By Blake Hamilton
Capturing trail camera photographs of a “behind the scenes” buck or a unique moment in nature is something many hunters lose sleep over. The strategies of when, where and how to capture these moments can be both an art and a science. The first step is to decide the type of camera, location, and timing for your plan of attack. Your next step should be getting organized.
Not having the proper equipment shouldn’t be something you discover in the field. Tools needed to help prevent these situations includes; extra bungee straps, folding saw, map of the area, extra batteries, small digital camera, extra memory cards, a BioLogic BioRock, a backpack and obviously your trail camera.
Each tool is an important part of the equation. Let’s take a look at each tool and its benefits.
- Extra bungee straps - These are great to carry in case one breaks or you need one for an extra large tree. They can also be handy for many other woodsmen’s uses.
- Folding saw - A small saw works great for sapling/shrub removal within the “line of fire” for the camera.
- Map of the area - Maps in the field not only work great for direction but also for marking various features while in the field. They’ll help you to make sure your cameras are placed in the best spots. Making field notes of where your cameras are located, trails, preferred mast producing trees, etc, will help you have a better study of the overall area.
- Trail cameras - There are many styles, trigger speeds, flashes, etc. Choose a model that best fits your needs.
- Small digital camera - A small camera can work great for checking your trail camera memory card and deleting photos to acquire more space on the card. They can also come in handy to gather photos of trees/plants the deer prefer, or other sign you wish to remember or identify later.
- Extra memory cards - Extra cards are simple to just exchange with those in the camera or in case there is one not working.
- Extra batteries - Battery life can vary and extras can save you a last minute trip to the store or back to the truck.
- BioRock - BioLogic BioRocks are mineral rocks that deer love throughout the entire year. They can easily fit into you pack, making them a lot easier to tote than a 30-50 pound bag of attractant. The Drurys call it “taking a buck census.” They use these important tools to see each and every buck on their property. BioRocks are not bulky or heavy (8-10 lbs). The rock’s size allows you to have minimal trips into the camera site which takes pressure off of the targeted area.
- Backpack - All of the tools mentioned can fit in a backpack. Backpacks can keep these tools organized and are a lot more ergonomic than totting in something like a box with your hands and shoulders.
Each one of these tools will help you with efficient trail camera installation and monitoring.
