IR camera question

[Jon54]

I know most prefer no glow cameras. If you are going to mount the camera up in a tree, tilted downward, this should lessen deters ability to see the red glow, shouldn't it?

 

[TheLBLman]

If you are going to mount the camera up in a tree, tilted downward, this should lessen deer's ability to see the red glow, shouldn't it?

Mounting any cam above a deer's normal "line of sight" will generally reduce deer's ability to detect or see the cam. The issue is not limited to just the nighttime "flash", but also the physical presence of an unnatural "object". Sometimes deer are spooked simply by seeing the cam, nothing to do with the flash. For this reason, I greatly prefer smaller rather than larger cams, and nearly all of today's cams are smaller in size than even 2 or 3 years ago.

With "no glow" cams, you don't have to worry about the flash (regardless of whether the cam is mounted higher or lower). Sometimes, when deer see the camera flash at night, they seem more "scared" by the "red" infrared than even bright white traditional flash, so I generally prefer true "black" no-glow flash cams. The disadvantages of no-glow includes slightly higher costs, a little less flash range, and often less crisp (or more blurring) images. But I accept this trade-off in return for the flash never spooking the animal. A coyote will often turn inside out from a red or white flash, while they never "see" black no-glow. You will generally get more "repeat" animal visitors when using black no-glow cams.

Mounting any cam higher generally reduces detectability. But it also reduces the "field" of vision and triggering for your pics, i.e. you will fail to get many pics you would with the cam mounted lower. Mounting a cam "high" can be a big disadvantage when trying to get pics in food plots or fields; while sometimes having a more limited triggering/view area can be advantageous over a salt lick. Deer may be the primary target animal, but I do enjoy getting pics of other animals, many of which will pass undetected when you mount your cams a little higher.

 

[Vermin93]

I have been mounting red IR cameras up high for a few years now. Occasionally deer still notice the red light, especially if you are running video mode and the red light stays on for 10, 15, or 30 seconds.

I posted some related video clips a while back. These cameras are about 10 ft up the tree. Yotes are very good about noticing them.

[youtube]Qm2_DQByvyw[/youtube]

[youtube]Z92-b0-XzeE[/youtube]

[youtube]8s6TTqoQzb0[/youtube]

 

[Jon54]

Guys, that's very helpful, thanks a ton. I need a couple extra cams and I was hoping to save a few bucks and getting the camera up, out of their normal vision area. Guess I'm gonna have to save a few more pennies.

 

[Bucket]

I use diy camera mounts to angle my cameras down when mounted high. Here's what I use: http://cambushcamo.com/blogs/news/95862 ... mera-mount

 

[LY]

I use diy camera mounts to angle my cameras down when mounted high. Here's what I use: http://cambushcamo.com/blogs/news/95862 ... mera-mount

I use the same type, but instead of the nut and bolt holding the two eye-bolts together I use a wing-nut and a bolt with a wing-nut instead of a hex type head. By using these I can adjust the camera angle without any tools which at some point I know I'd be without.

 

[TN Whitetail Freak]

i thought deer were colored blind so they wouldnt see the red.

 

[TheLBLman]

i thought deer were colored blind so they wouldnt see the red.

What we're talking about goes beyond this, although deer are highly color deficient, but may not be seeing totally in "black & white".

With the red-glow IR vs. true invisible black flash, it may be more an issue of seeing a light shining at them vs not seeing anything.