Well, today I put out my first trail cam on private property. The owner and I looked over aerial maps of the property and along with his past observations and some searching for paths and cross points, I picked out a tree and a view that I hope bears some pics of deer. It is certainly hard to know where to put it. I tried to consider the normal winds in that area, and the available food. It is not grown to feed deer as it is normally planted as corn. A disease got the oak trees a few years back, so none of them. I managed to put it about 25 yds from the corner of a now cut corn field at the apex of the field where the woods goes off in three directions. It is also on what appears to be adder path and about 40yds from the path they use to come up the hill from crossing the road down below. Not sure if I did it with all the right considerations but I will leave it there for a week and then with excitement next weekend, go get the chip. The trail Cam is a Primos Truth 35 and I locked it to the tree. On the way back to the house, we stopped to observe possible future camera locations on other parts of his property. I wanted to stay and sit a while, but the commotion was too much with me, the owner an Daisy his excited black lab....45 degrees and a nice day....fun had by all.
Congrats and welcome to the addiction. Now the problem will be leaving out there for a reasonable amount of time. I always want to go back the next day and check mine, wondering what has walked in front of it. Resist that temptation and leave it for a week or two at a time. Hope to see some pics from you real soon. Blessings.......Pastorjim
It starts with one and then 2 then 3 and so on :D Congrats on your camera can't wait to see what you capture on it !
I don't think you can ever have enough cams. I have 3 out now and could easily put out about 10 or more new ones. Good luck with your cam and we look forward to seeing some pictures.
Have fun with that, with the deer coming off of winter, you may want to add a mineral site to the location. This will not only help to attract and "hold" deer at your camera for photos, you are giving back to the herds overall health. Enjoy. check your local wildlife laws on mineral sites.
Thanks everyone for your thoughts & comments--I am now more excited to see the pics and already want another camera!----maybe even two! I will be sure to let you know what I got and if they are any good, for sure some pics!
I have a pile of cams here,sometimes i like it even better then hunting. For your next cam try a dlc covert 3.0 so much better then the primos cams
Disappointed Well, I went and retrieved my first trail cam pics. Left it out for 1 week. Chip had 290 pics on it. NO DEER. I think wind triggered moving tree limbs that set off camera. It got me walking away after set up, 5 pics, and two days where 3 horseback riders went by in the open field next to the woods for 3 pics, each day, and then me returning today to get the chip today 5 pics. Not even a squirrel! Today, although disappointed, I put out Deer Corn Feed in front of the camera area. To get in today, I followed deer trails up the hill near the camera....in fact saw several trails. Last week rode in on owners tractor. Next time I will take the tractor rather than carry 2/3 bag of feed in a bucket up steep hill. Did this thinking it was closer...it was...but about knocked me out...... Next time with food, ...tractor here we come.... I am hoping to not only provide some food for the deer but attract them to the trail cam area, if they are in this area of the woods, so I can see what is out there, now that the season has ended. Any one else wait a long time to check pics and come up empty handed...or is it just my luck????
Oh yeah, it's happened. That and forgetting to turn the camera on, leaving it in the wrong mode, and whole host of other things I've done wrong. Keep at it and as you learn more it will pay off. Blessings.......Pastorjim
Just like anything there is a learning curve,either put the cam facing a clear area or do some brush trimming.I like to mix vanilla extract and veg oil in a spray bottle and spray the ground infront of the cam to get the deer to stop this helps for some cams slower trigger speeds. Also this site has a trailcam section where you can find more info.
I put some corn in front of my cams in the off season. Its important to frame the picture well ( pretty background) and maybe hide any attractants from the cameras view.
3? I bought my first one back in September. I borrowed one before that in August. It's just now February and I have 3 running now. By season opener, I want to have 5 going. It is addicting and I love it. As Pastorjim08 said, welcome to the addiction. Warning, it may take some time to get it figured out and that is frustrating if so but, its like hunting. You keep trying because of that hope.
Wait til you see your first shooter buck show up. It's like Christmas as a little kid going to check those cams. Never know what you're going to get. Sometimes you come away happy with what you got, other times you just didn't get what you wished for, lol.
That's the way I felt going to check the first time! A good analogy for sure. I am already waiting for next Sat, Xmas all over again!
you will get it down, it takes time and lots of trial and error. Make sure you try and point them to the north to keep it out of the sun. I hang some buck jam in a dripper in front of my cam to get them to stop. The cams will make you a better hunter, you will know when the deer are moving and when bucks are in the area. Im up to 10 cams now and I will probally buy a few more this year. ITS VERY ADDICTING
you will get it down, it takes time and lots of trial and error. Make sure you try and point them to the north to keep it out of the sun. I hang some buck jam in a dripper in front of my cam to get them to stop. The cams will make you a better hunter, you will know when the deer are moving and when bucks are in the area. Im up to 10 cams now and I will probally buy a few more this year. ITS VERY ADDICTING View attachment 14617 View attachment 14618
Update on First Trail Cam, Week Two- NO Deer Well, a bit disappointed again...Put out Trail Camera with Food this time and all 30 lbs ate by squirrels and Blue Jays. NO Deer or anything else... Left camera out now 1 week each time. I am learning...will not point south and will trim limbs....It took 100 videos this time in 6 days, either blue jays, squirrels or wind blowing the limbs which are not close to the camera, but enough to trigger it...I tried video this time 10s clips...it took a good one of me coming back TO RETRIEVE THE CAMERA At least I now where the deer are NOT. I got my second camera on the way and will now put out two in different spots. I know there are deer in the area, just haven't found their usual haunts yet.
