Trail Camera tactics?

[Arizona Morning]

Hey guys,

For those guys that run trail cameras, what is your tactic. Do you use video mode or photo bursts? How many cameras do you typocillay run on 160 acres?

 

[Throwin Darts]

I run Covert cell cameras. I really like being able to see pics 24/7/365 without disturbing the hunting area.

I’d put one anywhere you have a stand. Or if you haven’t set up any stands throw a couple out in potential spots and see if you get any action and then decide if you want to set up a stand there.

If you can bait throw out a sack or two of corn and hang a camera and see what’s around


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[Skyhigh]

I do at least a photo burst of 2 images, sometimes one picture is blurred or something. Make sure vegetation won't set it off though, you'll get double, triple, quadruple etc. if you set it for multiple.

As for locations, I like a bit of everything. Treestand locations, scrapes, food sources, high use trails, low use trails out of bedding (usually get bucks on these). Depending what your 160 acres looks like would change the number you use. If its mostly trees or mostly open would change how I ran cameras. I would guess you could probably run 4 or 5 on 160 without an over abundance of repeat deer, depending how the property is set up.

 

[Rufus_MacVane_huntfishME]

Hey guys,

For those guys that run trail cameras, what is your tactic? Do you use video mode or photo bursts? How many cameras do you typically run on 160 acres?

Typically you will want like 5 cameras for that amount of land. I'd pick a spot you plan on hunting the first day and set it on 3 photo bursts. Make sure it's not on delay 30s. Angle it toward an area with not a lot of glare or moving water which will bothe affect your picture. Look for sign as well.

 

[Jonathan_S]

Depends on the terrain. If I'm hunting a specific buck in that small of an area, I might do 3 cameras at a time. More the better as far as determining a pattern of life but when checking more than a couple of cameras in a buck's home range, I'd be VERY careful about when I did it and how often.

 

[jakelogsdon]

Every conventional trail camera I have is set to video. Battery life and storage can be an issue if left out for a while. A few coverts cell cameras I have I will also run on video mode, they will send a snip of the video with the option to download. Started running a bunch of spypoint cell cameras this year, they dont have a video mode so I will mess with burst modes and trigger delays, all depending on the set. Trail sets I will always try to get a burst of photos. Scrapes or feeding areas I wont run a burst mode. Just single photos with a 1 minute or so delay. I try to fluff my cameras around every so often because no matter how good and concealed they are the deer (especially mature bucks) seem to learn they are there. Started running as many 12v batteries as I can stand also.

 

[Ian Ketterman]

I have 5 cameras on 13ac. I run 2 on both sides of my food plot facing both directions. I've discovered a lot of bucks will walk through a little tree patch on the edge of my plot without going into the plot 3-4x for everytime they actually go into the plot.

I have 1 on a little pine tree field on the other side of my property facing a tree line and a mineral lick I placed on the tree line where they tend to egress out of the creek.

Then I have 2 down in the creek on pinch points where I'd expect them to naturally walk through. This will be my 4th year actively managing the place and each year it feels like I double my knowledge on what they're doing.

 

[NICKRBOCKER9]

I run about 5-6 cams on my 60 acres. Spring and Summer I have them taking photo bursts on food mostly. 1 on my water source. Starting mid october or so, i'll switch a few cams to video and place them on scrapes and trails near bedding areas. You'd be amazed how many bucks you miss during pre-rut and rut with just taking snaps. They'll be walking 10 seconds behind the does. Some cams aren't able to recover that fast after taking the pics of the does.

 

[wolfpup]

I use around 30 cameras every year to find a mature buck-not easy in Pa. Some bucks are paranoid of cameras and I'll put them 10ft or so in the air and that seems to work. I put some on photo burst-always if I have them set to take photos, and some on video mode, depends what location I have them. I really like video mode on scrapes. You can learn a lot. I learned about a 'nose poke stick' because I had a camera on video mode on a scrape. Every dear, does included, would hit the scrape, touch a stick 2ft off the ground with their nose, (putting scent on it) and then go on their way. Pay attention to the individual deer and what they do, its fascinating and they can teach you a lot.

 

[AFenny11]

I don't think you need to camo your cameras. If you're worried about deer or people seeing them, you can carry a climbing stick with you so you can hang them high and angle them down. This helps a lot. Also you can set it on timelapse mode with this method and capture a larger view of the field.

 

[jonahw12]

get a couple cell cameras and i agree with hanging them higher but angled down. i have mine setup only on pictures to save on battery

 

[SMOKYMTN]

Hey guys,

For those guys that run trail cameras, what is your tactic. Do you use video mode or photo bursts? How many cameras do you typocillay run on 160 acres?

Video and Photo depend on the setup and accessibility. I hunt the BR Mountains of NC where we have 1,000,000+ acres of public land to hunt in a relatively condensed area. No way I'm running video mode on a camera that's 3 miles back that I might check a couple times a year. You will drain the battery and fill your SD card too quickly, even with a larger capacity card. I have a couple areas that I setup for relatively easy access, that I can check every few weeks, that I will run video.

Typically the setup I run with any camera is a 2 to 3 photo burst with about 5-10 seconds of delay. The bursts are great for catching multiple deer entering an area at the same time (bachelor groups) and the shorter delay allows for you to catch deer that might be trailing behind another deer, where if you had a longer delay, you'd likely miss. I SOLELY RUN LITHIUM BATTERIES. I cannot express that enough. Yes I know they are more expensive and like everyone I used to run standard alkaline up to last year. Lithiums became a game changer last year and it was evident when I tested my lithium camera next to an alkaline camera. Lithium batteries are more responsive and do not lag in cold weather. Same spot, same camera running different batteries and I would venture to say that the lithiums picked up a 1/3rd more photos that the alkaline would miss for various reasons. It made a believer out of me. Also, you probably get the twice the life out of lithium batteries which in reality offsets the costs.

As for how many for 160acres, it all depends on your goal. Do you the know the area well enough to define bedding areas and trails, or do you need some time to prospect the area? If it's new to you, scout and find some obvious high traffic areas, and begin there. Based on what you're seeing, adjust from there.

 

[Ethan-333]

I’d set up only areas your considering hunting. For me I like to set up on major creek crossings, pinch points deer are using, and major trails I think are leading into bedding areas. I would avoid going into bedding areas at all to set up cameras just so you don’t bust any deer out of there.

 

[Whitetaildown215]

We hunt 480 acres, 300 of those acres are wide open prairie. So that leaves us 180 acres of timber. We set out 18 cameras last year over the whole place. 12 of those were in or on the edge of the timber. It seems like overkill but the timber is coal dumps so lots of peaks and valleys in a 30-40 yard span with tons of trails coming and going throughout. I would say your 160 acres depends on if it like ours coal dumps or if it’s open river bottoms with spread out oak trees will determine how many cameras you need.

 

[Cady Creek]

As many as you need to cover where you think the deer will be, or you want to setup. Photo mode until pre-rut/rut then will switch a few to video mode. Key is to check them as INfrequently as possible to not disturb the area.

 

[Southern Heritage]

I run 3 covert cameras which I love. Keeps me out of the woods but know what’s going on in the woods.
I also run 5 spypoint which I hate but when there working they are ok.

so I’m running 8 cameras on 220 acres. I don’t think it’s a game changer in the way I hunt but let’s me know what’s there

 

[Twitch2146]

I run them on public land at every spot I scout. Gives me an idea of what deer are in the area, the activity of the deer and if there are any other hunters scouting the same area

 

[AugustWest]

Photo mode. 2 burst. I set cameras over trophy rocks. I typically use cams more to get an idea of the deer on the property and don’t typically set them in The immediate areas where I hunt. Going to check on cameras can ruin a good hunting spot

 

[aham]

Usually a 3 burst unless I have it over a scrape and then i usually put it on 30 sec. Video

 

[thacounty]

Some pretty cool ideas in here. Commenting to save thread