I'm curious about the strategy others use when setting out trail cameras.
When do you set them out?
How long do you leave them out?
How often do you check them?
'JW
I have cameras on my property that have been out since April. I'll probably leave them out year round, if for no other reason it's nice to see who's trespassing. I check them whenever I get up there, which is usually every other week or so.
We can't use them during seasons,so it is mostly a summer thing.During that time of year,it is a good idea to check them weekly as one weed growing up in front of the camera,can blow in the wind and cause a lot of false triggers.The battery life of your particular camera may determine the longest time you can leave them.Some areas,it may take more than a week to get meaningful pictures.Other places it may happen daily.A week seems to work for me but often I can't make it that quick.I find it nice to just get out and check them any time I can.
Usually set them out in May/June on mineral licks and always check them about once per week. Around mid-July (now) I move them to the entrance trails to our soybean/alfalfa fields. Leave them there until our acorns/apples start falling then find the hot spots and set them there. Sometime after our first frost in November I move them to persimmon trees and corn field entrance trails that are being hit hard. After that I usually pull them all.
So my strategy is most always a food source.
I leave mine out year round. The annual cycle is awesome to see. It is great to see bucks grow into their horns starting in the spring. Also watching the fawns grow out of their spots. Then you can watch the bucks rub off their velvet in late summer. Later if you have video you might catch some fighting during the rut. Then come late winter you can get some unbelievable snow pictures. Then later in the winter you can see them drop their sheds and start the entire process over.
This also allows you to see how their patterns change during the year. And if you are lucky you can get pictures of the same deer year after year. To me I am nearly as excited to check my camera as I am to go hunting. You also never know what other critters you might catch too.
My property is very close and I can access my cameras quicly so I try to check it every 1-3 weeks. This way if the batteries die or there are problems you can catch them quickly and not lose valuable time.
I see that you are in Canada so maybe your winters are too cold but my camera has taken (-10F) and still works. This would be my only concern for year round action for you.
I have a small hunting property (15 acres) that is mostly a travel corridor so my strategy is pinch points or known fence crossings. Sometimes a mineral lick will work but I don't always have one out.
Good luck
I generally put mine over a food source and check them once a week.As the food sources change I'll relocate the camera.
I check it once a week and download the pictures. I think it gets too cold to leave it year round so I will take it in in December and put it out the first of April. I have it set near a hole in a rail fence that wildlife use to move through the area. I also use flavoured salt licks. It was interesting in that I put the licks out last year and didn't seem to get any activity around them until they melted away and the deer started eating the dirt where the salt lick disolved. Now they are coming in steady. Just does and a couple of smaller bucks. Interesting!!! :thumbsup: Oh, last year I had some turkeys and nocturnal coyotes moving through the same area.
I put mine on mineral licks from spring until season opens then move them to trails for early season and to scrapes for the rut, usually leave them out thru Jan.