Camera Traps

My introduction to trail cameras came a few years back when one of my buddies brought a pair up to my small hunting ranch. Just like not wanting to know the sex of my kids before they were born, I had always preferred my hunting experience to include the element of not knowing what was going to show up at the feeder.  I grudgingly allowed the cameras to go up. Fast forward a few years and my personal interest and use of the trail camera has obviously changed.  

Trail cameras are designed and used mainly for surveillance,  Image quality is not as critical in this role so the average priced camera will not give you as good a quality image as say an iPhone or typical digital camera. They are a camera though, and under the right circumstances I have found they can produce some good daylight photo images.  The ability to place them in stealthy positions and capture up close and personal photo images though is a unique advantage over any other camera or method of wildlife photography.

I have been frustrated a number of times to come back to a trail camera that' had been sitting armed for a week to discover for some reason it hadn't taken any pictures. This occurrence typically ended up being a result of my own malfunction rather than the camera's. I have used five different brands of camera, most in the $50 - $75 range and none more expensive than $120. As a group, I have found them to be reliable and functional  over a number of seasons, especially for electronics sitting out in the rain..  Regardless of brand or use, I would recommend taking into consideration some of the items I have highlighted below when buying and using your trail camera. 

Display - Illuminated and readable displays, especially in low light or bad weather conditions, are a big help.  I typically will arm the camera then walk in front of it to activate the motion sensor just to make sure. The little red light on the camera should come on when activated. Small on-camera displays are not ideal when trying to look at small, blurry images out in the elements, or when the camera is placed low to the ground. 

Batteries - Good quality, fully charged batteries can make a difference in the quality of your images especially as the batteries run down. The cheaper model cameras will reduce image quality as the batteries discharge. Rechargeable batteries are best and will ensure good image quality. Some of the cheaper models of cameras also use a bottom loading battery compartment.  The spring door holding in the batteries  can loosen over time and cause the batteries to not make contact thus shutting off the power to the camera. .

Mounting System - Most cameras come equipped with a strap designed primarily to attach the camera to a tree. They are also typically equipped with a mounting hole for a traditional camera stand. If an alternate mounting system is needed, make sure the mount on your camera can be modified for your personal needs. I use a mobile mounting system made simply of a12in x 12in piece of plywood as a base with a two foot 2x4 attached vertically to mount the camera on. A few nearby rocks or tent stakes usually work to secure it. Whatever you use, make sure the mount is secure enough so that the camera doesn't move or rotate away from where it was originally pointed.

Image Extraction  - If you want to download captured images directly onto a smart phone or laptop for instance, make sure your camera has that capability. The cheaper models may not offer this option so extracting the camera's SD card is required.  A USB adapter is used to then download the images onto a digital photo view When using the SD card, make sure the SD card stays paired with the same camera it was removed from. It has been formatted for that camera and may not work if used in another camera. I usually have two SD cards for each of my cameras. I can quickly and quietly remove and replace the cards with minimal disturbance to the camera and surroundings. Even better if your camera allows external SD card extraction thus eliminating the need to open it up and disturb it.

Image Quality - Some of my best daytime close-ups were captured on a cheap, no frills camera.  Generally, though with low light and at greater distances, the cheaper cameras lag in performance. Blurring and overexposure at night time are issues for most all of my cameras. Cameras that can fix that or that can provide nigh-time color capacity can be found only with the the higher end models. 

Camera Settings - 

Location - Find out where the wildlife is coming onto your property and start there. Both predator and prey, small and large will use the same trail. Natural or manmade choke points are ideal locations. In the photo, the wildlife are taking advantage of a small, cleared section of an overgrown fence line and a missing lower strand of barbwire as the spot to quickly and safely move from a tree lined creek in the background over to some adjacent woods. Knowing within a few feet exactly where the wildlife will be traveling is a great advantage in cameras placement. Tree lined creek bottoms and fence lines, ravines, any area that gives cover to the wildlife to move about better protected are ideal areas to check. Even in dense forest, the wildlife will for the most part stick to generations old trails.   Scout around for signs such as prints , droppings, or trampled grass. They should be evident on a good trail. Based on their habits,  the wildlife will usually cycle through their home range every couple of weeks so be patient if you are not initially seeing results.  

Camera Height and Direction - I found that getting the camera down low is a must.  It  also provides a unique, upward looking perspective. and helps ensures all of the subject is captured.  I typically mount my camera no higher than my thigh and prefer placing the camera as close to the ground as possible with a slight 5 degree tilt upward. Also, the desired and typical morning/evening photo can be ruined by sunlight on the lens. Face the camera south or north if possible or ensure the lens is shaded with foliage when placed.  North is best as a southernly sun will shine on the subject rather than shaded if faced south..   

Distance to Subject - These cameras lack a zoom lens, so just like a smart phone, they need to be capturing images no farther away than a few feet for portraits.  Distances beyond ten feet start to create quality issues with resolution and color especially in low light conditions when wanting to enlarge the image if editing.  I occasionally stage an area with limbs and such to maneuver the wildlife to where I want them in front of a camera as they pass by it.    

Lighting and Background -Not having a white light flash, these cameras have issues in low light conditions which is an issue. Try and avoid areas such as dense forest that will loose its light much more quickly than a more open area.  Areas with contrasting bright light and shade can tend to overexpose the image.  Jumbled trees and undergrowth in the background should be avoided especially  for deer antlers.