How to Hide a Trail Camera From Other Hunters

Pick Your Goal First, Or You Will Lose Cameras.

The best way I know to hide a trail camera from other hunters is to stop thinking “hide,” and start thinking “make it not worth noticing,” with odd height, odd angle, and smart placement.

If you put a camera chest-high on a straight tree facing a trail, a guy will spot it in 12 seconds and you will be out $129.

I have hunted whitetails for 23 years, starting with my dad in southern Missouri when I was 12.

I grew up poor, learned public land before I could afford leases, and I still split time between a small 65-acre lease in Pike County, Illinois and public land in the Missouri Ozarks.

Here is what I do before I ever hang a camera.

I decide if I am trying to inventory bucks, time daylight movement, or just confirm a bedding area is active.

Decide If You Are Hiding From Eyes, Or From Theft.

This is a tradeoff, and most guys mess it up.

If you want a camera nobody sees, you give up some perfect angles and perfect framing.

If you want a camera nobody steals, you need extra steps that cost money and time.

Back in November 2019 in Pike County, Illinois, I ran three cameras on field edges and lost one in eight days.

The other two survived because I set them weird and made them a pain to mess with.

My buddy swears by putting cameras deep and “hard to reach,” but I have found the easiest theft happens deep too, because guys think nobody will see them back there.

If you are hunting pressured public land like the Missouri Ozarks, forget about “perfect” scrape videos and focus on survival and intel over weeks.

Hang Cameras At A Stupid Height, On Purpose.

Chest-high is what thieves and curious hunters scan for.

Here is what I do when I want a camera to last.

I hang it 7 feet to 10 feet high, then angle it down with a small wedge stick behind the mount.

I also put it on the side of the tree, not the front, so you only see it if you walk past the exact line.

Back in 2007 in the Missouri Ozarks, I got lazy and hung a camera at 5 feet on a straight oak by a crossing.

It vanished in two sits, and that stung because I did not have money to burn back then.

I learned the hard way that “easy to check” also means “easy to steal.”

Choose Trees That Break The Human Pattern.

Most hunters pick the same trees without knowing it.

They pick the straight tree beside the trail, at a natural stop point, at eye level.

Here is what I do to beat that pattern.

I pick a tree with junk behind it, like grapevine tangles, cedar boughs, or a messy crown line.

I avoid the “perfect” telephone pole tree because it frames the camera like a picture.

If I cannot find cover, I rotate the camera 30 degrees off the trail and let it catch the deer entering and leaving, not walking straight at it.

This connects to what I wrote about are deer smart because older bucks notice straight-on objects and repeated pressure.

Use The Angle Trick That Makes A Camera Look Like A Knot.

This is the simplest move that saves cameras.

Here is what I do on public land.

I mount the camera on the back side of a tree that is 6 feet off the trail line, then point it across, not down the trail.

Now a hunter walking the trail never gets the “black box” look straight on.

I also keep the lens in shadow when I can.

A camera sitting in direct sun flashes and shines like a little sign.

Back in Buffalo County, Wisconsin, I watched a guy walk a ridge trail at 3:40 PM and scan trees like he was bird watching.

The only cameras he noticed were the ones he could see head-on.

Decide If You Are Going To Lock It, Or Just Hide It Better.

A lock is a tradeoff.

A lock can slow a thief down, but it also tells him “there is a camera here.”

On public ground, I only lock cameras that are near access points or popular funnels.

Deep in the Ozarks, I usually skip the lock and go heavier on height and angle.

I wasted money on cheap cable locks that frayed after one season and left rust streaks on the bark.

Now if I lock one, I use a Master Lock Python cable.

It runs about $24, it cinches tight, and it has held up for me through 2 wet Illinois seasons without turning into brown dust.

Camouflage Is Fine, But Placement Beats Paint Every Time.

Guys love camo tape and spray paint because it feels like “doing something.”

It helps, but it is not the main thing.

Here is what I do if I use camo at all.

I wrap the strap in camo tape so the bright strap does not scream from 25 yards.

I do not paint over sensors or any seams because it can mess up the seal and you will get fogged images.

My buddy swears by heavy spray paint patterns, but I have found paint chips and smells, and it still gets spotted if it is mounted in the obvious place.

If you are hunting a place with a lot of bowhunters, forget about fancy camo and focus on hiding the strap and hiding the silhouette.

Use Cheap “Visual Noise” To Break Up The Box Shape.

The human eye is wired to spot hard edges and rectangles.

Here is what I do that costs $0.

I tuck a couple of small dead twigs under the strap so they cross in front of the camera body, but not in front of the lens.

I also use cedar fronds or oak leaves behind the camera so the outline is not clean.

Do not overdo it, because moving leaves in wind will trigger false photos and drain batteries.

This connects to what I wrote about do deer move in the wind because wind changes both deer movement and how much your camera false-triggers.

Put Cameras Where Hunters Do Not “Need” To Walk.

This is the part most people miss.

They hide a camera on the same trail every hunter uses to get to his stand.

Here is what I do instead.

I place cameras on the downwind side of sign, where a deer circles, not where a man walks straight.

I also set them 20 yards to 60 yards off the main trail, on the second-best route.

Deer use messy routes that people hate, especially in thick Ozark cover.

In Pike County, Illinois, big woods edges and ditches pull deer, but hunters still walk the clean borders.

I set cameras inside the ditch bend, not on top where boots go.

When I am trying to time deer movement, I check feeding times first so I am not checking cameras at the exact time deer stand up.

Use Water And Obstacles As “Natural Locks.”

Locks are not the only way to secure a camera.

Here is what I do on public ground.

I put cameras on the far side of a creek crossing, on a bank that requires getting boots wet.

A lot of thieves are lazy, and lazy is your friend.

In the Missouri Ozarks, I love placing a camera where you have to duck under a blowdown to even see the trail.

That one simple obstacle cuts human traffic hard.

This connects to what I wrote about can deer swim because deer cross water without thinking, and people usually avoid it unless they have to.

Do Not Put Your Name On It, But Mark It Like An Adult.

Some guys write their phone number on the camera like that will stop a thief.

It will not.

Here is what I do.

I mark my cameras inside the battery door with a paint pen and I take a photo of the serial number.

I also label the SD card with a tiny dot code so I can prove it is mine if it ever shows up.

I do not use big bright labels because that helps someone else keep track of my stuff.

Check Them Less, And You Will Lose Fewer.

This is another tradeoff.

The more you check, the more trails you wear in, and the more chance you meet the wrong guy at the wrong time.

Here is what I do during October.

I check cameras mid-day between 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM, and I do it fast.

I wear rubber boots if the walk is dewy, and I do not touch brush unless I have to.

I wasted money on $400 ozone scent control that made zero difference.

Now I focus on not being there in the first place, because absence beats gadgets.

If you are trying to keep deer from patterning you, start with what I wrote about deer habitat because bedding cover and travel routes decide where you can sneak in without blowing the whole area up.

Run The Right Camera Settings, Or You Will Give Yourself Away.

Bright flashes and rapid-fire bursts are a giveaway.

Here is what I do for settings on pressured land.

I run no-glow IR if I can afford it, and I avoid white flash unless it is on private where theft is low.

I set a longer delay like 30 seconds to 60 seconds on busy trails so it does not fire 140 times and die in a week.

I also turn off the loud click sounds if the model has them.

Deer notice less than people think, but hunters notice everything that looks like a camera.

Pick Gear That Matches The Risk, Not Your Ego.

I have burned money on gear that did not work before I learned what matters.

Here is my honest take on cameras for hiding.

If I am placing a camera in a high-theft spot, I do not hang my newest $199 camera.

I hang an older model I can stand to lose, or I move the camera 80 yards off the obvious sign and accept fewer pictures.

On my Illinois lease, I will run nicer cameras on scrapes because I control access better.

On Ozark public, I assume someone will eventually find it if I get sloppy.

My Quick Rule of Thumb

If you are hunting public land within 300 yards of a parking area, hang the camera 8 feet high and point it across the trail, not down it.

If you see fresh boot tracks or flagging tape near your sign, expect somebody to be scouting your cameras too.

If conditions change to heavy leaf drop and bare timber in late November, switch to creek banks, blowdowns, and the backside of multi-trunk trees for cover.

Avoid The Rookie Mistake Of Putting Cameras On The Only Good Scrape.

I get it, because I have done it.

You find a perfect licking branch and a dirt-hole scrape and you want proof.

I learned the hard way that the “only good scrape” is also the scrape every hunter checks, even if he does not hunt it.

Here is what I do now.

I put one camera on the scrape if I can hide it high, and I put a second camera on the route to the scrape where people do not look.

That second camera usually tells me more anyway, because it shows direction and timing.

If you want to make better shot calls off those pictures, read what I wrote about where to shoot a deer to drop it in its tracks because camera intel only matters if your shot plan is solid.

Use A Two-Camera “Decoy And Killer” Setup If Theft Is Bad.

This is a decision, because it costs money.

If theft is common, I would rather risk a cheaper camera than lose the one I trust.

Here is what I do in high-pressure areas.

I hang a cheaper camera in a semi-obvious spot, then I hide my better camera 30 yards to 50 yards away, high and angled, covering the same feature.

Sometimes the cheap one disappears and the hidden one stays for months.

Sometimes the hidden one catches who took the first one, and that is awkward but useful.

If you are dealing with does and fawns hammering the same spots, this ties into what I wrote about what is a baby deer called because family groups move differently than a lone mature buck.

Don’t Let Camera Fever Ruin Your Hunt.

I hunt 30-plus days a year, mostly with a bow, and I still have to remind myself of this.

A camera is a tool, not a hobby.

Here is what I do to keep my head right.

I set a camera for a reason, I leave it alone, and I hunt the wind and the season, not the last photo.

Back in Iron County, Missouri, my first deer was an 8-point buck in November 1998 with a borrowed rifle.

I did not have a camera then, and I still got it done by reading tracks and sign and sitting still.

FAQ

How high should I mount a trail camera to keep other hunters from seeing it?

I mount most public land cameras 7 feet to 10 feet high.

I angle them down so they still catch the trail, but they do not sit in a guy’s eye-line.

Should I use a lock box and cable on public land?

I use a cable lock near parking areas and easy access routes, because that is where theft happens fast.

Deep in the Missouri Ozarks, I usually skip the box and put my effort into height, angle, and ugly cover.

Do no-glow cameras really help keep cameras from getting stolen?

No-glow helps at night because it is harder to spot, but theft is mostly a daytime problem.

Placement is what keeps cameras alive, not the spec list on the box.

Where should I NOT put a trail camera if I am worried about other hunters?

I avoid putting cameras straight on main access trails, at eye level, or on the only scrape right next to a field edge.

If humans “need” to walk there, someone will eventually see it.

How often should I check a trail camera on pressured public land?

I check them less than most guys, usually every 10 to 21 days unless I am targeting a specific buck.

If I have to check sooner, I do it mid-day and I get in and out fast.

Can I get in trouble for putting a trail camera on public land?

Yes, depending on the state and the specific area rules, because some places limit dates, locations, or require labels.

I read the area regs before I hang one, because a confiscated camera hurts worse than a stolen one.

What I Would Do Tomorrow If I Had To Hide A Camera On Public.

I would put it 8 feet high, on the side of a junky tree, aimed across a trail 20 yards off the main line, and I would not check it for 14 days.

That setup is not “perfect video,” but it is the best mix of pictures and survival I have found after losing cameras and learning what humans actually notice.

Here is what I do step by step when I pull into a busy lot and I can already see boot tracks leaving the gate.

I walk past the first good-looking sign on purpose, because that is where every other guy stops too.

Make A Decision About Cellular Cameras, Or You Will Educate People.

Cell cams solve the “checking” problem, but they add a new theft problem.

If I hang a cell cam where a guy can find it, I am basically donating a $179 device that sends pictures to his phone now.

Here is what I do if I run cellular.

I only run cell cams on my Pike County, Illinois lease where access is controlled and I can keep eyes on the gate.

On public in the Missouri Ozarks, I run standard SD cameras and I plan fewer checks, because cell cams are a magnet for thieves.

My buddy swears by Verizon cell cams on public because he “never has to go in,” but I have found those things still get found, and the monthly plan hurts when the camera disappears.

If you are hunting a spot with easy truck access and steady pressure, forget about cellular and focus on dumb height and dumb angles.

Pick A Camera That Does Not Glow Like A Billboard, Or Accept The Tradeoff.

Some cameras look like a shiny lunchbox in the woods.

If it reflects light at 3:00 PM, somebody is going to spot it.

Here is what I do with real gear.

I have used Browning Strike Force cameras that run about $120, and they take sharp pictures, but the case shine can be a problem in open timber.

I also run a Muddy Pro-Cam sometimes because it is cheap enough that I do not cry if it vanishes, and it has been reliable for me for two seasons.

I learned the hard way that the “best” camera is the one still there in three weeks, not the one with the best spec sheet.

Do Not Leave A Camera Strap Flapping, Or You Will Get Spotted.

This is a mistake that gives you away fast.

A loose strap end catches the wind and flashes movement, and the human eye is drawn to it.

Here is what I do every time.

I cut long strap tails, or I tape them tight to the tree so nothing wiggles.

I also make sure the buckle is not sitting on the front side where it reflects.

This connects to what I wrote about do deer move in the wind because windy days are when your camera false-triggers, and they are also when a flapping strap gives you away.

Use A Security Box Only Where It Buys You Time.

A steel box is not magic.

It is a time-buying tool for the spots where thieves are quick and lazy.

Here is what I do near lots and boat ramps.

I will run a CamLockBox style steel box on a camera that is close to access, because it forces a thief to work and make noise.

I do not use a box deep in the timber, because the box adds a hard edge and screams “camera” if a guy happens to see it.

I wasted money on one cheap off-brand box that rattled and cut my strap, and it also rusted so bad in one wet season that the screws looked like they came off a sunken boat.

If you are hunting within earshot of a parking lot, forget about “hiding only” and focus on slowing the guy down with steel and cable.

Plan Your Approach Route, Or You Will Lead People To Your Camera.

Guys get cameras stolen because they make a little human trail right to them.

That trail is louder than any camera flash.

Here is what I do so my boots do not rat me out.

I approach from a route that does not match the deer trail, even if it adds 6 minutes of walking.

I step on rocks, dead logs, and bare dirt when I can, because it does not leave a clean line of crushed leaves.

Back in Buffalo County, Wisconsin, I watched fresh boot tracks walk a ridge like a sidewalk, and every 60 yards there was a camera on the same side of the same kind of tree.

That is not “bad luck,” that is a pattern a stranger can read.

When I am trying to keep my movement from ruining a spot, I think about bedding and travel, and I circle back to what I wrote on deer habitat because that tells me where deer will still feel safe after I sneak in.

Do Not Aim At The Trail Centerline If People Walk It.

This is a tradeoff between great deer pictures and not getting found.

If your camera faces the exact walking line, it also faces the exact human line.

Here is what I do for “human-proof” angles.

I aim at a pinch that deer use but people skip, like the inside of a brushy bend, not the open middle.

I also prefer quartering angles so the camera catches shoulder and rib area, not just noses and antler tips.

This connects to shot planning too, so I keep where to shoot a deer to drop it in its tracks in my head when I set cameras, because I want the pictures to match real shot opportunities.

Use “Boring” Spots That Still Kill Deer.

The hottest scrape in the woods is a hot spot for thieves too.

Boring spots catch deer and ignore humans.

Here is what I do when pressure is high.

I set cameras on the exit trails from bedding, not the showy scrape itself.

I set them on creek edges where deer skirt mud, because deer love an easy walking line and humans hate wet feet.

In the Missouri Ozarks, a little bench trail on a steep sidehill can be a gold mine, and most guys walk the top because it is easier.

When I am trying to predict when deer will show on those “boring” routes, I check feeding times so I am not guessing in the dark.

Decide How You Will Handle Other Hunters On Camera, Or You Will Do Something Stupid.

If you run cameras long enough, you will get pictures of other hunters.

If you react wrong, you can turn a small problem into a big one.

Here is what I do if I catch a guy on camera.

I do not post it online, and I do not start a parking lot argument, because that is how things get ugly fast.

I move the camera and I move my hunting plan, because my goal is deer, not drama.

I have two kids I take hunting now, and I refuse to teach them that revenge is part of hunting.

Use The Same “Odd” Thinking You Use On Mature Bucks.

Older bucks survive by avoiding patterns.

Camera thieves survive by reading hunter patterns.

Here is what I do to stay one step ahead.

I never hang a camera on the first tree that “makes sense.”

I force myself to walk 30 more yards and find a tree that looks wrong, because wrong is what lasts.

This ties into behavior too, and I keep are deer smart in my mind because both deer and humans learn fast from pressure.

Keep Your Expectations Real, Because You Can Do Everything Right And Still Lose One.

I hunt 30-plus days a year and I still lose stuff.

Anybody telling you his cameras never get touched is either lucky or not hunting pressured ground.

Back in 2007, I made a way worse mistake than losing a camera.

I gut shot a doe, pushed her too early, and never found her, and I still think about it.

That is why I keep cameras in the “tool” box in my head, not the “identity” box.

If I lose one, I get mad for 10 minutes, then I adjust and keep hunting.

Use Your Camera Intel Like A Hunter, Not Like A Photographer.

Lots of guys get addicted to pretty pictures and forget to kill deer.

I did that for a stretch, and it cost me sits in the best windows.

Here is what I do now.

If a camera tells me a buck is daylighting on a certain wind, I hunt that wind once or twice and then I back off.

If the camera shows only nighttime movement, I stop messing with it and I move closer to bedding, or I wait for a weather shift.

This ties into how deer act in weather swings, and I think about where do deer go when it rains when I decide if a camera spot is worth burning boot leather.

Leave With A Plan, Not Just A Hidden Camera.

A hidden camera is only half the job.

The other half is using it without ruining the spot.

Here is what I do before I walk out.

I drop a pin on my phone, I take one wide photo of the tree, and I pick a different exit route than my entry route if I can.

I do that because I have walked past my own cameras before, and I have also watched other guys “search” trees, and I do not want to look like that.

If you do the odd height, odd angle, and off-trail placement, you will still get deer pictures.

More important, you will still have a camera there when you come back.