I’ve had this debate with some hunting buddies for some time now.  I am a big fan of infrared digital game cameras, because I love the ability to get scouting camera videos at night or dusk.  I love video, because you can study your game and their movements much better.

My buddies have always had issues with the ‘glow’ from the infrared cameras.  They believe that this tends to spook the deer, and state that a traditional game camera flash won’t.  Their arguments were that the game camera flash was like lightening to a deer.  It flashes and is gone and won’t spook them.

Well, you aren’t going to get any nighttime videos with a flash camera, and I agree that while in video mode, I have had deer staring at my infrared sensors.  I think that the infrared “flash” in picture mode, is much less likely to spook a deer though.  Since it doesn’t light up the area, I don’t believe they are as apt to notice it, unless they happen to be staring directly at the sensors at the time it flashes.

Well, I stumbled across this video today showing a nice buck getting spooked by a game camera flash.  Sorry guys, it looks like this refutes your argument.

Enjoy.

Here is a friendly reminder for you… Don’t leave a game camera in the woods without using some type of Security Box or Locking Cable.

I’ve mentioned before that I have been a victim of game camera theft.  Since then, I have never placed a game cam in the woods without leaving a lock on it.  Even with a lock, you can’t guarantee that someone with a pair of lock cutters won’t walk off with your camera, but it will at least deter the crimes of opportunity.

I bring this up again, because I received an email this morning from an old hunting buddy in Texas, stating that is new Moultrie I60 had been stolen.  He said he knew better than to leave it in the woods unlocked, but though there was no chance of it being stolen in the remote area he had left it.  Well it is too late for him now, but it isn’t too late for you.

If you don’t want to spend the money on a security lock box, you should at least pick up a security cable and a pad lock.  Most game cameras on the market will have a locking hold that will accept a padlock.   If you want a quality game camera lock box, then check out what CamLockBox has to offer.  I have one of their security boxes for my Scoutguard SG550.  It locks tight, and there is no way anyone will get into it, without a pair of lock cutters that is.

If you don’t have a lock or security box for your game camera(s), then check out the options at the following link: Game Camera Lock Box.

If you use a feeder in conjunction with your game camera, then listen to what happened to me today.
I had just set a game camera in a new location, and decided that I wanted to place one of my feeders in the vicinity of it. There are some intersecting trails here, and it looked like a good spot to get some pictures. The trigger on this model StealthCam is a little slow, so I like to use the feeder to get the deer to linger and give the camera time to do its work.
I was placing a new feeder when I realized that I was missing the top to it. I have another feeder still in the woods that is out of commission so I decided to go take that feeder down, and grab the top off of it. As I was walking out of the woods, I got buzzed by a couple of wasps. No big deal, the woods near me are loaded with them. I got back to the garage and took the top off this feeder. As I flipped it over, I noticed a wasp nest attached on the inside of the lid, and it had wasps on it. One flew off as I was holding it, and I pitched it to the ground.
I think I set a new record for the 40 yard dash, as I high tailed it away from these angry wasps.
So if you have your feeders out in this hot weather, use caution when removing the lids to refill them with corn. You might be met with a nasty surprise.

Want to bring the deer in your area in front of your game camera more frequently? Give them an incentive to visit often. Check out the Wildlife Apple Corn block that I picked up today at a local feed store. It is 25 pounds, and is packed with minerals, corn, and molasses flavor. I placed one of these blocks out last year, and the deer totally destroyed it. It did last for several weeks though, so I think that it is a much more economical choice than just regular old corn.
I picked this block up for $8.50, and I also grabbed a couple of 50 pound bags of corn for $7.50 each. The deer definitely love the corn too, but so do the squirrels. I tend to pick up a lot of daytime pictures and videos of squirrels, and I’m hoping that the apple corn block won’t be as big of a draw for them.
I dropped this block in front of my Scoutguard SG550 that is located behind my home. I just set it tonight, so it may take a day or two for the deer to get on it. I have a ton of deer running these wood lots behind my home. I should hopefully have some good pictures to be posting soon. I’ve marked my calendar, and will give you an update on how long this block lasts.
Have you tried these blocks out before? I’d love to hear what you think of them. I think I’ll be heading back to the feed store to pick up a couple more.

Here is a great video from Bowhunting World Magazine.  It outlines their 3 step plan for effectively scouting for deer using a digital game camera.  The concepts are pretty basic, but helpful.

I checked on my Scoutguard SG550 this morning, and man has the undergrowth really taken off in the woods. The whole landscape is changing and the area I have my game camera placed in has taken on a whole new view.
If you have a game camera out now, consider taking a pair of pruners with you the next time you go to pull your memory card or check your batteries. There is a strong chance that the clear view your camera had a few weeks ago, is now obstructed by the undergrowth.
Trim away any undergrowth or low hanging branches that might interfere with your pictures. This is really important, because some lower cost game cameras might trigger false activations from branches or plants swaying in the wind.