I'm obsessed with my Tactacam Reveal Pro 4.0. A camera only helps if it's in the right spot, aimed the right way, and you don't spook deer checking it. This page pulls placement guidance from the National Deer Association, university extension services and a state wildlife agency. Sources are at the end.
Where to hang them
Alabama Extension lists high-activity spots: trails, scrapes, natural funnels, water, and feeders where legal. For mock scrapes, NDA likes at spots deer can see from a distance, such as logging road intersections, inside and outside field corners and crop field edges.
For finding funnels and pinch points to watch, see how to use onX Hunt.
Height, direction and distance
| Setting | Guidance | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Direction | Face north or south to avoid sun glare | Purdue Extension, Oklahoma Dept. of Wildlife Conservation |
| Height | About waist height (2.5 to 3 feet) | Purdue, ODWC |
| Distance | About 10 to 15 feet from a bait site (Purdue), or 12 to 20 feet (NDA and ODWC), and check your camera's rated range | Purdue, NDA, ODWC |
| Tree | At least 6 inches across, to cut false triggers | Alabama Extension |
| Test | Get down to deer level to check the view | NDA |
Those distance figures come from bait-site surveys, so they're a starting point for trails and scrapes. Mount options are in trail camera mounts and stands.
Mock scrapes
NDA's mock scrape guidance:
- The licking branch is the key. It has to be obvious, not buried among hundreds of similar limbs.
- Inventory cams go where you can check them without bumping deer.
- Hunting scrapes: NDA's writer usually skips a camera there unless it's cellular, so he doesn't have to intrude.
Checking cameras without ruining a spot
- Go cellular where you hunt. NDA's mock scrape writer uses cellular cams so he doesn't have to walk in. See cellular trail cameras, budget vs premium.
- Keep inventory cams easy to reach, per NDA.
- Check survey cameras on a schedule. Purdue says every 4 to 5 days during a survey.
Running a camera survey
To see what deer are on a property, NDA's survey method uses one camera per 100 acres (or per 160 acres on properties over 1,000 acres). Pre-bait for 7 to 10 days, then run the survey 10 to 14 days. In research, 14 days caught 90 percent of unique deer and 10 days caught 85 percent. Purdue suggests a 5 to 10 minute delay, with burst mode off. Baiting is illegal in some places, so check your state's rules before you run a baited survey.
Other good options
- Mounts to aim at the right spot. See trail camera mounts and stands.
- Scent and access. See scent control on a budget.
Questions hunters ask
Which way should a trail camera face? North or south, to avoid the rising and setting sun, per Purdue and ODWC.
How high should I hang a trail camera? About waist height, 2.5 to 3 feet, per Purdue and ODWC.
Should I put a camera on a mock scrape I hunt? NDA's writer only does it with a cellular camera, so he doesn't have to go in.
Sources
- National Deer Association, "The Why and How of Mock Scrapes": https://deerassociation.com/mock-scrapes/
- National Deer Association, "How to Run a Trail-Camera Survey": https://deerassociation.com/run-trail-camera-survey/
- Purdue Extension, "Trail camera survey for white-tailed deer": https://www.purdue.edu/fnr/extension/trail-camera-survey-for-white-tailed-deer/
- Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, "Using Camera Surveys to Understand Your Deer Herd": https://www.wildlifedepartment.com/outdoorok/ooj/using-camera-surveys-understand-your-deer-herd
- Alabama Cooperative Extension System, "Managing White-tailed Deer: Camera Surveys": https://www.aces.edu/blog/topics/forestry-wildlife/managing-white-tailed-deer-camera-surveys/