Your game camera can help you determine the exact patterns of travel of the white tailed deer in your area.  By watching the time release photos of deer that passed by your stand you can start to understand their behavior.

You will see patterns as far as the time of day or night that they travel, different directions traveled at different times of the day, and how many and how frequent the deer pass through your hunting area.  Even the best hunters can usually gain some extra information to give them a leg up on the wiley white tailed deer.

You probably suspected that a certain number of deer regularly patrolled your hunting area, but with a digital game camera you will know exactly what is going on.  You will need an infrared game camera to capture the best photos at night without scaring the deer with a flash.

It will also take a bit of practice to choose the best shooting location for your camera, as well as the optimum settings to shoot quick photos.  Remember, deer can travel very fast so your camera must have a quick trigger lens and a quick wakeup feature.

It is common to start each hunting season using several wide-angle shots from your game camera.  This will allow you to capture the widest view and get an overall picture of what is going on every time the camera is triggered.  As you get to know the patterns and can make better predictions about the deer, then you can zoom in with a higher resolution lense for trophy photos.

If you’re hunting thick woods then generally you do not have to worry about bright reflections and harsh shadows.  On the other hand, if your hunting grounds are fairly sparse as far as tree cover then you should consider that pointing your camera south during the day may result in sporadic results.  Just like normal photography the results will be with the sun at the back of the camera.

As long as you mount your game camera more than eight feet off the ground then you don’t have to worry as much about camouflage.  However, like most hunting gear the more you can camouflage and disguise unnatural objects, the more success you will have attracting and in this case photographing wild game.

Obviously you’ll need a clear line of sight to take clear photos.  Be careful that you don’t overlook small twigs and branches that your eye can ignore but the camera will pick up as a distinct blur in all of your photos.  It is recommended that you use at least a 3 megapixel camera to get enough resolution to enlarge your best photos later.

Two of the most important features to capture trophy animals on camera are the speed of the camera and the ability to take photographs in low light.  We all know that trophy deer are usually smarter than younger deer.  They tend to wait longer until the light is almost gone before they appear, and they will disappear earlier in the morning before the light returns.

So you need a digital game camera that will take photos in very low light.  Infrared game cameras are made specifically for this purpose and do an excellent job of taking photographs even at night.

If you’re going to do a lot of trail or bait hunting for deer and bear then you’ll want a camera that can shoot pictures at night.  The best type of game camera for this application is an infrared digital game camera.  It’s highly recommended that you purchase a digital version so that you can download the photos automatically to your computer.

There are several manufacturers that are well-known and provide good sturdy game cameras.  These include Reconyx, Moultrie, Bushnell, and Cuddeback.  Each of them has their own advantages and disadvantages.

Moultrie game cameras are moderately priced and provide excellent value for the features and quality.  If you’re just starting out a Moultrie game camera will be reasonably priced, and they are very easy to use.  Moultrie game cameras come with several options including flash or infrared, and a number of different mounting mechanisms.

Moultrie game cameras may not provide the very best quality of picture or features, but it is widely agreed that the quality and features are more than acceptable especially for their price.  For this reason Moultrie digital game cameras and infrared trail cameras are very popular with hunters.  The average price for a Moultrie digital game camera is in the two hundred and fifty dollar range.

Cuddeback digital game cameras are reasonably fast as far as their shutter speeds and their pricing is midrange.  They are known for their excellent battery conservation and in many cases can go up to six months without needing replacement batteries.  Cuddeback game cameras are marketed well and have become very popular as well.  Cuddeback digital game cameras average approximately three hundred and fifty dollars.

It is personal opinion whether Cuddy back or Moultrie game cameras are the best quality.  The opinion of most deer hunters is that Moultrie game cameras are definitely the best value, but if you want to spend a little more money than Cuddy back tends to have some improved features.

Reconyx game cameras tend to faster and take more photos than any other trail camera on the market.  They are very fast as far as their trigger and capture speed so that you tend to miss less opportunities when an animal is running by very quickly.  They are less popular, but if money is not an object they could definitely be considered  the best game cameras on the market.  Their pricing tends to be in the five hundred dollar range, and they have theft deterrent systems and a locking mechanism, and the pictures are excellent quality.

There are varying opinions whether or not a flash on the camera is a problem, but most serious hunters believe that it is not worth taking a chance since there are such good infrared trail cameras available today.

Infrared game cameras like the ones that Moultrie provides also offer temperature and moon phase if desired on every photo.  A laser aiming light will help you set the camera up in the correct position so that you don’t miss any valuable shots when your deer comes through the trail at night.

User-friendliness is an important feature to consider when you’re ready to purchase a game camera.  Most hunters don’t really want to learn complicated features and read detailed manuals.  They just want to set the camera up quickly and have it reliably take pictures whenever the appropriate game passes near their stand.

Moultrie infrared game cameras are very reliable, and tend to be in the two hundred to four hundred dollar range.  They have an excellent track record, and they’re very value priced for the features.  For example, the Game Spy I40 digital trail camera has a one hundred and fifty day battery life and a rapid trigger time.  This camera sells in the two hundred dollar range.

You can also upgrade to a Moultrie Game Spy I60 digital game camera for about three hundred and fifty dollars.  This camera has a six megapixel resolution with no visible flash, and you can view the pictures right on the camera with remote control.

Cost of Use:

You need to consider the cost of use.  This includes batteries and memory sticks.  You can either find a game camera that takes rechargeable batteries, or you can buy a set of Duracell or whatever brand you choose that recharge.  Either way you will save money by not replacing batteries every few days or weeks.  It is important to always bring a spare set, or make sure they are fully charged before going out.  There is nothing worse than having your batteries die while you’re in the middle of trying to take a picture.  Most memory sticks for cameras are a few common types.  They are generally priced on storage size, and you can have some control over how much memory you want to have.

Quality of Picture:

The quality of the picture.  This can be determined by what you need.  If you are an average hunter that is taking recreational pictures anything around a 3.0-4.0 mega pixels would be sufficient.  Anything less is about what a cell phone picture quality is.  Anything more is going to cost a lot more money, and is really not necessary.

Infrared or Color:

Infrared or colored?  You can have a choice between a picture with less quality, or a good picture requiring the use of a flash.  There are mixed opinions on whether a flash used on a game camera could startle the targeted animal.  It is an individual preference.  There are newer models that offer the user both options within one camera.

Budget:

Budget.  You need to determine what qualities are necessities, and what are unnecessary bells and whistles.  If you are on a tight budget you can by a basic game camera, and then upgrade once you realize which features are important.  Or you could search for a well taken care of used model.  This will give you a feel for what you would like to have once you are able to purchase a brand new you.

Theft Deterrent System:

A theft deterrent system.  If you are going to invest in a high quality camera, it is important to make sure there is some sort of safety system to make sure it doesn’t get stolen.  A simple bracket or other locking mechanism is sufficient, but you don’t want to set up your game camera and hope it’s still there when you return.

There are obviously other personal preferences that each hunter has, but this list is an excellent guideline of must haves.  As you get more familiar with digital game cameras you will determine your necessities.