With fresh batteries my digital will last just about 3 weeks. I check it to make sure it is where I left it about every 7-10 days

Have any of you found that the cameras spook deer from your area? I have heard guys say that they found deer were avoiding the area where the camera was once they had been caught on film a couple times. Have any of you had similar experiences? I really am considering buying a camera but I would rather have no pictures of a buck than spook him off his usual trails.

Regarding locking a Game Cam: what I did was i bought a Master Cable Lock, and had a metal cover made that fit the cam. The cover was completely open on the back. On the front there ws a flange about an inch wide leaving an opening the cam would not go through, but the lens and motion detedtor was fully exposed. Had 2 eye bolts welded to the cover, one on each side. Strapped the cam to the tree, then placed the cover over it, threaded the cable lock cable through the eye bolts and snuged it to the tree. The eye bolts were positioned so the cable would not interfeer with the Cam operation.

I have probably made it sound complicated trying to describe it, but it was very simple, cost $20 to have the cover made and the Mster Cable lock was about $10

This is a very crude sketch

Hope this helps someone.

T_in_PA2, what kind of game cam are you using?

Bucky,

I make my own. Been making them for over 4 years now.

Great tips guy's 4 sure. I too am intrested in wether the deer become photo shy and avoid an area after repeated photo shoots! Not to mention thier agent! Any good brand names to toss out there would b nice as well. Thanks!

Shyness depends on the deer. Some are not at all, some are. I build my own, and sell under the name Dead Deer.

In regards to bears, metal cases are bear "resistant", not bear proof. Along with chewing on the camera case, they love to stick their nails thru the sensor lens and go fishing inside the sensor. Film may attract a few more, but it has been my experience that curiosity attracts them more to both. Once they start fooling with one in a particular location, they tend to keep fooling with it each time they come by. If one messes with your cam, move it, or you are likely to end up with a totalled cam before they are thru.

Thanks for the lesson in film.

I have an option to take more than one picture at what ever sets my camera off. I have not used it yet, only one at a time, but I am going to put a roll of 24 in to see how they react to the first picture.

I try to check my camera about twice a week, and more often when the film is low. I think last year I changed bateries twice, so I just check my set-up for the film.

Great tips guys. I have been away for a few weeks and was surprised to still see this thread posted up top. It looks like there is alot of useful information. I plan on changing a few ways that I use my camera because of it.

Pictures to follow next week....

Too often when setting up on a trail, folks will set up looking straight across the trail with the camera fairly close to that trail. Lag times with trail cameras from sensing motion to snaping the picture vary from nearly instaintanious for some 35mm to around 7 second for some poor quality digitals, with 1-1/2 to 3 seconds being average for better digitals.

When setting up on a trail, angle the unit on trail where it will "look" up or down the trail. Doing this, the deer, or other animal, will stay in the field of view longer, giving you a better oportunity for a better picture.