Trail cam tips?
 

Guys,
I've had a Cuddeback cam for the last three seasons. It seems that after about a week, the deer either become camera shy or begin posing for it. I believe that it is caused by the flash during low light conditions. This means that I have to go out and move it regularly, thus scenting up the woods more. To help allieviate this problem I've purchased three more Cuddeback no flash cameras and card viewer. My birthday present to myself, don't know what I'm getting myself for X-mas yet!;) I should have had them a month ago. When the second rut starts there is a peak in big buck activity and I want to cover more trails at once because I'm sure that there are some real monsters out there that I never see. I think it'd be fun to try and catch them on camera before they get camera wise.

Does anybody have any tips on how to set these up so the deer don't detect them so easily? Will the no flash do it for me? It seems that even with the no flash, they seem to pick it up, going by the pics I see where the buck is staring at the camera.

TIA

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RE: Trail cam tips?
 

Greg,

I agree with Droptine. Keep it higher. I have noticed deer looking at the camera, but I have not witnessed any deer running away, have you?
Do you feel like it is hurting your hunting? Good luck, and please keep us posted on your observations!

RE: Trail cam tips?
 

Those are good tips. I've read about the elevated camera but have not tried it yet.

It has not hurt my hunting because I haven't put the camera out until I was done hunting. I didn't risk it.

I haven't had any deer running away from the camera, they just start skirting around it after a week or so.

BTW, can't bait in Ill.

Thanks

RE: Trail cam tips?
 

Greg....3 new Cudde no flash and a viewer? WOW...$$$$$$ Happy bday to you. I have a Cudde 3.0 and have sat in my stand and watched deer get a picture taken with the flash lighting up the woods.

Not saying the flash doesn't ever spook a deer, but I have alot of pics over an old mineral lick where some pretty nice bucks stay in front of the camera for quitesome time. Good luck with the noflash. I still like the color nightime pics better. I have noticed the noflash pictures will blur at night sometimes.

MyCudde will blur during daylight if the animal walks by too fast. The night ones are always crisp and clear though. Can't wait to see some pics. Be sure to post them.

By the way I have my camera about 20-24 inches from the ground. Of course the height would factor along with how far away the animal will be from the camera.

RE: Trail cam tips?
 

Another cool trick I do with my no-flash is set it up on a good trail but I mount it on a branch above the trail. It works well escpecially if you put a little food under the camera to get them to stop and pose for you!

RE: Trail cam tips?
 

janesburg, I have the height thing down.:D

standing...

RE: Trail cam tips?
 

Running..

RE: Trail cam tips?
 

thats a nice buck... hopefully i get my new trail camera this christmas! i cant wait to set it out where i want to instead of just viewing the pics where my brother put his at

RE: Trail cam tips?
 

Greg,

I have been very lucky to be in a position to try out several different trail cams. To be honest CuddyBack might be the best out there. But don't be suckered in by infraRed cams. I have seen deer spoke from those going off too. I was explained to that it still makes a high pitched sound when it goes off and can spook deer.
As for checking your cams without scenting up your woods, I came across a camera that I have set up in MO, OH, and TX. That I can check at anytime I want through the internet. It is called Smart Scouter, they have many options one being view photos through the web to a live feed. I think it is neat, haven't had to many problems, but than again I just got them.

RE: Trail cam tips?
 

Greg:

I only use mine for "inventory" purposes....and only onmy mineral site in the Summer. I'm kinda surprised (based on the size of the woodlots you say you hunt) that you'd risk going in there enough to check several cameras. You have to admit.....it's a risk.

I have probably a couple THOUSAND images....and I have bucks coming back to the mineral site (after being photo'd at night with a flash) on consecutive nights, weeks and YEARS!

My opinion is the flash bothering bucks/deer is a MYTH. I have too many images of deer in consecutive minutes (after a flash) still at my mineral site. My opinion is.....they think it's "lightning"......or something that is NOT threatening to them.

RE: Trail cam tips?
 

A couple of posts back I stated that I have only been putting the camera out after I was done hunting the area. I usually pull them out at the end of March so that leaves a lot of time for them to calm down before the next season.

RE: Trail cam tips?
 

Though you may be right, I believe that at a mineral site, bait site, etc the flash doesn't bother them because it is a destination and they areused to it going off there. I think it bothers them tremendously on trails and travel routes because they are just passing through.

Just my observations.

RE: Trail cam tips?
 

Do you really think it is the camera or the scent from you being near it? I can't imagine that the deer really care about the camera. I have never had an issue with the flash,and I have had more deer sniff the no-flash Cudde that I have than the flash. It blinks red lights and they notice that too. I just have never seen a deer that gave a crap about flashes or lights in general. They don't know what that light is. Could be lightning for all they know.

I am no expert. I am only speaking from my experiences.

RE: Trail cam tips?
 

Sorry....I was just going off this.

I think Dan may have a point, too. I just never use mine on trails....so I'm not tempted to go and check them.

RE: Trail cam tips?
 

I have three infareds. Cudde backs and a Bushnell. 5.0

I still get bucks looking at the camera when it goes off at night. Like they are tipped off to the camera. They pick up on the camera..whether it be noise, like hunt referred too or something else...

Elk, and moose here seem to pay no mind to mine but the whitetails do. I'd agree with Dan, feeding destinatioins they may tolerate more negative stimuliversus travel routesor near their bedding areas, they wont tolerate much in these areas.

RE: Trail cam tips?
 

I have the no-flash cuddeback myself, 2 of them to be exact. The deer still get alarmed by the little red lights blinking on the no-flash. The video's I have prove that. I've seen it as well that the deer will sometimes take a different route being they have seen this camera in the same position on the trail before. I've also watched the deer come in on the trail and see the camera before it even goes off, they know these trails very well, anything that looks out of place there going to notice anytime! Its no different then when you put up a stand. They notice limbs trimmedthat were there before but are not anymore. Or limbs that you have trimmed and you carelessly threw them on the ground instead of throwing your brush a ways off the trail.I don't think these camera's spook them right out of your area though. I've seen the same P@Y buck (150" class) on my cuddeback no-flash on4 different occasions on the same trail. I would like to try and put them up higher in a tree aiming them down hoping that my take some of the edge out of them, that would also give you more of a camera window as well.

RE: Trail cam tips?
 

It's no myth that the cameras bother the deer (mostly mature bucks), I can see their tracks in the snow where they've circled around it.

Once again, It is illegal to bait of feed deer where I hunt in Ill or Wi. You cannot throw down any food even for camera purposes. Besides unnatural gathering places for deer in these areas will attract people as well. I don't want that around my cameras.

RE: Trail cam tips?
 

Hey....just asking....but is it the camera or the scent?....or maybe they saw you checking it? How do you know it's the camera?

I wear rubber boots and gloves to check mine....and I'm still SURE I leave scent there.

I don't think we'll ever know whether this is a myth or not.....but I can show you photo after photo of 3.5 yr old bucks sticking around after they've had their photos taken (with or without flash).....and then coming back to the same place to do it all over again either the next day or one closely thereafter.

RE: Trail cam tips?
 

I have plenty of these....

RE: Trail cam tips?
 

It's not the scent. After a rain or snow fall, scent is pretty much eliminated.

RE: Trail cam tips?
 

Like I said.....never put one on a trail.....(for long). I just keep it on the mineral site. I guess they very well could get used to seeing the flash (for another deer) and not associate it with danger.

Who the heck knows?:D

RE: Trail cam tips?
 

From what I have found from running cameras for the past 5 or 6 years, it all depends on the deer. I have set-up my cameras on trails, mineral sites, bait piles, natural food sources, ect.. and it doesn't really seem to matter where it is or what kind/size of deer. I have had mature bucks that feel perfectly comfortable at the cameras while I have had young bucks that were spooked and avoided the area. Around this area, scent isn't important, the deer just don't associate human scent in the woods with something to be scared of simply because of their close interaction with humans on a daily basis.

This guy was only photo'd once on this property even with the use of a bait pile...



This guy was photo'd many times on the same property with and without the use of a bait pile...



Different property, with the use of bait, this guy only show himself a few times over the course of several months



Same property, different buck, this guy showed himself almost daily



This guy on a trail, showed himself once



This guy on a trail, showed himself frequently as I have more pics of him than any other buck.

RE: Trail cam tips?
 

Another thing I forgot to add in my previous post is a person's can't be checking these camera's all the time. Try if you can once a week or once every 2 weeks if you can. I know, its hard to do this cause you wanna see the pics so bad!

RE: Trail cam tips?
 

Greg, I have been using trail cams for years and the only advice I can tell you what not to do is put pics of Germ up next to your cameraor you only get pics like this.

RE: Trail cam tips?
 

Looks like it was taken after a spooning session..... note the ruffled fur!! [:-]