Game Camera Tips - Let's hear yours!
Whitetail Deer
1. I have started putting mine up about 8 feet on a tree. They do not stick out as bad when higher in the tree for would be thieves and you get a better over view and wider shot opportunity with camera.
2. Use bale wire to attach to tree. Quick and almost invisible on a tree. Many cameras are spotted on trees due to that dark strap running horizontally on a tree.
3. Run them straight in line with a trail to allow animal to be in frame longer. Helps when using cameras with lower trigger speeds.
4. get a camera that is good on batteries and a larger storage card, and only check it once every three to 4 weeks in the summer. You get all the pictures you want and minimize impact on hunting areas.
5. Set cameras near significant terrain features that will cause animals to hesitate in chosen field of view (i.e creek crossings, field edge interiors, cliff banks)
6. If attractants are legal, stick to mineral, peanut butter, rag soaked in vanilla or dried molasses. Corn just attracts turkeys, squirrels and raccoons.
7. Check with your insurance agency about a rider policy for your cameras, bow, and stands. For very little money each month, you can add to your homeowners policy and cover issues if theft occurs.
I camouflage my cameras with brown silicone latex caulk. Cover the case with a thin layer of caulk being careful not to cover up any sensor windows. Then using an old nail I texture the caulk to look like bark. I do this well before the season so it has plenty of time to dry so there is no oder. Sorry I don't have any pictures.
Avoid cuddes for starters
If you have bears in the area, don't strap your trail camera to the tree with the heavy duty straps that loop through the back of the camera. That will just result in a broken camera when the bear rips the camera from the tree. Tie the camera to the tree with something that is going to "give" easier and fall off the tree before too much damage occurs.
many cams will trigger if the sun points directly into them and you get many blank pics. wastes batteries. every camera is diff with its sensitivity and how far the infareds will shoot at night so play with each camera and learn each one. example i have a moultrie m80 that has an awesome infared and shoots the best shot about 10 yards out at night. anything closer is too bright. so i set it according on the trails. but my other cams do better at around 5 yards out so i set it little closer to the trails. good luck
Excellent article Pat and thanks
I used camo duct tape on my cam. I did a good job. I installed a Trophy Cam at a water hole & it stayed there 4 days. I couldn't hardly see it & I knew where it was. I don't own it any more. The rest of my cams all have cables now. I never thought of higher in the tree,(duh). I also hadn't figured out about the white pics I was getting. Thanks for the info, this is good information.
I set my white flash camera on forced flash so I always have good color even in shadows with bright background.
I engrave my name and phone number all over the camera, inside and out. I hope it helps deter thieves. If they cut the cable to steal the camera at least they will know who to thank.
If you are not going to use a auxillary power source. I would silicone the the access hole shut: Sure it has a rubber plug, but eventually it will fall out allowing moisture to build up in the camera nad also allows insects inside. I also like to wipe my cameras down with a permethin based spray and allowing it to dry. This also helps deter insects from getting inside.
I try to point camera north or northeast, I think that the tree protects it from the sun/rain.
why do bears have a penchant for tearing up cameras?
Some good stuff here. I'll add one. I like to place my camera near a central water source or crossing earlier in the season to get a general idea on what is in the area, then focus more on the trails as the season progresses. Disclaimer. This year the northeast had plenty of water so not as productive plus I had to pull 2 cameras that would have been under water had i not.
Use cuddys, nobody will steal them! Actually I do have a cuddy set as a decoy with a Covert on the other side of the trail 15 feet up pointing at it. Numerous pictures of people looking at it but nobody took it yet.
Best tip I can give.......skip the Cudde get a Primos or Moultrie.
kinda goes against your #9 Pat but two SD cards for each cam, quick and easy to switch out in the field and take back for review
PS make SURE your card is not on "lock" when you put it in, duhhh very aggravating 3 weeks later!
DONT BUY A CUDDEBACK,take it from someone who has spent a ton on cameras.PROOF YOU CAN SELL JUNK WITH ENOUGH ADVERTISING.
I was going to say my #1 tip is "don't ever buy a cuddeback" but I can see i'm not alone...
If one puts a camera 8 feet up a tree, do you angle it downward?
I am wondering how it will trigger anything but birds 8 feet up the tree?
I also have 2 SD cards for each camera but I don't bother numbering them. I have a small place and am only running 5 cams this year. I can tell from the pics which camera the card came out of. I don't like Cuddebacks either, based on performance in the field. I have one right next to a Bushnell (which I'm also not very wild about) and the Bushnell triggers at least 5X as often as the Cudde (with animals in the shot). I'm convinced the Cuddebacks miss a lot of game. I'm tempted to try the Moultrie M100 Pat used in his video. Anyone else use them? Comments?
Jack- place a stick horizontally behind the camera, above the strap. That holds the top out farther than the bottom, thus it is pointed downward. Also, since you are usually shooting something that is 10+ yds away the field of view is big enough where you don't have to angle the camera too much to catch deer that are close.
great tips and continuation of Pat's article....the Moultrie M80 is the best I have used....which include older Moultrie's (big, but good), bushnell trophy cams (OK) and the new little Coverts (good).
Well for starters don't use Cuddeback!! They are not reliable and their support system, well there is no support system if you can't get through to a live person! To be a company the size of Non-Typical Inc, one would think they would be able to hire additional personnel during their "peak season" to meet customer demand!! To me, Non-Typical does not have anything that resembles "customer service"!
Another that says don't use Cudde's...I just found out they are intended to be throguh aways, as they don't offer repair service on there "No Flash" models....
I bought 2 of the moultrie m80's and have been very happy with them. Good speed and great night shots. Easy to operate also.
If you know its going to be really windy for a few days, Kansas in November, make sure you have removed small branches and other vegetation that can blow in front of your camera causing false triggers. Also, some cameras have sensitivity adjustment and lowering the sensitivity a notch can help with the false triggers on windy days as well.
If you are gonna be leaving your cams out for awhile. Clear the area in front from all vegatation and then use Round-up time release formula to last all summer long!
My first tip is to avoid any of the commercial cams period, make your own. Better pictures, do it yourself service and repairs, easy to use and the best part is the satisfaction of being able to know you did it all on your own. I wouldn't go back to buying overpriced commercial made junk again.
Check out the link to my favorite homebrew webcam site.
A great website for all camera reviews, tips, etc is http://www.chasingame.com/index.php?id=201 They just about cover it all! They also have a cam forum.
