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Proof of White Flash Scare

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gil1

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I really can't stand the horrible quality or red flash and black flash game cam photos. And I get a ton of quality photos with my white flash cams. I have also seen some animals that tolerate a white flash well. But here's proof that it scares the poop out of most critters.

I know you're loving this, BSK. :)


Fox scare - http://s210.beta.photobucket.com/user/g ... f.mp4.html

Coyote Scare - http://s210.beta.photobucket.com/user/g ... e.mp4.html

Coyote scare - http://s210.beta.photobucket.com/user/g ... a.mp4.html
 
IR scares deer way more...hands down.I switched to all IR cams a few summers ago,and my picture numbers droped by 3/4 and all my mature buck pics stopped.OF all the deer pics I did get,over half was looking directly at the cam.I sold them all and went back to white flash cams.The way I see it is,a deer see's the white flash,they can relate it to lightening from a thunderstorm.They see a glowing red object,there isn't nothing natural about that.
 
Hey, is anyone having trouble viewing the videos? Someone said Photobucket was just buffering but wouldn't play them.
 
Looks good to me man.

Make a white flash cam with some rumblin and they will just assume its thunder!

There's my million dollar idea!!
 
Me too fellas...after trying the latest and greatest IR and black flash cams...I'm selling and trading them off for white flash cams again. They may spook a bit but at least you can tell what you're looking at in the night pics instead of having smeared and blurry "whatizits" like you get with the IRs. I set my IR up on a trail and set the controls to take a burst of pics every time it was triggered. I was getting pics of deer that would totally stop..
do the old headbob and then be gone in a 3 pic burst.

I got one of FiremanJim's white flash cams a week or so ago and have had it out on the same trail I had the IR setup on. Interested to see what I get on there that has just been blank and blurred pics on my IRs.
 
We went to IR cameras this year and I am very frustrated. I never had a problem with the white flash. This year most images were blurred because they are bolting when the IR lights come on. Mainly it happens when they are right next to the camera. I am switching back to cheap white flash again.
 
Master Chief said:
I've actually gotten more IR scares than whiteflash scares
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x 2

Gil,

I think you would have documented similar results had your white flash cam been an "infrared" red-flash cam. I do believe the red-flash "infrared" can spook more than traditional white flash, while neither will spook some deer, and both will spook other deer.

One thing I noted in your videos is that all animals seemed to be at least "concerned" with what they were seeing and smelling at the location BEFORE the white flash. Had they neither seen nor smelling nothing, they may not have reacted to the white flash, as I believe they may relate it to lightning flashes which they experience often.

But with true black flash cams, I've experienced no game spooking by the flash (or lack of one).
 
Bayou Buck said:
This year most images were blurred because they are bolting when the IR lights come on.
Click to expand...
And THAT has been another big disappointment with both the red-flash and black-flash cams, although you will not see the deer bolting from the invisible black flash (just if they're moving at all, you get a blurry pic).

IMO, most new users to trail cams would be much happier with their experience if they started off with a traditional white-flash homebrew, just a basic model. And totally forget using the red-flash so-called "infrared". When flash spook is a concern, such as having a cam close to a scrape, go with true black flash.

This flash "spooking" is actually more of a subsequent avoidance of walking within a few yards of that particular spot. The deer typically do not leave the area by more than a few yards out of their way. But next time they come thru, they'll commonly "go around" that spot by 20 to 40 yards, often walking behind the cam. So if you're using anything other than true black flash, you need to periodically re-locate your cams because some deer will start "avoiding" walking in front them close enough to trigger a flash.

If you're looking for a good basic "homebrew" cam, many people have been happy with the value they've gotten from FiremanJim's homebrews:
FIREMANJIM said:
My cheapest unit is $235.00
Go to my website... WWW.JTSWildlifeCameras.Com
Click to expand...
 
bigbuxhunter said:
gil1 said:
I really can't stand the horrible quality or red flash and black flash game cam photos. And I get a ton of quality photos with my white flash cams. I have also seen some animals that tolerate a white flash well. But here's proof that it scares the poop out of most critters.

I know you're loving this, BSK. :)


Fox scare - http://s210.beta.photobucket.com/user/g ... f.mp4.html

Coyote Scare - http://s210.beta.photobucket.com/user/g ... e.mp4.html

Coyote scare - http://s210.beta.photobucket.com/user/g ... a.mp4.html
Click to expand...
nothing but red x's for me
Click to expand...

Anybody else having this trouble? It came up fine for me.
 
Wes Parrish said:
One thing I noted in your videos is that all animals seemed to be at least "concerned" with what they were seeing and smelling at the location BEFORE the white flash. Had they neither seen nor smelling nothing, they may not have reacted to the white flash, as I believe they may relate it to lightning flashes which they experience often.
Click to expand...

Good point. This camera is in my back yard in urban Nashville, and these animals know the bait station well. They know my scent back there well, too. But two things are interesting.

One, they don't seem at all affected by the black flash cam when it's there solo. They see and smell that just the same as the white flash cams. They are very used to my smell. I don't even try to go scent-free because they get so used to it back there and don't care after a while. They don't even pay the black flash any attention.

Two - The possums and coons have zero reaction to the white flash, making it more obvious when some other animals react poorly to it.
 
Gil,

Are your black flash units smaller in size than your white flash ones?

Sometimes the deer are responding to what they see, and most of the older white flash units (and homebrews) are larger in size than the newer black flash models.

I've particularly noticed the deer just stopping and starring at my old Leaf River units (which are HUGE!), even more so when placed on a small tree. And at that point of heightened awareness, ANY out-of-the-ordinary sound or sight can spook them. Is it possible your white flash units are a tad more audible than the newer black flash units?
 
Wes Parrish said:
Gil,

Are your black flash units smaller in size than your white flash ones?

Sometimes the deer are responding to what they see, and most of the older white flash units (and homebrews) are larger in size than the newer black flash models.

I've particularly noticed the deer just stopping and starring at my old Leaf River units (which are HUGE!), even more so when placed on a small tree. And at that point of heightened awareness, ANY out-of-the-ordinary sound or sight can spook them. Is it possible your white flash units are a tad more audible than the newer black flash units?
Click to expand...

I guess anything's possible, Wes. And yes, my black flash cam is a bit smaller. it's just that these particular animals know exactly where the units are. They sniff them, pee on them, even eat strips of meat off the top of them sometimes. I haven't changed the tree (it's the only suitable one), and my stink is back there all the time.

Now the noise could be something, although I can't hear the units take a photo.

I think they are wary is heyall but will hang out and eat anyway. Unless they see the flash. But then again, I've had a few select yotes who don't give a dern about it.
 
But don't get me wrong. As much as flash avoidance bothers me, I will never use black or red flash units for anything but experiments. I want and need cameras that do what cameras are supposed to do, take freaking pictures. White flash cams are the only ones that do that to my satisfaction, and I can live with some animals being afraid to jump back in front of the camera. One photo is really all I need, and I usually get several.
 

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