show up on the game camera, the fawns look tiny and helpless. Even a few weeks later they look playful and much more agile. Next month we will see the spots fade, but they will still be distinguishable by their size. In addition, the fawns often still hang with mom and siblings through the first winter.
The Predators
The coyote clan showed up in full force this month at a few of the locations. Some of them even looked like pups, and a few rather mangy. Sometimes the game camera provides a great shot of the coyote, showing their personality and attitude. But this month they were on the move and did not loiter at all in front of the camera. In fact, most of the photos were blurry day and night as the coyotes moved through the property on a mission.
The Does
Far and wide the most common photo on our game cameras is a doe or group of does just hanging out. These deer are very comfortable in their home and it shows on the camera. Often they seem playful and seem amused by the presence of the camera. Not always like this photo, but still enough to be entertaining:
Here are some of the does from the last few months:
What’s Next?
Well this will be a pivotal month for the game camera photos. We were able to do some work to cut some grass and adjust the cameras a bit. I expect to see some fawns growing up quite a bit. I also hope to see some of the big bucks from last year make and appearance. The two largest ones survived hunting season last year so I hope that they are around still. We are just over a month before bow season begins so the images we gather at the end of the month will help quite a bit to see where we end up hunting. And I sure hope we get a few turkeys to return, I love seeing them in the field and on camera. I’m already excited to see what next month brings…
