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Post by Deleted on Nov 19, 2013 19:13:22 GMT -5
My first one will soon arrive so looking for any pointers you trail cam veterans will share such as mounting height, securing methods, preferable location plus any other bits of advice to share with a newbie!  Thanks! |
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Post by bake545 on Nov 19, 2013 19:36:09 GMT -5
Get a master lock python lock for it if you are worried about thieves and I would be. Did you get a security box? For height just try and keep at the deers head level.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 19, 2013 20:15:06 GMT -5
These things are a ton of fun and you'll quickly learn to work angles on trails and to trim plants and trees immediately around so carry a couple if different size bungees and trimmer. If there are huge trees and you want a certain spot, attach to a smaller branch and prop it against the larger tree and stabilize it. I hang about 4' off the ground and never face it south unless there's shade or cover because you'll get wash outs from the sun. You could set it to night mode only though. I use my camera phone to take a test shot of the position to see what it looks like.
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Post by Dutch on Nov 19, 2013 21:29:57 GMT -5
I like the Cam Loc boxes to keep the bears from chewing on them or otherwise swatting the heck out of them.
I use rubber bungee straps to attach them to a tree. If the bungee is to long, I just wrap a knot in the bungee and make it fit.
Be sure to clear all little twigs, goldenrod, or anything that will move in the wind in front of the camera.
The python locks work very well for cameras, like Bake said.
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Post by Muab Dib on Nov 20, 2013 6:52:53 GMT -5
What the others said is all good advice. If on public land: Keep it hidden from the beaten path. Python cable. Metal box. Check discretely. Format cards after you pull them and save the pics (always have a few extra blank and formatted cards)...Use Lithium batteries (expensive but will run for a full year) And...expect that at some point it will be destroyed or "disappear". Expect it and you won't get as upset if and when it happens. If you get through the year and your cam is still in your possession and "unscathed" figure you're one up. That's just the way things seem to be anymore. Gotta love PA "sportsmen".
Muab
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Post by GlennD on Nov 20, 2013 7:14:58 GMT -5
Pretty much what they said. Although I do not own a moultrie, I can add trail cameras can also be frustrating. I have been through seven. None have lasted more than a year, and nothing more annoying than to pull a card and find no pictures or a couple thousand of nothing but black images! Also, best thing is set camera for multiple pics at each trigger, and minimum wait time between triggers. You get a lot of pics, but you don't miss too many deer. One thing I will emphasize that was mentioned above, make sure no leaf or weed is going to be blowing in the wind in the field of view. On a windy day those shaking leaves will trigger the camera a gazillion. Times! Good luck and show us some pics. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using proboards |
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Post by Dutch on Nov 20, 2013 7:15:46 GMT -5
So far this year, I have over 19,000 pics.
Of course, one of those files included about 4000 pics when I put the one camera in plotwatcher mode and it took a pic every minute for about 5 days.
Not fun going thru 4000 pics in one sitting. I think I got a blister from pushing the button to advance the pics. lol
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Post by Muab Dib on Nov 20, 2013 7:35:15 GMT -5
Had piss ants build a nest in one of ours up around the bulbs. I think a lone ant got to the right spot and triggered the cam 1800 times within 24 hours before he found his way out... Spiders and webs make for interesting pics too! |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 20, 2013 7:52:12 GMT -5
Thanks for the great pointers guys!! I did buy a Python Cable lock but didnt order a bear box.
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Post by bake545 on Nov 20, 2013 8:01:49 GMT -5
Also, when checking the cam and switching memory cards don't forget to turn the darn thing back on. Sounds stupid but you will do it sometime and come back the next time to 0 pics. Very annoying.
I didn't mention in my original post but I use a cordless drill and a couple screws to attach the security box to the tree. Take a few extra screws with you as they tend to break going into a tree. Then a python lock around the tree and through the box and camera. The security box seems to do a good job deterring the opportunistic thief as well as bears which seem to like to play with cams.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 20, 2013 10:32:32 GMT -5
Two memory cards for each cam... swap them out if want to leave cam out. That took a while to remember. I've also backpacked my laptop out there. Something interesting about sitting in the woods with snow coming down looking at deer p.... pics.  I'm not too concerned about theft where my cams go out. You really can't see them at all unless you are looking for them or if they are in an obvious location. I had my cams out in the state park last year just laughs and worried for 3 days straight. They were fine. |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 20, 2013 20:15:53 GMT -5
Also, when checking the cam and switching memory cards don't forget to turn the darn thing back on. Sounds stupid but you will do it sometime and come back the next time to 0 pics. Very annoying. I didn't mention in my original post but I use a cordless drill and a couple screws to attach the security box to the tree. Take a few extra screws with you as they tend to break going into a tree. Then a python lock around the tree and through the box and camera. The security box seems to do a good job deterring the opportunistic thief as well as bears which seem to like to play with cams. LOL bake!! Thats one I can see ole Loggy screwin up on re turnin camera on!!  |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 21, 2013 18:55:18 GMT -5
Got my M-880 loaded-up with batteris & just read the quick start-up manual for Dummies section which didnt seem too complicated even for an ole fart.  Hope to have it in action by COB tomorrow!! |
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Post by bowbum on Nov 22, 2013 9:22:08 GMT -5
I have two primos cams and one stealth cam. One of the primos is giving me fits of late. I take my digital camera with me when changing out the cards and my wife will usually views the removed card in our camera as I truck along in the 4 wheeler to the next location. Lately the card removed from one primos camera shows "no data."
I then hook it to the computer and it still shows "no data." So I put it in a thumb drive and it uploads the pictures just fine through my Nikon photo program, but then I cannot format the card while on the computer. The thumb drive shows up in "computer" but without using my photo program I can't open the contents.
Not sure if it is the trail cam, or one of the SD cards that is incompatible so I bought two new ones yesterday and am going to mark them to keep track and see if it is the camera or the card, or the digital camera we use to preview cards ---- too much for an old guy to keep track of!
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Post by bake545 on Nov 22, 2013 9:42:23 GMT -5
I've read but never experienced myself that viewing the cards in a hand held camera can mess the file up on the SD card. I don't do it anymore but used to with no issues. Might be worth a shot to only view your card on a PC and see if that solves the issue.
I stopped using the handheld to view b/c my current Sony one wouldn't read the SD card. Sony is very proprietary. Plus you can't really see much on a handheld unless the deer is real close to the camera.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 22, 2013 11:00:35 GMT -5
I have two primos cams and one stealth cam. One of the primos is giving me fits of late. I take my digital camera with me when changing out the cards and my wife will usually views the removed card in our camera as I truck along in the 4 wheeler to the next location. Lately the card removed from one primos camera shows "no data." I then hook it to the computer and it still shows "no data." So I put it in a thumb drive and it uploads the pictures just fine through my Nikon photo program, but then I cannot format the card while on the computer. The thumb drive shows up in "computer" but without using my photo program I can't open the contents. Not sure if it is the trail cam, or one of the SD cards that is incompatible so I bought two new ones yesterday and am going to mark them to keep track and see if it is the camera or the card, or the digital camera we use to preview cards ---- too much for an old guy to keep track of! Are you using SDHC cards? Or regular plain old SD cards? I go from trail cam to computer to digital camera with all cards and had no issues. Maybe use digital camera to reformat and pop into trail cam first? |
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Post by bowbum on Nov 23, 2013 9:36:00 GMT -5
I have both types in use. I haven't found a "format" option on my hand held cameras. On the primos cameras it tells me to hold the up and down arrow buttons for several seconds to format. I haven't found anything on formatting for the stealth cam, but that one I can do on the computer.
I think we will just quit previewing the cards and bring them right to the computer, even though I like to delete all pictures in the field if there is nothing worth saving.
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Post by Dutch on Nov 23, 2013 10:04:13 GMT -5
Gal had a 10 point in front of her the other day as she waited for a bear. It was right in front of the trail cam, but no pics. She did however get pics with her phone, I believe.
Not sure what the battery level is on that cam, and that may have something to do with it?
I'm gonna try some Lithium next year. I find I change out batteries when they are "low" because I'm never quite sure when I'll get back up to check on them. Found them to be much cheaper on eBay than in the stores, and free shipping and no sales tax.
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Post by bowbum on Nov 23, 2013 10:08:54 GMT -5
We buy batteries at Sam's Club. Cheapest I've seen.
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Post by Dutch on Nov 23, 2013 11:14:16 GMT -5
How much?
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Post by Deleted on Nov 23, 2013 16:21:39 GMT -5
I use the cheapest batteries. They last a long time in my Wild Game cams.
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Post by bowbum on Nov 24, 2013 8:48:56 GMT -5
I happen to have that receipt Dutch:
10 pack of "D" batteries is $11.48
24 pack of "AA" batteries is $12.98
Duracell.
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Post by Dutch on Nov 24, 2013 11:02:32 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Nov 28, 2013 7:19:17 GMT -5
WOW!! Great price. Wish that deal was around when the kido's were in the hoestead with all dem electronic toys etc etc.
Put my Moultrie out this past Friday before Bear Seson. Look fwd to cking the SD card. The battery life showed 103 days on the default setting. I did modify settings a lil so they may not last that long.
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Hope to have it in action by COB tomorrow!!