![]() ![]() In effect, you’ve missed out on a ton of scouting intelligence you can never get back. Think about it, if you place a standard trail camera in the woods and accidentally leave your image interval set at 5 minutes instead of 5 seconds, you are likely to return weeks later and discover far fewer pictures than you expected on your SD card. These are amazing features that save a lot of time and aggravation. The camera apps also give me the ability to adjust camera settings, optimizing how many photos are taken, detection range, flash settings, etc. This is obviously a huge advantage, because it is a very low-impact scouting method that will not disturb deer or alter their normal travel patterns. After that, you can simply monitor images and camera status on your phone, only returning to the camera site in the event of a technical issue or, better yet, to hunt!Īuthor Clint Casper scatters cell cams throughout his hunting area and uses information they provide to gradually figure out a mature buck’s core area and movement pattern. Many of the apps incorporate features designed to aid in camera setup, so you know they are working properly when you set them up. By using lithium batteries that last for months, or an external battery pack or solar panel, you can eliminate the need to visit camera sites with any frequency. ![]() Although this isn’t a lengthy process, it still requires a trip into the area my target buck calls home, and that carries a risk of depositing human scent or even being seen coming and going.Ĭellular cameras eliminate all that risk. For example, with traditional trail cameras I have to visit camera sites at least every few weeks to swap SD cards and check batteries. However, doing this requires me to step foot in that buck’s world, inevitably leaving behind clues that I’ve been there. My patterning efforts have traditionally involved scouting on foot and running as many traditional trail cameras as possible in the areas a target buck frequents, with the goal of identifying an opportunity I can capitalize on. In my opinion, the best way to kill a mature buck is to learn its habits without ever letting the buck know it is being hunted! To be sure, standard trail cameras are a huge help to a bowhunter like me, who typically targets a specific buck, or just two or three specific bucks within the larger herd, year after year. As technology advances, manufacturers continue to add functionality, such as integrating detailed weather data, image recognition that can automatically sort animals by species - and even separate bucks from does - and the ability to sort images by date, time, location and other factors to help you predict the most productive hunting area based on current conditions.Īll in all, cell cams and their companion apps are truly a slick system for bowhunters, providing us with a ton of advantages over regular trail cams, all for the price of a monthly data subscription.Īs a whitetail fanatic, I have long been obsessed with studying the movement patterns of individual deer. In addition to the basic functionality of receiving images remotely, all the cellular cameras work with a companion smartphone app and/or website that allows you to remotely control camera settings, monitor battery life and, in some cases, even see the camera’s location on a map. Of course, this capability is dependent on network coverage, but as time goes by there is less and less good whitetail ground outside cell range. Cell-Cam Explosionīy now, I think just about every bowhunter is familiar with cellular trail cameras, with a large percentage of us owning more than one! As the name suggests, a cell cam operates much like a standard trail camera, except in addition to storing captured images on an attached SD card, it uses wireless technology to transmit copies of those images directly to the user’s smartphone and/or computer. From more efficient bows and better broadhead designs to lightweight treestand materials and high-performance backcountry clothing, technology has really changed the game! But if I had to pinpoint just one high-tech innovation that has truly revolutionized my bowhunting, it would have to be cellular trail cameras and the role they play in my whitetail pursuits. When I look back at my bowhunting life thus far, it isn’t hard to see how technology has changed things for the better. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |