I trap farmland and open fields for coyotes and do fairly well for a small operations guy.

I have a couple good trail cameras for video and want to get some videos of catches and reactions towards my sets.

My question is, do you think a coyote would be spooked of a trail cam on a post about 15yds away from a set in a wide open field? It would definitely be something out of the ordinary for them.

I know the obvious answer is "try it and see" but running a shorter line, I'd like to not miss an opportunity of making a catch.

Surely some guys have done and can chime in on what they think.

Thanks

If you can them elevated, the better they'll be. Downwind of the set helps to. They do seem to notice them if they are low to the ground. Sometimes they'll spook, sometimes they wont.

The camera wont spook them, but the infrared flash tends to create issues with about 75% of the coyotes here.

Can you put the camera up now so they are somewhat used to it by the time you set?

Some cameras the flash or the sound of the lens filter moving into place spooks coyotes. First you have start with a good camera that doesn't spook the coyotes most of the time. Second use wire to attach camera not the nylon strap. My experience with the physical aspect spooking coyotes is it can get noticed but they normal get over in less than a minute and will go ahead and work set. As stated if u get it up at least 4 foot the less chance of being noticed but the more the camera is pointed down the less I like the pics or video. Took me about 6 cameras to find one model that is decently good for coyotes. Some cameras miss a lot of auction especially on smaller animals like coyotes too.

I have a couple Garde Pros I was going to try, they were recommended by someone on this site. I believe they have a "black lens" or "black flash" or whatever the black thing is to do with the flash...it's supposed to be invisible to animals, but not really sure to what extent.


What camera are you using Yes Sir?

I have used the black flash camera's some coyotes will spook from them, They are very good at hearing the camera!

X2
Tried Browning's black flash (dark ops) didn't spook coyotes but their detection sucked bad. Missed way too much. Had go with their Spec Ops series. They still miss some. Hearing the camera is a real problem.

How are you guys mounting them in open country? I used some last year and had it low and probably way to close. Going to try higher and farther back this year.

I don't do cameras but I would think the all to common t-post would do in open country if theft isn't an issue.

I haven’t messed with trail cameras trapping for a long time, so I’d assume the modern stuff is a lot better than what was available 15 years ago.

But, back than im convinced the coyotes were hearing the camera and getting put “on edge” by them.

If you can put them up and keep them up at different places they will get used to them. Like down here where everyone is ruining cams year round most animals seem to know what they are but just plain don't care. Much like how most critters know what a feeder sounds like when it goes off and it means free food

Got land owners that have cameras on T-post in the middle of fields monitoring deer and they send me pics of coyotes, fox, and bobcats when they get them. Heck, I left one property and 2 weeks later the owner sent me a pic of a coyote crossing. I told him I’d come back and make a couple sets in front of the camera if he would monitor it and tell me when I had a catch. 3 days later he wakes me up with pics of a cam caught coyote.
Had a camera on a rub tree that had 4 lights that would light up red when activated. A coyote saw it from the road and came in to investigate.
Guess it all depends on the coyotes and camera. Have a lot of pics of coyotes, fox, and cats working a set and getting caught. Those are on my cell cameras and all I take are pics on those.
If I wanted to video I’d go with the Brownings mentioned. Had good luck with those running them almost year round. They all lasted about 6 years before biting the dust.

Majority of coyotes here spook at the IR ones. I don't think it is a noise thing either

As long as it's an IR trail camera and set in a pretty good spot where they can pick it out you would be just fine. Trail cameras help increase your catches because you are able to review what went right and what went wrong.

You do something that is out of the ordinary or iffy to a yote they will take other paths to get to where they want or need to go.Just watch your dogs when you walk with them or watch them hunt. If something that upsets them whatever that maybe they are reluctant to go back there or are very,very uneasy. I walked our yellow lab for 11 years over 11K miles and there were areas when something took place that he would react to for monts. To me flashing lights in the middle of the night would be a real negative for a canine.

Bryce