Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Wildlife Management Question about Moultrie Game Cam

So I got a D55 IR from Greg (good pricing!) and set it out at the farm about a week ago. We brought it in today to see what we captured and ran into a puzzling situation.

I have it set to shoot 5 second video clips (actually just reset it to shoot 15 second clips) so when I download the data, it provides a single still shot from each clip and then the clip itself. It's a handy way of seeing what's on the video.

Anyway, most of the still shots show deer, though they aren't the greatest pics, but when you play the video, absolutely nothing shows up as illuminated other than the handful of small branches that were in the sight line of the camera. What really struck me as odd was that the still pics extended well beyond what the video clips were showing, almost as if the IR function wasn't working during the video phase but was working during the still shot.

Here is a still photo - you'll be able to see the illumination just isn't that great, but at least you can see the deer staring right at the camera:



And here is the video associated with that same shot. You'll see that the illumination doesn't seem to even reach as far as did from the still shot.



Does anyone have a suggestion for me as to what I might be doing wrong on setup or otherwise? I'd love to get it back out there today if possible. I am definitely going to clip the small branches just to get them out of the way so they don't cause any video to shoot due to moving in the wind or something.

Thanks for any help you can offer. I'm anxious to get the cam set back up so I can start getting shots like you guys all seem to get!

Todd:

Keep any and all branches away from in front of the lens. I think what's happening is that the lens is automatically adjusting for the brightness of the stuff close up (especially the snow on the branches) and not opening up enough to show the deer. Take a pair of hedge snips or a pair of branch loppers with you.

Yeah you dont want anything in front of it. Also kinda looks like some of IR was blocked. Was there any snow cover on it possibly or sometimes theyll steam up if transitioning from warm truck to cold tree then usually clear up in a few hours.. Either way i think clearing the branchs will fix everything.. What you have there is really good pics of branches

Also try to point the camera in the direction the deer are coming from, not a place they are walking by, Like with the pic of the deer you have coming from the right of the cam, if you can get the cam to point down that trail to the right you will have alot better pics or if you set it too 2-3 pic burst you will usually have all three pics of the deer instead of one of the deers head and one of the deers a$$. And check your height alot of people put them to high i use to put mine about stomach height but moved it down to belt high and seems to capture the deer pretty good of course thats a situation thing where it could have to be changed in some locations..

Thanks, guys. That makes total sense that the lens is simply focused on the near branches. BGK, there's really not much good structure to mount the camera to down low in that spot, but I did have some apples on the ground there so those would hold the deer long enough for a decent shot. I'm going back out shortly and will cut some branches and try the same spot again. It might be a mistake, but you guys have given me a good sense of what I need to try so I will work around it as best as I can. I think I'm also going to dump some corn right there and/or maybe a mineral lick. I wonder if I could just attach the cam to a 2x4 and drive it into the ground without it spooking them too much with being something new and different in their territory. I would definitely mount it right on the edge of the brushline. Thoughts on that?

Nothing to do with pic or vid clarity but that deer is looking dead at your camera, does it make some kind of clicking sound or something?

Fence post work good, but hard to drive into the ground when its frozen.. Also you might wanna see if baiting is legal in your area.. Hes looking at the cam cause it makes a slight glow, they seem to notice it but it dont spook them. where ever you mount it they will get use to it and if you can bait around it you might wanna switch your settings or youll have a full memory card of one deer eating. I wouldnt mount it on a 2x4 post it will really stick out like i said fence post seem to work the best and their easier to get into the ground, and they make mounts that you just step into the ground.. Just look around the internet for ideas endless possibilities

Well, I went ahead and made a post out of a 2x6 by cutting it down to a point and driving it with a sledge. It was pretty easy actually as the ground is obviously not too frozen in spite of the snow cover. It does stand out a bit, so I cut some branches and stuck them around it for now just to break it up a little. I also nailed another piece of 2x6 across the top of the board as a little "roof" to prevent any snow from easily accumulating on the lens area.

Baiting is legal here, so issues with that. I dumped a 40 pound bag of corn around in front of it so we'll see what happens now. The site path is clear of twigs and the camera is at more of a direct angle to the path the deer use in that area. I also dug up the apples I had placed out last week as they were all buried under the snow. They're now sitting inside the area where I spread the corn.

Now the hard part - patience!

Todd, I use 3 Moultrie cameras and they too take a pic first and then start running the video... Set the camera up and walk in front of it in a quiet area like the conditions would be in the woods. You can hear a very distinct click. I have found over the years(I've been running game cameras in PA since '03), the deer have gotten used to that click there and rarely spook. However, in VA where I had some new properties to hunt this year, the deer spooked badly. So, you just have to realize Moultries along with a couple other brands make noise and will sometimes spook deer. The Moultries seem to do it the most when set on video as opposed to picture mode. The branches and stuff in front of your camera will really suck of the IR lighting and make the pictures dark, which is why it is so important to not have branches in front of the camera.

Also, Moultries are famous for their slow trigger speed. Having corn to hold the deer in one spot for an extended period of time really helps get quality pictures. Moultrie IR cameras also get bad IR blur when the deer are moving, so the corn pile also helps with that...

I have had a great after deer season game camera luck. I've gotten 2 nice 3.5 year old bucks on camera who somehow survived rifle season and a couple other 2.5 year old bucks. So far I have gotten 14 different bucks on camera after rifle season. So there should be some great bucks running around our land in PA next year. At least for that area!

Thanks for that info, Travis. When I was playing with cam here at my desk prior to taking it out the first time, I heard the clicking sound pretty distinctly. I did not notice that with the video. That was very interesting to learn about how the IR gets limited by up-close objects as mentioned by Scott, BGK, and now you. I never took that into consideration until seeing the failed video clips today and began to wonder if that could have somehow been affecting it. I appreciate all you guys clarifying that for me. The setup it's on now should work until I can get something better worked out. The 2x6 definitely stands out so I'd like to stick a post in the ground instead. I'd actually like to do that in a handful of areas on our farm so I can move the cam around as I feel like it to see what else is going on. I'm sure I'll end up with more!

Just curious as I know you have both - what do you think of the Primos versus the Moultrie?

I like the Moultries for over corn piles. Insanely long battery life and when the deer aren't moving much, the pics tend to be pretty good. My Moultries were around $200 each, not cheap but not expensive. The Primos 35's are cheap, like $90. I use them in areas where I am afraid they will get stolen. I just had one stolen a couple weeks ago. So, I am glad it was a $90 camera and not a $200+ camera. The Primos have even louder of a clicking noise. So loud that they even spook my PA deer every now and then. Their trigger speed is about the same as the Moultrie as is pic quality. The battery life is a little bit less, but they run on only 4 "D" cells while the Moultries I use run on 6 "D" cells.

I've also used Wildgame Innovations(complete trash! stay way!), Stealthcams, Bushnells and Scoutguards. I have really liked the Scoutguards lately. They have a little better than average battery life. Excellent trigger speed and picture quality. Really good videos too. They are just harder to find, can't get them at big box stores or many places at all. Greg might be able to special order them though?

Cool! Thanks for the review, Travis! I'll have to look up the Scoutguard online and see what I can read about it. I don't have mine secured at the farm, but other than well tenders for the gas wells on ours and the neighbors' properties, we really don't seem to get anyone who doesn't belong there. Still, if they're pricey, it will be worth looking at a locking mechanism for them, I suspect.

stealthcams are Junk aswell.. Ive had 2 Bushnell, 2 Stealthcams, 1 moultrie and i would have to say Moultrie is my favorite and the last one i had seem to have a fast trigger speed, but i had it set up correctly to catch deer coming. Im thinking of investing in a Reconyx next year and a couple cheapy Moultries. No cameras ive owned besides the moultrie have lasted over 3 yrs Moultrie got 4. I will stick to moultrie from now on unless i go high dollar..

Also i had a lock box used one season, More of a pain in the a$$ than anything. Its been on the same tree for six years empty..

The Scourtguards are small, inconspicuous and if you by a Ptyhon lock, they're easy to lock to a tree and darn near impossible to steal unless you cut the tree down.

Good info, guys. Thanks.

Not true. A friend had a BuckEye Apollo in a locked steel box which was locked to a tree with a 3/8" python cable lock stolen roughly 2 weeks after he put it out. $Ouch$ is right. The tree is still there.....

These were taken with a Moultrie I-40. Disregard the date and time, I can't change them 'cause the LCD screen took a dump. The deer was walking towards the camera along the trail. When the camera triggered, the noise spooked it and it's walking away looking at what made the noise. This was set on a 3 picture burst:




This deer did eventually die about a month later. I found it. Still can't figure out what caused the leg problem, it was a clean cut, almost like a saw. SpyCam


Somebody wasn't happy..... Moultrie I-40 again


Cuddie. Antler trap is about 15'-20' from the camera. And no, I haven't caught an antler yet. I was hoping the buck in the background would leave his.....


Todd, they might be spooky about the 2x6 at first, but they'll get used to it. No need to brush it in.

I was like what the H*ll is this rig.. I see an atler trap. Good idea. I was thinking something similar to this but some kind of wire stretched over a heavily used trail to snag loose antlers we cant use bait for deer..

That first one is a real nice buck..

I'm hoping he'll be in the 160's or bigger next year.

Could you feed the turkeys?
Exemptions
The ban does include exemptions, which are aimed at allowing continued activities that may unintentionally result in the feeding of wild deer. For example, feeders for birds and squirrels, sited near to domestic residences, are exempted under the ban, even though such feeders may result in the unintentional feeding of wild deer. Farmers whose livestock operations may inadvertently also feed wild deer are also exempted from the ban. Private individuals remain free to plant domestic food plots, even if this results in making food accessible to wild deer

Scott, those are some great shots with great clarity! And I love the antler trap. I may have to give that a try this coming year. We'd love to find some laying around. Oh, yeah, that is most definitely one HECK of a buck in the first series, like BGK said!

yeah you can feed deer and turkey IF THEY COME IN YOUR YARD..Just say its a squirrel or bird feeder.. But deer like you have on your camera aint hanging out in someones yard, as you can see the slightest "click" made him turn and head the other way, thats how those big boys get big..

I like how the exemption states.. Sited "NEAR" domestic.. Near to me is within a mile or two.

It's all relative, baby! I could defend you on that one!

Hopefully next year I'll have a pic of my hands on the rack.

After it falls off under that antler trap, huh?

Not in Michigan. (lower peninsula)
Bird Feeder Case

DNR recommendations if you have a bird feeder.
Bird Feeder Tips

This is all really nuts