Elk hate my trail cameras!
Elk
Pulled my last 2 cameras today. One was set on video mode over a wallow that was active last year. I checked it sept 1 and pulled the 32gb card and replaced with an empty 8. That was dumb. The elk filled it in 1 day! Good news there were elk from 8am until it filled at 6pm. 1 minute clips. 5 different bulls and a bunch of cows throughout the day. I would have loved to have the 32gb card, and next time 20 second clips! There were 45 clips and 8 of them of were cows licking, sniffing, or rubbing the camera!
The other camera was set in a little meadow. Day after I set it a cow messes with it and knocks it sideways. No biggie, sideways elk still are elk. 2 days later another cow messes with it and now it's shooting almost straight up. 300 pictures of the wind blowing leaves. A few days later another elk knocks it back somewhat normal, I can see the tops of ears and horns. Better than leaves!
Note to self...next year all cameras are set higher than nosey elk's noses! And I need to sit on that wallow when the wind is right! Tree stand anyone?!
On a side note I was amazed at the number of out of state license plates. I counted 2 Colorado plates and 16 out of state! Michigan, pennsylvannia, Minnesota, all in multiples!
I checked a camera I had on water since July. Lucky I had it in a metal housing. The bears adjusted it down ward several times. The python cable has permanent notches under the lock.
And I use 15 sec for video.
I wished people had those cameras shoved bleep bleep bleep. Everywhere I go cameras everywhere.
Scrappy...all I saw was wahhhh!!!!
Maybe don't hunt where everyone else hunts, if there are that many cameras up? My 3 cameras were up since July 1. Guess how many humans I got on camera? Guess how many people I saw while hunting (not on road). Zip, zero, ziltch. But don't let me stop your whining!
I've had a bad year with cameras too. My problem has been bears, and they tend to chew on the cameras after they knock them off the tree.
I didn't see a bear on camera in 2.5 months. A few coyotes and foxes. I figured in an elk rich environment I would see some bears or maybe a lion? A camera at about 9 feet should help with the occasional bear too.
I use bear boxes on all cameras and those are lagged to the tree.Nothing moves.I don't even lock them but they have stopped all bear damage and keep the camera in position.
I use cameras but I sure wouldn't mind if they were made illegal. I kind of agree with Scrappy. I hate walking around and seeing cameras. Totally deters from my feeling of getting out in the wild.
I live in a bear rich environment, with a few elk -elk screw up 5 times the cameras.
How high are you guys putting your cameras so the elk can't mess with them? I like the idea of the box but hiking in 3-4 miles with more weight and gear doesn't sound pleasant.
The worst setup I had was a tripod with a metal box protector. Bull elk smashed it immediately every time. Tried to reset it 4 times gave up. Tripods might work as an attractant. The best is to clear out the minimum on a spruce tree for it to work properly.
I now have cameras all over my property to catch trespassers, the best ever.
Do they like to sniff your cameras too? Haha
I texture camo mine.I used contact cement to cover the LED bank with fiberglass screen,then camo painted the screen with acrylic paints.The IR still works fine.I usually use the same paint to camo that portion of the camera that shows.It wasn't done to this one yet.
For packing,the boxes do probably add 1-1 1/2# and some bulk.You just have to decide if it is worth it.I'm not going more than 3/4 mile with mine,most,much less.It would be nice if someone made and aluminum one or better yet,fiberglass.Really,the lags are what keep things in place.That said,you also need a small,1/4" ratchet with 3" extension and socket.Those don't take up much room or weight.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ru5_r3y1dNI&list=LLx1H-NQj_MKbr1aFGmooPGQ&index=38
Cheap to make, put 'em higher.
