Mashel trail cam Aug 2009 (Courtesy B Unger)	Mashel trail cam Aug 2009 (Courtesy B Unger)	Mashel trail cam Aug 2009 (Courtesy B Unger)	Mashel trail cam Aug 2009 (Courtesy B Unger)	Mason County Trail Cam (Courtesy Bargelski)
EWA Mule Deer Doe shows the camera her opinion of the trail cam. (courtesy J Larsen)	trail cam	(courtesy D Jeffries)	(courtesy D Jeffries)
	Sequence of a very curious bull. (courtesy MT7217)	Pierce County bull (courtesy Brad K)	I captured this buck on my trailcam in Snohomish co (courtesy Eric S)	4x2 blacktail cruisin during the rut (courtesy andersonj1each26)
Medrano trail cam

Trail Camera tips

• Hang camera 2 feet up your tree, fence post, or shrub.  The best pictures are taken at animal eye level.  Setting the camera low also allows you to take pictures of coyotes, cats, birds and varmints.

• Face your camera towards the North if possible.  You don't want to have direct sun affecting the picture quality.

• Spray the camera with a cover sent or rub tree needles all over to mask human scent.

• Set your camera on active trails (active tracks or other sign) and no more than 10 feet back from the trail to ensure good chances of filling up your camera's memory card.

• Always pack extra batteries when using trail cameras.  Extra cold nights will dramatically reduce battery life.

• Buy trail cameras with removable memory such as SD cards.  You can take the SD cards and plug them into your personal camera to check for activity.

• Unfortunately, trail cam theft is pretty common.  Try to place your camera in an area not only concealed from animal's eyes, but from other human's eyes.  If you can afford it, get a camera which has infrared flash as humans cannot detect infrared.  Older style flash trail cams give off the distinctive flash and are easily detected.  Same thing applies for silent cameras.  Test drive your new trail cam to make sure it is silent when it takes pictures.  There are locking mechanisms available to secure your trail camera. These devices can keep most people "honest" however, if some person really wants your camera most devices can be disabled.

• In August or September, place your cameras near water sources.  Your animals will be using the water holes during the hot days at all times of the day.

• Buy more than one trail cam.  The more cameras you place, the better the chances for you to understand how your hunting area is being used.

• If all you are getting is pictures of animals at night, use that information to your advantage.  Continue to place the camera further up the trail to pinpoint the area where the animals are traveling during shooting light.

• Many bucks will focus in on a central area to rub their antlers.  If you can find one of these distinctive areas where 5 to 8 trees in a small area are being rubbed, hang your camera just outside of that ring of rubs and pattern that buck.

• Work and get to know your camera back at home before placing the camera in the woods. You do not want to have to be fiddling with your camera in the middle of the woods.  Nor do you want to forget to turn it on or have it aimed incorrectly without some practice.

• Send your pictures to HuntWashingtonState.com when you get back from the field!

Deer Photo Album    Elk Photo Album  Bird Photo Album   Shed Photo Album

 Other species and pictures of interest photos

Home  -- Contact -- About -- Links -- Sitemap