| EricD |
| (.416 member) |
| 23/01/06 12:15 AM |
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Trail cameras
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I have understood that some PHs are now using so called "Trail cameras" when baiting lion and leopard in Africa.
Are there any downsides to these products? Does the game react to the flash if pictures are taken at night? Or is the flash an IR flash and thus not detected?
They seem like they could be interesting to use for fun out in the forest here at home, and I've been considering buying one.
Any suggestions on which work and which are crap?
| 500Nitro |
| (.450 member) |
| 23/01/06 12:55 AM |
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Re: Trail cameras
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Get the Digital ones.
Suggest IR as it doesn't scare game and the camera is less likely
to be found - people see the White Flash go off and investigate.
Make sure you hide it well and don't just strap it to a tree
as Gov't agencies use them and therefore when people
see them they tend to "go missing".
500 Nitro
| AspenHill |
| (Sponsor) |
| 23/01/06 01:44 AM |
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Re: Trail cameras
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I've used the cheap film variety here at home to see deer and they don't seem bothered by the flash.
| shakari |
| (.400 member) |
| 23/01/06 02:39 AM |
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Re: Trail cameras
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Erik,
I don't use the cameras as I don't see a need for them.... the size of the spoor will tell me how big the animal is..... but I do use trail timers so that I don't have to sit for hours waiting for the animal to appear and I also use a movement detector above or near the bait so that I know immediatly when something comes to bait....... slipped up last year though as I left a movement detector out overnight and by the morning a bloody hyena had chewed it all to hell.......
| mikeh416Rigby |
| (.450 member) |
| 23/01/06 04:57 AM |
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Re: Trail cameras
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I recently saw a segment about these cameras on the Outdoor Channel. I didn't pay much attention to it though. I do know that they were talking about many of these cameras having a significant delay from the time the sensor picks up on something tripping the sensor, until the time the photo is taken, by which time the animal has moved out of frame. I'll try and find out which one was highest rated, and then get back to you.
| JPeterson |
| (.275 member) |
| 23/01/06 06:11 AM |
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Re: Trail cameras
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I believe Cuddeback is one of the better trail cameras. I think that's the one that claims to be faster than the others.
| mikeh416Rigby |
| (.450 member) |
| 23/01/06 06:23 AM |
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Re: Trail cameras
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Thanks for jogging my memory. I believe you're right...it is the Cuddleback, or something like that.
| EricD |
| (.416 member) |
| 26/01/06 09:39 AM |
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Re: Trail cameras
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I've also heard elsewhere that the Cuddeback and Recon Outdoors are the digital ones worth having a closer look at. I would definatly go digital, as it would be easiest for me to either just switch CF cards (which I have quite a few of), or even bring my laptop with me into the forest and download the pictures right then and there, to be studied closer back at home.
My use for one here in Norway would be to set it up on densely forested paths and other areas where there are roedeer present, to see when (I think you can have the time imprinted on the picture) and what size roedeer pass. Also just for the fun of it.
Another potential use would be to set one up near a gate where people have to pay a small toll to enter the forests road system. The minimal fee is just a percentage of what it costs to uphold the roads. Unfortunatly, some people think it nice to try and break open the money box now and then, and steal the money...
So a hidden trail camera with an invisible IR flash would be a great way to catch them redhanded, with their licence plate numbers etc. 