Bill Poulson's fascination with trail cameras started as a simple weekend pastime.
The idea, he said, was to pattern deer movement at his favorite hunting spots.
"It got to be as much fun as hunting," the Martinez man said. "It was a way to get out in the woods every weekend - all year long."
Despite the growing popularity of motion-activated cameras, Poulson soon encountered problems.
"Some of them were too complicated to use," he said. "And some of them just don't work."
After returning or exchanging several cameras - and opening dialogue with manufacturers about deficiencies he observed - he started testing more and more of them.
Soon, Poulson and his son-in-law, Anthony Jowers, had dozens of cameras deployed along deer trails and dirt roads across Burke County.
Today, their weekend routine is as regular as any postal route, and their observations and camera performance ratings are online at their new Web site, www.chasingame.com.
"We start early and check all the cameras," said Jowers, who owns a computer programming company. "At the end of the morning we sit in the truck, turn on the air conditioning and look at all the pictures on a laptop."
During the past 14 months, the duo has examined thousands of images ranging from useless to superb.
The cameras they test range from relatively simple digital models to more complex - and pricey - systems equipped with solar power and wireless technology.
One such system, costing as much as $9,000, can deploy a half-dozen cameras over a five-mile radius. The photos are transmitted with a wireless system to a central site, where the user can check photos, battery power and deer movement without ever entering the target areas.
"This would be too expensive for an individual, but it might be useful for a game manager or large hunting club," Jowers said.
One of the factors the duo evaluate includes is trigger time. Cameras that take five or six seconds to snap a photo sometimes miss the animal that activated the system.
Battery life is another factor, as is the ease of programming.
But what about the photos themselves?
"The quality of the photo is not the paramount goal," Poulson said. "If the idea is to identify deer, all you need is an image good enough to accomplish that."
If the images are too fuzzy to identify a deer from week to week, the camera performance would be unacceptable. "You may have a deer with a notched ear, or a skinned up side, that you can identify over time."
As part of the testing protocol, unproven cameras are often set up alongside those with known abilities. "If one camera takes a good photo and the new one gets nothing, it gives us a way to compare," Poulson said.
Some of the deer have been observed from fawns all the way to antlered bucks.
"We have one big buck that's been photographed almost every weekend for months," Jowers said. "We've taken a liking to him, so we probably won't shoot at that one when hunting season gets here."
Reach Rob Pavey at 868-1222, ext. 119 or rob.pavey@augustachronicle.com.
Scouting Camera Hints and tricks
- Place your trail cam looking north or south. If faced into the rising or setting sun, the glare can obliterate photos taken during that time.
- Clear the area of vegetation that can be moved by the wind, which could set off the camera and waste battery power. Usually 20 to 30 feet is enough
- Avoid mounting cameras on trees that can sway in wind; portable stands are more stable and can be moved more easily.
- Aim camera down a trail rather than directly across it. Some cameras take several seconds to trigger, meaning an approaching or exiting animal is more likely to be clearly photographed.
- Use cover scent on boots when making rounds to check cameras. Contaminating a site with human odor can virtually eliminate traffic for several days.
- Cameras can easily be adapted to solar panels, which extends battery life and reduce recharging trips.
- The ideal mounting height is 24 to 40 inches. Small game like armadillos and squirrels that can trigger a camera set too low can be avoided if camera is mounted slightly higher.
- Good locking devices and camera cages are a must. Most manufacturers offer a security box that can be purchased to fit the camera.
- Always use cameras that include a date/time stamp on photos to pinpoint movement patterns.
- For performance ratings on specific camera makes and models, visit www.chasingame.comSource: www.chasingame.com
The Augusta Chronicle ©2012 Morris Communications, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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