Catch That Pose

Get a trail cam, they said. It’ll be great, they said. In all seriousness a trail cam is a must have for hunters alike and often times turns into a more entertaining version of late night television than whatever game show or Netflix series you might be sitting down to watch at the end of a long day. From the deer to the turkey and even the playful squirrels, trail cams give you a 24/7 view into your hunting grounds keeping track of all the juicy activity. What a lot of hunters don’t think about is exactly how and where to put the trail cams though for optimal viewing and a true account of just what’s going on out there after dark. Trail cams aren’t security cameras, meant to be placed high up near the top of trees overlooking hundreds of yards of vegetation. Sure, you can get some excellent still images overlooking your property, but in order to make good use of the trail cam purchase the key is to get down on the animals level, the ground floor if you will. Larger game such as deer requires an inside look with most recommending the trail cam be placed no more than three feet off the ground to capture the very best footage of frolicking families and hungry critters. Keeping the trail cam low also provides us hunters the opportunity to see a more detailed image of the deer in the area. Are they looking healthy? How much have they grown? Are the fawns growing at a rapid rate? Keeping tabs on that can also be a key when ensuring your food plot is providing the proper nutrition and nourishment these animals depend on for strength and growth. Another key to trail cam collecting success is proper placement of the actual camera itself. Yes, get your compasses out if you don’t already have a basic understanding of where the sun rises and where the sun sets because in the world of hunting it MATTERS! Always always always point that trail cam to the north so the sunset/sunrise photos are visible and spectacular!