OT: mounting a trail cam

bucky925

OT:  I figure with the knowledge on this forum form brisket to underwear to forklifts, someone out there knows the answer.  We actually live in town, however just behind my house is a treak of woods along a creek that leads all the way to the Yadkin river.  We have seen many deer, turkeys, fox, among other wildlife.  So I ordered a trail cam.  My deck (where I would like to mount it is a good 15' off the ground and the yard slopes.  If I mount that high up will it trigger the camera for the smaller critters?  Sorta a pic of my side yard from the deck.

Buckdodger

Not sure if your camera will pick up motion that far off the ground.  I mount my camera about 3 feet off of the ground and have good results picking up movement of all kinds of critters. If your deck has support posts that you can hang the camera on about 3 feet of the the ground...give it a try. Good luck.

Nothing like enjoying what goes on around the house at night.

Spaightlabs

Height won't matter in terms of the sensor working.  Linear distance from cam to target will.  But pics from up higher won't be as good and closer will be better.  The camera specs will tell you the max trigger distance for the sensor.  If that is your yard and someone isn't going to wander in and steal your cam, put a t-post about 10 to 15 feet from where you want to take the pics.  Put some feed out to get 'em where you want them, if legal in your area.

A little bit of corn will attract and keep the deer and turks in the area.

DaveRichardson

I agree with @Buckdodger, the trail cam is meant for straight ahead imaging.  I think there are some out there that you can set up custom zones for image capture, but don't take me for 100% on that.....  I'd drop a 4x4 post there at the tree line aimed at the corn drop and you'll be getting some great shots in no time.

poster

Really depends on the quality of your camera. Anything decent will catch smaller animals in the picture you show. I have one mounted 7' up and it will pick up a rabbit 30' away. Its definitely a fun toy. After time you will likely get some strange or really cool captures. I have one of a bat from 6" away that hung upside down under the eaves where the camera is. On the neg. side we spotted some people that shouldn't have been there snooping around

Toxarch

Is that a salt block? If so, you might want to bury it at least half way. Also, be aware that it will kill the grass around it.

Like mentioned, distance to the camera is key. 15' away works great. Most have a fisheye lens so long distance pictures suck. High up is good if you have potential thieves that might steal it. We bury steal square posts or treated 4x4 or 2x6 wood posts into the ground and mount the cameras towards the bait. 3-5' off the ground works. Try not to have it facing trees or tall grass that moves a lot in the wind or you end up with a lot of pictures of nothing. But it's in your yard so changing the card will be frequent so that isn't a huge problem. 

bucky925

Thanks for all the advice...trial run tonight.  Put out some corn and BBQ leftovers.  As for the salt block killing my grass, it won't....I only have weeds down there  .  After tonight I will readjust and try again.  Once again this forum is full of good ideas....Thanks again!

The Cen-Tex Smoker

have a few bourbons, get out there tonight and run around nekkid. see what happens

Killit_and_Grillit

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

have a few bourbons, get out there tonight and run around nekkid. see what happens

This was pretty much verbatim the instructions for all of my trail cams.  

The Cen-Tex Smoker

Killit_and_Grillit said:

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

have a few bourbons, get out there tonight and run around nekkid. see what happens

This was pretty much verbatim the instructions for all of my trail cams.  

It's good advice for just about anything. No trail cam needed.

bucky925

Will I get banned when I post the pic's or just laughed at?   
https://youtu.be/dcovHHOCtpQ

MattBTI

Put a t-post in the ground where ever you want it.

Spaightlabs

Don't put bbq leftovers out there - you may not like the critters you get...yotes, skunks, coons, rats...

Corn will do ya just fine.

nolaegghead

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

Killit_and_Grillit said:

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

have a few bourbons, get out there tonight and run around nekkid. see what happens

This was pretty much verbatim the instructions for all of my trail cams.  

It's good advice for just about anything. No trail cam needed.

In fact, cams of any type are discouraged in this endeavor.

thetrim

thetrim

bucky925

Got this one the other night....date is off, but everything else is pretty close.