# Trail Cam Troubleshooting



## gitterdone81 (Sep 3, 2009)

Went to swap out the memory card, which I get very excited for, only to find out that for whatever reason it just constantly took pictures - say 7000 over 2.5 days, draining the battery and obviously the memory on the card. This is my first year with cams, and I had just moved it to a new spot, and am curious whether it would be the grass? Sunlight? Sensor too high? I left the settings the same as the previous spot, which worked great, and both spots had grass, and I cut out the little trees that were in front of it. So I was wondering if any other ideas were out there.


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## jungle (May 10, 2008)

which camera were you using?


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## mikevanwilder (Nov 11, 2008)

I would say some type of vegatation, I had that same problem had just the littlest branch of a tree that would swing into the range of the camera. I got thousands of pictures of nothing. Now I make sure to clear everything away that could possibly come close to interfering.


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## gitterdone81 (Sep 3, 2009)

Bushnell Trophy Cam.


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## JuddCT (Sep 7, 2007)

That sucks. Maybe I should go and check mine. You are getting me worried!


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## silentstalker (Feb 19, 2008)

Sun and or bushes/trees. Avoid both if you can!


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## gitterdone81 (Sep 3, 2009)

Here is the land scape of the guilty party...maybe its this little tree, but with how many pictures it took, I would think it was the leaves or the grass that set it off. It did it both day and night so I have included a day shot and a night shot. I had it set on the medium sensor. It really just took a picture about every two minutes.


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## 400BULL (Nov 16, 2007)

From the looks of those pictures I would be guessing that your camera is picking up branch/leaf movement from the small Aspen trees. Try adjusting the sensor or adjusting the camera so that it points more into an open clearing.

400bull


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## WasatchOutdoors (Sep 26, 2007)

I had the same problem with mine, except it was birds. I had one in particular that seemed to like to stand on the camera itself (judging by the volume of poo on it). But my camera doesn't trigger by movement without there being an infrared heat signature as well. 

I got around it by changing the trigger time on it, I probably missed a few deer pictures in the long run, but had a lot less pictures of starlings and empty fields.


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## Duckholla (Sep 24, 2007)

Did you by chance check the strap that attaches the camera to the tree? If you didn't secure it very well, the wind will blow that strap around and cause it to flip in front of your motion senser and trigger the camera. That has happened to me once.


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## ktowncamo (Aug 27, 2008)

I'm curious to know if it picked up any animals in all those images?

Thread Hijack:

Rather than start a new thread, I was wondering how often you guys go in and swap out memory cards? This is my second year with cameras and I just put a camera up yesterday. This particular spot was hot with elk last year at this time but I saw little sign this year. They could still move in, but I'd like to know if that spot is worth keeping the camera on but also don't want to get impatient with it. 

So, how long is too little or too long to wait before checking the card?


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## gitterdone81 (Sep 3, 2009)

There were some animal's - couple of deer during the day and some cow elk during the night. And one guy that said hello.

I know people that check from weekly to monthly with their card. My suggestion would be that it depends on how well you know the area - with minimal sign, I might check weekly, so as to not waste a full month waiting. Also I was glad I checked after a week, to find out that my spot was great for aspen leaves and the batteries had run dry. I would think if you know there are animals there, and just wanting to see what the mix/flavors are - then a little more time is warranted, provided you have the space on your card to capture the # of images.


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## ktowncamo (Aug 27, 2008)

Yea, good point on the regularity of checking your camera. I know the area very well, and will likely give that particular spot (more open, next to water, aspens) a week and then move it to a spot about 1/3 mile away in some deep pines next to a wallow/water hole and see if that spot is getting some action. I have salt on both, so either will work well. Figure if I give each spot a week I've got 5 more spots to check out before the opening day.


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## HUNTIN FOR LIFE (Sep 8, 2007)

check out CHASINGAME.COM they are great way to learn about all the cams out there. I have 4 bushnell trophy cams 2 of which had the same problem you are explaining its called a runaway camera. If you can to do the best test to see if that is what is really happening on your cam take the cam and place it in a closing facing a wall a foot or so away. leave it on for a day or two. then when you pull your card you should only have pics of you setting and pulling you cam in and out of the closet if there are alot of pics triggered will in there undisturbed you probably have a runaway issue and i would suggest returning the cam and get a new on. Hope this will help you.


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