Are ants wrecking your trail camera’s internals? How can you stop ants from ruining your trail camera?
Ants seem to treat a trail camera as a nesting box. Some types are able to bite their way though camera seals and enter. They fill the inside with their babies, sawdust, rubbish – and let moisture in.
The wiring and computer circuits get corroded – or chewed through. This tends to happen in warmer months.
Fortunately, there are a few solid solutions to prevent an ant invasion. Or to bring their occupation to an end.
Answer # 1: Use Bay Leaves to Repel Ants
Bay leaves have natural oil that ants dislike, so use them in camera and kitchen. Ants stay away from cupboards with bay laurel inside – and avoid cameras near bay leaves. A trail camera with a lock box just needs dry leaves put into the box. Otherwise, thread bay leaves together with fishing line, and tie under or around a camera. This is highly effective.
Answer # 2: Coat the Mounting Brackets With Vaseline
Birding enthusiasts feed hummingbirds with sugar solution, which ants find easily. Their solution is to smear Vaseline on the string supporting the bottle. Or, when using a stand they paint around the pole with it, at one level.
When a mounted trail camera uses a bracket, spread Vaseline over it. Ants don’t like it, and don’t try to cross in case their feet get stuck.
Answer # 3: Use Dryer Sheets Inside Your Trail Cameras
We’re talking here about the dryer sheets used in laundries to avoid static electricity. Strangely enough, they contain chemical substances that ants and other bugs hate and avoid.
Cut one of these dryer sheets smaller, so it can fit into your housing unit. Put it inside and attach it to the door. Ants will not try to bite into the camera now. Dryer sheets are the high tech way to stop ants from ruining your game camera. (Image: Courtesy of Bowsite.com)
The main trail camera market drivers are hunters who would like to scout prey remotely. But they are also widely used for other purposes. Fortunately, there are several easy to use trail cameras out there.
Ever wondered what a great camera security system would involve? Trail cameras are a fantastic option. Often they produce clear and crisp pictures and footage, for a fraction of the price of dedicated home security systems.
Trail cameras offer a ton of practicality. See what mischief your pets get into while you are a work, the comings and goings at your bird feeder, and so on. With a wide range of choice and features, we have assembled the best easy to use trail cameras to help you choose.
For its very reasonable price, memory cards can be discarded altogether by the Creative XPtrail camera that is SIM-Card enabled. The cam can be easily configured to send pictures to your email or phone directly. For hunters, this will provide invaluable intel on your prey before you head out hunting.
The drawback is the area the trail camera is placed has to have cell service reception. But that’s partly mitigated by backing up the images on a memory card.
There are several reasons that a trail camera needs to be stealthy. And two of the main ones are that the cam must be as incognito as possible and it must not spook the subjects. The Wildgame Innovations Shadow Micro Trail Cam is small and portable. What’s more, and easy enough to mount in places where its subjects are less likely to know it’s there.
This camera is slightly larger than a GoPro. The Shadow Micro easy to use trail camera comes in a bundle including a mounting strap, SD card and batteries. So you can begin shooting photos straight out of the box.
If you want to find out what causes those noises at night, go the Browning Dark Ops HD Pro X. Pinpoint a nocturnal invader or pattern a wild hog with this night vision camera.
The Dark Ops trail camera from Browning remedies this by featuring both an initial trigger and a cycling on subsequent photos. Additionally, the Illuma-Smart features adjusts the infrared flash based on how far the subject is when the sensor triggers the camera.
This trail camera produces 20MP images, alongside great options such as external power support (like a solar panel) and a detection range of 80 feet.
The Wildgame Terra IR provides adequate features and specs, making it a budget and beginner friendly trail camera for first-time buyers of trail cameras. Its shooting range is 65 feet and the shooting resolution is 1080P Full HD, as well as accompanying night photos via infrared.
The LCD screen displays the number of shots taken as well as battery life.
While not a premium trail camera, it is an honest, easy-to-use. affordable trail camera for those that require multiple trail cameras.
Hunters looking for the best trail cameras for sale at Amazon appreciate that you can get the best prices on goods at the multinational conglomerate. When you check out prices from the large inventory of trail cameras, you can always find what you want on sale.
If you’re looking for trail cameras, you’ll always find comparable items from several different brands, and we look at three of the best trail cameras available at Amazon today. The three best trail cameras for sale at Amazon are the Hawkray Mini, the Vikeri E2 and the KUFA Mini.
The 16MP Hawkray Mini Trail Camera never misses out on a chance to deliver crystal clear images. Its 2.4” color LCD screen allows you to display all your photos and videos.
Whatever animals you’re capturing, the advanced infrared night vision 940mm night vision lamp with 48 infrared LED lights ensures animals are never frightened off, The camera has a camouflaged appearance to ensure it isn’t easily detected by animals or humans. This amazing camera has a 0.2s flash speed fast trigger time, ensuring it captures shots quickly and as they happen. Whether this mini hunting game camera detects motion or not, it automatically takes images in the preset time intervals.
Most people are looking for a no glow trail camera. They like the idea that whether they’re monitoring wildlife or trespassers on their property, the surveillance remains undetected.
Normally you pay a hefty price for a no-glow trail camera, but the Vikeri E2 trail camera is an affordable option. As a 940nm no glow night vision camera with 48 IR LED you can see all the nighttime behavior of animals without disturbing them. When you order the versatile trail camera you get –
The actual camera
User manual
4 Alkaline batteries
Bolts and stoppers to attach the camera
32G SD card already in the camera
Stand mount and support
Micro USB cable and installation belt
With its 2.4 inch LCD screen you can view images and videos right there and then without having to get back home to check them out on your computer.
There’s also no need to worry about dust and rain upsetting your camera as it is an IP66 waterproof and heavy-duty camera, made to be highly durable in tough environments.
Its amazing trigger speed of 0.2s is up to 80 feet, guaranteeing fast, accurate capture of motion. The sensor of the Vikeri E2 has a detection angle of 120°. Its 48 PCS No Glow Infrared LEDs make sure there is no disturbance of wildlife.
You could liken the mini trail camera-M2 from KUFA to dynamite in a small package. It’s packed full of useful features starting with the sensitive IR motion sensor with its detection range of 65ft.
The 22pcs non-glow IR LEDs also promise not to disturb animals, more so because it’s so easily concealed. The KUFA Mini Trail Camera-M2 comes with a 32GB SD card. Such a little camera, and it comes with a 0.2s trigger speed so that it never misses out on any action. You require just 4 batteries to get this tiny little trail camera into action. With full HD 1080P and 20MP, you also get a generous 120° wide-angle detection range. It means you benefit from a wider field of view.
As an IP65 waterproof camera, you’ll discover that the plastic case and silicone sealing ring ensure that the camera works in dusty and wet conditions. It’s why this camera is also used for home security surveillance.
That’s the beauty about buying trail cameras on Amazon, you get great offers and deals and reviews on the full range of easy to use cameras. You’re always up to date on the best game and hunting cameras. You can easily make your choice and wait for the item to be delivered to your door.
GardePro’s best-selling high tech trail camera – GardePro E6 – is all about scouting and spotting animals in the woods. It has infrared night vision for awesome photo image quality, a 100′ detection range (day) and 75′ (night) so you know when something is approaching your line of sight 24/7.
Why I Like the GardePro E6 Game Camera
The Gardepro E6 takes 4-view photos and video clips that are perfect for sharing on social media or uploading straight to the website so you can find other go-getters like yourself. There’s never been an easier way to take home that buck!
This battery-powered trail cam is well equipped for all year round use and weather conditions such as rainstorms, snowfalls, foggy mornings and high winds thanks to its waterproof rating.
The GardePro E6’s video recording camera can take both day time videos and night-time clips with optional continuous looping that watches 24/7 (HD) or on motion detection.
You want to see what wildlife really goes through–this product will let you do just that!
Be the stealthy predator with this high-tech, all-weather trail camera that’s super easy to use. You’ll get amazingly detailed and clear footage packed with photos so you can finally spot those sneaky prey before the ambush (and even more importantly unmask your hidden human enemies).
Built strong for hunters and enthusiasts alike, you won’t be disappointed in its many great features including
a wireless system that allows you to monitor your game without shedding any important heat;
an all-season lens that captures everything from daytime beauties to night-time activity;
infrared capabilities;
detection range for up to 100 ft.; and
rechargeable batteries lasting up to 12 months.
Total Control!
Take complete control of capturing moments in life through minute photographs with extraordinary clarity. Enjoy crisp HD video playback on your tablet or smartphone due to the 12 megapixel image sensor which reduces blurriness off fast-moving prey.
Don’t go in unprepared for the next big game you stumble across. Keep your eyes peeled with our hidden and waterproof, wireless camera!
What’s not to love about the Gardepro E6 trail camera? It offers infrared, infrared motion sensor and flash technology for enhanced visibility in low-light situations. The long-lasting batteries can last up to one year on a single charge!
Many wildlife photographers and hunters worry about the amount of noise their trail cameras make and want to know how to stop a trail camera from making a noise. They hide cameras precisely to take pictures of animals and birds as they are. The information must show them doing what they do most of the time.
Is a trail camera silent? Having pictures of animals looking straight at it might show that they’ve heard something. There is one action that does definitely make some sound…
At night, using infrared light, a trail camera with a single lens makes a sound. This is because it has an infrared filter which drops in front of the lens.
Is It a Mechanical Noise?
Most of the time, a trail camera doesn’t have any mechanical part moving. It isn’t an older camera or a professional’s camera with telescopic lens and physical shutter. All a trail camera needs to do is to use a sensor which is activated.
When the camera is triggered, the sensor comes on and it takes a picture. There is no physical movement or shutter, and so no noise at all.
Returning to the question of whether trail cameras are silent, we mentioned the IR filter. Another feature that can make a sound is the panoramic lens in some models. Let us examine these two, because both are mechanical and involve moving parts.
IR (Infrared) Filters – What Are They For?
What exactly are IR filters? At night, a trail camera uses infrared light that neither we nor game can see. Many models have a so-called “black flash” that’s also invisible to us.
However, the image-sensor needs other light to trigger photo-taking, not the IR. The flash is a flash to the camera, but not to deer, nor the sensor. A filter moves over the lens, stopping IR radiation but allowing other radiation through.
The “black flash” can go through to the sensor in this way. The movement of the IR filter is physical, creating the noise that you might hear. How loud that movement is depends on many factors.
What Types of IR Filter Movements Are There?
Each brand of trail camera is made differently, and that affects the sounds it makes. Some cameras drop the filter at dusk once light fails, and raise it at dawn. This turns out so that it makes a click only twice every 24 hours.
Other manufacturers use a different night strategy, so the filter drops and rises every time. Every nighttime photo will make some noise then, even if it’s soft. There are differences in how often or how loud that sound is between different models.
Different camera makers use different mechanisms, and that, too, affects the sound they make.
Test Your Camera
There’s no need to guess what your camera does in the field: test it! Take it with you, all set, into a dark room or cupboard. Switch on and hold it to your ear, then move to set the sensor off.
What do you hear, how loud is it, and how often does it happen? If it moves the filter each time, then every nighttime photograph will make noise. Try this several times to make sure, and note how loud the noise actually is.
What About So-Called Panoramic Trail Cameras?
It was a great idea, to have a camera lens swiveling around in different directions. You might be able to cover the same field of view as four cameras! One tree and one camera could do the work of three, at the very least.
A panoramic camera has many PIR motion sensors for different directions. The combined detection angle is much greater, and when infrared is triggered, the lens moves. It’s mounted on a “moving eye” that turns quickly to the relevant outlook.
An amazing concept: the major problem is that the movement makes noise! Not only that, but a moving animal sets off photographs in several new sectors. The result is a continuous noise as the camera follows it.
Think Carefully Before Using a Camera with a Moving Lens
Such a camera may be excellent for capturing the sun moving in the Arctic. Or whales spouting randomly in the sea? However, as a trail camera, the panoramic models are likely to frighten your target animals.
Think about what you need trail cameras to do. Several simple, silent cameras will give better results than one noisy panoramic camera. You aren’t saving anything in real life.
Does the Flash Make Noise?
Hunters and trail-followers have tested many types of cameras to find out. The IR filter could be the culprit, but powerful, longer-distance flashes might be. It seems that cameras with these make more noise when turned on and off.
It may be that the electric components make a noise, not the lamp. Again, think about how sensitive to noise the target animal of the camera is.
A Solution: Dual-Lens Cameras
Manufacturers know the problems we’ve been discussing, and now they are using two lenses. It’s quite simple, namely one lens for daylight and another for night photography.
There are a couple of clear advantages here, starting with the lens aperture. Trail-camera apertures can’t move, so depth of field cannot change between day and night. That’s a problem at night when more light is needed, but the opening is fixed.
Having a dedicated nighttime lens means having the correct aperture for dark conditions. It is set for more exposure and less field depth. In consequence, dual-lens cameras take better quality images at night.
Another Advantage of Dual-Lens Models
There is another important reason to choose a dual-lens camera for trails. Not only is the daytime lens simpler for day, the night lens is for night. The night lens has an IR filter, fixed in place, which need not move.
If the IR filter doesn’t move, then it makes no mechanical noise at all.
Is There Any Other Way to Cut Out Camera Noise?
Yes, there’s a possibility for people who want to track certain animals and birds. Turn off night photography! Some creatures simply don’t venture out in the dark.
In this situation, without the dual lens option, how would you do that? Just go into the programming mode on your trail camera and look in the menu. Find the “Start” and “Stop” settings and have the sunset and sunrise times to hand.
Set the time to start shortly after sunrise, and to stop just before sunset. Now there will be no movement of the infrared filter at all, at night. The trail camera will be completely silent.
Once you understand the basics of trail cameras then all that’s left to do is the pick the best one. Find the answers to your trail camera questions here. Read on…
What are other names for trail cameras?
Determined largely by what trail cameras are used for, they are called various names: scouting cameras, game cameras, wildlife cameras, spy cameras, security cameras, forest cameras, deer cameras, camera traps and so on
What is a trail camera?
A trail camera is a basic camera housed in a tough, water resistant and camouflaged casing. Trail cameras take still shots, video or both stills and video when the camera’s motion sensors are triggered. Data is recorded either on the phone itself with a memory card or relayed wirelessly to a remote computer or cell phone.
PIR stands for Passive Infrared, which is a type of motion sensor. PIRs detect heat in the form of infrared light and they’ll typically send out an alert if something created that kind of heat passes in front of them, whether human or animal.
How do you attach a game camera?
This is one of the most common trail camera questions. The most basic way to attach your camera would be by simply strapping it in place on a tree trunk, a branch or a post with Velcro straps, which are usually supplied with the camera. You could also use screws or nails for more secure mounting. Trail cameras can also be nailed to posts or trees.
Can you get a lock for a scouting camera?
There are locks specifically made for locking trail cameras, such as the Python trail camera lock shown here.
How many batteries does a game camera need?
Trail cameras need 6 to 8 AA batteries. The packaging and instructions will tell you how many your camera needs and whether the model takes lithium or alkaline types.
How do you store trail camera batteries?
Keep the batteries as cold as possible. Batteries tend to lose their electrical capacity when they are unused and kept in hot conditions. That affects voltage steadiness and has been shown by some studies to decrease battery life expectancy by as much as 33%. Store unused batteries in a protective case or box if you won’t be using your trail camera for a long time.
What is an SD card?
SD cards are Secure Digital cards. They are more powerful and much smaller than conventional thumb drives. SD cards are used to store data on digital, video and trail cameras. They even add memory to tablets. SD cards are non-volatile little powerhouses of flash storage. They are as small as your pinkie nail.
How can I prevent my trail camera from getting stolen?
The one sure way to keep trail cameras from getting stolen is to place really high up on a tree trunk or tree branch. Another way is to camouflage the device so that it blends into its surroundings. Place the camera on or near logs, thick brush, tree stumps or boulders, then surround it with leaves, grass, old carpet fiber, pine cones, sticks and acorns.
What are the top 10 trail camera brands in the US?
In no particular order the best 10 trail camera brands in the USA are:
First, some background. Also called remote cameras or game cameras, trail cameras are designed to be reliable. That’s whether they’re monitoring game or being used as a form of home security. Usually camouflaged, they can also be relied on to be unobtrusive, blending in with nature.
Whatever trail camera you settle on, apart from price, most people will ask ‘What is the most reliable trail camera?’ It’s the one that quietly gets on with the job night and day, in all kinds of weather. And your trail camera does what the instructions say it will do.
Bushnell – a Reliable Brand
The Bushnell Core DS 30MP is the most reliable trail camera. This Bushnell camera is trusted as it comes from a leading game camera company . It’s a no-glow trail camera that requires 6 AA lithium batteries. With the Core DS models, you can expect fast trigger speed, quick recovery times, and large detection ranges.
The name Bushnell is synonymous with the words reliability and excellence. So you can rely on the brand to get you the right gear at the right price and for a particular task. You can pick the perfect camera for tracking, monitoring, or for looking for security on your property.
This trail camera doesn’t spook wildlife
With the Bushnell Dual-Core DS 30MP Trail camera, you can rely on it to take photos at night that can’t be seen by the human eye or by animals. They won’t take fright and bolt. With a no glow camera like this, no light issues from the camera.
The video quality is particularly good, a strong point with Bushnell cameras. The night video is much improved, ensuring great detail because of the dedicated nighttime lens.
Made to resemble tree bark, the Core DS blends in perfectly with its natural surroundings, not drawing any attention to itself.
Most of the trail cameras you get use just one image sensor to capture images and this means images that aren’t as clear as you’d like. Not so with the Bushnell Dual-Core DS.
This trail camera makes use of Core Dual Sensor (DS) technology, and these two image sensors are optimized for night and day images that are sharp, clear, bright, and rich in detail. This reliable 30-megapixel camera with its 80-foot night range comes with a 0.2-second trigger speed and a 0.6-second recovery rate.
This Bushnell model is much easier to use than previous models and set up is easy as well as when you need to change settings.
A camera where all the pieces work well together
When you think of all the bits and pieces and various components that go into the production of a trail camera – lens, detection circuits, infrared emitters, and much more, then things can go wrong.
However, there are reliable trail cameras where all these parts work together in harmony. Everybody wants great images and good prices with a trail camera, but what’s the point if you don’t have reliability in a camera? It means the good images will be short-lived.
