Got a game camera!

[EddieWalker]

Fun pics!!!! Are you putting out corn everyday for the animals?

I have a feeder from Cabela's that spreads corn every morning at 7:30 for 30 seconds. I can change this to more or less real easily. I like it going off in the morning because it forces them to come out to feed after the corn is spread, or risk not getting any if they wait until dark. It works sometimes, but mostly, they wait until dark. One of the things that I really like about my feeder are the steps to get to the top of it. I had hanging feeders and feeders on tripods, but they were always a pain to fill up. This one is easy.

I pretty much leave it alone all week and check on it with my son on the weekend. We make a fun time of it and he always reminds me that we need to add more corn to the feeder and check the pictures. Making it fun for him, makes it even more fun for me. We then go on a fourwheeler ride around on our trails too!!!!

Do you hunt the turkeys? I shot one when I lived in California. In this part of Texas, they are very rare, but the State Biologists and Universities are working on bringing them back. In some areas, they are doing very well, so it's just a matter of time until they work their way back to my area. They think they have a working solution to stocking them so their numbers continue to increase. It's nice to know they are trying.

Eddie

 

[jimmyj]

Hi Eddie

I spread some seed down almost every day. I happen to work for a company that ships and sells wild bird seed so we get damages free from the warehouse and that helps me out. I have about 30 wild bird feeders around the property as well as a zillion bird houses.

I have seen pics of your feeder, what stops animals from knocking it over? Those big porkers down in Texas look mighty hungry and I'd worry about it being tipped. Glad we don't have feral pigs here.

We don't hunt the turkeys or deer on our property - I'm too much of a softie and we do raise our own poulty on the farm so it is not really necessary. I'm not anti-hunting by any means, I'm just a wimp who loves animals too much!!

The irony about conservation is that hunters and hunting groups are directly responsible for excellent animal management and re-introduction programs in our area. Turkeys were pretty much blasted into extinction here years ago and now they are thick as can be. It's great to see them around.

P.S. If we did have feral pigs here I think I would be a hunter! I'm not crazy about the taste venison but wild pig sounds yummy!!!

 

[EddieWalker]

Hey Jimmy,

I've hunted places around the world, and consider it something that I really enjoy. The killing of the animals isn't the point at all, but the challenge and excitement of hunting for them is what I like the best. Doing it in a new place is just a HUGE bonus.

That said, I don't really hunt my own land and haven't been out of state or the country on a hunting trip in years. I'd rather move dirt!!!! What I've found to be more exciting for me then shooting the hogs that we have here is helping Steph of a friend get one. I spend hundreds of dollars a year, maybe thousands, trying to attract the animals to come here. I've only been partially successful, but it really doesn't matter the results. I'm enjoying the process. I tell my wife that when I retire and we buy our dream property, all I want to do is dig ponds, carve trails though the woods and create food plots.

Here's a few pics of Steph with some hog she's killed, and also a few from our game camera.

Eddie

 

[jimmyj]

Man, I am just amazed at the hogs at your place. Some pretty knarly looking ones too.

What stops them knocking over the feeder?

 

[EddieWalker]

Each corner of the stand has a spike in the ground. The dirt is pretty hard, so they are in there pretty good. I climb on it with 40 or 50 pound sacks of corn without any serious movement. It's really been a good feeder. I have replaced the time a few times, but couldn't say which brand that I have in there now. I also have a 12v solar cell mounted on it with a special battery. Then I ran a pair of speaker wires in a conduit from the battery to my game camera. It's also 12 volt, so I never have to replace the batteries.

Eddie

 

[jimmyj]

Bre'r bear was back again last night.

 

[jimmyj]

This next shot is one of my dogs "Big Max" sniffing to see what a bear smells like!

 

[DieselAddiction]

So anyone want to take a bet to see how long it takes for the bear to find the camera? Do you have the camera secured well?

 

[jimmyj]

Funny that the bear has not been around as far as I can tell for about a week. I wonder if it's dumb luck or if something happened to it.

I move the camera around a lot vs keeping it in the same place. I don't really tie it well, just a couple of bungie cords. Hopefully nothing will thing it's a toy or tasty morsel.

Saw a cartoon once in a "FAR SIDE" book. It was two bears with fat stomachs leaning up against a tree. The costumes from Barney Rubble and Fred Flinstone and a couple of bones were lying on the ground nearby. One bear was saying to the other "mmm, soft on the outside, crunchy on the inside"

I'm going to set the camera up in the swamp now and try and get some shots of a marsh rail that I've seen a few times. Or maybe a coyote.

 

[foggy1111]

FWIW.....around here the bears seem to have an obsession with wrecking game cameras. I dont know why that is....if its the odor or just the operating noise or flash...or what the attraction is.....but they sure seem to wreck em from what I have heard and read. I'd like to have a bear safe for my newest camera...but so far I have not had problems....but I dont have any bear photos either...lol.