Poaching- trail camera.

Hunter21

As above, anybody have any experience with using trail cameras or any other type of camera device to see if poachers are on a certain piece of land? camera is needed to keep an eye on an area as I cant be there or the land owner cant be there 24/7

johngalway

Unless you can be certain they will pass within say 30 feet of the camera in good lighting conditions you're pretty much wasting your time with game/trail cameras IMO.

Hunter21

johngalway wrote: »

Unless you can be certain they will pass within say 30 feet of the camera in good lighting conditions you're pretty much wasting your time with game/trail cameras IMO.

These cameras would surely work and show a goodish picture at dusk. As we want the camera for catching poachers entering land to shoot duck at a flight pond

Grizzly 45

Use it at "choke points" IE places wher they would have to enter the property,like gateways,parking spots etc.Also make sure it is well cammod and secured to somthing big and immovable,as you might find it nicked by said poachers.

For it to be of any value it will have to get clear shots of faces or car regs,and even then the only thing it will give is very disputable evidence,as it is doubtful that they will actually poach in front of the trail cam for you.The crime needs to be witnessed or fimed for it to have a leg to stand on.Most you might get is a lead to who it is or possibly a tresspass warning on the tresspassers.

Having a poke around our enemies pages[IE huntsabs and antis] I found this handy and cheap electronic and very easy project made out of an old cell phone,which I think ,if deployed properly would be a much more effective,cheaper and less hurtful if discoverd and nicked.After all you could proably buy two dozen old cell phones and credit for the price of one trailcam.
At least it will alert you that somone is was in an area they shouldnt be,and possibly allow you and a posse to get out there to intercept them.

So take a bow mr Anthony Dacko,the first anti and Sab to produce possibly somthing useful for the shooting community.:)

http://www.anthony-dacko.net/GSM-TRIP-WIRE.htm

Only thing I would improve on the clothes peg switch is rather than use silver paper for the contacts,I use two brass drawing pin tacks to hold the wire,wrapped around the pin stems.

I wonder what is the legality of using an "alarm gun" these days in Ireland on private property??

Later.
There is also a new model trailcam out that has realtime recording and transmission with PIR,but ,and is pretty pricey too.

http://www.egun.de/market/item.php?id=3347398

johngalway

I wouldn't be the farm on it. I own four three, I killed one.

You'll need to get past a few problems.

Detection range - how far away the camera can detect the thing you want a photo of, most say 45 feet, most are lying
Detection angle - it's best described as a wedge, thin end at the camera, that detects the target, different makes/models may have different degree angles (read wider/thinner).
Trigger time - When a camera does detect it's target, some are a lot slower than others at actually taking the photo, too slow and the target moves beyond the area the photograph will cover.
Detection by poacher - you'll need to hide it extremely well. Flash is out of the question so you'll be relying on black and white Infra Red photos, most of which still emit a subtle red glow. Though newer cameras probably don't, but may reflect in the price.
Quality of photo - IR photos may not be the best. Your target may not be looking at the camera or be easily identified.
Evidence - If you're thinking of bringing it to the law, I would seriously doubt trail/game camera photos will meet legal requirements to be "officially" acted upon.

the_syco

The cameras will show you their routine. At least this way, you'll know when they come, and how many come to shoot. May be handy if you want to show the Gardai your pond.

FISMA

I have noticed, when testing out my trailcam, that if I just happened to be looking in the direction of the cam while the IR LED's were cycling, I could see a low red glow towards the end.

If the $cumb@g poachers see the same, you'll likely lose any camera that isn't very securely fastened.

Hunter21

Thanks for the replies lads, grizzly's link of the trip that alarms by ringing a mobile will do the finest. It'll actually be better as we can get to the area and confront them in person. Plus I have numerous old nokia phones at home, thanks anti's

the_syco

Hunter21 wrote: »

confront them in person

CONFRONTING CRIMINALS WITH GUNS MAY BE A BAD IDEA.

Just saying, you know.

Hunter21

the_syco wrote: »

CONFRONTING CRIMINALS WITH GUNS MAY BE A BAD IDEA.

Just saying, you know.

True that, but I know who they are so I'll get a number for them and get the land owner the ring them and state his case that "They were trespassing on his land without permission" That'll be safer and hopefully they'll heed the warning.