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  1. #1
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    Default Trail Cam settings

    OK, so now I own a Sunbeamtech trail camera (non-SMS version). I have it kitted with an 8G SD card, and am ready to set it out in the field (when my feeder arrives via mail order and I find a dead horse for bait).

    Does anybody have any advice/experience for settings?

    I can set the resolution (5, 8, 12 Meg), the number of frames, the frequency of frames, and whether to take pictures and/or videos.

    I was thinking of setting it to: just taking pictures, at 5M, a single frame, every 15 seconds?

  2. #2
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    Default Re: Trail Cam settings

    If you are setting up for bushpigs then the primary reason will be to determine the time they come in.

    single frame is good,just remember that you will also pick up crows,porcupines,gennets,badgers ect.This coupled to the fact that the pigs that come in can sometimes stay for up to 2 hours on the bait makes the 15 second time frame silly.

    Setting the time frame to 15 minutes is enough to tell you when and what pigs are coming in.

    It is also crucial to use a mielie feeder in conjunction to a carcass and yes a horse is better than a cow.Set the feeder up about 3m from the carcass and at a height of about 2m,making sure it is in line with the camera. sometimes the pigs will ignore the carcass and only chow the mielies and vice versa.
    Make sure feeder is out of reach of the pigs as they will destroy the container in seconds.Set the feeder for only 5seconds and half an hour before dark.Set it earlier and all you will do is feed vervets.Also make sure you have a sturdy container for the feeder or the vervets will destroy it.

    By checking the bait,you can determine what has come in,but a camera obviously tell you exactly.Good luck,if you are new to this,you are about to find out how smart and unpredictable these animals are.

    Are you sorted with possitioning of carcass and hide?

  3. #3
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    Default Re: Trail Cam settings

    If the pigs stop coming in and you see a strange Yet / Abdominal Big foot like creature in your stills at your bait Phone Pre 64 and tell him to F*** Off - he can not help it and gravitates to pig baiting stations just to check up on "if" the pigs came in.
    Or just invite him to come with, its easier and you will learn a lot, he thinks pig clearly - but then if you do invite him, he's yours and I don't want him back thank you.

  4. #4
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    Default Re: Trail Cam settings


    Thanks for the advice. The spot with the pigs is on a farm at the foothills of the Outeniqua mountains. There are ravines and strings of riverine bush that run between the pastures/maize fields. My plan is to set up a feeding spot on the edge of one of the forest strips. So that I can hang the feeder in a tree, and perhaps mount the camera up there too (out of reach of humans). There are lots of baboons around (and vervets), so I am a bit worried about them destroying my feeder. I am still playing with the idea of what type of hide to go for. My plan is to put something up about 25m away (My rifle is sighted in at 25m and 200m so 25m would be spot on.). It is a bit of catch 22, because you want them to feel confident to come to the feeding spot from the bush, but you don't want to have to go looking for a wounded pig in the dark through thick bush. Even a heart lung shot will run a bit and leave you wondering.

    Our prevailing wind is from the west, but it often blows from the other direction in summer. There are also the valley winds to contend with at night. So it is going to be tricky to know where to set up the hide, especially since you don't know from which direction they will come from. Perhaps I need two hides in case the wind changes, or a mobile hide. I was wondering what you guys use for this?

    For lighting I have a green LED torch that mounts to the scope. I guess I would do sweep if I hear movement and take the shot from there. The light has quite a range, so could probably set up even further away (100m?)

    Lots of beginner questions.

  5. #5
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    Default Re: Trail Cam settings

    Sounds like pig heaven.
    As far as a bait place is concerned:
    The heavier the day to day farming activity,the closer the bait must be to thick bush and the later the pigs will come in.
    The more isolated the area,the earlier the pigs will come in and the longer they will stay.
    An ideal area from a hunters point of view is having a tiny piece of bush or cover[even the size of a double garage] in open terrain between 15 and 50m from thick bush on one or 2 sides only.The bait is placed right on the edge of the small patch with the pigs crossing open ground to reach the bait but still having cover nearby.In this case you can build an elevated blind in the small patch,listen to how the pigs communicate with each other and shoot from a distance of 5-7m.Alternatively you can construct a hide from natural material on the ground anything up to 100m away.
    .The blind must be situated with the prevailing wind in your favour.
    .You must have access to the blind with the wind in your favour.
    .The bait must not be in shadows created by the moon,this will allow you to shoot from 4 days before till 4 days after full moon,on a clear night,without artificial light.
    .The bait site must be accessable by vehicle,which eases baiting and loading up of a pig.
    .Do not take a leak at the bait site.
    .Do NOT shoot the pigs on their way to the bait or use a light to scan the area.When the pigs are approaching the bait,they are in total alert mode.If you put a light on them,whether it is clear,red or green,they will be gone,instantaneously.Sometimes they will trot out the bush to the bait but normally they will stop just inside the thick stuff for anything up to half an hour.You will hear a twig crack,silence,a small shuffle,silence,a pig sucking air into its lungs,silence,faint bird like twittering as they talk to each other,silence.While this goes on,and you are close,dont move,look around,breath,or reach for your rifle,keep dead still.
    If you do happen to shoot one in this alert phase,it will run and you will have to track it in thick stuff.
    WAIT untill they are relaxed and feeding,then normally a boiler room shot puts them down on the spot.
    .If you are shooting from a ground hide with a light,make sure there is no grass or sticks between you and the bait else the light will flare back in the scope.
    .Regardless of the colour light you use,the pigs may or may not continue feeding.I have at times put a white light on them from 75m away and walked slowly up to 5m and hammered them with a shotgun and at other times had them run after a second or 2 from a red rheostat controlled light at 50m.Because of this,you must incorperate a sturdy rifle rest in your hide.Get the black blob which could be a pig in the scope,switch on light,identify and shoot.Know how to place the bullet from odd angles to get into the boiler room,fast.
    You will still have a shot pig occasionally dash off into the thick stuff.I have had a few hairy moments going after them straight away.[The last wounded one i sent Treeman after and it ended with him up a tree with an empty 9mm and the pig still trying to kill him]
    I now get them the following morning with my Jack Russel and take a shotgun..be carefull.

    While i may not be an expert,i am in the bush at least once a week after pig.
    Feel welcome to PM me,if you want,i will give you my no. and we can chat

  6. #6
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    Default Re: Trail Cam settings

    Try remember your back ground when setting restaurant up and same when doing hide, do your best to try have at least two types of back ground. This will allow you to see in opposing conditions. My site has some barren dead ground at feeder, a short grass field around that and a 100m of silhouette as back stop. In good light the pigs are clear on barren ground and in bad light they dark contrast on the short grass and you can see them a few seconds before as they crest a area to start down to bait.Think " how ? " am I going to see them.

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