First game camera advice please

[returnofsid]

I'm new to the world of game cameras. I just picked up a Moultrie AC-20, off Craigslist, for $40.00. It's never been in the woods and is basically brand new. I've put batteries in it, after finally figuring out how to open the battery bay, and installed an 8gb Micro SD card, with an adapter. This is the only SD card I could find laying around the house. I've gone into the settings, set the correct time and date, and familiarized myself with the different camera settings. I currently have it set for a 30 second delay, high quality, 3 photos.

I'm heading out camping for a week, tomorrow, in an area that I also hunt. I'd like to set the camera up, with plans to give it about 2-3 weeks before checking it. Here's where I need advice...

Should I change any camera settings? Low resolution? Longer or shorter delay? Single photo vs. 3 photos?

Should I purchase and install a larger SD card?

Are there specific cards I should purchase? I've read that I shouldn't use a high speed card, but the instructions don't mention that.

Should I purchase a card viewer? Otherwise, I need to replace the card, and bring the first card back to camp, to view on my laptop.

Any other tips or suggestions would be wonderful!

I do plan on installing a cable lock, and hiding the camera as well as I can. It'll also be in an area that receives very little human traffic.

[JohnD]

I've only been playing with trail cameras a few years but here's some of my experience.

Should I change any camera settings? Low resolution? Longer or shorter delay? Single photo vs. 3 photos?
You'll have enough space with 8GB for high resolution and would set it to 3 photos just in case the animal is passing by quickly.

Should I purchase and install a larger SD card?
8GB is probably plenty, especially if you stay on picture mode. I like to set mine to 60 seconds of video and leave it out for months and have never been full on a 16GB.

Are there specific cards I should purchase? I've read that I shouldn't use a high speed card, but the instructions don't mention that.
I usually buy the cheapest ones I can find on Amazon and never had a failure in 3 years with 4 cameras.

Should I purchase a card viewer? Otherwise, I need to replace the card, and bring the first card back to camp, to view on my laptop.
I swap cards and check it with my laptop later... but I'm cheap.

Any other tips or suggestions would be wonderful!
Always, every single time you are setting up your camera, double check the date and time, the settings you want and format the memory card in the camera. Use the format feature that every camera has and format that sucker just before you walk away. Remember it will remove everything from that card and cannot be undeleted.

Watch for branches and plants that may sway in the wind.

Bear really like to mess with cameras. I try to set it up high and angle it down, but you might miss small critters.

I prefer cameras that use AA batteries, I haven't really liked the two D battery cameras I've tried.

Have fun camping!

[cougforester]

Size of memory card is dependent on length of soak and what the camera is aimed at. Just a trail with animals passing by will take a long time to fill up, meaning a 8 or 16 GB card will be sufficient. If you have an attractant, like a salt or mineral lick, you’ll likely want a 32. I just checked a couple cams today over salt and had 5700 pictures on one camera in 2 months. The setting was 2 pictures, 1 minute delay. A lot of the deer would spend over an hour at the salt, and that would fill up a smaller card quick.

I also always choose the highest quality picture setting as well. If you’re spending the time to hang that camera and find a good spot, might as well be rewarded with nice clear pictures. They’re addicting, have fun!

[SWiley]

Try to set your camera up facing north so the morning and evening sun doesn't wash out your pictures. I set my cameras up in bear boxes and bolt them to the tree, helps prevent from bears and people taking them. I also set mine up around 3-4 ft off the ground so I get critters like cats and coyotes.

[TommyH]

I've only been playing with trail cameras a few years but here's some of my experience.

Should I change any camera settings? Low resolution? Longer or shorter delay? Single photo vs. 3 photos?
You'll have enough space with 8GB for high resolution and would set it to 3 photos just in case the animal is passing by quickly.

Should I purchase and install a larger SD card?
8GB is probably plenty, especially if you stay on picture mode. I like to set mine to 60 seconds of video and leave it out for months and have never been full on a 16GB.

Are there specific cards I should purchase? I've read that I shouldn't use a high speed card, but the instructions don't mention that.
I usually buy the cheapest ones I can find on Amazon and never had a failure in 3 years with 4 cameras.

Should I purchase a card viewer? Otherwise, I need to replace the card, and bring the first card back to camp, to view on my laptop.
I swap cards and check it with my laptop later... but I'm cheap.

Any other tips or suggestions would be wonderful!
Always, every single time you are setting up your camera, double check the date and time, the settings you want and format the memory card in the camera. Use the format feature that every camera has and format that sucker just before you walk away. Remember it will remove everything from that card and cannot be undeleted.

Watch for branches and plants that may sway in the wind.

Bear really like to mess with cameras. I try to set it up high and angle it down, but you might miss small critters.

I prefer cameras that use AA batteries, I haven't really liked the two D battery cameras I've tried.

Have fun camping!

This^^^
Set it up around the house and let it take pics of you or the kids/family and check it so you know the cam and sd card are working correctly. Once it’s taking pics with the correct time/date and you have confirmed it’s working, set it out and it should be good to go. People and bears seem to like messing with cams so secure them well and higher up the better. You can aim it down somewhat to capture the area you anticipate critters will be in. Good luck, it’s great fun and addictive.

[bobcat]

Unless you're using bait or some sort of attractant, I'd set the delay to as low as it will go. Maybe five seconds?

I'd get a second SD card that you can swap out. I've never used more than 4 gb cards so 8 should be plenty.

[returnofsid]

Thank you all so much, for your great advice and tips! Batteries was mentioned, AA vs. D.  This camera does take 8XAA batteries.  I do plan on purchasing a second SD card, so I can swap out, when I retrieve the card.  I like the comments about the length of delay, if I'm using an attractant/bait, vs. no attractant/bait.  That does make a lot of sense.

[buglebrush]

Make sure you format your sd card EVERY SINGLE TIME.  A card reader is a must in my opinion.  Less than $10 on Camofire right now.   Really helps confirm that the angle, etc is good.  Use the screw in mounts also on Camofire right now.  Put the camera up high. 

[Lucky1]

This is probably a stupid question. How do you format the card every time?

[returnofsid]

There's a setting in the camera, that allows you to delete the photos. It formats, when it deletes.

[buglebrush]

I do it in my laptop.  Pop the card in, save the photos I want to keep, and format the SD card.

[Lucky1]

Cool. I didn’t notice the option for reformatting the card. If I delete all the photos on the card is it reformatted?

[smithkl42]

I recommend the card reader as well. Last time I went out to check my cameras, I got home and discovered that one of them somehow got reset, and all of my settings (date/time, # of pictures, whether to do video) had been reset as well. But since I didn't discover that until I got home, it means that the camera's settings will stay wrong until I get back out there again. At least the second month's worth of sub-optimal pictures could have been avoided if I'd had a reader (which I do now).

[JohnD]

Deleting all of the photos does not reformat the card. Reformatting the card on your computer may not work depending on how the computer decides to format it. Read the instructions for your camera and reformat it in the camera every time, not on a computer or a card reader. You will never have a problem unless the card is damaged, then you will know because the camera will give an error when attempting to format.
(It's always a good idea to format memory cards in the device that will be writing the image.)

[Doublelunger]

Lots of good advice so far, ill add that if you set it up with bait/attractant and you have cattle around program it for like 1-2 pics every 3-5 minutes. Nothing worse than trying to scroll though a few thousand pictures of cows that homesteaded your site!