The scent being left in the area does more harm than anything.If he smells where you've been in there while he's on his midnight stroll that area becomes a dark only spot.These bucks have spots that they know that they've never smelled human scent b4. I believe that's how they choose their safe core areas. During those long night walks that get a real good idea of what's going on during the daytime just from scent left in a area.Rubber boots are most important thing IMO in keeping area fresh.

AWESOME picture sequence bill_collector!

That buck definitely knew something was up. I suspect it was either a recently positioned stand or the scent left behind while setting up the camera. Bucks don't get mature by being stupid, especially on a public hunting area. Mature bucks quickly notice anything new, from a newly positioned stand to fresh human scent.

Over the years of running trail-cameras during hunting season, some of "tricks" I've learned are:

* Use only black-flash trail-cameras. Some deer are highly sensative to visible flash (either white flash or red-glow) and will quickly learn to avoid triggering the camera. These deer dont leave the area, they just walk around the camera.

* Keep human scent to a minimum when setting up and checking cameras. I've gone to riding right up to my cameras on an ATV instead of walking to the cameras. It appears an ATV lays down less scent than a person walking does. I also wear a rainsuit when checking cameras (the "slick" outer layer type, not the soft plush outer layer type). I keep that rainsuit washed in scent reducing soaps, and it doesn't appear to leave as much scent on brush, branches, and grass that it brushes against as cotton or other clothing materials do.

* For getting buck pictures, nothing beats having cameras over scrapes around the rut. Not only do scrapes serve as sort of "bait" to draw bucks in front of the camera, even older bucks appear to put up with more human activity around scrapes than in "travel corridor" situations.

* When setting up or checking cameras, don't touch anything in the environment with your bare hands. The oils from your skin will stick to anything you touch for a VERY long time (potentially weeks). I wear at least thin gloves while setting up/checking cameras, especially if I have to trim branches/grass from in front of the camera.

Dead on! They'll seek out sancuaries and cores NOT to be bothered. Every year an old buck gets under his belt, he's learning. Now, I know they can't reason, but they sharpen their human avoidance skills. They become like grumpy old men, they don't like to be bothered, don't like change. These ridge runnin', big timber bucks you're hunting can be tough when middle aged but let them get 4.5 and older it sure doesn't get easier.

Dead on the money ridgestalker and 2Dogs. Older bucks quickly find de facto sanctuaries (accidental sanctuaries that develop because no one is hunting that area) by simply wandering arond until they find the areas where they encounter no human scent. And then guess where they are going to spend the majority of their daylight hours? In those de facto sanctuaries.

How many times have you heard of someone taking their goofy brother in law hunting, and sending him to the roughest ,thickest place no one ever hunts and ol' bil shoots OL' Big Boy they've been after for years.

One reason I don't mind getting the last stand, listening, hearing all the complaints about X-stand or X-area, choosing the roughest area or being put near the woolly swamp.

Great camera sequence, bill_collector.

I've been known to pour baking soda in the floor board, and keep the seat sprayed with scent killer.

So, you're admitting you're gassy?

I think the biggest place people mess up is wearing their boots in the truck that they're gonna wear in the woods. I keep mine in a box in the back of the truck so the bottom of them doesn't smell like my floorboard/BP parking lot.

Guy I graduated school with owned a very successful construction company. Doziers/loaders/semis/dumptrucks, ect...
He was always covered in grease. He killed more big bucks than anyone I know. Hunted in a pair of slip on boots covered in oil and grease and a pair of insulated Carhart bibs, also covered in grease.

Guy I graduated school with owned a very successful construction company. Doziers/loaders/semis/dumptrucks, ect...
He was always covered in grease. He killed more big bucks than anyone I know. Hunted in a pair of slip on boots covered in oil and grease and a pair of insulated Carhart bibs, also covered in grease.