Avoid Six Common Mistakes Deer Hunters Make Using Trail Cameras Hunting Missouri Kansas Illinois

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Brad Mormann is a biologist with Missouri firm, Woods & Associates, Inc., that specializes in developing site specific wildlife and habitat management plans for private and corporate landowners across the whitetails range. He takes and examines more than 150,000 trail camera photos annually.

More from necessity than by choice, Mormann has become very good at using trail cameras.

Here is Mormann´s list of mistakes to avoid when using trail cameras.

Tip #1: Getting stuck in a flash rut.

"Today´s trail cameras use two types of flash – IR (infra red) and incandescent flash – both have their advantages. Though great images can be taken with the incandescent flash, the deer may be put off by these interruptions and avoid the area, but there are tradeoffs, IR units provide no visible flash and are less likely to spook the deer, but the images aren´t as clear," states Mormann.

The incandescent flash can alert deer to a hunter´s presence." Some deer don´t mind having their photo taken. The flash doesn´t seem to bother them, while other deer avoid the areas where they have experienced the flash", says Mormann.

Tip #2: Location, Location, Location

Camera shy deer can be photographed on a regular basis by changing the location of your cameras. This will also prevent being patterned by deer.

Tip #3: Lack of Power

Mormann suggests using lithium batteries over alkaline or nickel-metal hydride cell, or NiMH rechargeable batteries. Lithium batteries hold their charge better and are not affected by cold weather.

Tip #4: Dust off your old cameras.

If you have some older cameras with slower trigger speeds, Use them on food plots because the deer are typically moving at a slower pace and utilizing an area for longer periods of time which allows the camera plenty of trigger time to record the image of the deer´ suggests Mormann.

Tip #5: Get a different perspective.

Most hunters hang their game cameras perpendicular to an active trail. . A good perpendicular photo can provide useful information such as antler size and age of a particular buck; however, Mormann warns it must have a fast trigger speed in order to take good visible photos, due its close proximity to the intended target. "By simply moving the camera farther away from the trail, you may not capture a clear, usable image, especially if you are using an incandescent type camera. The flash has a certain range and anything beyond that range of the flash makes the images useless," says Mormann.

Instead Mormann recommends mounting the camera at an angle facing toward the anticipated direction of travel, rather than perpendicular or directly down a trail. A camera facing directly down a trail won´t be triggered in time to take a good usable photo.

Tip #6: Being in the right place at the right time.

Many hunters hang their cameras and capture great photos of some nice bucks or other game coming into the food plot and then hang their stands close by.

But next time you see some of these photos notice how many of these photos capture deer visiting feeders, nocturnally. Most hunters don´t take this into account.

Instead Mormann suggests eliminating non productive stand sights with the trail cameras.

"If deer are only visiting a food plot at night, chances of them showing up while you are on the stand is small. "claims Mormann. Likewise, sitting over a scrape while occasionally productive seldom reaps great rewards – studies have shown that 85 percent of scrapes

Using a topography map of the property, mark where each camera is located and plot the time the deer in the photo is using a certain area. By studying where the deer are during the daylight hours a pattern can be established increasing the chances a deer will come by your stand while you are in it.

Like all technology, the new breeds of trail cameras have a learning curve. Using these tips will straighten the curve and stack the odds in your favor.

For more information on trail cameras or deer hunting private property contact: Hunting Sports Plus, or call 1-800-341-3444.

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