Hi, guys im new to this forum and just purchased my first trail cam its a Moultrie 5.0 megapixel got it on sale at cabelas for $99. My question is do you guys have any tips or tricks for using the camera or for camera placement? thanks

I'm no expert at it, seeming how I just set mine up yesterday. The only thing I did was trim the weeds and small brush away from the field of view, also I set it up next to my spin feeder about 15 feet away and we'll see what happens, I sure someone with more experience at the subject will come by soon.

Ranger2000

Welcome to the forums, great to have you aboard. As mentioned before, always make sure you trim any vegetation that might move in the wind from around your camera. This will cut down on false triggers. I own two Moultries so I know they are not the fastest unit out there. Always point them looking up or down the trail and not across it. This will overcome any slow trigger speed. If it is legal where you live, you might consider putting some food in front of the camera to make the deer linger there for a while. This will give you better perspective on the animals you are watching. Never point the unit in a direction where it will be looking directly into a rising or setting sun. Doing this will give you terrible pictures. If you leave the camera in the field for long periods of time, make sure you clean the lense and sensor when you do go out to swap cards. This may save you from missing something you would really like to see. If you haven't done so, consider buying a camera safe for your unit. There is a company called camlock box that makes really great boxes at a very good price. In addition to the lock boxes I also use a python cable lock on each of my units. It is not completely theft proof but it will keep an honest person honest. We all look forward to seeing your pics and you will also find that this will become a very addictive hobby. In other words, if one camera is great, two would be better and then three and four and so on.

Blessings.....Pastorjim

point down a trail, not across. Face north or south, to avoid the sun triggering the camera. I usually look for deer pathes in thick bush and set up accordingly. I usually take a big stick and dig a scrap on the trail and drop a few drops of doe urine or buck urine. Just to get them to stop and smell the scrap and let the camera get a few more pictures. I don't check my camera less then once a week. Swamps, thick bush with trails leading through, edges of corn fields all produce the most pics of big bucks.

I just did a 20 minute webshow about trail cam placement ending with a hunt based on scouting done with cameras... Its free to watch on the web. Check it out, here is a link:

http://www.thehuntingbeast.com/videocast/index.php

Interesting video. Thanks for sharing.

My first trail cams should be coming in soon, and I was wondering how frequently everyone checks theres? I don't want to wait too long and miss something, but I don't have a massive amount of land, and want to minimize human disturbance.

MAKKER, I usually check mine anywhere between 1-2 weeks. Depending on my schedule for that time frame, it's tough for me to wait longer....I get so excited! Ranger, everyones basically mentioned the important things...within a few checks you'll realize what you need to do to get what you want. The only other thing I can think of is try not to put in on a small tree, if the wind blows hard enough it'll move the tree....giving you plenty of pictures of nothing. (I learned that the hard way haha)

I try to go 3 weeks in between camera checks to reduce the amount of times I enter the woods but sometimes its only a week.

I only check my cams every 4-6 weeks, no need to check them more. Unless its during the season, then I check them when I happen to be hunting the area where the cam is located and check the cam after I climb down and am exiting the woods. If you have a slow trigger speed and want to use the cam on a trail, just put it 12 to 15 ft. off the trail (depending on how slow the trigger speed of your cam is) and the cam will take a pic. with the deer's entire body in the pic. I pick the best location in a specific area to put a cam, I dont worry about whether its facing east or west, doesnt seem to affect my pics. Pike