Trail Cam - Does IR really make a difference?
 

I've been wanting to get an IR scouting cam for a while.

Based on what I can tell, the whole "No Flash, No Dash" thing is probably not a complete gimmick.

Do any of you guys have real world experience with IR vs. flash (no difference, seems to spook deer less).

Are they worth it?

RE: Trail Cam - IR or not
 

i have not used an IR....but i can tell you i think it depends on where you are going to use it and how......for example..i hunt public land in CA (no feeding big game) so my cams are on regular deer trails....very rarely will i get the same deer on the same camera ( i have had them up for months at a time in a small area where deer are held) i don't feel the deer have left because my other cameras have picked them up, but if it does flash (for blacktails anyways) i would say that they won't use that same trail again..not to say they won't come around there just won't walk in that path........if you put them over food i would say they make no difference..the deer adapt to it.......
IMO
Josh

RE: Trail Cam - IR or not
 

I use flash cameras for better quality shots and have multiple bucks with multiple pictures of the same bucks sometimes within a foot of the cam. I think alot of it is hype and something to sell more cameras. The one good thing is if someone else walks buy your camera they would not see the flash.

RE: Trail Cam - IR or not
 

I've posted before the same bucks over a period of 47 minutes with MULTIPLE photos of the same bucks.

I can post them again for non-believers. I have hundreds.

RE: Trail Cam - IR or not
 

GMMAT,

Multiple pictures of same deer with flash? If so, was it a food plot?
I don't have any problems with flash in a food plot.

What I am trying to buy one for is to see if big bucks are walking trails, funnels, visiting mineral licks, and I was wondering if the flash might scare them off the trail. It seems like to me it would. I am also using these in big woods where there is little human intrusion (no car lights, farming equipment, etc.) But maybe they will just slightly alter their route to not trigger the flash.

Nobody else has a strong opinion about this? Boards seem kind of dead this week.

RE: Trail Cam - IR or not
 

Mine was on a mineral lick.

You can do what you want, obviously.....BUT....if I were going to use a trail cam on a trail (I wouldn't do that)....I'd be MORE worried about my scent being in the area (from checking the camera)than I would about the flash. ESPECIALLY if it's a remote area...where a degree of human scent isn't tolerated.

RE: Trail Cam - IR or not
 

I totally agree with GMMAT, I also desire the higher qualityimages of animals and I have hundreds upon hundreds of photos and manyfrom the same animals using the same areas with NO spookingfromcam flash. Also, as mentioned keep your scent down and with a silent digital you shouldn't have a problem. I believe that more animals are spooked simply because they're on edge from the human scent they smell and then as soon as a flash pops.... they're gone! I also believe in the past and from a lot of folks' experience that say flash spooks animals it's because their cams were old 35mm models where it was never the Flash spooking the deer but the noisey film advance! Todays quality digital models are totally silent and if you can keep 'em scent free you WILL get repeat photos of animals living in that area.

I'll also add this, have you ever noticed the high number of IR photoswhere you can tell the deer is looking directly at the glowing IR bulbs ?!? I've noticed it in many images I've reviewed! In fact, I've talked to numerous folks, as well as some of my own friends that have noticed the same thing from their own IR models. All you basically are assured of with an IR is a much poorer image quality of the buck that you hope to see. For my money, I'll take my chances with Flash cams. Good luck and good shootin'

RE: Trail Cam - IR or not
 

I agree. I think the lack of scent control when checking the camera is a bigger issue than the flash. I use a flash camera and have multiple pictures of the same deer on the same night.

RE: Trail Cam - IR or not
 

Allright,

You guys have pretty much convinced me not to spend the extra money on IR, which is good b/c you can get more for the money in regular models, and you get better pic quality. [8D]

GMMAT, I'll try to minimize scent and not visit often, and that is part of why I am trying to put them out during the summer. I just need to get a handle on a certain 80 acre tract of woods, and my scouting in those woods has thus far not been overly promising on scrapes. I just want to confirm that there are no big deer in certain areas, so I don't waste time hunting deer that don't exist.

RE: Trail Cam - IR or not
 

This is a good topic. I also was looking into getting a IR camera for trails. I just dont think I am though now.