How To Secure Game Camera From Theft
Running trail cameras year-circular on public land, I've experienced my share of monkey concern. Information technology amazes me the trouble some folks will become through to mess with my cameras. I've had SD cards stolen. I've found SD cards in my cameras that weren't the brand I apply. Numerous times, people have deleted the photos off of my cards before putting them back in the cameras. I've even had people movement my cameras from one tree to another. But none of those mind games mean much in the whole scheme of things, and they're just minor nuisances compared to having cameras stolen.
Theft can happen anywhere, even on private posted property, and it'south always a downer when it happens. Over the years, I've learned to not allow it bother me likewise much, and I don't trash talk the whole human race just considering i dishonest jerk ruined my day. That's not to say I oasis't learned the hard way, though, and those lessons have forced me to prefer a few tricks to better conceal my trail cameras from would-be thieves.
When to Set and Bank check
In that location are 2 times of twelvemonth when I've had the virtually trail cameras stolen: during the spring turkey season and during the fall gun flavour. The turkey flavor thefts I attribute to ignorance, not merely because someone stole my cameras, but because perhaps they saw the cameras and believed them to exist abandoned or forgotten. For most people, the idea of running trail cameras yr-round notwithstanding hasn't defenseless on.
The thefts during gun season, particularly regarding the 6 (count 'em six!) trail cameras I had stolen in a single day, were due to my own stupidity of checking them after a fresh snow. Although I'd gotten my buck during the rut in early November, I'd left my cameras up.
When I had a costless Sunday in early December, I went for a hike and swapped out the SD cards and enjoyed a fun evening of going through photos. Just problem was, the snowfall hung around and my tracks showed everybody the location of every camera. Lesson learned. Now I pull all of my cameras before these two seasons and don't reset them until most of those folks are out of the wood.
I'm a petty cagier at present when it comes to checking cameras, too. I stay away when in that location's snow on the ground. On public country, where hunter and non-hunter traffic increases on weekends, I've institute mid-week or rainy days are both adept options for swapping out SD cards.
Go Strapless
One of the showtime things I exercise when planning to ready trail cameras in high traffic areas is remove the factory straps and use a bracket or screw-in mount to attach cameras to copse. This allows me to be more versatile with placement and gives my overall setup a smaller profile.
Don't become me wrong, straps are great and reliable for mounting cameras, merely they also make cameras visible a full 360 degrees. Even if someone doesn't run into your bodily camera, they could potentially spot the strap. In nature, straight lines and shapes stand up out.
Many times, I've found the trail cameras of other hunters because I spotted the horizontal line of the strap wrapped around the tree. That line is even more than pronounced later a dusting of snow because not only will that strap appear darker and more noticeable, only there volition now exist a singled-out, white line of snowfall settled on the upper edge of the strap.
Brackets and screw-in mounts tin can be as simple or every bit pimped out as yous require. Some are of the same design as a miniature screw-in tree step, while others have multiple ball bearings that allow yous to fully adjust the camera's direction.
Similar trail cameras themselves, in that location's a departure in cost betwixt the basic versions and ones with all the bells and whistles, merely all of them serve a purpose, which is to brand your camera less visible to a passersby.
Dealing with Roads and Trails
Something as simple as facing cameras away from roads and well-used trails can prevent theft. For example, several heavy deer crossings that I like to put cameras on are along a hard-acme road. These trails lead from a bedding area on one side of the route to numerous corn and soybean fields on the other. With only two cameras I can cover nigh all activity every bit deer move from one side of the road to the other. Unfortunately, the wood are fairly open here, besides, and anyone driving past can easily spot a trail camera.
But when I notice a skillful identify for my cameras, I'thousand stubborn. In this location, I removed the straps from the camera and utilized one of the screw-in mounts just mentioned. I and then found a couple of trees wide enough to shield the cameras from the road. Problem solved.
I avoid hanging cameras correct on trails, too, and instead prefer to put them 10-twenty feet abroad and in a little bit of brush. If there'due south no brush available, I use any I tin to help camouflage and break up the camera'due south outline. I of my favorite tactics is to hide the photographic camera in betwixt two logs.
Even if the only tree available to attach the camera to is a sapling, I'll tie the straps in a mode that helps pause upwards the camera's outline and situate the camera and then that it'due south looking out between two logs or clumps of brush. The setup doesn't always look pretty, but I've never had a photographic camera stolen when doing this…knock on woods!
Drag
Elevating the camera is another great trick to prevent theft, as well. As about people walk or hike in the wood, their focus is on the footing and objects upward to nigh waist level. Hikers in general are usually thinking about footing and how to best navigate the trail. Next fourth dimension y'all're scouting, pay attending to where your focus is, and I'll bet yous observe that information technology's primarily on or close to the basis. After all, that's where you find the scrapes and trails.
I've been able to identify trail cameras in some really loftier traffic areas on public land by simply hanging them at eye level or higher. I even get a number of photos of people passing inside feet of the camera, and I basically get their mugshot as they walk past, but they seldom realize the camera's even there. On every occasion, in every photo of every person who walks by, their focus is e'er downward.
Elevating my trail cameras as well solves a lot of issues with some other pesky visitor: bears. I hunt primarily public land, all of which is located in bear country. In the summer of 2020 solitary, I had three cameras destroyed past black bears. Bears are naturally curious animals.
Although not known for having great eyesight, information technology's astonishing how they tin can zero in on things that seem out of place, such as the square shape of a camera confronting a tree. Over the years, I've learned that if I put a photographic camera on whatsoever expert game trail, or fifty-fifty to keep watch on a scrape or mock scrape, I'd better put it above a bear's natural line of sight.
Lock it Up
The ultimate in trail photographic camera protection, of course, is placing the photographic camera inside a security box that can be locked. Anyone wanting to mess with these cameras volition find it besides much trouble to exist worth the effort. And virtually of them are somewhat conduct proof, which is a plus if you're operating in bear country.
The downside is that security boxes are not always cost constructive if you run a lot of cameras. But then, I guess a $25 investment in a security box might but be worthwhile if you're using a high-priced trail photographic camera.
Most of the trail cameras I utilise were purchased for less than $fifty apiece, usually bought on sale or on clearance, but it all the same stings to accept one stolen. That'southward money lost, and it can put a real damper on your mood.
But sometimes I just take to accept that some loss is inevitable, no affair how much I attempt to prevent information technology, regardless of whether I'chiliad on public or private state. I've establish that the best matter to do is keep a positive attitude and motility on and try to hibernate it meliorate next time. It's non worth letting information technology ruin your day.
Continue the items mentioned to a higher place in mind every bit y'all shuffle your trail cameras around this season, and you'll help reduce the risk of losing cameras to theives.
Source: https://www.bowhunting.com/article/how-to-prevent-trail-camera-theft/
Posted by: nunleyalung1980.blogspot.com
0 Response to "How To Secure Game Camera From Theft"
Post a Comment