Advanced Trail-Cam Tactics

My introduction to trail cameras came quite differently than it did for most hunters. Back in the 1990s, while studying wildlife science at Mississippi State University, I was "awarded" an unpaid position by my advisor.
My goal, as a freshman student, was to gain experience working in my field. One of the graduate students was working on groundbreaking research for his master's degree employing "camera traps" to survey and monitor deer populations, and I was in charge of keeping cameras going in the field.
Although these early and crude 35mm film versions of what we now commonly call "game cameras" were not as technologically advanced as they are today, I immediately became excited about potential non-scientific uses of "camera traps." I regularly found myself imagining exactly what these cameras would reveal on the trails I grew up bowhunting back home in Pennsylvania.

 

Needless to say, the idea of having photographic evidence of the giant bucks I imagined was exciting. However, as I began to get involved with making my own "homebrew" versions of game cameras for personal use, I quickly realized that although my hunting spots had plenty of does, fawns, turkeys, raccoons, skunks, feral cats, coyotes, foxes, squirrels, bears, trespassers and young bucks, mature bucks were simply not there!
I suppose this is where my obsession with trail cameras and my passion for deer management met at the crossroads: it was time to grow more mature bucks to photograph and hunt!
After 15 years of intensively managing hundreds of hunting properties, I've learned that patterning
mature bucks — once they are present — is a whole new ball game. The advanced trail-camera strategies that follow have given me a competitive advantage, and they can do the same for you.
Home on the Range
Fact: when hunting a mature buck, you must get intimate with its home range, core area and how each fluctuates with the seasons. And unless you have access to GPS tracking collars, trail cameras are the tool for the job. There are many factors that affect a buck's home range and core area, and you need to develop a monitoring program to determine the behaviors of the big bucks you hunt.
Since these behaviors can change daily, weekly, monthly, seasonally and annually, your camera program should be in operation during those times. That's right, I never have camera down time on the properties I manage. If a buck is alive and establishing his routine of eating, resting and breeding, I want to know everything about it.
Most hunters pull their cameras out of the field in the "off-season," but the most successful hunters I know — the ones who consistently kill mature bucks — would look at me funny if I mentioned pulling cameras after the season's finale. When camera tracking mature bucks, there is no off-season!
There was a time when deer biologists generally agreed the home range of mature bucks was somewhere around one square mile, or 640 acres. However, dozens of popular studies have revealed bucks with home ranges even smaller and bucks with home ranges as big as 13,000 acres!
So, we now know the home-range size of a mature buck varies based on individual personality, age, habitat quality, population characteristics and more. That's where creative trail-camera deployment can provide insight on the bucks you are targeting.
About a decade ago, while working with my own property, I realized I needed to forget about the
research papers and do some things differently. So, I decided to take my own personal farm: a well-
managed 95-acre tract, formerly farmed and heavily hunted, and attempt to piece together the puzzle of individual, older age-class bucks.
I committed to five years of intelligence gathering, and no killing. Since my farm is located in Pennsylvania, I knew high hunter densities, trespassing, poaching, deer-vehicle collisions, a poor buck age structure and mortality from hunting on neighboring properties would all be sure-bet limiting factors to my ability to grow and hold mature bucks. Still, this is real-world stuff, and I had questions to answer.
When it comes to home range and core area, I find that although mature bucks are consistently inconsistent, seasonal shifts in core areas tend to be very predictable from year to year (provided the bucks survive!).
In other words, once you determine how a buck uses different portions of his home range during various seasons, you can begin to nail down his behaviors (rutting, summering, feeding, bedding) and ultimately his whereabouts during hunting season.
A buck's core area represents a much smaller area within his home range where a he spends a significant amount of time. The survival advantage is that he gets to know it very well and, in a sense, has home-field advantage when it comes to evading you! We know that when a buck is born, the likelihood of dispersing to a different habitat (neighbor's property) is likely.
Research on the percentage of yearling buck dispersal shows some variation in both the proportion of the buck population that naturally disperses and exactly how far they will go. Once a young buck establishes his "home-field advantage" he tends to stay, barring any major habitat disturbances. This doesn't mean, however, that he won't exhibit seasonal shifts within this home range.
In fact, I've found many mature bucks exhibit two totally different core areas within their home range: one for summering and one for the breeding season. Bedding and water sources also change as they make the shift.
Camera Locations
When I start "camera trapping" a property, I like to cast a wide net and then methodically narrow my focus. For example, when I purchased the 95-acre Pennsylvania farm where I live, I started with 10 camera stations.
I placed my first camera 15 yards from the edge of an inside corner with great results. Not only are inside corner food plots great killing zones, they are tremendous areas for cameras to survey a high percentage of the bucks in an area.
My second camera placement may surprise you. This camera, and the two that followed, changed the way I manage deer today and greatly enhanced my value as a deer consultant. Cameras two, three and four  didn't even land within my property borders.
Instead, I strategically placed them on land owned by friendly neighbors. Think outside the box, literally! During my five-year project, I identified at least nine mature bucks that summered several miles from my farm. Even though I had a food-plot research facility within my 95 acres, these mature bucks took advantage of the large agricultural buffet several property boundaries away.
When rumors of a giant buck got back to me one summer, I decided to ask a neighbor if I could teach him how to use his trail cameras. It was a win-win situation, as the first time I pulled his SD card I realized the rumor of a big, mature buck was true. My neighbor got excited about the big buck he was sure to kill in bow season (of course, he immediately placed two stands in the area).
Meanwhile, I knew better; the buck would later die in my food plots! The more interesting part was that this buck was one I had been "camera tracking," and the missing piece of puzzle was where he summered. This buck always traveled with a much larger, older buck that disappeared from my radar.
Like clockwork, these bucks disappeared from my feeders just prior to spring greenup only to return late August/early September! Even after the older buck disappeared (I suspected poaching), the younger buck continued to exhibit the same seasonal pattern. It was evident they had figured out the best core areas within their home range to feed, rest and breed.
As a result, several law-abiding hunters in the neighborhood failed to kill either of them. The younger (7'‰½ years old) of the two was finally killed by one of my friends in one of my food plots. I'm satisfied batting .500 on a small property that represents a fraction of a buck's home range. In Pennsylvania, a 7'‰½-year-old buck is a "Powerball" buck, and I understood his habits better than he did, simply because of my trail-camera strategies.
When to Move Cameras
When using trail cameras, a particular buck of interest is found in one of two ways. First, a "known" immature buck is photographed from year to year until he reaches maturity; second, a mature buck shows up due to a shift in his home range or core area.
When a known mature buck is on the hit list, you will have enough intelligence to know which stands represent your greatest odds of success. The second situation — when a "new" buck shows up out of the blue — is worth a more detailed look. Inheriting big, mature bucks someone else raised tends to get me bonus points with my clients (and my kids).
This scenario is why I keep a few trail cameras sitting in my office as supplements to what I'm already running. I like to attract these bucks from the neighborhood when we can legally kill them! With the development of high-quality, year-round food plot programs, this technique is surprisingly easy. Well established food-plot programs, with the right forage products for the situation, make this possible by "keeping" these rut roamers around for a few more days.
As a client once commented, "Does in food plots ultimately equate to bucks on walls." Quality food plots, coupled with a savvy trail-camera monitoring program, make consistently killing mature bucks exponentially easier.
After owning and/or hunting a property for a few years, you will begin to establish known camera stations that are consistent mature buck producing sites.  As a result, I don't move many of my cameras after mid-summer. I know which cameras are likely to blow up with mature buck photos when day lengths shorten, and I know which camera locations will reveal primarily does, fawns and young bucks.
The presence of heavy scraping activity does change the game. In fact, I will move a camera to a new spot when heavy scraping activity begins. A scrape is frequented and utilized by all ages and both sexes of deer from pre-rut through post-rut.
There simply is not a better place to monitor which bucks utilize your hunting property during the fall and winter breeding season. If you know your area well enough, you're already aware of specific scrapes that appear in the same location year after year. These traditional scrapes are, by far, the best locations for establishing which bucks include your "deer dirt" in their rutting travels.
Many times I hear hunters argue that a handful of photos of a particular buck at a scrape don't mean much, since he may have merely been on a journey that particular day/night. As a hunter, biologist and fan of old bucks (regardless of headgear), I can't relate to that thinking.
In fact, when I hear someone talk like that I immediately know they do not have much experience hunting mature bucks. The fact is mature bucks don't act like the photogenic Hollywood yearlings and middle-
aged bucks that flood your SD cards. They couldn't be any more different in every activity and behavior, and that includes how often they stop at your smelly, noisy box attached to a tree!
Developing fresh intel on mature bucks is guaranteed to become easier as trail-camera technology advances.  New features such as wireless trail cameras and 360-degree fields of view will allow big buck hunters to uncover the habits and whereabouts of savvy, mature bucks.
As a fan of trail-camera history and technology, I'm really looking forward to having more high-tech tools to minimize my presence in areas where mature bucks lounge, feed and breed. That is, until adequate knowledge has been gleaned to suggest I should sneak into one of my well-chosen ambush sites and cash in on years of surveillance.

Summer Deer Scouting Strategies with Attractants and Trail Cameras

FOR MANY WHITE-TAILED DEER HUNTERS, JULY AND AUGUST ARE THE MONTHS TO GET SERIOUS ABOUT GATHERING VITAL HUNTING INTEL WITH TRAIL CAMERAS AND QUALITY FEED ATTRACTANTS. HERE'S HOW IT'S DONE AND WHY IT WORKS.

With the passage of the Fourth of July on the calendar, a subtle shift occurrs in the gray matter of most whitetail hunters across the country; the countdown to deer season is officially on for another year.

With weeks remaining before the opening bell in the year's whitetail hunting campaign, many hunters are hanging treestands and conducting daily sessions of punching 3D targets to hone bow shooting skills. And as time permits, they are setting up a scouting and recon strategy on hunting properties with trail cameras to see how the local deer population is doing and which bucks will fill our autumnal dreams.

For North Texas bowhunter Jim Lillis, a retired senior regional director with Ducks Unlimited, that last chore is one of the most enjoyable parts of the deer hunting pastime each year, the first cyber-glance at what might be possible in the hunting woods later in the fall.

With a number of sizeable whitetail bucks on his wall — including a typical 10-point Boone and Crockett Club public-land giant sporting a net score of 175 2/8 inches — Lillis admits deer hunting is as much about the anticipation of chasing big bucks as it is the execution of a successful shot.

This is why Lillis starts getting excited about fall deer hunting during the hot dog days of summer.

How does he begin his autumn pursuit now when the heat is on? By getting into the woods, or more accurately, getting his trail cameras and attractants in the woods.

"Start by looking at places where you might expect to see deer on your hunting property," said Lillis. "Take a look at places where you've seen deer in the past and you'll likely see them again."

For Lillis, such spots include any known deer trails and the edges of timberline. They'll also include local food sources, either natural places like native plants and browse, agricultural crop field edges, or even warm-season food plots and feeders. And in building heat of summer, don't forget to check waterholes, which can be hidden little deer magnets.

When you've got several such spots figured out on a familiar piece of hunting ground — or you've taken some educated guesses for a new property — Lillis says it's time to let quality deer attractants and trail cameras go to work.

While he relies on a number of trail cameras each year, during summer scouting, Lillis doesn't put a camera in every corner of his hunting ground since deer movement is scattered and whitetail bucks are in loose bachelor groups. But he does put out enough to help him gather intel and gain an inventory of deer utilizing his hunting spots.

"Take a local property I hunt, one that's maybe 150 acres," he said. "As I start gathering information, I'll put out four cameras on that place, a couple on food sources and a couple on travel routes. And I'll occasionally put one out in a more random place, like a spot where a tree fell on a barbed wire fence in a storm a few years ago. It's not a normal travel route, but I discovered that bucks and does were crossing there (until the fence was repaired)."

When his trail cameras are out, Lillis relies on a good attractant to help lure in local whitetails. Though feeding, baiting and/or attracting whitetails is not legal in all places, Lillis' home state allows for the practice and he's more than willing to take advantage 

While the use of yellow nuggets of corn is standard fare for many deer hunters in Texas, Lillis sweetens the proverbial pot by using attractants and mineral products like those available from Grand Island, Nebraska-based, Big & J Long Range Attractants.

Made famous over the years by the likes of Outdoor Channel hunting show personalities Michael Waddell and Travis "T-Bone" Turner among others, Big & J products like Deadly Dust, Liquid Luck, Meltdown, and Legit combine powerful deer attracting aromas that lure whitetails from considerable distances along with highly digestible protein and minerals that aid in meeting their nutritional needs.

Do they work? Waddell is certainly a believer, saying on one Big & J video that he's very impressed.

As one of the company's catchy sayings goes, "The aroma is super strong. The range is super long!"

One such product hunters might consider using is Big & J To-Die-For, which uses real sweet corn and is said to be five times sweeter than standard field corn. In addition to using the power of aroma to lure in bucks and does, the product also gives them a high level of total digestible nutrition (TDN) to assist in body growth and antler development.

Another Big & J product that can assist in pre-season trail-camera survey work is BB2 Granular, a high-level protein product that can lure bucks out into the open for summer intel gathering. It also can help establish regular travel patterns as summer turns into fall and keep bucks on their feet, even during daylight hours.

One final product to keep in mind is Big & J's The Cube, a block product perfect for hard-to-reach places, giving hunters an easy-to-carry compressed form of BB2. With more protein and less salt than other products, The Cube uses "Get Noticed" attracting aroma to lure whitetails and the power of nutrition to keep them coming back for more.

Are such protein- and mineral-rich attractants some sort of magical, aromatic silver bullet? Maybe not. But then again, they certainly don't hurt a deer hunter's reconnaissance work during the hot summer months, especially at a time when daily deer movement is not always consistent.

"When legal where you hunt, feed and attractants certainly increase your odds of seeing what's out there," said Lillis. "Animals go to food sources like we go to a plate of cookies straight out of the oven.

"Later in the year, when natural food resources have become more limited, it's easier to figure out deer movement patterns," he said. "But now in the summer months, when there is so much natural food readily available, it's a little harder to determine their daily patterns. By using feed and attractants, you can draw deer in from a pretty good distance and that can give you an idea of what you've got on your hunting property."

Keep in mind just because it's the lazy days of summer, deer hunters can't afford to become careless when putting out trail cameras and attractants.

"You can get too wrapped up in all of this," warns Lillis. "If you go every few days, you're probably hurting yourself more than you're helping. You can get so wrapped up in getting images of deer that you're leaving scent behind and alerting deer to your presence."

To avoid doing that, Lillis says to take the same precautions in summertime whitetail-survey work that you would during fall hunts. This includes playing the wind properly, choosing entrance and exit routes wisely, showering with scent-elimination products wearing clothes washed in scentless detergent, wearing rubber boots when traveling, using latex gloves when setting out trail cameras, and spraying down yourself, your gear — including cameras — with scent-elimination spray.

To that same end, hunters might also want to consider using gravity style feeders when setting out products like those from Big & J. Such feeders can help lessen a hunter's intrusion time in an area, can help keep varmints at bay when attractants are out, and can also help keep products like Big & J BB2 sheltered from the elements."

"You don't want to wade through a buck's core area," said Lillis. "Because with every encounter that a deer has with you — even now during the summer — you're continually educating him."

The bottom line for this veteran bowhunter from Texas is deer hunting revolves around a few simple principles and practices, including doing work during the summer months to achieve a desired payoff later on in the fall.

"The tools and equipment have changed over the years," said Lillis. "And I guess the tactics have changed somewhat too. We've got better bows, better arrows, better broadheads, better stands, better clothing, better attractants, you name it.

"But as they always have done, deer get smart to what we're doing over time and they adapt and keep us at bay," he continued. "They're still a wild animal that is using all of their senses to elude you. You've got to work hard to outsmart them, just like you do in winning a chess match."

While using your trail cameras wisely with good attractants is nothing more than an opening move on the chessboard, it's still an important one despite the mid-summer date on the calendar.

One that can go a long, long way during fall to you cutting a shot and hanging your bow up quietly, smiling big, and whispering "Checkmate!" to yourself moments after putting a big buck down.

Top Four Summer Trail Cam Locations

I’m always surprised when I talk to someone who mostly runs their trail camerasjust before the deer season and into the season. I suppose not everyone is as addicted to the sport of running cameras as I am, but in addition to that, hunters who wait until the last minute to get their cameras working for them are missing out not only on a lot of great enjoyment, but also some good information that will pay off later on.

The author is a big proponent of running trail cameras year around and summer is the time when we can learn a lot about the deer and their behaviors.

The enjoyment comes from watching the deer lazily biding their time through the summer and observing the amazing spectacle of nature that is the growth of antlers each year. The information comes in learning patterns and most importantly taking an inventory of the bucks on the properties you hunt. Knowing the potential of any property is a valuable part of deciding what areas you will hunt come fall and choosing which bucks will become your targets when the deer season rolls around.

There are four places I feel it’s critical to keep cameras operating during the summer. I may not have cameras on all four of these on each property, but I will at some time during the summer be monitoring these for at least a couple weeks. I try to let the cameras sit for at least two weeks and some of the prime spots may have a camera on them all summer. Let’s look at these four spots and examine why they are good as gold.

Water

While deer get most of their water from the plants they eat, they will consistently supplement that with any clean water that is available on the property. This may be a natural water hole, pond, stream or swamp. The ones that are easy to cover with a camera are the small ponds where you can set the lens to take in the entire pond. Bucks will use thede day and night if they are secluded in areas which give them a secure feeling.

Water is a key part of the daily lives of whitetail bucks in summer. It’s hard to beat a creek crossing for getting photos of them.

Deer tracks around these ponds will tell you which ones are getting the most use. Deer tracks will also offer clues as to where the deer are drinking on larger waters. Banks will be stomped down where the deer go down to the water. Creek crossings are one of my favorites because you are monitoring both a trail and water simultaneously. Deer will loiter and take a drink at the creek whenever they cross, giving you ample opportunity to get good photos of them.

Minerals

I start my mineral sites in the spring as soon as the snow goes off, and the deer will hit them periodically all summer. Hunters, land managers and biologists will argue well into the night around a campfire about how much benefit the bucks’ antlers receive as a result of the minerals, but one thing is for sure, they sure bring the bucks in front of your camera.

I don’t mind a mineral with a goodly amount of salt content because the deer will stay at the site longer and the hole that develops as a result of their pawing and licking is also an attractor. A salt or mineral block can work just as well. Put them in spots where the deer feel comfortable during daylight hours and resist the temptation to check them too often. Keeping human scent intrusion to a minimum will ensure that the biggest mature bucks will visit often.

It’s hard to beat a good mineral site for bringing the bucks in front of your cameras. They will not necessarily visit every night but they will be regulars which allows us to track their growth over the summer.

Food and Corn piles

Natural foods attract deer all summer and these food sources can be excellent places to put a camera. Problems come with this as most food sources are large and difficult to cover with a scouting camera. They may be using a large soybean, corn or alfalfa field for example. You can attempt to find the access points where the deer are entering the field but they are often so numerous that you’ll be using too many cameras on each field.

I have found that it pays to use artificial food source whenever possible. A 50-pound bag of corn will last about week in most places with an average number of deer in the area. With high deer numbers it might take two. Most every deer will stop in for a bite or two of corn even when food is abundant. I have a source where I can buy 30-pound boxes of crushed peanuts really cheap and it works wonders but it also disappears much faster than corn and every bird and critter in the area will fill up your camera’s SD card so it’s a toss-up.

Bedding Areas

Many people are afraid to put a camera right in known bedding areas and there are good reasons to avoid doing so. However, there are a couple things we can do to minimize disturbing the deer to the point that they avoid the area. The first one is simply do not check the camera often and then check it right before or during a rain or at night. The rain will wash out your scent and checking the area at night allows you to sneak in and out when the deer our off feeding somewhere else.

Bucks like to bed right on the backside of a hilltop and putting a camera there can provide a lot of information about when they arrive and exit the area as well as how they tend to use various bedding areas in differing wind and weather conditions.

The introduction of cell phone and wifi cameras has changed the game for those of us who like to put cameras right in the bedding areas. I have a Covert Blackhawk camera that uses Verizon towers and it only costs me $15 per month for up to 1000 photos. It will text or email me photos as it takes them. I can monitor it from an app on my smartphone so I don’t need to go get it until the app shows that the batteries are dead, and that’s usually several weeks.

I place this cell phone camera right in the areas I know the deer are bedding and it’s amazing what I have learned from it, even during the middle of the summer. I can see what times deer are entering and exiting the area. I have also noticed that they tend to use certain bedding areas with variances in wind directions and weather conditions. A camera in the bedding area is one of the most educational tools I use in the summer for learning about the deer on the properties I hunt.

So don’t wait until the cool evenings of fall get your hunting juices flowing to put those cameras out. Keep them out all summer and you will not only know much more about your deer, but you may also become addicted to the sport of scouting cameras like I am.

3 Ways to Thief-Proof Your Trail Cameras

Gluing some plastic leaves and moss to the front of the camera does a good job of breaking up its outline and making it more difficult to distinguish from its surroundings.

Possibly the only thing that hurts worse than losing a trail camera to a thief is losing the information it contained. Here are three ways to minimize your losses.

The sick feeling in the pit of my stomach soon turned to anger as I stood there looking at the tree my scouting camera had been attached to the previous day. I hate losing a trail camera to a thief, but trail cameras can be replaced. What really made me angry was losing the information contained on the SD card. I was hundreds of miles from home on a DIY deer hunting trip.

The cameras I put out were a huge part of my decision-making process regarding where I would hang my stands and hunt. I had just lost an entire 24 hours of information about the deer in this area. That really hurts. But I won't let my anger derail my hunt, so I get over it quickly. I look at scouting cameras as if they are overhead expenses in my hunting. You have to use them, and using them is a risk. You will lose a few, and you'll have to go buy more. But what do you do when your truck gets low on gas? You go get more gas. Same with scouting cameras.

The information gathered by these cams can be extremely valuable, and I refuse to use cheap cameras that don't have the features I need just because of the risk of losing them to some sticky-fingered low life.

I run a lot of good quality scouting cameras; it's almost like a sport in itself for me. I use them not only for deer hunting, but for bear hunting, property surveillance, wildlife viewing, even predator monitoring and control. I put some in areas where I don't expect anyone to ever find them, and at times I put some in areas where I figure others will see them and I hope they leave them alone. The number of cameras I have had stolen over the years could be counted on my fingers. It's not a huge problem, but it really can throw a wrench in the gears of your hunting plans. I have begun to take some precautions to avoid losing them to thieves. Here are three ways to minimize your losses.

Go Covert

One of the easiest ways to cut losses is to simply use cameras that are harder to see and hide them better. There are three primary kinds of flashes for night photos: white flash, infrared, and black flash. Black flash cameras do not have a flash that is visible to the eye. Both white flash and IR cameras have lights that can be seen by anyone who happens to be looking the right direction when they take a photo. I use mostly cameras with black flash because they are less likely to be discovered. There are a lot more than deer hunters using public lands, coon hunters come through in the night, squirrel hunters, ginseng hunters, and even metal detector enthusiasts can come across your cameras on public lands. I have the photos to prove it all.

One of the things that draws your eye to a camera strapped to a tree is the webbing. That dark vertical line stands out amongst the rest of the environment. Use a camouflage strap and put the camera in a place where the strap is hidden by brush whenever possible.

Larger cameras are easier to spot than smaller ones. Many companies are making very small camera bodies that are not much bigger than your hand. Small black flash cameras are difficult to detect, but I go one step farther. I often glue small plastic leaves and moss to the face of the camera to break up its outline. You can get this material at any craft supply store. Of course, do not cover the lens, the sensor, or the flash with anything.

The likely location of the animal you are trying to photograph will largely determine where you mount the camera, but if you can choose a spot with lots going on around the camera, it makes the unit much harder to see

at a glance. Both foreground and background cover helps. Use care when choosing a spot with foreground cover as waving branches and leaves can fill up your SD card with unneeded photos.

Put Them Out of Reach

One of the most effective ways to thwart thieves is to put the camera up where the bad guys cannot reach it. I like to hang the camera at least 10 feet off the ground and point it downward to monitor the area. Some people might be able to shinny 10 feet up into a tree to get the camera, but most won't. If a thief is actively looking for cameras to steal or a person is an opportunistic camera thief, neither of them are as likely to see a camera that's 10-12 feet off the ground as they are one at belt level to eye level.

There are several companies that make mounts for cameras that work in this way. The two I have used are the Covert Tree-60 and the Stic-N-Pic.

Here's how I go about it. I carry a climbing stick to the location I want to put the camera. Just one stick. I can strap the climbing stick to the tree, climb up it, and reach at least ten feet off the ground to mount my camera. When I am done, I just take the stick out with me. It's not a totally fool proof way to get the camera out of reach, but it works. Remember to carry the climbing stick with you when you check the cameras. This is one of the most effective ways to protect your cameras in theft-prone areas. Plus the photos you get are often unique and pretty cool with the downward angle.

Putting cameras up high comes with another advantage: deer do not seem to notice the flash at all. I have seen some deer become alarmed by a white flash at eye level, but I have never seen a case where a deer reacted in a negative way to a flash 10 feet up.

Lock Them Up

Most camera companies are now making lock boxes for their cameras. This was at first a response to the fact that bears like to chew on scouting cameras, but it works equally well to discourage the camera thief. These steel boxes can be bolted to a tree and then the camera is locked securely inside the box.

The disadvantages of this strategy include the extra weight of carrying the steel boxes with you and the extra tools needed to fasten it to the tree. But the disadvantages are far outweighed by the fact that it's really difficult for even the most determined opportunistic thief to steal your camera. And I have never seen anyone walking around the woods with a bolt cutter, although serious camera thieves might be dumb enough to risk that.

I have a separate backpack that I use which contains these boxes, lag bolts, padlocks and a cordless screwdriver with a socket. (Putting a screw in a tree on public land is not legal in some states; it is your responsibility to know the laws.)

I use the cordless screwdriver to fasten the box to the tree with lag screws, insert the camera, and then lock it up. It's really not that much extra work and makes it very difficult for any would-be

With a little extra effort, you can protect your cameras from thieves and get the photos you desire to help you learn more about the deer in the area. Each of these three methods has its time and place.

8 Trail Camera Tips That'll Produce Better Results

For example, say that a hunter shuts his truck door and walks to a tree stand several hundred yards away for two days in a row. While en route, he unknowingly passes upwind of a bedded buck both days. Even if the wind is in the hunter's favor on the third day, the moment that buck hears the truck door slam, he'll take for granted that a human is headed into his domain, and he'll probably either sit tight or go the other way.

If an adult whitetail errs at all, it's usually on the side of caution, and that means the hunter's chance of success is near zero. Here are 8 trail camera tips that'll help you on your quest for trophy bucks.

TIP NO. 1: BE DISCREET

The most detrimental aspect of a trail camera is overuse. A new unit in the hands of a first-timer is like a toy. The owner can't wait to see results from day to day. This allows deer to program the camera owner's activity more than vice versa.

Daily intrusion into the woods or along a field edge tells whitetails more about camera owners than those hunters will ever learn about their quarry through photos.

A camera is best placed in a transitional area where it's easy to enter and exit without being detected. Avoid inspecting the unit for at least a week or more. Do not leave telltale human odor by touching the housing or mounting components with bare hands. A scent-blocking spray should be used on the unit and mount to inhibit foreign odors.

TIP NO. 2: MOUNT YOUR CAMERA HIGHER

Since the conception and subsequent heavy usage of trail cameras, there has been overwhelming proof that a flash will spook some deer from the immediate area. So what about the latest claims by manufacturers that infrared flash won't spook game. Are they legitimate?

More than half of the photos I've taken with infrared flash indicate that the subject deer knew the exact location of the camera when the infrared flash triggered. These photos often demonstrate deer movement perpendicular to the camera, yet the deer's head is almost always turned looking at the unit.

A whitetail likely first notices the passive infrared heat sensor beam and instantly turns its head toward the camera in time for the infrared flash. Though most professional trail camera users agree that infrared flash is better, they also concur that it still spooks some deer.

Seasoned trail camera user Terry Tank of Glenwood, Minnesota, was one of the first ever to address a solution for the flash problem. Terry began mounting cameras several feet above the sight plane of whitetails immediately after being temporarily blinded by his own camera. He found that this reduced the chances of deer spotting the origin of the flash or being blinded by it.

The higher mounting also prevents deer from smelling a unit at close quarters. He eventually invented the Trail-Pod, which is now marketed through many sporting goods outlets.

The Trail-Pod TM-100 tree mount model allows easy placement of any trail camera in less than a couple of minutes. Its removable universal mounting plate is fitted with a quick-detach lock for ease of camera access. The Trail-Pod has a camera-style ball head for adjusting the unit's aim. Terry also markets the TLP-200 and Deluxe Camo TLP-300 tripod mount. These units can be placed in areas with no trees and without the noise of tamping a mounting post in the ground.

TIP NO. 3: MOUNT YOUR CAMERA FARTHER AWAY

Why do I get more deer hindquarters than heads? is an often asked question by new camera owners. Most current units offer motion detection and passive infrared heat sensing. Both must trigger to record an event or photo. This ensures that each snapshot contains a warm-blooded animal on the move.

When a less expensive unit is triggered, its camera is slower to power up, focus and record the photo. A five-second or more delay is possible on some economy models. If this is your problem, set the camera farther from the trail or at a 45-degree angle from deer travel. This allows a wider photo cone.

TIP NO. 4: CREATE A BEDDING AREA NEAR A FOOD SOURCE

The shots I get of shooter bucks on my food plot are always after 10 p.m. Why? This is another quandary for many camera users. It's usually a sign that mature bucks are traveling some distance to the camera site. They likely spend the day in a less pressured area or where there's more protected daytime bedding.

Creating a better bedding area near the food source will encourage bucks to bed closer and show up shortly before or after dusk. Your odds of harvesting them during hunting season will increase dramatically.

TIP NO. 5: FIND A BUCK'S HIDEOUT, BUT BE CAUTIOUS

My food plot photos show only does, fawns and small bucks. Why am I not getting photos of mature bucks in the area? Does need nutritious food in large quantity to stay healthy and produce milk for fawns. Older fawns and yearlings also need protein-rich food for growth. Though mature bucks need protein for maintaining muscle mass and minerals for antler growth, they often bachelor up in remote areas where food is adequate and human intrusion is less.

According to most studies on deer movement, mature bucks seldom move outside 55 acres during summer months. If you find that sweet spot, don't overburden it with cameras and human scent, but by all means have some cameras in the area.

TIP NO. 6: PROTECT YOUR PROPERTY

As with tree stands, theft is a major concern for camera owners. The loss of a $100 to $800 unit can be maddening and heart-wrenching. Here's a solution that often prevents thievery. Post your property with signs that read: No Trespassing -- This Property Has Video Surveillance On Its Borders -- All Trespassers Will Be Prosecuted! The simple threat of having their photo taken causes thieves to think twice about crossing a property line.

TIP NO. 7: BE CAREFUL ABOUT CAMERA PLACEMENT AT RUBS AND SCRAPES

New trail camera owners are quick to place units over scrapes and rubs. This is OK if the flash is disabled and the camera isn't checked more than once a week. Most mature bucks in pre-rut, however, freshen their scrapes after sundown. The wisest placement of a camera is 30 to 50 yards from the scrape on an incoming or outgoing pathway. This prevents excessive flash at the scrape or rub site and gives the camera user a better idea of the direction a buck is traveling.

TIP NO. 8: BUILD IT YOURSELF

Those who are electronically inclined can build a trail camera for half-price. Several Web sites sell the components, and other Web sites detail the how-to of assembling a high-quality unit. My nephew, Jake Davenport, began building all of his cameras after becoming disgruntled with $400 units that failed within the first month of use.

WHAT'S IN THE FUTURE?

Top-end trail cameras now offer the recording of time, temperature and moon phase with each photo. Barometer reading will soon be the next option. Remote units linked to cellular phones or computers are now available, but prices are quite high. Within a short time, however, trail camera users will be offered the affordable ability to set the camera and read its photos from afar. It likely will cost no more than a new compound bow.

Although the Boone and Crockett Club will recognize entries previously caught on removable trail camera film or memory card, the club has taken a stand against remote cameras viewed off location. This is seen as a deterrent to fair chase. One can only imagine a hunter sitting in a blind with a laptop or cell phone watching for more desirable deer activity at a second or third stand site. Some states already have laws in place disallowing this, but others will need to clarify current statutes detailing the "taking of wildlife with electronic devices."

CONCLUSION

It seems there is no end to the devices man will invent to get the edge on mature whitetail bucks. Hunters rarely give this elusive animal enough credit for its innate ability to shun predators. The more we pressure them, the more they learn to avoid us. Rattling is a good example. In my area of west-central Illinois, it's almost a given that rattling will forewarn older bucks of your presence.

Once archery season begins in October, it's rare to see even a 4'‚1/2-year-old-plus buck during daylight hours. And though trail cameras have helped many users plan an effective ambush, they certainly can create a negative effect for hunters who refuse to pay careful attention to detail.

One thing is certain, though: It's much less stressful sitting in a tree stand on a cold, windy, rainy day during the rut knowing you've got a trail camera photo of the buck of a lifetime!

Hunting camera type

Many different features are available in the remote path camera. The first and most important feature is whether you want your camera to be a digital camera or a film camera. Digital cameras can produce updated techniques in digital images of captured images. This image can be easily and quickly transferred to a computer. Film cameras must have film development in film labs and pictures printed from film. Our recommendation is that a digital camera is the best camera type to buy.

Hunting camera

Animal tracking cameras also have two different types of methods for capturing images. Some cameras use incandescent flash to take photos and other cameras use infrared flash. Infrared flash seems to be a better photo for taking wild animals because infrared flashes don't scare animals.

Necessity of electronic product aging test

In the production process of electronic products, the high temperature aging test of products is an important test procedure to improve product reliability and ensure stable performance under extreme conditions. Electronic products, whether components, semi-finished products, or complete machines, or equipment, are subject to testing and aging. Testing and aging are not a concept. Perform aging and functional testing first.

Hunting camera

Almost all electronic products have become a complete product after being manufactured, which has the function of the product and has a use value. However, after the product is used, some problems may occur, and most of these problems occur. Within a few hours to tens of hours from the beginning, it is under the supervision of this, so it stipulates the aging and testing of electronic products, imitating the use status of equivalent products, and this process is completed by the product manufacturer.


Through aging and testing, the problems of the products are exposed in advance, and the defective products are extinguished on the production line. The factory is a problem-free product to ensure that the products sold to the user are reliable. This is the meaning of the aging test.

The aging test is divided into component aging and machine aging. Especially for newly developed products, it is necessary to test new components or new machine performance, and the aging test index is higher. Aging causes product defects to be exposed on the production line, such as the reliability of solder joints, and the reliability of the device. A variety of defects or defects in the design, materials and processes of the product, aging test is an effective means to find these problems, aging test to make the product performance into a stable interval after leaving the factory, reducing the repair rate. This is the need for aging testing.

New Zealand wilderness hunting

Wild hunting has always been hailed as a noble movement.
Since many countries in the world ban hunting or control the scope and quantity of hunting, the hunting people are mainly dominated by high-end niche people, and the price of hunting is high. Hunters need to pay sales tax, hunting ground fees, professional guide labor costs and the cost of captured animals. If you want to pursue hunting with trophies, head to New Zealand, where you have the best hunting grounds. Under the guidance of a personal trainer, you can hunt a variety of animals, including different breeds of deer, antelope, wild goats, pigs, turkeys, hares, ferrets, wild cats, wallabies and goats, so that even if you have never had a hunting experience, Practice can also be done without arrows. Starting in April of each year is the best season for deer hunting. Because it is the estrus period of the deer, it has a chance to hunt the big male deer. At the same time, there are also many people who are "drinking the meaning of drunkenness is not in the wine", and more emphasis on the experience of wading in the mountains when hunting. The different original styles and unique flora and fauna of the world attract hunters to the ocean.

Hunting camera

The only indigenous mammal in New Zealand is the bat. Therefore, European immigrants have introduced several hunting species for sports and leisure. These animals breed very quickly because there are no natural enemies. Today, the number of animals is controlled through safe, orderly hunting. Prey has deer (elk, dharma and sika deer), antelope, tal sheep, wild boar, pouch, goat and civet. New Zealand’s forests and mountains are very

How to buy hunting equipment

Hunting is a very time consuming and labor intensive business. So how do we streamline our equipment and hunt it efficiently?

First you have to consider the following questions:
Can these equipment guarantee your safety?
Can these equipments help you survive in the short term outdoors?
Are these equipment light enough?
Can these equipment help you find your prey?
Can these equipment effectively kill and process prey?

Hunting camera

Second, don't squander at will. Some novel outdoor products often appear in hunting equipment stores. When encountering these new equipment, first think about the scope of application of this equipment, and whether you will encounter the corresponding situation outdoors. For example, the headlights are good, but you prefer to patrol during the day, and the headlights are irrelevant to you.

Finally, carefully consider the problems that may be encountered during the hunt and select the appropriate equipment according to different situations. For example, is your hunting location in the plains or mountains? Are you driving or backpacking? Staying in the wild at night or returning to the camp? Will you climb or cross the river during the road? After you have considered it, you can pick out the most refined and effective hunting equipment.

Different Types of Trail Cameras

Buying a trail camera is no easy feat, considering the features you have to keep in mind, like motion detectors, resolution, focusing abilities, sharpness, pixels as well as an inconspicuous nature to be carried in the woods. Therefore, we have prepared a list for you, so that you can zero in on your favourite type of camera, one that suits your needs perfectly!

Cellular Camera

Cellular cameras record images and transmit them to your phone and tabs through internet. A sim needs to be inserted in the camera’s slot and then it uses it just like a phone. Most of these cameras work on GSM networks and you need to buy a data package for the sim. These cameras are coming with the feature of motion sensor nowadays, which activates with movement in front of the lens’ span. Cellular camera is a hassle free gadget, which is very easy to install and does not have tonnes of wires running around it.
Advantages

• They usually come in compact sizes and are ideal for indoor as well as outdoor use.
• They are portable and therefore apt for conditions where they are required to be moved from one place to another frequently.
• These are very inconspicuous in the woods, perfect to build a camouflage for the sheer simplicity of having no web of wires hanging out.

Disadvantages

• The major disadvantage of this breed of camera is that it runs on battery. If you are buying one, then ensure that it has a battery indicator. Also, assess the amount of battery it exhausts in terms of hours.
• The sim needs service provider’s network; if it is not available then the transmitting function will not work. So, say you are in wilderness and want to transmit some pictures, it will not happen for want of a network.

Another downside of a cellular camera is that it can be hacked through the internet that connects it to your phone. Reasonable safeguards should however, avert and protect your camera and its data from any such incident.

Motion Activated Camera

A motion-activated camera is an ideal indoor and outdoor camera. It is suited for a user who wants minimum remote or manual interference in photo capturing. It comes in a category where you install it and then forget about it. This type of camera is very popular for wildlife and sports photography. Both the scenarios have limited window period for the capture and need articulate timing; the motion-activated camera delivers on both the counts.
Advantages

• These cameras can also be installed in a set up, which is dangerous for the human presence.
• Motion activated cameras detect motion in its range also known as detection area, if there is a movement beyond this detection area the camera will not capture images. Therefore, as long as you buy a better field camera, you are good to go!

Disadvantages

• Sensitivity and range are two features of this camera that you need to check at the time of buying. If the range is too short and it is not sensitive enough, then it will not serve the very purpose for which you have bought it.

Wireless Wi-Fi Camera

Wireless camera has an in-built transmitter, which transports images using a wireless network. You need to choose the wireless network of the receiving device in the camera to connect both of them. Wi-Fi cameras are relatively innovative but extremely user friendly and relevant to today’s times. They have fewer attachments and no wires, which is an appealing feature for an indoor or semi-indoor use.
Advantages

• It has a simple installation and today’s tech savvy individuals can find it very easy to operate.
• Sharing of pictures is facilitated by the Wi-Fi feature without the USB cords and millions of other attachments.
• It is user friendly
• It is almost wireless and is great for camouflage, but its suitability to outdoor environment is highly debatable.

Disadvantages

• The main disadvantage of this camera comes in form of outdoor use. A naturally exposed environment can hamper the wireless signals and so its use in an outdoor set up is not recommended.
• For transmission of images, a seamless strong signal is required which completely depends on your internet network and wireless device. If you are outside the Wi-Fi range, which in itself is limited, the transmission feature will just not work.

The use of internet to transmit makes this camera vulnerable to cyber attacks. You cannot use the transmitting feature of this camera on a go unless there is Wi-Fi enabled environment. This limitation also makes it unsuitable for lonesome areas that do not have phone networks and internet.

Security Cameras

Have you ever felt the need to track what is going on, in and around your house in your absence? You may have contemplated keeping an eye on your business establishment, office space, storage or the warehouse. This is especially applicable to those who have to put up a temporary shelter in the woods, while on their wildlife business. For these requirements, a fully enabled security camera, better known as surveillance camera is the best solution. Absolutely reliable, tamper proof and not prone to bias! If any untoward incident does take place, the camera records it in real time and you can use the footage as evidence later on. It also plays the role of a deterrent because miscreants would usually be cautious if they are aware of the presence of security camera around them.
Advantages

• It also gives a very comforting sense of security, especially if you have experienced vandalism or robbery in your area of residence or business.
• This is however, the traditional use, these cameras are increasingly being used as trail cameras for use outdoors.
• These can also be used in case you have to temporarily put up in the woods, these cameras can help you monitor the wildlife in an around you and keep you one-step ahead of dangers of the wilderness around you.

Disadvantages

• These cameras aren’t very potent in the wilderness; their efficacy has not been established or demonstrated properly for use in wild life setups very well.

However, there are a few points to keep in mind before a security camera is installed. Law forbids installation of recording devices in private areas like baths and toilets. So make sure that you are not standing in way of law while installing these cameras. If you have one inside your home, it is going to record all the private moments and conversations that you would not like to be shared. This is why data deletion has to be done regularly and carefully since the information, sharing is fast these days. In addition, everything invariably turns up on internet. In fact, make this a daily routine to delete the unwanted footage thereby avoiding other risks related to data leakage.

Infrared Cameras

Infrared cameras are suitable in cases where tracking and recording is required in the night also. For ensuring a round the clock supply of video footage in the wild, no camera is better than the infrared. These cameras have high resolution and capture night images with a lot of clarity. They also come fitted with sensors that automatically switch the infrared function on and off. These cameras have found an extensive usage in capturing wildlife due to their friendliness towards night or dim lit shots. Scientific researchers have always used infrared cameras in their experiments due to their sensitivity and high resolution captures.
Advantages

• They are easy to install and usually come in a single unit with the lens and recording storage.
• Infrared cameras are very sturdy and can withstand tampering much more effectively.
• Their design is such that they do not give way easily when deliberately damaged.

Disadvantages

• With all the advantages they have on their counterparts, the main disadvantage comes in form of their price tag. They are far more costly and therefore their use in smaller establishments and domestic surveillance has not gained much momentum.
• Owing to the LED lights mounted on them, their use around reflective surface has its limitation; the picture captured is just a blob of light, which reflects right back at the camera.

Flash Cameras

The flash camera is made for the night shots. For dark or night shots, the camera switches to flash mode for the capture. This one feature makes it usable throughout the day and night, while you are on the move.
Advantages

• The set up is simple and very easy to install.
• They are highly portable, and are available in a variety of sizes enhancing their portability quotient
• The picture quality is extremely good, and the best of zoom capacities are available in flash cameras.

Disadvantages

• The main disadvantage of this camera is its strength- The flash feature! A flash on the face is not a desirable experience and especially if it continuously goes on without any warning then it can be super annoying. This is an extreme drawback when shooting in the wild, it can easily scare off the animals and waste your valuable time
• Flash cameras are also known to make a shutter kind of noise as the flash comes to life. Both of these features make it unsuitable for wild life photography as the flash agitates the animals. For covert tracking too, this camera proves to be useless since there is nothing clandestine about it. The flash can be particularly unflattering for your neighbours if you are using if for outdoor monitoring.