2013 Trail Camera Placement.... (My Opinion)

[josephmrtn]

Ok guys here is my idea for 2013.... After looking (Drooling Over) skyhunters trail camera pictures,

(Like this one)

I have come to a point of desision... Im Going to place my cams near water!!!!! 

Good idea?!?! NOW i just need to work on placement...

the blue lines are water streams/drainage ditches ect.... ive seen some VERY worn down crossing areas but STUPID ME i NEVER thought of putting my cam there....

any opinions on placement or if this is a good idea?

[josephmrtn]

come on guys!!!! im all hyped and im not getting a response!!!

[fasteddie]

It's not Rocket Science . Put it on one of the trails !

[josephmrtn]

ive had it in the same spot for a yr... (Stupid me) and aint getting buck pics (exept for the one i shot) but i KNOW there are other bucks on our land cause of that incident w the neighbors cam... SO i want to move it but have no idea where.... THEN i see skyhunters pics AND.......  LIGHTBULB put it near water!!!

Good Idea?

[fasteddie]

Scout the area and place it where they cross the stream . Usually there are spots where it's gouged out on the bank of the stream .

[josephmrtn]

yeah thats what im gonna do... i allready found some spots

[Paula]

I agree with Ed, Place near paths. Just because you are getting a buck now on your camera doesn't mean that come hunting time he will still be in that area. You have plenty of time move your camera around, I am a believer that deer get use to a scent so you going out to move camera or to just switch card every week or every other is not a big deal.

Weather and food sources will make a deer change it patterns don't forget.

Edited April 13, 2013 by paula

[HuntOrBeHunted]

Just my 2 cents, but for now I wouldn't stress not seeing many bucks. I try and find the thick doe runs cause we all know the best few weeks of hunting for bucks is the rut and they will travel to find them doe's.

[fasteddie]

Just my 2 cents, but for now I wouldn't stress not seeing many bucks. I try and find the thick doe runs cause we all know the best few weeks of hunting for bucks is the rut and they will travel to find them doe's.

Good point about the Doe runs !

[Jeremy K]

I have read 2 articles that would support putting a trail camera on a water run , the 1st is that a smart buck will use a creek as means of transportation if it is one of those low lying creeks , basically a ditch on steroids , and the second article was from a guy that said every prerut large buck he has taken had wet/muddy legs almost a foot high on their legs.

[G-Man]

Water crossings/ ravine crossings, fence jumps(those are fun to make.) Deer pattern cameras. And you going out the same trails to check them...

[wooly]

Joe- not to take anything away from sky's trail cam pics(he does an awesome job with them), but I believe he crops a lot of his shots. Get yourself a cam capable of taking some quality resolution pics and learn how to use a simple photo editing process. Tweak the sharpness, contrast, brightness, and colors.., then crop your shots into a nice composition and voila, you got yourself some better than average straight outta the camera pics! Of course you'll need a good quality pic to begin with, so you'll want to keep the direction of the light in mind when setting up your cams so the sun is behind it, shining on your target critter. Some production cams don't handle the highlights of water well when exposed to the sun. I think that's where the homebrews shine!

Edited April 14, 2013 by wooly

[G-Man]

oh and get lots of camera's!!!!

[skyhunter]

thanks for the compliments. It's means a lot to me when my work is reconized by my peers and fellow hunters.

yes, water is a hot spot to get pictures of all animals since they all need it. some water trail cam spots are obvious and easy to locate by footprints while others will be more challenging. water locations that are "in the path" of an animals daily feeding and bedding patterns are logically the best bet, but that doesn't necessarily mean that other water locations won't be visited fairly consistently as well. placing a cam for a few weeks will be a good test of where they frequent. a time lapse camera that is placed to "see" a large area can be valuable as well to see where they are drinking or crossing.

good luck with your water cams. I think you will get some great pics and definitely be surprised by what unexpected critters also show up there.

Edited April 15, 2013 by skyhunter

[josephmrtn]

Joe- not to take anything away from sky's trail cam pics(he does an awesome job with them), but I believe he crops a lot of his shots. Get yourself a cam capable of taking some quality resolution pics and learn how to use a simple photo editing process. Tweak the sharpness, contrast, brightness, and colors.., then crop your shots into a nice composition and voila, you got yourself some better than average straight outta the camera pics! Of course you'll need a good quality pic to begin with, so you'll want to keep the direction of the light in mind when setting up your cams so the sun is behind it, shining on your target critter. Some production cams don't handle the highlights of water well when exposed to the sun. I think that's where the homebrews shine!

 

I aint looking for super good pics... im looking for deer!!!!

thanks for the compliments. It's means a lot to me when my work is reconized by my peers and fellow hunters.

yes, water is a hot spot to get pictures of all animals since they all need it. some water trail cam spots are obvious and easy to locate by footprints while others will be more challenging. water locations that are "in the path" of an animals daily feeding and bedding patterns are logically the best bet, but that doesn't necessarily mean that other water locations won't be visited fairly consistently as well. placing a cam for a few weeks will be a good test of where they frequent. a time lapse camera that is placed to "see" a large area can be valuable as well to see where they are drinking or crossing.

good luck with your water cams. I think you will get some great pics and definitely be surprised by what unexpected critters also show up there.

I have some spots like that.... i will try and go out this week and move my cam and get an area pic of where i put it...

[WNYBuckHunter]

The spot I have the most luck with catching the big boys is at a creek crossing with inside corners of ag fields on either side of the creek. The bank is worn down over a foot on either side at that crossing. Its fantastic during the summer and gets less productive closer to the rut. I also know the bucks will go up and down the creek through the water, as Ive seen them do it, I just havent caught one on cam that way yet.

 

This pic shows how I usually have it setup. Works best when the fields are in corn. Red are the heavy trails at this crossing, yellow is cam location and direction.

 

 

 

[josephmrtn]

I actually have several spots kinda like that... let me post up some area pics...

[josephmrtn]

here are several crossings i know of...

[josephmrtn]

BTW this is a chunk of property across the road from us that we are buying... see any potential? 

[WNYBuckHunter]

3rd pic, that trail you marked to the south west may be good. If the creek has steep banks, just look at the cut the deer trail makes in the lip of the bank. That will tell you how heavily it is used.

[josephmrtn]

I figured you were gonna pick that one... LOL thats kinda where i was planning on putting my cam anyhow

[WNYBuckHunter]

Its a good pinch point. Give it a shot.

[josephmrtn]

I also have a treestand right there (yellow dot)

[josephmrtn]

will post a report later... im gonna run out and look at it and possibly move the cam to that spot...