Trail Camera Maintenance Tips: How to Keep your Trail Cameras Running Strong
Jace Bauserman with Field & Stream
As a certified trail camera addict who knows he has a problem and doesn't want any help, I know the importance of proper trail camera maintenance. From August through January, I operate over 30 cellular and digital trail cameras across five states.
Some of those trail cameras are close. I can lift my binoculars, peer out my office window, and see one hanging on the edge of an alfalfa field. My close-to-home cameras are easy to maintain. However, cameras that require me to cross state lines or make an in-state blacktop burning mission aren't. Those trail cameras need special pre-deployment care.
Like many things, I've learned that taking shortcuts is rarely a good idea, especially when it comes to trail cameras. Don't be me. Follow the to-come advice and keep your trail cameras up and running from the beginning of the season to the end without making an unnecessary visit.
Tips for Trail Camera Batteries & Cards
There's nothing worse than slipping into a big-game honey hole to check a digital trail camera only to discover that it has been falsely triggered on repeat because of a branch you failed to remove. The card has no more space, and the batteries are dead. It's happened to me more than once.
It's equally as frustrating to be kicked back in the recliner after a summertime scouting/camera deployment mission and receive a Health Check notification for one or more of your cell scouters. A Health Check notification occurs when an issue arises with a cell scouter.
Using High-Quality Lithium Batteries
Batteries matter. I only use Energizer Ultimate Lithium AA batteries. Lithium batteries are pricey, but they are worth every penny. The combination of lithium batteries and today's top-tier camera designs—models engineered to conserve battery life—will provide months of guaranteed battery life.
Concerning cellular trail cameras, I go the extra mile and purchase solar panels and rechargeable lithium battery packs. My Moultrie Edge 3 trail camera, paired with a Power MAG+ II battery pack and a 10W Solar Power Pack II, has been in the woods since March. The battery life has never dipped below 70 percent.
SD cards are typically not an issue with cellular trail cameras. Most cell cam apps allow you to clear and format cards from your phone. Some, like Tactacam's Ultra, have internal storage and an SD card slot to ensure space for all your photos.
Choosing the Right Size of SD Card
SD cards are something to pay close attention to when using digital trail cameras. I only purchase digital cameras that support SD cards of 64GB or more. My current go-to and the hands-down winner of F&S's Digital Trail Camera Test, Browning's Strike Force Pro DCL Nano, supports up to a 512GB SD card.
Whether using a cellular or digital camera, reading the manufacturer's instructions is crucial. Settings like video length, real-time viewing, and photo burst modes consume battery life more quickly because the camera must work harder. Keep these things in mind when setting up your trail camera.
Update Trail Camera Firmware
Both cellular and digital trail cameras require firmware updates periodically. Firmware can help update software bugs, improve detection speed, and keep your camera running as expected overall. Typically, cellular trail camera apps will inform you of firmware updates. If using a digital trail camera, scroll through the camera's settings until you find an "Update Firmware" option.
Clean It Up!
No matter where I roam, unless it's a public area with restrictions on vegetation removal, such as tree limbs, I carry a small, foldable tree saw, a small garden trowel, and a durable machete or weed scythe. After positioning my trail camera, I stand directly behind it and note any limbs, grasses, and other obstructions that need to be removed. The last thing you want is to return and discover that a limb, sunflower, or tall grass triggers your trail camera on repeat, draining battery life and filling the SD card.
Spray It Down
This tip is a tad unconventional, but I've used it for the past few years with excellent success. It's not uncommon to return to your trail camera to find it covered with ants. Tiny ants will cover the camera's outside and have a knack for getting inside the camera. I carry a small spray bottle of pest killer and spray the trunk of the tree. If I use a trail camera mounting post, I spray the post. This is the exact product you use to spray for spiders, ants, and other pests inside your home.
Blow It Off
This one may sound like overkill, but it makes a significant difference, especially for those who plan to set up cameras and leave them in place for an extended period. I carry a can of compressed air for my computer's keyboard. I always use a can of air to blow dust, dirt, and debris off the camera's lens, LEDs, solar panel, and other components. After using the can of compressed air, I wipe the lens, LEDs, and solar panel (if one is attached) with a microfiber cloth.
Lens Wipes Are A Must
I use Zeiss Lens Cleaning Wipes. These individual wipes come in boxes of 200, and you'll want to keep several in whatever pack or tote you use to haul your trail cameras. Open a single packet and clean the camera's lens or lenses. A clean lens is critical to the camera's overall performance, and although it may get dirty while sitting in the elements, you don't want to leave it looking squeaky clean when you walk away.
Make Sure Straps Are Ship Shape
Several years ago, I drove a metal T-post into the ground overlooking a stock tank area that pronghorn used to slake their thirst. I attached a Browning digital camera, cleared all the necessary vegetation, cleaned the lens, and left. That night, a strong windstorm ripped through the area. I'd forgotten to wrap the excess tail of the camera's strap around the pole. The wind blew the strap, wrapping it around the camera, covering the lens. Ensure your camera's strap is securely fastened. You don't want it flailing in the wind, covering your lens, or swinging in front of the camera's lens, which could falsely trigger it. Additionally, the more shipshape you keep your camera, the less detectable it will be to game animals.
Test your Trail Camera Before You Leave
Turn The Camera On & Make Sure It's Working
Always test your trail camera setup before leaving the site. The last thing I do before leaving an area where I placed a trail camera is turn the camera on. My reason for turning the camera on last is two-fold. First, I don't want to waste battery life and SD card space. Second, it's part of my system.
Too often, I've set up a trail camera and returned a week or a month later, only to discover that I forgot to turn it on. Turning the camera on is one of the last things on my list, so I'm sure not to forget.
If using a cellular trail camera, I walk back and forth in front of the camera in the location where I expect it to capture game and then wait for an image to transmit to my cellular device. I don't leave the area until the camera takes a picture and sends it to my phone.
If using a digital trail camera, I repeat the above process, then turn the camera off, remove the SD card, and use Stealth Cam's SD Card Reader/Viewer to ensure the camera works properly. If so, I reinsert the SD card, clear it, and power the camera back on.
Final Thoughts
Trail camera maintenance tips may not be sexy, but they can help you with reliable scouting. They aren't the most fun chores in the world, but they are 100 percent necessary. Follow the tips in this article, and you'll have more scouting success and fewer mishaps.