Public Land Game Camera Usage

[tdcour]

How many people put game cameras out on public land during the summer to do some "scouting" for them? I have been in a debate with myself about putting some cameras out on public land here in SD where I know there are some deer running around and am unsure on the caliber of deer each year, but I am nervous that my camera might magically grow legs and walk off when I'm not there. I know there are some ways to lock it to the tree/post or whatever it is hung on, but most of them are fairly expensive. Any suggestions on how to make sure my camera doesn't get borrowed without permission?

How often would you check the camera? I'm about 3 hours from where I want to put them and I don't think there would be much foot traffic out there, but I really don't know. The season doesn't start til late in September for archery, so I'm thinking the first part of August should be early enough to put it out there and maybe check it at the first of September then when I go to hunt at the end of September.

What about protecting it from cattle? The area I want to put it is a Walk In Area that has cattle on it all year and I really don't want 98% of my pictures to be cattle. Any type of setup where you can get more deer than cattle or does it solely depend on the terrain/cover for where I want to place the camera? Is it even worth putting the camera out there? I usually don't get much scouting in prior to the season with work getting in the way.

 

[Drhorsepower]

I used 3 of them this year on a bighorn sheep hunt. I too was worried. I hid them well and we checked them every 2-3 weeks. We also made 2-3, 2-3 dayers up there and I checked them first day and last. We never saw any human sign on the cameras except for ours so it made me feel better about doing it again this year. It was also 3 hours away from home.

The cool part about it was I have a tc pic of the sheep my friend killed!

 

[CrimsonArrow]

I'd throw a couple primos truth 35 cams out with snake locks on them. The batteries will last all summer so you'd only have to check them once or twice. The only downside of these cams is that the sd card is not in a lockable part of the housing.

 

[HuskyMusky]

could lock them up... etc... but I would almost expect someone to mess with them, break them, steal them, steal your SD card. I just read in MT they're illegal to use during season...

I almost don't see the benefit in some ways, perhaps you'd learn a big boy is one area that you can focus on, but that doesn't mean much IMO. I might just do it for fun if anything but not expecting any real results.

 

[Tenmilestyle]

I use them on a regular basis here in OR on national forest and blm land. I leave them out till the start of gun season,and even use them durring archery season. I have 4 of the 100 dollar moultries.. There is always risk that some body will find them,it's just a chance you take. Thats why i use the cheaper cams,I chain them up but if someone wants it they will get em. Its funny i have stuck plenty of cams not more than 200 yards off main forest roads and never seen a person on those but have cuaght a ton of game. 2 of the cams we packed way down into a drainage over a couple miles of elk trails and a archery hunter found them. He coverd them with brush so they wouldnt take pics other than that no real problems.

 

[packmule]

I use them on public land here in TX.. I've had some walk off, some SD cards stolen and then I decided to put them where you can't reach them w/o a ladder and angled them down. Natchez Shooter Supply has refurbished Primos 35s w/ normal factory warranty to try out, if they're stolen you're out $50.

 

[cali_hornhunter]

I used 3 of them this year on a bighorn sheep hunt. I too was worried. I hid them well and we checked them every 2-3 weeks. We also made 2-3, 2-3 dayers up there and I checked them first day and last. We never saw any human sign on the cameras except for ours so it made me feel better about doing it again this year. It was also 3 hours away from home.

The cool part about it was I have a tc pic of the sheep my friend killed!

Hey dr lets see that pic and also I use my on public land all the time and haven't seen a human other than me I even used one about 50 yards off of a road

 

[Muleys 24/7]

I use cams as well, they give me an idea of what's in the area and save a lot of money and time for scouting trips I wouldn't be able to make. Mine have never been messed with but I do take them down right before hunting season starts. I have the security lock boxes and cable locks. I mainly have the security lock boxes so the Bears don't tear them down and chew them up. That happened to 1 of my friends cameras who didn't have a security box. I set them up 2 hours away from my house and check them every 3 to 4 weeks with a 8 gig s d card. Sometimes the cards will fill up fast with false triggers so you have to find a good location. It's cool seeing bucks lose their horns and then watching them grow throughout the seasons.

 

[tdcour]

Thanks for the input everyone. I'm still torn about where to place mine though. Where I hunt here in SD it is open grass lands with some trees and shrubs down in the draws. This is not only where the deer like to hang, but also where the cattle like to hang out. Any ideas for getting more pics of deer than cattle? I really don't want to put it on a trail because I know I'll either have all pics of cattle or have one of them rub on my camera and either bust it or turn it where I won't even get any pictures. Just have it pointing blankly to a bedding spot or an open spot where there is some sign or just bite the bullet and put it on the trail?

 

[ProjectCO87]

I actually was just thinking about this the other day so it makes me feel better to hear that others are doing it as well. I guess I had the same thought because I have done it on private land that we have leased before but doing it on public land always has that same fear. I agree though that if I had a few that were cheap refurbished ones, I wouldn't lose sleep over something walking away. Plus it isn't a 100% guarantee they will be gone since it seems like most make it out alive.

 

[packmule]

No ideas on getting deer over cows on cam with them both being there for the same reasons. You might concentrate the cams on the edge of the thicker brush down in the draws. We have that issue on one of our places and I usually will drive around after a rain and pick up main trails that have mostly deer tracks on them and put the cams after other trails have met up with the main one. It's really a crap shoot until you start getting pics and figure out how to adjust the cams from there.

 

[llp]

You will always get a high percentage of "non-targeted species" photos. Just delete the photos of the cows and move on. It doesn't really cost you anything. Do not put them in a place where the cows can rub on them. Either too high or otherwise protected from rubbing.
llp

 

[sjsmallfield]

We have been putting out trail cams for about 5 years now and haven't had any problem with people taking them. Here in CA we like to take the cameras up to the high country some time around July 1. As far as the cows go I wouldn't worry to much. Like was said before, just get 8GB card and delete the pics you don't want. It is a pain in the rear but it's just part of the game. Good luck!

 

[spark]

I have smiled and waved at quite a few game cameras over the years. That is not saying the next guy will. As previously mentioned a variety of locks are available to make the mind feel at ease but in the end, it's a gamble. Use cheap camera at first and if not molested maybe you can step up if quality of photos need improved. Good luck and share some photos.

 

[Spud]

I just heard of a deal in Idaho where an outfitter had a camera over "crack salt", no, not rock salt, but salt with crack cocaine in it. The animals were addicted and kept coming back for more. Hard to believe, but my friend found out when they took his camera that was locked to a tree because it had been near salt. So Fish and Game are monitoring cameras over salt anyway and it is illegal now. Probably "crack salt" is too. Crazy world we live in.

 

[packmule]

You'd get 1000s of pics in a day from tweaking animals on meth salts

 

[Spud]

Now we'll have hunters going around licking the salt blocks.

 

[kcaves]

I found one on public land last year, only problem with that is you have to go through my friends place to get it and he was with me, he took it down and I kept it. Not the nicest thing to do but trespassers don't deserve to keep their stuff

 

[CrimsonArrow]

I found one on public land last year, only problem with that is you have to go through my friends place to get it and he was with me, he took it down and I kept it. Not the nicest thing to do but trespassers don't deserve to keep their stuff

If the camera was on public land, that's stealing. If the dude who set it out was trespassing, that is a separate issue for the authorities.

 

[Muleys 24/7]

I wouldn't take someones cam because of karma, but I've heard different about personal property being left on public land... But I agree that taking someones property that isn't yours is not right. If it was on my property that would be a different story. That's why I always use locks. I look at it this way...how many poeple do you know that hike 3 to 4 miles in with bolt cutters?