using game cams for trapping

I know there have been several "which game cam to buy?" threads, and there have been user hints sprinkled throughout those threads.

But as someone new to all of it, I'd like to see a one-stop thread for how best to USE them (set-up, placement; camouflaging, anti-theft, etc.)...heck, how to AIM the darn things!

Teach me (and others!) how to use them effectively and efficiently for Trapping!

Thanks.

Some, if not most cameras come with a setting designed to aid you in aiming the camera. Normally there will be a light that blinks when you're inside the sensor range and it will go dead when you step outside of it. I don't find the feature all that useful. Aiming them is more of an art than a science as far as I go. It's not that hard.

I've found a mount like the one pictured is a big help in getting more precise placement.

A stick under it on bottom to aim up
A stick under it on. Top. to aim down.

L/Right same

Use the “test” function to find the “edge” of activation. Come inside of that about a foot.

To watch sets and learn how the animals work them I think is a great idea. But if using them instead of physically checking you better check your game laws.

Buy a card reader for your phone and take some test pics of all else fails, lol. I’ve found the higher the better for predators if watching traps. Doesn’t really matter when watching trails.
Here’s a video of a coyote actually seeing the glow of a low hanging camera watching a rub tree and coming in to investigate.
https://youtu.be/iBZmKDybpFI

The type of light emitted from the camera is important. I’ve had coyotes about turn inside out taking off when some IR cameras activated.

I need to learn what Hobbie speaks of. Too dang many buttons / features.
I spooked a lot of critters this last year.
Two mature bucks never returned to apple tree.
Possums and cats don't mind lol.

Yes, this. But be aware things are changing in this regard with the growth of the nuisance trapping industry. It has changed in Georgia just within the last decade. When I first asked years ago if I could designate it to my clients to check traps and report I was told, "who's name is on the trap tag?". But a few years later a start up in the state created and tried to market an electronic switch that would trigger on trap closure was met with that same restriction so they got the rule changed to allow remote monitoring.

Like trapping there’s a lot of little things that make a cam work for you depending on your goal, a big difference between scouting and at trap set type photos. With scouting your checking the traffic in the area with the set cam pics your trying to get the action or identification shot.

I just pulled the cams off my cat sets at the end of the season and moved them to newer location that I need to find the popular travel routes in those areas. So I went from cubby cams to pinch point cams covering the narrowest points and the intersections of roads and where several draws meet.

Dos and don’t off hand others can jump in with their tips.

Do not point the cam into direct sunlight it will white out the photos on sunny days.

Knock down the weeds and branches in front of the camera or you will be going through thousands of grass/limb moving pics. Up North think snow and limb weighted and bouncing it the breeze. Decisions need to be made on the amount of tree/brush trimming you should do, your call.

Pointing at a object takes a little time you need to aim the cams at, the higher you go unless you find a tree leaning in your favor or you can set lower on the trunk but then weeds in the spring can be a issue then if you leave them out in the growing season.

The up and down pointing is harder then the direction pointing part pay attention when downloading photos (to high/low) then make adjustments as needed, this is a issue in deep draws or side slops here.

Theft is not a issue here less people less problems it seems, who knew. LOL

Tie off the extra strap material that can flap on the very windy days wasting battery and card space, then the need to go through endless photo’s .

Sensitivity settings are your call you can go normal, auto, low or high on mine I want quality pics I set on low but set in tight areas mostly so that helps some yet I still get a mouse/rat pick on my video cams.

I use my cams to keep the yotes away from my cat sets they do not like my Bushnell cams so I use them according to that.

I just collected all my cams and put in new batteries and cleared the chips, then I put them back out, the plan is to leave them out until spring Turkey season the collect them. Summer cams are a pain with summer growth.

This

The best way to learn how to use the trail cameras is to buy a less expensive camera, read the manual, and set the camera up in your back yard and test/play with it. It won't take long to figure out how to aim and use it. You will also see what is prowling your yard after you go to bed. There are some very basic cameras that sell in the $30 - $50 range online, Walmart, etc. Now is a good time to get good deals.

When a trail camera snaps a picture, that picture (data) is written onto a SD (Secure Digital) media card. The SD cards come is varying capacities, write speeds, etc. They are cheap. Buy two cards for your new camera. That way after your camera has been in the woods for a while and you go there, you can turn the camera off, remove the SD card that has the pictures on it, replace it with the second fresh clean SD card, turn the camera back on and leave it to continue working. Take the first SD card home or wherever and look at the pictures on your home computer, card reader, or whatever. Facing the camera in a Northerly direction is generally considered to be best when possible. That keeps the bright sunlight from shining directly into the camera. I like to place my cameras whereas the critters are not looking directly at the camera when they pass by. It is much less noticeable that way.

There are three types of trail cameras. Those are: White Flash, Infrared Flash, & Black Flash. (1)White flash pops a bright white flash at night when the camera is triggered. Those were the first trail cameras, still made and used today. They worked good and produced great color photos at night but the sudden bright flash tends to spook some critters. Once deer get used to it, no big deal. Not good for coyotes. (2)Infrared Flash cameras flash a very dim split second red flash of infrared light when the camera is triggered. You can see the red flash at night if you are looking directly at the camera. I have had deer and predators notice the light but they may have spotted the camera first. (3)Black Flash is an infrared flash but it cannot be seen so that is best to not spook or alert critters.

I always recommend to check out the cameras and information on the Trailcampro website. Lots of useful and helpful information, reviews of current cameras, etc. there. If you order/buy from them, they give you a FREE two year warranty and a FREE SD card for the camera. They are at: trailcampro.com

Hope this helps, Dave

This is a night time picture from a Cuddeback white flash type trail camera.


This a picture from a Browning Strike Force infrared camera.