Bushnell trophy cam questions

[BJohnson]

Finally got out today to check my new Trophy cam. Needless to say I was disappointed. Over 70 exposures but not one single buck in a photo. Numerous doe and doe/fawn photos but no bucks. I know there are some decent bucks in the area as I saw two shooters last night from the road about 3/4 mile S of the cam site in the same stretch of timber. A couple questions for you seasoned cam experts:

1) My spot was about 20 yards in from a field edge. Cam angle was parallel to field edge again about 20 yards inside the field edge rather than perpendicular (spell??) as this spot is an opening in the fence separating the field edge from the timber. Trails come through this opening and split in numerous directions from the fence opening. Also has a trail just inside the fence which runs parallel to the field edge. (NOTE - field is corn this season)

Is this a wrong spot for this time of year. Should I have been on the field edge or pointing towards the field edge ??

2) I noticed numerous exposures with no animal in it. My theories for causes are, (a) moving plants in front of the cam or, (b) cam detection zone TOO wide and triggering the exposure before the animal is in the camera lense view width. I had my interval set at 30 seconds with only one photo exposure at a time. Maybe should have set it for 2 photos with a quicker interval setting (15 seconds). Does any other Trophy Cam owners know if this is possible (detection zone being wider than camera lense zone)??

Anyway, photo quality was ok both daylight and night. Maybe later today I will post some of the many mama/baby photos.

 

[jjohnson]

I would just put it on a field edge this time of year if your not running mineral. Sometimes it's hard to find a tree if there is a weed buffer between the field and fence so I've made some stakes that hold the cam and put them right on the edge. You should get whatever is in the field as they will roam around throughout the night.

I guess it could be possible that you are detecting them before they are in the frame but I think it's unlikely. I very seldom get blank pics on my bushnells in the woods or on a field edge. My sensitivity is set on normal. I have had on a few occasions where it did sense to quick and I will just get a head or something but there is still almost always something in the picture.

I always run my cams on two or three shot bursts (usually two). Even on mineral. I check my cams every week or two and with a 2GB card I'm not filling it up. I've had anywhere from 800-1200 pics but never a full card.

As of lately I've been having to much fun running it on a 20-30 second video. The quality isn't as crisp but it's neat to see them moving around. You also get all angles of their antlers.

Hope this helps....

 

[jjohnson]

Here's a couple 20 second videos from the Bushnell. My experience with trails during the summer equals very few pictures. I think deer can get sidetracked from trails when browsing. Also the bucks seem to be bedding near food and water and don't travel much. Once you find where they're feeding you can usually get all of them on camera on that field edge. Mineral works good too. This year a bean field was planted on the neighbors property and my mineral licks haven't produced like years past.

 

[BJohnson]

JJ:

I believe the cam is probably fine. I appreciate the input as I am still early in the learning curve with this new toy. Thanks.