I check once a week on one property, more as an experiment to see how the deer react to me being there all the time. This is my third year and so far it's shaping up to be similar results as last couple years. They sniff around and see where I've been, but largely seem unaffected. As expected the mature bucks seem to stay nocturnal, but around mid October they begin showing themselves a lot during daylight and do so until muzzleloader season kicks off. It's uncanny how when the gun fire starts, the big boys become 2AM creatures. Being my third year I'm really interested to see how the 4yr olds act. I've been around them so much from the time they were yearlings that I'm hoping they are less cautious and easier to hunt, but if the last two years are any indication they won't be.
Another place I run cams on I check once in July, once more in early September, and then in November when I show up to hunt. Seems every time I check the cameras there, it's a solid week or two before deer begin showing up again. And the mature bucks avoid that spot altogether & alter their travel. The difference between the two properties is pretty suggestive. I won't make my mind up just yet, though. Lots of factors to consider aside from human presence. The weekly property is small patches of thick timber surrounded by ag fields, so those deer would have to uproot their home in order to avoid me. The second property is large tract mature hardwood forest in hill country, so the deer are more spread out to begin with.
