Trail Cam / Bear Box

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Singing Bridge
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Trail Cam / Bear Box

Unread postby Singing Bridge » Wed May 19, 2010 2:23 am

I recently picked up a couple of new trail cam's, and don't want mr. Blacky ripping them up. What's the best Bear Box / Safe out there right now? Also, if some of you don't feel it's necessary what steps do you take to keep the bears off the trail cam?

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Re: Trail Cam / Bear Box

Unread postby dan » Wed May 19, 2010 4:26 am

Thet seem to leave them alone if you take great care to never touch the cameras with your bait hands. Wear gloves when you bait and change them before touching / setting the camera.
You can also set them a little higher to get them out of easy reach.
I had cameras on every bait last year and never had one damaged.
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Re: Trail Cam / Bear Box

Unread postby Hilts » Wed May 19, 2010 5:12 am

I used to just carry one climbing stick in with me to set the camera up a little higher. But most of ours never get bothered at ground level when you are careful like Dan said.
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Re: Trail Cam / Bear Box

Unread postby Schultzy » Wed May 19, 2010 11:15 am

I have no Idea what the actual brand name of the bear boxes are but every time I buy a trail cam I buy a bear box from the same place that are made for the camera I bought. The bear boxes I've used have been bullet proof as far as bear being able to do anything to them.

If I was you I wouldn't take a chance In not putting a bear box up. We run anywhere from 8 to 10 trail cams for 4 to 6 weeks on baits and each year we get new scratch marks on some of our bear boxes. When ever we check baits one guy Is the trail cam guy and stays away from the bait to keep the area by the camera bait smelling free. I don't care how careful you are though, bear will smell where you were regardless. I still say though It's good to keep scent free like Dan said but for other reasons too. I've saw bear get real nervous from trail cams just as much as whitetails do and never to return.
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Re: Trail Cam / Bear Box

Unread postby Singing Bridge » Wed May 19, 2010 11:48 am

Great information, really appreciate the input and experiences with the trail cams. It's fascinating to see how bear's react to human scent, all scents really, but especially ours. Three falls ago I set up a whitetail stand in a remote wilderness area- I already had a treestand that had been up for over a year here that had a fabric skirt around the shooting rail. I set up a beautiful new tent blind (aired out for over two weeks in the back yard) at the base of the stand so it was all-weather. The stands overlooked a terrific funnel. The tent blind had scent from my hands while setting it up, a hub-style heavy duty blind with grommets that I tied down with parachute cord to withstand any hurricane. There was no food scent on me of any kind while setting up the ground blind, and no bait around for countless miles- again this was a wilderness whitetail stand. When I returned two weeks later, the blind was gone! the skirt on the treestand was now a 20 foot long rag flapping in the wind! A bear had climbed to the skirt and ripped it into a super long flag, like ripping a bedsheet to escape a fire. I was still shocked that the tent was gone- no chance it was another hunter. Leaf drop had occured since my last visit, and I noted the leaves seemed to be piled high where the tent used to be. I kicked the leaves and there was what was left of my tent, in a thousand pieces of fabric. The fiberglass poles were shredded, one aggressive bear for being in the middle of nowhere! I found bear teeth scratches, claw marks and tracks along a beaver pond next to the blind. :shock:
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Re: Trail Cam / Bear Box

Unread postby dan » Wed May 19, 2010 12:38 pm

I noticed far more bear camera problems back when we used flash cameras.
They sure don't seem to take notice to the infra-red cameras. Predator claims there cameras are bear proof. But they sure don't look like they could take a mauling... Perry the owner of predator trail cams runs a bear guide service and in Wisconsin they are already baiting he runs cameras on all the baits and said he never has a problem.
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Re: Trail Cam / Bear Box

Unread postby Schultzy » Wed May 19, 2010 3:49 pm

I noticed far more bear camera problems back when we used flash cameras.
Agree. I never used a flash trail cam but I've got a couple no flash cuddebacks that you can see the red glow on. Bear and deer picked up on the red glow pretty quickly. My favorite trail cam Is the Reconyx. It has no red glow or anything what so ever. A huge plus over my Cuddebacks. It's twice the camera as far as I'm concerned.
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Re: Trail Cam / Bear Box

Unread postby Hodag Hunter » Thu May 20, 2010 4:57 am

Flash and 35mm film cameras were like bear attractants. Don't know if it was the smell of the film or noise of advancing film bears hit everyone I had.

No matter how you bait scent will get on the cam, trying to keep it as minimal as possible is good but almost an impossible task.

I run the Predator cameras. Have 7 now and don't believe I'll buy anything else, they are just that all around good hunting camera. Perry claims they are bear proof, I haven't had one destroyed yet. Knocked around on the tree yeah, but they still work fine, no damage.

For boxes, don't know what model or type of camera your running Bridge but you can fabricate heavy duty for bear and human proof. Starts looking ugly on the tree and may even draw more attention to the camera where it may just be overlooked. Another reason I went the Predator route. If wanting to keep the bear off, tack some roofing nails around the camera in a light frame......the bear always checks with his nose first and pricks in the nose usually will get him to back up. Good Luck.
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Re: Trail Cam / Bear Box

Unread postby Mike Foss » Fri May 21, 2010 2:48 pm

I have 5 new Cuddebacks along with there Bear Safe boxes. I have lost a few cameras in my time. The bear proof boxes are not necessarily to keep the bears from damageing them but to keep the thieves :twisted: that wander the woods from taking them. If some one is going to steal my camera I am going to make them work for it. It doesnt matter how clean, scent proof you are, those bears will find your cameras and if it is not attached in a solid position they will play with it or even distroy it. Generally its the younger bears that will give you camera trouble.

I have been a big fan of Cuddeback. I am sure there are other great trail cameras out there also, but my experience has been a good one with Cuddeback. I like there new cameras because they are sooo simple to use, I want to get in there, change the photo card, bait and get out.
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Re: Trail Cam / Bear Box

Unread postby Schultzy » Fri May 21, 2010 2:53 pm

You running the new capture's Mike? Flash or Infrared? I've heard great reports on the flash.
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Re: Trail Cam / Bear Box

Unread postby Mike Foss » Fri May 21, 2010 3:13 pm

I have both (IR & Flash). Those pictures I posted last week are from a flash. I replaced that camera this week with a IR. I also picked up the Cuddeview X2, While inroute to other bait stations with cameras I can transfer images from one card to another and then use a clean photo card for the next camera. I love playing with new toys.
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Re: Trail Cam / Bear Box

Unread postby dan » Mon Mar 04, 2013 3:58 am

I think the black flash cameras are way better for bears. Even deer seem to notice the red light glare.


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