How to secure a trail camera?

[Kyle]

What is the best way to secure a trail camera? I just dont trust people, but I really really want to use one. Is there a way to secure that would make it nearly impossible to steal?

[fisherking01]

No way to protect them. A friend built a steel lock box with holes in front for the camera to fit in and still work, lag bolted it to an oak tree. It was all gone the next weekend.

Best is to use where they are more safe, private land. Good luck, Brent

[timberghost]

Their is a way but it will kill the tree. Steel box like fisher king said, or moultrie sells one. Then u run threaded rod bent like a u-bolt through two holes you drilled. But your washers and nuts on and tighten until treaded rod is deep into the tree then cut off extra rod. You need to make sure their is no space behind the steel box. It is best to chainsaw off the bark. If the want it they need to cut down the tree.

[Eskimoman]

I purchased a locki for my wild view. Steel cable and a box. Put the cable around the tree and put on a padlock. Someone would have to cut down the tree to get it.

[Kyle]

couldnt they just cut the padlock off?

[Mark Christianson]

Depends completely on the cam you have, and the options built into it for securing it.

Now you need to understand that securing a camera, doesnt mean it wont be smashed by a trespasser.......

My suggestion is that if you are that worried about a camera, either plan to take the risk and lose it(stolen or busted), or dont risk it at all.

[Kyle]

gotcha.

does anyone know if it matters if the camera is infrared or flash? Flash ones are cheaper and still take good pics; thus I would be less worried about losing one. But do they spook deer?

[Mark Christianson]

Hard to say.

I can say I have several dozen pics of a particular buck, and other bucks that I get one pic of.

I dont feel a flash is going to make much difference. But others feel it can.

I think it depends a lot on the area you hunt.

If you are in the big woods, where deer have little human contact, then yes, I could see it spooking them. They wont leave the county, I am sure. But it might cause some grief with them.

A camera flash in an area where deer have contact with people or activities, I just dont think is going to bother them much, if at all.