subject: Infrared Trail Cameras: Stalking Prey At Night [print this page] Hunting at night can be a thrilling, yet frustrating experience. It's difficult to see, hard to get around, but those who master the techniques of hunting in the dark can reap great rewards. Make one mistake and the chance of bringing home a kill vanishes into the night. Here are some tips to improve the chances of a successful hunt:
Make Use of Hunting Cameras
Infrared trail cameras can make all the difference between bagging the prize and going home empty. Not only will hunting cameras show what kind of prey is wandering through the area, but they will also give you an idea of exactly where they like to bed down or hide. When using a hunting camera, you'll want to scope out the area before heading out for a night of hunting to save time and improve your odds of success. This allows you to create a more precise plan, including where to put up tree stands and where to enter or exit the area.
For the best results, set up the infrared trail cameras at strategic points in the area such as openings to small clearings, breaks in the underbrush, or at the entrance of a walkway. Since animals tend to take the easiest path, this will maximize the chance of getting some great pictures out of the hunting cameras. It will also save you time because you're less likely to need to reposition the infrared trail cameras in order to get a better picture of what's going on.
Covering the Scent
Animals have a keen sense of smell and will spook easily if they sense anything out of the ordinary. This is particularly true when hunting predators. Because of this, it is imperative to keep human scent masked when setting up infrared trail cameras or food plots.
Covering your scent is one way to mask smell, but there are several other ways to hide or redirect scent as well. When positioning hunting cameras and setting up camp, try to remain downwind from the animals' established paths. If possible, move to the edge of a clearing in order to draw the target out into the open and get a clear shot off. Lastly, it's helpful to avoid areas frequented by other hunters.
Letting Loose the Call of the Wild
Calling in the prey is an excellent way to ensure a successful hunt. This is as much an art as it is a science. Call too infrequently, and the predator will lose the scent. Call too often and the animal may become wise to your plan and disappear.
It's a good idea to learn about how different animals approach their prey in order to understand where to watch for them. Foxes and coyotes will generally circle downwind before investigating the call whereas a bobcat is less reserved, but also not near as predictable.
Stalking prey at night can be very rewarding, but it also requires a different set of skills. But, with these simple tips and some key pieces of equipment, you can dramatically increase your chances of a successful hunt.
