Trail cam question?

[rcmodel]

Will a trail cam trigger on small stuff like field mice, voles, chipmunks, pack rats, squirrels, etc, when pointed the right way low to the ground??

Range, if they will trigger??

Thanks for any experience you can share!

rc

 

[Stony]

I usually have 6 to 8 cameras out at any time, and they always have lots of pics of squirrels, birds, possum, coons, and whatever wanders past. Make sure to not put them where long grass or anything that can sway in the wind is in their view, or that will trigger them over and over.

 

[alsaqr]

Squirrels often trigger my game cameras at ranges to about 40 feet.

 

[nettlle]

Smallest critter mine triggers on is Blue jay sized birds. About 40 feet for me also.

 

[PapaG]

Trail cameras are pretty sensitive. I've gotten hundreds of pictures of shadows moving, limbs waving, and now and then a sixteen pointer chasing a doe past at 3 a.m.
I try to trim limbs so they don't show in the viewing range and have the camera aimed in a direction that has a "neutral" background so that animals passing do show up.

 

[El Viejo]

Yes they will, some more than others.

 

[redneck2]

There are some pretty good reviews on YouTube. Surprisingly, some of the most expensive ones didn't do any better than ones 1/3rd their price.

 

[Cemetery21]

I had to move mine up to about 6' high. The cattle were rubbing against them at the lower height. Seems like I get fewer false triggers now. But I still get a lot of birds, squirrels, as well as deer, turkey, fox, coyote.....and cows. Like others, the birds and squirrels are usually 30-40 feet out. I have not seen mice, but I did have several frames with a box turtle - funny and hard to see in the leaves.

 

[matrem]

I've had numerous gray & fox squirrels make appearances on several different brands of trail cams, a couple from as far as 35-40' with the cameras set somewhat level on flat ground at about 30" high. Nothing smaller has shown up without an obvious other trigger critter or wind blown movement.

Have caught a field mouse or two, as well as a toad when doing some "round the house" observation. Those were all within 8-12' and camera angled down towards "target" area.

 

[rcmodel]

Thanks for the help guys!!!

I appreciate the info.

rc

 

[Flintknapper]

Always have dozens of 'phantom photos'. Swaying grass, birds, wasps, etc...all will set mine off.

Moultrie M800i

 

[stiab]

I keep two out 24x365, usually with corn in front to attract critters. No problem being triggered by small birds, etc. Both my current ones were in the $100 range. Last year I set one up in my wife's chicken coop to attempt some rat pics, and was successful.

Right now I have both focused on my wood duck boxes, trying to see if a large kingsnake is living in one. Not sure it will trigger since snake moves relatively slowly.

 

[27hand]

trail cams

rc, I have 3 trail cams. 2 are different Bushnell HD's ( one with a 12 battery pack, the other with 8). I also have a Stealthcam G42NG.

I like the hybrid mode of the Bushnells which takes 3 stills and a video.
The Stealth cam is either / or.

Small birds, chippies and twigs blowing in the wind trigger all 3. Sometimes more sensitive than others.

At a lower elevation (12" up), I've had raccoons lick my lens and deer sniff the cam at 36 inches up or so. The daylight and twilight pics are very good and clear. The nighttime shots are not as good.

Here are a couple trail cam youtube vids from the last few weeks behind my house.

https://youtu.be/FQQ4E3w1PBA

https://youtu.be/IWn8WlwZQK0

https://youtu.be/2TXq9defEGc

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I have a lovely shot of a woodpecker going for grubs on the side of a tree at about 3' off the ground....

LD