Over winter game camera sets

[JohnB]

Hey I'm new to having game cameras so I've got a few questions that may be kind of stupid or already covered. I've got a couple places I hunt or am interested in hunting where the access is via an old mule trail from the mining days. These overgrown trails in a couple places are on very steep side hills so I figure there are a decent number of critters using them.

I'm not figuring on using a camera to help me for hunting but more out of an idle curiosity of what critters use the trail over the course of a year. Any advice on camera set ups or strategy for dropping a camera off in Sept and picking it up in June? I figure the camera is going to potentially be buried in snow for part of the winter but I'll try to get it up pretty high and use lithium batteries.

Anything else I'm missing?

 

[Legend]

I try and put them in the southern side so they warm up every now and then. Never know what you will find.

 

[Auburnpack]

Only Use Lithium batteries!

 

[Moserkr]

Mine usually takes pics til around february then may get buried in snow. Usually runs out of battery during winter but not storage space with 32gb cards. I get lots of pics of storms and snow…. Maybe a weasel, rabbit, or squirrel over winter and thats it. That cam hasnt left its tree in 3 years now and i check it at least twice a year. Once as early as i can get in there, and once before hunting starts. Usually get snowed out from getting to it again.

 

[loggerchas]

Sounds like you have it covered.

In some areas (pinyon-juniper woodlands) I have had issues with packrats chewing through the big zipties I use to secure cams (and previously with bungees or straps). For the long-term sets I have gone to a couple wraps of baling wire to secure device - seems less palatable to the rodents.

Never an issue with storage space of 16-32 cards, Fresh batteries in November last until June/July.

Having misplaced a camera for several months....I always make sure to GPS the tree with both phone and GPS. Easy to forget exactly what tree after not seeing it over winter......

 

[Yooper]

I do this a lot. Lithium batteries like you mentioned are a must. I also put mine higher up a tree and angle down to account for snow accumulation. It's pretty interesting to see the animals just stop one day when snow forces them out and then the next pic is months later with the snow nearly gone. Always get something interesting on cam over the winters.