Back Out There Again

February 8, 2026

Well… I finally managed to get back out after that bloody Covid.

I’m still a bit off it if I’m honest, but feeling much better than I was. Good enough to be back in the woods at least — and that in itself felt like a small victory.

The trail cameras had been back up since last Friday, so just over a week. And even now, that familiar buzz hasn’t faded. That sense of wondering what might be waiting on the footage never gets old. Every time I check, there’s that little flicker of excitement — what have I caught this time?

This week though, the results were quieter than expected.

Out of ten videos captured, only one had a deer on it.

She stood there, looking straight at the camera, clearly trying to work out what on earth this strange object was. Moments like that still feel special, even when they’re brief.

I had cleaned the camera before leaving it, but I’m starting to wonder if it wasn’t enough. Deer have an incredible sense of smell, and if they catch even the faintest hint of a human nearby, they’ll often avoid the area completely. That could well explain the lack of footage this week.

Of course, it could also be something much simpler.

They may just be moving differently, using other tracks, shifting with the seasons.

One camera I actually moved from its usual spot and placed it on a track that’s definitely in use — and yet it didn’t catch a single thing. Wildlife has a funny way of reminding you that nothing is guaranteed, no matter how confident you feel about a location.

That said, not everything has been quiet.

I’ve been watching the same two deer — Patch and his doe friend — and I’ve managed to get some really lovely footage of them both. Seeing familiar faces out there brings a strange comfort. There’s a sense of continuity in it, like checking in on old friends who don’t know you’re watching but still somehow help keep you grounded.

If anything, this past week has only deepened my enjoyment of using trail cameras. So much so that I’m seriously considering getting another one — which would make three in total.

I think it would be a good move.

Two could stay where the deer are definitely active, while the third could be used to explore other possibilities — foxes, owls, and whatever else might pass through, especially now that spring is just around the corner.