Scouting Camera Hints and Tips

Camera placement

• Always try to place your trail cam looking north or south. If faced into the rising and setting sun the light will wash out any pictures that are taken during that time.
• When placed in a small cleared out area where there is tall foliage across from the camera, the sun in the morning warming the leaves will sometimes set off the camera.
• Try to clean the area in front of the camera of any vegetation that can be moved by the wind. Usually 20 to 30 feet is enough unless it is a large weed or brush then a greater distance would be necessary.
• Be aware of the sensing capability of your camera. Place your camera well with in that range. Too close or too far will result in missed pictures. In most cases 15 to 20 feet to the target area in the summer is about right. During the colder weather some cameras will sense out to 100 feet.  This can be a problem when  cold and darkness allows the camera to trigger outside the range of the flash.
• When placing your trail camera to watch a rub line or scrape you should elevate the camera well above the eyelevel of the animal and have it looking down on the desired area. A flash coming from above will not bother these wary critters as much as if was at eye level. It is believed that the flash coming from above is similar to lightning and does not scare the bucks. This also applies to the IR flash cameras. This is important in that if you plan to hunt this same area you would not want to have this animal disturbed and possibly abandon the area due to being scared by the flash.
• When putting your camera to watch scrapes and you are getting a lot of activity, it is felt that this the bucks way of advertising. When this activity at the scrape drops off suddenly that is the time the buck will be out on the chase and is a good indication that the rut is in full swing.
• The average trigger time (movement to picture taken) with most cameras is 2 to 5 seconds. Aiming the camera directly across a trail in most cases will result in missed pictures or a lot of animal tail ends. We have found that aiming the camera so it is looking at an approaching or exiting animal is most effective for trail watching. When possible have it looking up or down the trail. When viewing a feeder or salt lick, or areas where the animal will have prolonged exposure just get your right sensing distance and observe the north south position.
• Corn Feeders:  We found that after placing a new corn feeder in a field our deer movement in that area stopped.  Week after week passed before we learned that you should camouflage the feeder.

Camera mounting

• The advertising for trail cameras always show the camera mounted to a tree. This is acceptable if the tree is in the 8 to 10 inch caliper.
• Winter mounting on smaller trees will work because after the leaves have fallen the wind will have little effect on the tree movement.
• During the time of full foliage the wind will move even larger trees to the extent the camera will trigger.
• The best solution to this is to build a camera stand that is pushed into the ground next to a tree. The camera stands are not affected by the wind and when placed next to a tree provides good concealment and a place to secure your camera from theft.
• Mounting height can be from 24 to 40 inches. When mounted low, small game like armadillos and squirrels will trigger the camera. These, will in most cases will be missed if the camera is mounted a little higher.
• With the IR red flash cameras in photo and movie mode, a bright red glow is put off by the camera. This red glow will really spook a deer. To avoid spooking deer with from the IR red flash, place the camera above the animals eye level looking down and they will not spook.

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