Need some advice

[erussell]

So I finally got around to getting a trail cam and want to know what advice everyone has for trail cam usage. I will be putting it up sometime this week to hopefully see what has survived the season. Where should I put it up, what not to do, ect,ect. Let me know. I bought a 8mp IR Stealth Cam Prowler XT if any has experiance with this cam.

[Doc]

I will start off with something that I was painfully reminded of yesterday when I swapped out the SD-card and got back to my computer. What I found was 549 pictures in only a couple of days.

What happened was that out in front of the camera was a large pine tree with an overhanging limb. A couple of nights ago, we had a pretty good wind all night. Well guess what. the movement of that limb triggered the camera all of that time and just kept tripping off picture after picture. Here's the real bad news ..... You can't always tell from looking at those tiny thumbnails whether there might be a deer in any of those pictures, so each one has to be opened and examined before you can just delete them.

I have had similar results with goldenrod, etc. So be sure to take a final look for things that the wind can move that might trigger the motion sensor of the camera.

[nyslowhand]

Gettin Started on blue bar.

http://www.chasingame.com/

Lots of different forums discussing them, maybe your model.

FYI for a search - Game cam, trail cam, scouting cam, ......same thing!!

[erussell]

Gettin Started on blue bar.

http://www.chasingame.com/

Lots of different forums discussing them, maybe your model.

FYI for a search - Game cam, trail cam, scouting cam, ......same thing!!

Like the advice to make sure you turn camera back on. Would really suck having cam out for 2 weeks and checking it to only find out it wasnt on. Also does anyone else build a weather shield to put over the top of your cams to keep rain off the lense?

[wooly]

May want to go with a food plot set up this time of year. Tractor Supply sells "Throw and Grow Winter Ready Corn"

Never had much luck with the plots, but the deer will devour the seed in no time flat,lol

One serious thought- you have burst mode...use it!

Don't sweat the blank pics and battery life you sacrifice if you really want to get the most from your cam.

[erussell]

May want to go with a food plot set up this time of year. Tractor Supply sells "Throw and Grow Winter Ready Corn"

Never had much luck with the plots, but the deer will devour the seed in no time flat,lol

One serious thought- you have burst mode...use it!

Don't sweat the blank pics and battery life you sacrifice if you really want to get the most from your cam.

Winter ready corn.

Burst mode on, I can fit 2000 pics on the SD card I have in low and use the 12 vlt battery so I should not run out of juice or room for pics to fast on burst mode.

Edited December 22, 2011 by erussell

[Doc]

Another thing to consider is the fact that not many deer are really being fooled by the presence of the camera, even the IR ones. Many pictures that I get, the deer are staring right at it ..... lol. So, if you use a camera prior to or during hunting season, you may want to be careful about using it at a spot where you intend to hunt. Most deer will tolerate it, but some of the bigger guys won't.

[nyslowhand]

Like the advice to make sure you turn camera back on. Would really suck having cam out for 2 weeks and checking it to only find out it wasnt on. Also does anyone else build a weather shield to put over the top of your cams to keep rain off the lense?

May be available, but I think most are made by cam owners/users.

Crude, but it works.

http://huntingny.com/forums/topic/6159-trail-cam-rain-hood/

Another tip, is the viewing orientation of the cam.

I try to have my cams facing north, that way the sun won't wash out the photos.

This isn't always possible, but I prefer not to get early AM or Late PM sun shining into cam.

Oh yeah, I'd suggest playing with it in the backyard first.

Get an idea what all the buttons & options do.

See how it triggers when you walk in front of it in all directions.

Finally, trail cams are really popular & easy targets for thieves.

Caution; You've now enter into an addictive hobby!!!!!!!!!!!

[phade]

With snow being a factor now...I'd suggest you orient the cam with the predominant wind direction in mind. Facing it into the wind will result in snow being built up over your lense or PIR sensor.

When there is not snow...avoiding the sun glare/timing that cause cam issues should be heeded. This time of year...you are better off dealing with a east south orientation and losing a pic or two at dusk/dawn (if you get whiteouts at all) rather than having snow built up on the lense. If the snow ices...it's not coming off the lense quickly and you won't have ANY pics to show for it.

For rain...rain won't be much of an issue...it's going to be going to be the fog and condensation. Some designs have a little hood or curves in the case to prevent or limit buildup. If you have fogging issues, set the cam up about 2-3 inches higher than normal and then take a small stick (size varies based on the tree you are attaching to, angle, etc.) and put on the back side of the cam in between the tree and the cam...at the top. It creates a very slight angle, which will limit rain from hitting the lense and will cause any fogging to run off faster.

Stealth is not known for fast trigger speed and a matching zone of coverage (big deal in cams). If you cover a trail, try not to place the cam aiming straight across the trail...try to angle it down the trail a bit. This will allow the cam to capture the deer. Otherwise, you'll be getting a ton of empty photos or butts and legs.

I agree on the burst mode..especially at this time of year. Hunting is over for the most part and the purpose (for scouting) should be to inventory the bucks that made it through and also to see if you can capture a late season pattern you can use to your advantage next season. If you are not on one of those so called winter food plots...try to place the cam on a trail to the evening food source. I find deer at this time of year, especially once the snow hits...will perform the "parade" single file on the trail....even bucks. I think you capture a better picture of the actual number of deer using the area rather than hoping for a pic on a plot where they may wander and may be done at night. The trail to the evening food source has a higher chance for day pics and also gives you more useful hunting info.

Commerical cams come with problems...some people have great luck...while others have headaches and deal with returns, etc. Keep the receipt for warranty work. Stealth may have an update for that cam that you can download from their website. If they do, check it out on their site. It is easy to do and may avoid you having to call them to find that out first or even sending a cam back that just needs the firmware update.

Edited December 22, 2011 by phade

[WNYBuckHunter]

Like the advice to make sure you turn camera back on. Would really suck having cam out for 2 weeks and checking it to only find out it wasnt on. Also does anyone else build a weather shield to put over the top of your cams to keep rain off the lense?

HA! Ive done that before, its a disappointment when you check the cam.

I dont put anything over the cam, its supposed to be built to handle the weather already, right?

[Culvercreek hunt club]

This time of year i think of 3 thing for picking a spot. Food source...food souce and of course a good food source. Great advice here on the facing of the camera for wind and sun direction. I have learned both the hard way.

Edited December 22, 2011 by Culvercreek hunt club

[HectorBuckBuster]

I would find a nice trail leading from the bedding area to the food source. With this wet weather its easy to find the best run trail. I would also find a area on the trail that is open so you can face the camera up the trail so the deer trip the trigger and you get a picture of a deer. I have Moultrie and Stealth cam's but have not found one that has a instant trigger. Most have 10-30 second delay, so if you get a fast moving deer you don't get a picture.

[Single_shot]

Like already stated,use it in the back yard....but to add to that,also see how far away it will "really" pick you up on the sensor. Some say 30ft but when you walk just 25ft and jump up and down like an idiot in the woods,it won't always see you. Best to play around with it. Knowing how far it will really see will help also in the setup out in the stix. And that confounded goldenrod,that can really ruin a good day.

[erussell]

May be available, but I think most are made by cam owners/users.

Crude, but it works.

http://huntingny.com...-cam-rain-hood/

.

Finally, trail cams are really popular & easy targets for thieves.

Caution; You've now enter into an addictive hobby!!!!!!!!!!!

Cool rain hood, I will have to see if I have an old pie tin laying around. I know the cams are suppose to be water proof but I think they are just water resistant if you ask me.

I plan on getting a bear box for the cam before I place it in thieverie territoriy. I'll bring my cordless drill and lag bolt it right to the trees from inside the box. Only way to get it off then will be to destroy it. I also have several government issued hardened locks that I aquired in my Military days to lock them up with. Hope I dont lose the keys or I will have a heck of a time getting this thing open. Also the bears are thick around where I will put it and dont need them chewing it up. They seem to love plastic and work really hard at tearing down the posted signs on the property I hunt no matter how many nails I put in the sign. Bastages.

[WNYBuckHunter]

check out the Python locks from Masterlock. All hardened steel and fully adjustable. Thats what Ill be using on all of my cams this year.

http://www.masterlock.com/products/product_details.jsp?lockStyle=null&typeOfEnvironment=null&lockUpValue=null&category=CableLocks_AdjustableLockingCables_DiscLocking_No.8419PythonAdjustableLockingCables&modelNumber=MLCOM_PRODUCT_8419KA

You can get sets of them with the same keys, or take them to a lock smith and have them re-keyed.

[erussell]

check out the Python locks from Masterlock. All hardened steel and fully adjustable. Thats what Ill be using on all of my cams this year.

http://www.masterloc..._PRODUCT_8419KA

You can get sets of them with the same keys, or take them to a lock smith and have them re-keyed.

Ill have to look into those, but like anything if they want them bad enough they'll find a way to get it off. Even if they have to drag a blow torch back in the woods.

I burned my name and address into it in 6 different places on the outside and inside with a wood burning tool. If they want to conceal who it use to belong to they will have to put some time into it with some sandpaper I stepped out 40 ft and hung it up in a tree in my back yrd and got 30 pics in a matter of 10 min. Which is good or bad could be triggered outside the IR flash range which would be bad for night. But good for day time. I expect it to be less when it warms up a bit. It is currently hanging overlooking an apple tree with a bunch or frozen apples on it. I gave it a good shake before I left and dropped a bunch of apples. I let it set 2 days and went back and all the apples are gone and it say's 60 some pics so well see. Ill let it hange till Saturday then pull the card and see whats on there.

[WNYBuckHunter]

Sure, I mean if someone really wants it, they could cut the tree down LOL. The lock just keeps honest people honest, and the nice thing about the Python, is you dont have to have a strap or bungee attaching the cam to the tree, plus a regular cable lock (what I use on my cams currently). You just have the Python to serve both purposes.

[fasteddie]

Check out the SD card in the camera before you put it out . I bought some 4 GB cards and put one in the camera . Went back after a week and pulled the card . No pics . Card had to be formatted . The 1st time ever that I had to do any formatting !

[erussell]

Check out the SD card in the camera before you put it out . I bought some 4 GB cards and put one in the camera . Went back after a week and pulled the card . No pics . Card had to be formatted . The 1st time ever that I had to do any formatting !

That would suck.

I took a bunch of pics of myself in the back yard and threw the card in my camera and it showed pics so I asume it means its ok?

Edited December 30, 2011 by erussell

[HectorBuckBuster]

So older cameras will not accept a 4GB cards.

[WNYBuckHunter]

Some will, some wont. I think eddie's issue was that the cards had not been formatted from the factory. Most of them come pre-formatted.

[erussell]

This one i just took out and put in the camera and it started working so i guess it is fine. Took camera down Saturday and had 70 pics. One set was of 8 deer in a group posing for pics including 2 bucks who possed nicelly with there heads down showing where there racks use to be. Been scouring the woods all weekend but havent found the rock they dropped them under yet. In the process of downloading the pics I accidentally deleted them while creating a new folder to put them in. I created two by accident and deleted the wrong folder like a jackass. So no pics to post. I can say I am extremely impressed with how nice the pics were and I had it set at 1.3mp to. Set it to 8mp and will see how the next batch turns out. Put cam up in different area Saturday. I think I will let it set 3 weeks and see whats on it.

[fasteddie]

So older cameras will not accept a 4GB cards.

I am not saying that . I am just stating that you should check out the camera with a card that you plan to use . That way , if it doesn't , you won't be disappointed by checking a camera that you leave out only to find no photos .

[erussell]

I am not saying that . I am just stating that you should check out the camera with a card that you plan to use . That way , if it doesn't , you won't be disappointed by checking a camera that you leave out only to find no photos .

Or actually read the instruction manual that the camera came with. Mine gave a list of cards that were compatible with the camera and gave a warning that said not to use any others.

[phade]

4gb cards are generally SDHC and SDHC recently become the norm within the past year or so for new cams (ie willing to accept up to 32 gb).

If the cam will only accept 2gb and under, it will not accept SDHC. That's the issue, really, not the size.