My daughter bought me a trail cam for Christmas..never owned one.

Finally got around to putting it out on a well used trail that's always a good spot.

I feel like a kid at Christmas that can't wait to open his present!

Just put it out Mon evening and I'm having a hard time not taking a peek to see what's on it!

The spot is a good crossing for about everything. Always seems to be turkey there, deer have a trail worn down to the dirt going up the mt. And I saw some really BIG bear tracks right below it, on a muddy logging road.

I've made my mind up to wait two weeks to check it....but my willpower is fading fast.

Haven't been this anxious about anything in awhile.

I've killed so many deer, turkey ect.. over the years that How and where I kill them has taken on way more importance than the couple minute excitement of the actual kill.

In fact, after I fill my tag, its like..well now what? well I just keep on scouting, keep on enjoying the mountains.

I've come to realize that's what I like the most about hunting. For me Hunting season really never ends . I might do some fishing ect..But I run the mts year round, The actual killing during the season is such a small part.

I can see this trail cam thing adding to a passion for the outdoors.

If I check that cam and there is a bunch of good pics on there...LOL...I'm done for...no hope and helplessly addicted.

Shade I love running trail cams. I know what you mean I want to run out and check them everyday! lol i put a few out around my uncles cabin and even though they are all night time pictures my uncle and I meet every couple of weeks to look at the pictures. He is getting older and doesn't get out as much hunting. He and I enjoy looking at the pictures. I also put out a couple in new area and I'm excited to check on them in a few weeks. Like Christmas! Lol

Just let it go and don't frequent the area to much. It's hot out and you will leave a sent trail. They are fun. I haven't put one out in a couple years now. My surrounding hunters, usually end up with my deer on there camera :-) and I shoot it on our property :-) JF

Look forward to seeing your pictures!

Enjoy your new passion!

I have been a trapper for about 40 years. Trail cameras are sort of like trapping. Last fall, i had my two best cameras stolen from my own land!

I get about 10 to 20 thousand photos per year. FUN!

best wishes.

Try the 'video' setting. Talk about addicted!

I keep them out year-round on my property. Its always like opening a surprise present every time I pull the cards and stick them in the computer to see what's on it! They are indeed addictive and fun.

I have never used one for hunting, but I do have a camera in my backyard just to see what's out there. If you wait for 2 wks to check it you may have to sift through a thousand or more pics.

MP

I love them it's almost like a trapline.

If You are not hunting, then the camera will probably provide good entertainment about the wild animals.

Trail cams can be addicting for sure. Have fun

We upgraded to a smaller model with infrared flash. The older one was really a cheapie...like me, so the wife gave the orders to get a younger more vibrant model. I guess she was talking about trail cams anyway. I haven't had it in the woods this year yet but will get it out next week.

I keep two SD cards for each camera, I go in, shut it off. Swap the cards start it up and let it go again.I generally check mine every two weeks on the Shade mountain. But that's because it's a lil drive and a hike to get to the camera. At my father in laws farm I keep one in the field corner overlooking my food plot. I usually switch cards out ever week on that one. I enjoy watching the deer grow.

Problem is I'm not a "big buck"hunter. I generally kill whatever I first get a chance at that's legal. But last year I had such a nice eight point growing it made me pass a small 6 point opening day....I kicked myself because I didn't see another buck till the last week of archery. And I was fortunate enough to kill it.

I have a spot that's too close to the road to hunt safely and legally. But it's a game funnel in the fall. I put some apples there and a camera to see what is entering the property.

I hunt 400 yards further in. Unfortunately the animals like it closer to the road! ;-)

I don't think i'll be able to hold out till next weekend. I like the idea of two cards Shadehaven, makes sense.

I work with a guy that said he takes his to Walmart and picks out the ones he wants to get developed?

I never done it? might have to get my daughter to help me, I'm not up on that kind of stuff.

I cant say Ive ever got any developed, I upload them to my computer delete all the unwanted pictures which is usually 700 of the 800 haha! Squirrels, groundhogs, the wind and even songbirds will fill your card so I put them on the computer and delete them off the card.

I also definitely recommend 2 cards if your camera is somewhere besides your backyard. I do the same as ShadeHaven, retrieve the card in the camera and have another empty card with me to swap out.

There are now inexpensive card readers that allow you to scroll through the pictures on your smart phone and download,text to someone or delete using your phone.I screenshot the ones I want to keep.Mine is called "buckstruck" for my Android.I use the 2 card switch out then look at them in the truck.

Didn't know it was okay to post pornographic photos on this site.

Trail cams are great. Hope you got one that lasts for a while as some out there don't

its not porn its love

I hang them at least 7 feet and point them slightly down on an angle, especially in remote hunting areas. You would be surprised on the number of deer that can spot and spook by them when at eye level. It is like placing a 4 ft. screen in your living room. A mature buck that IDs the cam is not likely to come back. Bears don't seem bothered as much.

Daven, I agree, I have mine up a tree on an angle facing down, a good 8 feet. I shimmy up the tree to get to it. I felt with being on state forest people wont see it to steal it as quick and it shouldn't become a bear's chew toy either!

Don't wait two weeks. My wife has hers in the yard and keeps tabs on "her" critters sometimes every day. We print the good ones and keep an album. Good fun for sure.

Great point daven and shade haven,I'm going to start hanging mine higher and angling them down.

Anyone know if those cell phone card readers work when you have no cell tower signal? I imagine they would, but am not sure. Thanks - John

Yes they do

I have a buddy who uses a 'cellphone' type to keep tabs on a property a hundred miles away. I hunt and cam-hunt close enough so it's easy to just walk in and change SD cards.

E-bay has SD cards cheap, but they do fail after a while so buy a n extra one or two. If you're using 'video' settings you'll want 8-16 GB unless you change cards often.

And if your cam has different resolution settings, understand the trade-offs. A 'great' picture deserves the best resolution. You'll never regret good picture quality.

PS yes, the bear pictured above is wearing a tracking collar. Other pix I have show her ear tags also.

If you're on facebook -

https://www.facebook.com/dana.charbonneau.12/videos/vb.100005429080662/549453585245606/?type=2&theater

Also a good idea to dedicate the SD cards to the trail camera. If I put my cards in other cameras they won't work in a couple of my trail cams until they are reformatted.

I pull the card and put another in right away. I carry my wife's little camera just to review the pics, because I'm to impatient, to the point where I view them in the jeep on the camera then head home, upload then to the computer and view then again. Ha

Ive got a friend who has had 2 different cameras destroyed by bears. Last photo on the card was a ultra close-up of a bears face! So strapping the camera 6-7 feet up and at a slight downward angle is indeed a good idea. The trick might be to find the right tree that's slightly leaning at the right angle to get the right downward angle.

It is my understanding that bear like the smell of plastic and will chew on cameras. I live in a high bear density area so I put all my cameras in a metal security box. Which also helps prevent theft. I've already had several close ups of a bears throat this year.

X2

Yes just like Christmas when viewing the card. Never know what you'll see. Couldn't believe the the first time I got a moose on mine. That was over ten years ago. Now pretty common. Hope to see a mountain lion one day.

I suspect the bears think the camera is a bird feeder and are po'd 'cause there's no food.

Bears do some damage to an unprotected camera. Might want to invest in a box that protects the camera. All mine have tooth and claw marks on them. Even with the Bushnell box they can claw at it. Amazingly they still do work.

Back when I lived in Arkansas, I got a photo on a trail cam of this big boy...I saved the picture as "The One that Got Away."

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