The first time a new deer experiences the trail cam he or she is usually spooked. However, I have noticed that the deer usually adjust quiet quickly. I have my cam located next to feed in the early and midsummer and there hasn't been a deer that has stopped coming in a result of the camera and you can see that after a certain amount of time the deer are used to the flash. The most interesting thing I have noticed, is the Racoons tend to agitate the deer much more than the trail cam, I have a few pics with 10 raccoons trying to get at the same corn pile a a nice 8 point and by the 4th or 5th photo, he tries to stomp them.

Several times my cam has taken a pic of small buck(s) and in the background there is a big buck that is hanging back. Also have gotten some nice ones that did not seem to be bothered by the cam. Last fall just as the rut was starting I place a basket of apples on the ground by a huge rub and in 2 nights got good pics of three different 10 point bucks and two 8 pts. A cold front came thru and really seemed to get the deer moving.

I certainly feel that a flash in the face at 10 feet in the dark of night will have some spooky effect on a buck, but like everything else, i think they learn what is a threat and what is not, and eventually will act accordingly. I have found often they will avoid the camera but not neccesarily the area. For instance, i get pics of him at 15 yds instead of 3. I have many point blank photos of bucks that come back for more. I do agree you need to cont rol your scent and not frequent the area too much as to pressure the deer though. What good is a picture of a buck you forced into the next county?

My next hunting purchase is gonna be a trail cam w/ IR. I've done good w/o one, but I think it will definitely help my hunting. My hunting ground is covered w/ATV trails, which the deer use like highways, so I think checking the cam will cause minimal disturbance to the deer. They're already quite used to quads coming through all the time. I actually could've shot 2 does last year on my way back to the ATV, they were standing right next to it.

deer are used to lightning so i dont see how a flash would scare em, but if a camera made a noise that would surely scare em.

I am new to using trail cams this year, but I have already seen a few bucks stay in front of the camera long enough to get 2 or 3 pics each a minute apart. When I see trail cam pics of running deer how do I know that they are running from the camera and that they were not running through the area and then the pic was taken? I know that not all cameras have a very fast trigger, but it is still very possible. Maybe the camera is not what made them run.

I think most deer equate the flash with lightening ... after the flash goes off,I think they are waiting for the thunder.

Deer in my neck of the woods, aren't the least shy,matter of fact they seem to be posing. I had one buck that liked to lick the camera!

I was watching a video last night, of two deer below a deer stand, when one of them experienced flatulence,and made the usual sound. The deer behind the one, with the accumalated gas, took a flying leap, like the one on your trail-cam ...alarmed by the noise.

If it had been a still-shot,no one would have known what effected the alarmed deer to react as it did,causing the casual observer to surmise that the flash was the culprit,instead of the loud noise of the gas passer.

i have seen coyotes running full blast by my tree before with there head up, and when i wasnt using any thing on my feet like that they turned on a dime so fast and got out of there and there nose wasnt near the ground,i hunt where there is alot of coyotes,when ya can fool a coyote ya will fool some thing else easier

i do know that deer act different in different spots ,i know one spot where there not very spooky and another spot not very far away and a bigger set of woods the deer spook real easy and all they smell on me is earth scent ive seen this more then once to hunting in both these spots and i know the eather scent works if its used right because ive had deer so mny times on all sides of me and not spook and i wasnt very high,and i have had coyotes walk down my trail smelling it and not get spooked,and i dont care who believes this but if you can fool a coyotes nose ever ,when you walk to a tree stand like that. then you can fool any white tail alive,