Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting trail cam rookie

I'm putting out a trail cam for the first time, never had one before. I was out at camp last weekend & took a snowmobile out in the woods around camp & I couldn't believe all the deer I saw out there.

I got a trail cam for x-mas & picked up an SD card for it yesterday & I'll probably set it out this weekend.

Any tips basic, simple, tricky, what ever? Any experience that could be shared to help a noob out would be appreciated.

Cam is a wildview something or another with a flash, other than that i don't know much about it but I have the book in my coat pocket.



thanks
Dave

Pretty simple. Mount camera on tree about 3 feet off ground and about ten feet from the trail that you want to take pictures of. The biggest problem is keeping bears from messing with it but this time of year that won't be a problem.

mount it lower than you think you'll need it. 3-feet high would be max. If you mount it quatering to a trail, you'll probably get some better pictures, and it will trigger the camera better than a total broadside on the trail.

I read the title of this and your name Dave, and I instantly thought it would be some pictures of your face looking at a camera with a quizzical "What does this button do?" look...
Sorry I didn't give you enough credit, but it was sure funny!

First year for me too Dave.
I learned to not point it directly east. The sun rising triggers mine like crazy all morning.
Of course, maybe it's just mmy camera. I dunno.

the directions talk about that. (i'm so ashamed, I did skim the directions a bit)

what kind of a man am I?

what have I become?

Directions?

Don't set it near a road or cow trail. I have lots of photos of the ranchers cows. Don't set it over a feeder unless you don't mind the coon, bird, squirrel photos.
I suggest a good, well used trail or creek crossing area.
I love checking my camera and always hope to catch a rare creature for the area.

stumpy

I have a good trail in mind, I hope to catch some different critters too, cats, maybe a big woof.

What ever you do...don't draw crosshairs on that woof!

yeah I know, that would be bad.

I still think before this is over we're going to see some "Dave in the headlights look" photos.

Dave pick up a spare SD card and batteries. That way you can swap out the card and view your pics and still leave the unit in the woods ready to go. Might want to look into getting a bear cage for the unit too. Could save you some bucks.

There is also a viewer made which allows you to pop in the SD card from your camera and instantly see what you have taken pictures of.

Stan

I wonder if I could be so lucky that the photo format from my trail cam could be read by my digital camera? If it were, then I could use my digital camera to preview what is on the SD card from the trail cam?

life couldn't possibly be that simple could it?

That is exactly what I do, works well. I have also taken my laptop out to the cam and downloaded the pics too. When setting up be sure to do a few walk bys so you can view the pics and make sure your setup catches the view you want. Nothing more disappointing to come back a couple of weeks later to not see what you intended to.

good deal, glad to hear that works for you & good tip on the test shots.

thanks guys.

DAMMITALLL!!! They come with directions? LOL!!

I can use my digital camera to check them out but they are hard for me to see.

I just bought an extra card (2 gig for 11.00 bucks) and swap them out. I look at the pics when I get home or if I am staying for the weekend, I bring my lap top.

pffftttt.. Directions.... You can lose your man card for crap like that ya know!!??!

hey, I did say I "skimmed them"

which means I pretty much just looked at the pictures.

like men do with certain magazines.

tell of these magazines you speak.

you know,




Shooting times, field & stream, peterson's hunting... what did you think i meant?