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Going to setup a cell cam in public for the first time, advice?

HuumanCreed

HuumanCreed

Well-Known Member
SH Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2020
Messages
2,683
Location
Westminster Maryland
I'm waiting for a Spypoint Link Micro Solar LTE in the mail. I have setup some cheap cam in the wood of my house just for fun. But now I need some advice for setting up my first cell cam on public land.

The spot I'm going to place it is on a deer trail that run parallel to a hiking trail. It get decent human traffic near it but I'm not too worried about getting it stolen but better safe than sorry so was wondering what camo/blending/hiding techniques you all recommend? Or better plans then what I am planning to do?

I setup a mock licking branch and plan to point the camera at the spot.

Going to use camo paracord instead of straps.

Thinking about setting it 10 feet up.

Should I also be setting 'shooting lane' so it not going to take pictures of every moving branches or leaves?

What else should I be considering?
 
I'd say you got it covered. All you can do is cross your fingers its not stolen. Always the risk on public. But I think the main advice is the Height of the camera that keeps guys from stealing them. 10' should be plenty.
 
HuumanCreed said:
I'm waiting for a Spypoint Link Micro Solar LTE in the mail. I have setup some cheap cam in the wood of my house just for fun. But now I need some advice for setting up my first cell cam on public land.

The spot I'm going to place it is on a deer trail that run parallel to a hiking trail. It get decent human traffic near it but I'm not too worried about getting it stolen but better safe than sorry so was wondering what camo/blending/hiding techniques you all recommend? Or better plans then what I am planning to do?

I setup a mock licking branch and plan to point the camera at the spot.

Going to use camo paracord instead of straps.

Thinking about setting it 10 feet up.

Should I also be setting 'shooting lane' so it not going to take pictures of every moving branches or leaves?

What else should I be considering?
Click to expand...

Buy and use a camlockbox and a python lock. The cable passes through the box & cover so it can’t be opened or removed from the tree without cutting. This also prevents others from pulling your SD card.

Far from 100% worry free, but keeps people who aren’t determined to mess with your stuff from doing so.

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HuumanCreed said:
I'm waiting for a Spypoint Link Micro Solar LTE in the mail. I have setup some cheap cam in the wood of my house just for fun. But now I need some advice for setting up my first cell cam on public land.

The spot I'm going to place it is on a deer trail that run parallel to a hiking trail. It get decent human traffic near it but I'm not too worried about getting it stolen but better safe than sorry so was wondering what camo/blending/hiding techniques you all recommend? Or better plans then what I am planning to do?

I setup a mock licking branch and plan to point the camera at the spot.

Going to use camo paracord instead of straps.

Thinking about setting it 10 feet up.

Should I also be setting 'shooting lane' so it not going to take pictures of every moving branches or leaves?

What else should I be considering?
Click to expand...

You've got it. Only thing I will do if I think it's really close to normal human traffic is put a thin python cable on it. They make an ultra thin one that doesn't stand out very much at all, but still keeps honest people honest. if its parallel to the hiking trail then maybe you could attach a piece of bark to the side off the camera that's facing the human hiking trail. But even that's prob over kill. Usually putting it 10 ft up is all ya need. this will be my 4th season running spy points on public and ive only gotten one stolen and it was placed a little too obvious area and no python cable.
 
Set it high and don't use a regular strap. I like the rubber coated wire that is the dull OD color. Try to use a camera that has a narrower overall case size to utilize smaller diameter trees. In my experience, it is harder to locate smaller cameras on smaller diameter trees than on bigger trees. I usse a muddy pro stick with an aider and this past summer I used @7mmremmag's excellent camera offset brackets to point them down on suspected travel areas. Realize that when you put the cameras up high the camera's overall field of view diminishes greatly and you'll also get pics of every coon and squirrel in the woods but it is a con but a necessity to keep your camera from getting stolen. I also use a black sharpie marker or a paint pen and put my name and cell phone number on every camera. I think it can be a deterrent to someone when you personalize the camera a bit. Its one thing to look at any old camera, its another to see a person's name and contact info. If someone can still take it then they're the lowest form of whale blubber on the ocean floor.
 
woodsdog2 said:
Set it high and don't use a regular strap. I like the rubber coated wire that is the dull OD color. Try to use a camera that has a narrower overall case size to utilize smaller diameter trees. In my experience, it is harder to locate smaller cameras on smaller diameter trees than on bigger trees. I usse a muddy pro stick with an aider and this past summer I used @7mmremmag's excellent camera offset brackets to point them down on suspected travel areas. Realize that when you put the cameras up high the camera's overall field of view diminishes greatly and you'll also get pics of every coon and squirrel in the woods but it is a con but a necessity to keep your camera from getting stolen. I also use a black sharpie marker or a paint pen and put my name and cell phone number on every camera. I think it can be a deterrent to someone when you personalize the camera a bit. Its one thing to look at any old camera, its another to see a person's name and contact info. If someone can still take it then they're the lowest form of whale blubber on the ocean floor.
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Great point about smaller diameter trees. The one I had stolen was a little tiny spy point on a massive 100 year old oak tree. No matter how I disguised it it just stuck out. This also reminds me I like to put the cams directly under a branch as well. Since you are angling down the camera it doesn't get into the field of view but it gives shadow cover to the camera. Blends em in really well.
 
HuumanCreed said:
I'm waiting for a Spypoint Link Micro Solar LTE in the mail. I have setup some cheap cam in the wood of my house just for fun. But now I need some advice for setting up my first cell cam on public land.

The spot I'm going to place it is on a deer trail that run parallel to a hiking trail. It get decent human traffic near it but I'm not too worried about getting it stolen but better safe than sorry so was wondering what camo/blending/hiding techniques you all recommend? Or better plans then what I am planning to do?

I setup a mock licking branch and plan to point the camera at the spot.

Going to use camo paracord instead of straps.

Thinking about setting it 10 feet up.

Should I also be setting 'shooting lane' so it not going to take pictures of every moving branches or leaves?

What else should I be considering?
Click to expand...
You know you and I run a lot of the same public lands. I've had cams out on plenty. The only time I've gotten one stolen is when I was in an area I thought most people wouldn't be, I got careless and didn't use a lock, and it was before I set them up high. Luckily it was a cheap cam and I was more upset about losing the intel. That's the only time. I climb one stick up and angle them down. I use a python lock. I also believe that little antenna sticking up dissuades A LOT of people from messing with them. They don't want to be on there if they think you're seeing them in real time.
 
I think setting it high is a good deterrent just because it makes people work to get it more. I don't really think it hides it much from hunters generally in tune with their surroundings. I know I spot them easily, sometimes more easily. Maybe helps hide it from the average dingdong out hiking through the woods. I stopped setting mine high because I was missing pictures I believe due to the geometry of the motion sensor.

Basic spray paint/textured camos I think maybe hide it from a longer distance but if someone walks by at 10-15 yards it does nothing. You have to do some serious operative level disguising to truly hide it from someone that approaches close by.

Anymore I just put mine in relatively out of the way places and lock them with a cable lock.

The only cameras I've ever had stolen knock on wood were on private land. I think you run into two things there, one is shared private land access seems to generate a lot of pettiness and jealousy and the other is trespassers that want to get rid of the evidence of their trespassing.
 
So do you guys do any prep of the area covered by the camera? Like removing branches that move easily with the wind that would trigger the camera?
 
HuumanCreed said:
So do you guys do any prep of the area covered by the camera? Like removing branches that move easily with the wind that would trigger the camera?
Click to expand...
I'm trying to find a spot where I don't have to do much of that to start. Legally you're not supposed to trim things on MDs public ground. If it's thin stuff growing from the ground I'll step on it to bend it over. If it's stuff up high I'm trying to bend it out of the way. You definitely don't want to get 1000s of false triggers that have your batteries dead in a week.
 
HuumanCreed said:
So do you guys do any prep of the area covered by the camera? Like removing branches that move easily with the wind that would trigger the camera?
Click to expand...
All the time. I take the same old pruning shears and folding wood saw I take hunting with me. For public I try to plan on locations where I will not have to do pruning for obvious reasons. I will break off dead sticks on hemlocks though on public to open up a space for a camera.
 
elk yinzer said:
I think setting it high is a good deterrent just because it makes people work to get it more. I don't really think it hides it much from hunters generally in tune with their surroundings. I know I spot them easily, sometimes more easily. Maybe helps hide it from the average dingdong out hiking through the woods. I stopped setting mine high because I was missing pictures I believe due to the geometry of the motion sensor.

Basic spray paint/textured camos I think maybe hide it from a longer distance but if someone walks by at 10-15 yards it does nothing. You have to do some serious operative level disguising to truly hide it from someone that approaches close by.

Anymore I just put mine in relatively out of the way places and lock them with a cable lock.

The only cameras I've ever had stolen knock on wood were on private land. I think you run into two things there, one is shared private land access seems to generate a lot of pettiness and jealousy and the other is trespassers that want to get rid of the evidence of their trespassing.
Click to expand...
What I like about the cheap Tascos is that they're narrower and a very dull OD color that matches the rubber wire I use. The Tascos are not a typical BOX and they seem to blend in better on the smaller diameter trees in my experience. Also fence posts!!! These cameras run great with good lithium batteries. Save on the camera cost a bit and use better batteries. This was from a card pull this last weekend. Cheap Tasco set along a brushy draw on public bordering private ag. This camera is also using @7mmremmag bracket but I use the OD wire rup and its up about 12 feet.
 

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I use heavy wire and a pair of pliers to twist and tighten. I also set up at least out of reach. I used to use thin wire but I found that I could use a stick to break my own cameras off the tree. I also use camoform tape that matches the tree somewhat, that works great. If I really think it's exposed I will glue bark on the face. That really makes it disappear. I have never had a camera messed with. I have at least 15- 20 out at any time in public.
 
woodsdog2 said:
What I like about the cheap Tascos is that they're narrower and a very dull OD color that matches the rubber wire I use. The Tascos are not a typical BOX and they seem to blend in better on the smaller diameter trees in my experience. Also fence posts!!! These cameras run great with good lithium batteries. Save on the camera cost a bit and use better batteries. This was from a card pull this last weekend. Cheap Tasco set along a brushy draw on public bordering private ag. This camera is also using @7mmremmag bracket but I use the OD wire rup and its up about 12 feet.
Click to expand...
His brackets are the bomb! I've got 8 or 9 of them. Love them
 
woodsdog2 said:
What I like about the cheap Tascos is that they're narrower and a very dull OD color that matches the rubber wire I use. The Tascos are not a typical BOX and they seem to blend in better on the smaller diameter trees in my experience. Also fence posts!!! These cameras run great with good lithium batteries. Save on the camera cost a bit and use better batteries. This was from a card pull this last weekend. Cheap Tasco set along a brushy draw on public bordering private ag. This camera is also using @7mmremmag bracket but I use the OD wire rup and its up about 12 feet.
Click to expand...
hokiehunter373 said:
His brackets are the bomb! I've got 8 or 9 of them. Love them
Click to expand...


Appreciate the kind words guys!
 
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That's what I use. There's a camo or brown version too. The cable is still black though
 
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