Trail Camera Disappointment

[lawdog]

Moultrie Game Spy D40 put up on October 18 retrieved yesterday and there are 672 pictures on it?!??!!?? 669 of them are the same scenery with NO visible critters. This was probably 10 feet up in a tree, angled slightly down pointing to the Southeast. A handful were at night but the rest all between 8 in the morning and 1 in the afternoon. WHAT COULD BE WRONG? There is grass blowing around in many, but it is supposed to take both motion and temp to set the things off...

Oh and the three other pictures, a few doe pictures only.

[bogwalker]

I had 2 that did the same thing. I think they took too long to take the photos after the motion sensor is activated. Good luck.

[TDH]

Its most likely from the blowing grass. I have had this problem also, the only thing I could suggest is try a different location or position the camera differently.

[vister]

i'd say the direction it is pointing has everything to do with it! yes, it requires temp to trigger as well, if it has PIR, but you're pointing it straight at the sun!! theres your temp. always try to aim them the exact opposite direction, NW. as the sun rises, it warms things up, when some things warm up faster than others, the PIR senses something warmer than the background, triggering a picture. especially if the cam is aiming towards the ground. now the question is, how much direct sunlight is the camera getting?

thats why most of the pictures are in the same time frame every time

[HeviShot]

The camera should not be 10ft up unless you having it pointed more then "slightly down" lower the camera. The sensor is being triggered but the animals are to low for the picture frame.

[East Rush Rules]

The camera should not be 10ft up unless you having it pointed more then "slightly down" lower the camera. The sensor is being triggered but the animals are to low for the picture frame.

That and if the camera is 10 ft. up in the tree that means it is probably on a section of the tree of which will sway with the wind....which in turn will make u have a ton of blank pictures! Always hang your cam on a thick tree that will not move too much!

[WaveWacker]

As stated above. Three things that could be triggering it. 1- Possible sway in the tree. 2 - pointed in a SE direction is the worst for the sun coming up in the morning and warming things up. I usually always have mine N/NW or W. 3 - Grass moving could have some merit as well. I usually try to cut down grass some.

[Bear55]

Your camera is being triggered by the sun and wind, I try and point my cameras north or south or where there will be plenty of shade. I think most camera instruction mannuals suggest this.

One time I forgot and ended up with over 1200 pics, not as much fun to look through but I had to be sure there wasn't a nice buck in the background.

You will always get some pics of nothing but just try and keep the camera away from the sun in the morning and evening and you should be ok.

[JK22]

I have had this occur numerous times. I find one little piece of grass that triggers 1000 pictures in 2 weeks. I have had beautiful sunrise pictures also when facing east. My best suggestion is find a bigger tree (8"+) and clear all grass and branches 30' away. Put camera 3'-5' above the ground. If you have access to a laptop, take it out to the camera, get the images out and you will find out whats triggering it. Then you can fix it before you are dissapointed again. Just what I have learned the hard way.

[BeezeHound]

Most likely sun and wind like mentioned before. I have the same camera that did the same thing the first time I put it out, found a different tree to face the camera to the north and nothing but deer and turkey pics now.

[fr0sty]

I have a d40 and get the same thing when my camera is facing east.

[lawdog]

Thanks guys. The tree was plenty big, I don't think it was moving, but the grass and sun were kind of what I suspected. Here is my problem. this is the only tree in this corner of my property which is a good exit/entrance spot on this ground. I don't know where else I can put it to capture this corner... Back to the drawing board I guess.

[MNfan]

Put your camera on a tripod or drive a fence post and hang on that and point it north that will cut out 90% of false trips.

[Bear55]

What MNfan said.

[critterman]

it is the sun rising same happened to me.

[Dahitman44]

I had a stinker deal too -- somehow I LOCKED my memory card so no pics ..., dumb-de-dumb-dumb -- oh well