Trying to decide where to set your trail cameras up on public land? Try out these handy tips for placing trail cameras so you get better photos and video.
Trail cameras mounted on public land can help prepare you for hunting season by providing invaluable intelligence.
Hunting on public land can be demanding. Attempting to do so without the sort of reconnaissance a trail camera would give you would be foolhardy.
It is true deer have been successfully harvested without the video and photographic intelligence trail cameras offer. On the other hand, with them it becomes a more precise pursuit.
Placing Trail Cameras for Deer Scouting
Deer scouting is time spent evaluating, investigating and searching an area for signs of deer.
Place several trail cameras on public land and hunt where shooter bucks seem abundant. While this may work well on private property, public acreage is different.
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What Makes Public Land unlike Private Property for Trail Cameras?
Competition among hunters and an inability to control public land are the two main differences. A secret to hunting on public land in the USA is moving further from roads. Mature bucks are easier found deeper in their habitats to avoid human contact.
Why Use Cameras for Deer Hunting?
Scouting can be carried out 24/7, giving you a clear picture of deer movements. Buck activity and patterns can be discerned using trail cameras. An inventory of the area’s bucks can also be achieved using trail cameras.
Remember to place them high up and away from prying eyes. An extra security feature would be a Python cable lock (featured here).
Trail Cameras Should Be Mounted High Up for Deer Scouting
Frequenting whitetails will be captured easier, while keeping your trail camera out of sight of other hunters. The trail camera should be aimed downwards, towards heavily trafficked deer areas. These include water sources, pinch points and deer trails.
Place Cameras on Landscape Features
Landscape features will help you bridge the gap when trying to locate where to find deer.
A great feature to mount your game camera would be a pinch point or funnel. The reason for this is the land’s topography funnels or forces deer into that particular point.
Use Mock Scrapes
Mounting your trail camera over a mock scrape is highly recommended. Place one especially in a food source vicinity.
Smaller Land Parcels Can Yield Big Results
Some hunters tend to congregate on large public land parcels, figuring larger area, higher chances.
True, mature bucks can be found aplenty between public parcels and private property. But smaller public land tracts can yield a high number of mature bucks too.
Pinpoint the Food Source
Baiting is disallowed when hunting on public tracts. It is therefore important to locate a deer’s natural nourishment source. Placing your trail camera in the surrounding area will likely provide many deer photos.
Go Further into Public Land
Travelling further into public lands will result in less foot traffic. This will therefore lead to less chances of trail camera theft. Hunting areas will also be less crowded, meaning more deer for your camera to capture.
In what direction should you point a trail camera?
Face your camera to the north. This will decrease the likelihood of glare-filled photos from the rising and setting sun.
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