How to set up moultrie game camera? As an active hunter, a game camera is one important asset in your pack which you might be underutilizing at the moment. Game cameras are excellent devices made solely for wildlife tracking in the forest without creating a disturbance.
It is a covert design made to get the detailed information you need about an animal without being there. It is a battery-powered device that uses infrared technology to film or record data on wildlife.
These gadgets work with the speed of light and can be used for more than wildlife recording and home security. Their versatility makes them useful for taking photos, capturing time-lapse, and filming videos, which means you have nothing to miss.
Game cameras are also weatherproof and safe to use outdoors regardless of the weather condition, which is why they are mostly used by hunters, wildlife enthusiasts, photographers, and security firms.
The Moultrie game camera lets you watch wild games anytime due to its advanced lens technology and motion sensor. It captures high-quality images once motion is detected within its line of sight. This feature makes the Moultrie game camera perfect for your home security as well as it captures images of strange activities around your home without being obvious.
Moultrie game camera comes in two different range options- the 60 and 70ft detection range depending on your preference. There are also different types of flashes on Moultrie game cameras, depending on what suits your need. You can use each flash type for different scenarios, the low glow or infrared basically for night footage to avoid scaring the animals with white flashes from shots taken.
Also, the camera release a red glow when taking a shot which does not startle the animal but can be seen with the human eye. The invisible flash camera, on the other hand, is ideal for stealth capturing without emitting any visible glow. Be it in the day or night, and the Moultrie game camera captures high-quality pictures.
Moultrie camera has been found useful for several purposes, the first important one being its great use for covert footage. It is why it is not only good as a hunting camera but has been found as an ideal gadget for home security. Other uses of the Moultrie camera include:
Hunting:
whether you need images or video recordings of the game you are trailing or activities in the wildlife, Moultrie cameras can give you the best result for a night or daytime footage. Even though the night images are not that great, because of the low light emission during capturing, they are considered good enough for you to get every detail you intend to capture.
Home security:
whether used for indoor security in the home or as an outdoor security cam, a Moultrie camera is your best option. Most Moultrie cams have a motion sensor feature that keeps them active once a movement is detected.
They also have a cellular capacity that lets you get the images and videos transferred to your phone to monitor your home while away in the office.
Wildlife photography:
Every photographer knows there is a perfect time to take a nice shot in the wild. In order not to miss this window, mounting a Moultrie camera at a strategic point will enable you get different shots of a particular animal from which you can choose the best.
It saves the stress of going back and forth trying to get a picture of the same animal or scaring off the target with your presence. A Moultrie camera is one important gadget for a wildlife photographer.
Wildlife Study/research:
For every lover of Nat geo wild, you may have at some point wondered how the videos or pictures were taken conveniently without being at the risk of an attack from the wild animals. I have always wondered as well until I discovered the different game cameras there are. Mounting them at a specific location will provide you with the information you need to study an animal both the day and night.
How to use your Moultrie camera
Moultrie camera can be used in different ways as long as you understand its mode of operation and features. Another important factor to consider is what you intend to use the camera for hunting, photography or security.
When used for hunting, the Moultrie game camera is attached to a tree- you don’t need to worry about shade or protection in most cases as Moultrie cams are usually weatherproof. Once mounted to a tree, the camera detects movement through its motion sensors and is triggered to take pictures and videos.
All images and videos taken are time stamped which helps you know what time the game comes into vicinity. Once the pictures and videos are recorded, you can enable the settings to send the graphics to your phone immediately.
For home security, however, Moultrie cameras are usually mounted outdoors except on rare situations requiring installing them inside the house. Suppose you have security issues and want to observe what is going on your property when you are not around.
In that case, the cams are installed on a lamp post or lawn tree or somewhere that places a trespasser in the camera’s line of sight for easy identification.
Most Moultrie cameras have a picture delay times between 1 to 30 minutes- depending on what time you set it at, this spaces out the pictures taken and helps avoid unnecessary shots that crams up the storage memory leaving out the important pictures.
Another feature you enjoy when you use this camera is the moon phase, camera id stamp, date, and time stamp, which serve as tenable evidence should you need proof.
Read also:
What animals can you hunt in Florida?
How to start a Moultrie game camera
- Once you have unboxed your Moultrie game camera, the next step is to get it started for use. Here are some steps to starting your game camera.
- Slide the UNLOCK switch on the bottom of the Camera and use the knob to bring out the Battery Tray.
- Insert eight (8) AA size alkaline or lithium batteries and make sure they are arranged according to the indicated polarities on the battery tray.
- Re-install the battery tray.
- Insert your SD card (for proper functioning, it is advisable to format the SD card before taking pictures.)
- Fix the camera mounting strap through the eyelet behind the camera and fasten securely to a tree or pole.
- Switch on the camera by sliding the on/off switch to the on position.
- Press the mode button once to open the main selection pane and select setup.
- Set the time and date by pressing ENTER, using the UP/DOWN button to modify the selected field and the LEFT/RIGHT cursor to move to the next field and ENTER when finished.
- Using the mode button, press down until the menu SELECTION screen is displayed. Then use the UP/DOWN buttons till the MAIN SCREEN option has a yellow highlight, then press ENTER.
- Switch the camera to AIM mode. Also, it lets the camera determine target area using motion detection. You can test this by walking at a distance in front of the camera. The camera will detect movement and flash showing the area covered in the shot. This lets you decide if the covered distance meets your expectation.
- Switch the camera back to the ON mode, and it automatically begins to capture pictures of animals detected within the set range.
How long can Moultrie game camera last
The battery life of the Moultrie game camera is usually about 205 days under normal conditions. However, this duration varies with the type of battery used, weather conditions, and camera use. For optimum performance, a lithium battery is highly recommended for use.
A total of 8 AA alkaline batteries are needed to get the device working, and it gives a total of 5-day pictures and five-night pictures. To confirm the battery life on your device, there is a feature that let you access the information. The battery life is usually shown as ‘### days’, and after viewing, pressing the MODE button will take you back to the Setup menu.
Please note that the more you increase the time-lapse duration of the camera, the battery life decreases over time.
Moultrie game parts and their functions
The front view of a Moultrie game camera consists of the following parts:
LED flash: could be infrared or low light and help to take clear pictures covertly.
Camera lens: this brings the target into the camera focus before an image is captured.
Light sensor 1
Light sensor 2
Aim LED: this is a red light that comes on when there is a target within range.
AIM/ON/OFF switch: you can put the device on or off with the switch. On is for whenever the device is needed or in use, and it is switched off when not in use. The AIM mode is to determine the target area and distance to be covered by the camera. When the AIM is on, the PIR sensor will detect motion which will trigger the red LED to come on for about 2 seconds and then shut off again.
Mode button: this button selects camera setup or main screen. It is also used to wake up the device and turn on the display when the camera is power-saving. When the camera mode is selected, the UP/DOWN button helps you navigate the menu options.
Enter button: the enter button selects the item or menu to be changed. Pressing it could also select options displayed on the screen. The enter button can also be used to manually take a picture.
UP/DOWN navigation buttons are used to navigate the menu options by scrolling up or down.
LEFT/RIGHT navigation buttons: the buttons are used to navigate the menu options left and right.
LCD: this is where the menu, mode, and battery life are displayed for you to see.
Motion sensor: This triggers the camera on when any movement is detected. It is a very sensitive part of the camera that detects the slightest movement within the coverage area.
The side view consists of:
USB port: lets you copy or download saved images and videos from the camera to other devices like a computer or phone. A USB cable is connected to the port on one end and connected to the receiving device on another end.
SD card slot: takes up to 32GB SD card for photo and video storage. The SD card is sold separately and inserted into the slot before taking pictures. It is advisable to format the SD card before use.
The bottom part of the device consists of:
Microphone: record sounds during video footage for good audio feedback.
Slide-out battery compartment: once unlocked, the 8 AA batteries are inserted according to their polarities to power the camera.
Power panel port: usually for external cables or attachments to the device, especially the Moultrie power panel. It is not advisable to use any other power source asides from the recommended one.
Moultrie game camera setup and programming
Set-up
Use the UP/DOWN buttons to navigate the setting options. UP/DOWN button scrolls through the menu list, ENTER selects the menu option to change. UP/DOWN buttons give additional menu options available on the device. With this at the back of your mind, you can set up a few things on your camera before you begin to use it.
Date/time
To set the date, scroll to the DATE/TIME set up and use the UP/DOWN button to adjust the month. The LEFT/RIGHT button lets you move to the next field and after you fill in the fields, press the ENTER button to save your selection. The time and date do not change between batter changes, but the time is not automatically set for daylight savings.
Adjust photo quality
To adjust the photo quality, press the UP/DOWN button to select your preferred setting. Choose between the picture quality options available under the settings (0.5MP, 2.0Mp, 4.0MP, and 8.0MP). Press the Enter button to save the setting and return to the setup menu. Please note that the higher picture quality you set, the more storage space is used and the lower the battery life, even though the images will have a higher resolution.
Photo settings
To set photo delay time, press the UP/DOWN button to select your preferred setting. Press the enter button to save the option chosen and return to the setup menu. Photo delay helps you choose the number of minutes between every picture taken from when an animal is detected and remains within the camera range. The timer can be set to 5, 15, and 30 seconds or 1, 5, 10, 30, and 60 minutes.
Reset camera
To reset the camera name, use the LEFT/RIGHT button to select the field to be edited. Press the UP/DOWN button to select the character (from A-z, 0-9 or space). Press the LEFT/RIGHT button to move to the next character, then press the ENTER button to save the modification. The camera name will be imprinted on every image captured and serve as a point of reference where necessary.
Change the settings
To change the info strip setting; use the LEFT/RIGHT button to select your preferred setting, then press the ENTER button to save the setting. The info strip, when turned on, allows all details of the picture captured to show on the bottom of each picture. Such information includes the temperature, moon phase, date, time, camera name, and camera brand logo.
Summary
Now that you have purchased the Moultrie game camera and gotten a few tips on how to set up Moultrie game camera, you can begin to enjoy your new gadget for whatever purpose it is intended for. All Moultrie game camera comes with an instruction manual that further guides you through the setup and mounting on your preferred location.
Outdoorsman, hunter, writer, photographer, inventor and owner of Sage & Braker. Pics taken by yours truly unless otherwise noted.