If your a whitetail deer hunter, chances are you might use a trail camera to pattern the deer in your hunting area. The use of trail cameras is becoming somewhat of a hot button issue with several states in the Western U.S. banning their use. Here in Indiana, and all throughout the Midwest, they are still widely used and pretty standard in my neck of the woods. I use them quite a bit and have for close to a decade. It started out pretty minimally, but lately I run the cameras close to year round. Last year I even added a handful of cellular cameras. They make it so nice to keep an eye on the deer woods when it's 34 degrees and raining out. I guess as the saying would go - the technology becomes easier and easier; the hunters get bigger and bigger!
What I love about cameras is they show you what's in the woods. The deer and turkeys - the fox and the coyotes. They'll even show you how a wayward raccoon checks out a mock scrape. When placed in the right spot, they can show you deer feeding - or two rutting bucks locking horns. The trail camera gives you a glimpse of the whitetail social structure and everyday survival. If you study the cameras heavily you can start to develop a plan to go after a target deer. When you start going after "this" deer; and not after "a" deer - cell cameras are almost the norm - some dare say - required. Trail cameras are definitely a game changer for the hunter. Trail cams have brought joy, excitement and grief to the hunter checking the photos at their kitchen counter.
Much like a studying pictures on a laptop - studying the Bible gives us a great plan to attack our lives. It helps us develop our goals - earthly and eternal. It helps us know God's plan for us as his creation. It demonstrates how to deal with others around us, and it shines a light on his eternal promises! Much like the light red glow of an infrared flash in the deep dark woods - the Word gives light and illuminates our path. When we make reading the Bible part of our daily routine, we get a great grasp on how God would have us go about our days.
Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.
Psalms 119:105 NIV
When it comes to hanging trail cameras - there are tips and trick all over the place. Do this and don't do that. I'll add to that information and take a crack at it. Here are some tips that have worked for me - I narrowed it down to my top 3, but don't forget this list isn't all inclusive. Here it goes:
Hang your Camera High - at 5-7 feet off the ground. I've found that hanging the camera higher seems to get good pictures of the entire deer. Make sure you position it far enough away from the area your trying to focus on as well. I think you're get better pictures of your target buck and the flash isn't directly at eye level on the monster your trying to find.
Point your Camera North or South - Avoid pointing your cameras East and West as most deer movement is at first light or sunset. Those beautiful sunsets don't help in identifying your next wall hanger and can make pictures washed with light.
Change it Up - If you aren't getting great pictures - don't be afraid to move them around. Deer's patterns change throughout the year and your trail camera location should too. Move them from food and mineral areas to scrapes and travel corridors as the season progresses.
As trail cameras continue to be a huge part of the hunters weaponry - "the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword." (Hebrews 4:12) Trail cameras and the Word. Is it possible to make a plan without either of them? I would argue it is not. So the next time your charging your batteries in between SD cards - open up your Bible and work on getting to know the real plan for your life.
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 NIV
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