How to Protect Your Trail Camera
In modern hunting and tracking, trail cameras have become integral to understanding where animals are, when they move and what trails they are using. The technology is also a significant resource for animal research and those who need to watch fauna that are unaware of being monitored. However, like anything in the wild, trail cameras can be fidgeted with or damaged by curious animals. Additionally, sometimes the cameras are stolen. As a result, camera owners have a vested interest in protecting their equipment from damage or theft.
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Things You'll Need
- Trail camera
- Film or memory card
- Camera battery
- Hand wipes
- Steel cable or thick chain
- Scent-cleaning chemical
- Trail camera cage
Instructions
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Choose a trail camera that uses infrared capability rather than a flash to see at night, which makes it less visible to animals and thieves. Load the camera with film or its memory card and a fresh battery pack. Wash your hands thoroughly before handling the camera. Use a hand wipe if in the field. Choose a tree to attach the camera to that is at least a foot thick so it cannot be cut down easily.
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Secure the camera to the tree trunk in the position you desire with a chain or metal cable. Wipe the camera completely with a scent-cleaning chemical to avoid any sign of human handling. Place a camera cage over the camera so that it cannot be damaged or crushed by animal paws or chewing. Obscure the camera from common sight so that it cannot be seen easily by someone looking for an easy camera to steal.
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Set down the bait after the camera is positioned and secured to the tree, not before. Remove signs of any footprints or stepping around the area near the camera by wiping the ground with a branch brush. Throw away the branch used to brush the area at least 50 feet from the camera itself.
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Tips & Warnings
Placing your camera high up in a tree to cover the area below can protect it better; many wildlife species cannot climb trees.
Make sure not to touch the camera or any of its parts after having just handled food. Despite the best cleaning, some food scent may still remain on your hands. This will attract animals' keen sense of smell and may get the camera damaged.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit deer image by david hughes from Fotolia.com
