How to use a game trail camera? this question circulates in the minds of those who are new yet very enthusiastic in the world of game trail cameras. Manipulating and controlling the trail camera is not as simple as the regular cameras that are available in the market.
However, despite the absence of a manual or the lack of knowledge (which is yet to be filled along the experience), learning how do trail cameras work for the user’s own convenience does not have to be a difficult one.
If you have just bought your own trail camera, it is crucial to remember that unlike regular cameras in the market. This follows the idea that these kinds of cameras require care due to its more complex and sensitive features.
Though most of these cameras are waterproof, shockproof and dustproof, you have to keep the trail camera at its optimum state for you to maximize the quality of the pictures and videos you can capture it.
Setting up a trail camera
Before using the trail camera and discover how do trail cameras work, setting up will play a vital role in the process as well as the materials you will have to use for it.
Upon purchasing and receiving a trail camera, you will also have a strap that comes along with the gadget. This strap will be essential in setting up your camera to be ready for use in the wild.
Make sure that the strap you have at hand is in its best condition. This means that the strap is durable enough to hold the camera in a tree and to keep it secured.
Additional security
Some users find it beneficial to have their trail cameras bungee-corded. This, for them, adds security in keeping the trail camera in place. Some of them even blend their cameras with the surroundings.
They find this helpful as it hides the camera from the sight of the animals. Given this condition, they will be able to see conditions in its natural state. The daily routines of the animals will hardly be disrupted at the sight of the camera.
Angles and positions
In strap-securing cameras, be sure to choose the right angle. The right angle will help you get a wider, more spacious and brighter view of the area.
Though the cameras cover a wide area, it is still best to select a place minimally crowded by trees. This will be advantageous for you as you get to see more of the conditions in the wild. It will also be helpful if you have more than one camera to set up.
In learning how to use a game trail camera, it is vital to keep it high above the ground. Do not set these cameras near swamps or rivers as it might be gushed with a flood. Failure to keep this checked can lead to poor quality of the videos or photos and worse—the ruin of the camera.
Multiple cameras set up in different areas of the forest will help you find the best place to hunt. However, if you are just a newbie in using a trail camera, it is best to practice on one first.
Many users also determine the best place to set up their trail cameras through personal knowledge. If they know a particular forest by heart, they also know the ideal places to observe and hunt. If the forest is unfamiliar to the user, Google Maps will also be of good help.
Trail camera in action
Once the camera has been strap-secured, the next step is to prepare the camera for shooting. In finding out how do trail cameras work, it is also important to be aware of the parts of the camera you will deal with. Apart from that, it is also important to know how they work.
The proper way of how to use a game trail camera entitles one to know which buttons to press at certain circumstances. Apart from that, it is also note-worthy to purchase your own memory card.
Many of the trail cameras available in the market do not provide memory cards. This means that the buyer will have to provide for his or her own memory card. The recommended and commonly accommodated memory card size is 64 GB.
Once you have secured a memory card, it is time to see if the camera functions properly and accordingly. You can do this by taking pictures of the area anytime, then check for results.
See if nothing blocks the way of the lens or if the pictures itself are blurry or not. If there is any problem, you can consider having your trail camera checked by a professional.
In some cameras, time, temperature, date, and moon phase are readily stamped. However, for some that do not have this feature, you can view online videos on how you can stamp it. You can also see the manual that should come with the trail camera to help you.
Getting done with trail cameras
Waiting and observing are the last steps in learning how to use a game trail camera. Leave the task of documenting events and daily lifestyles of the wild to the trail camera which you have set up.
You can set your own dates as to when you would like to return to see the videos and pictures captured by the camera. You have the option to come back every now and then or to return after a really long period of time.
Learning how to use a game trail camera need not be a tedious and mind-boggling task. All it takes is a simple read of anything that can help and guide you, a little bit of experience and self-discovery.