Page 54 - Kansas Sportsman

How many cameras you hang depends on the size of the land, near water sources where he might catch a glimpse of big
your objective, and your budget. Heath offers these tips on game—typically elk or mule deer in his neck of the woods. And
trail cam height. “I hang mine three feet from the ground to sometimes, a camera will capture something else—another
the bottom of the camera to get a full view of the animal. I also big Western predator making its way across the land. Trail
keep the sun’s direction in mind, pointing cameras northeast or cams are an excellent way to learn more about the wildlife in
northwest to avoid over exposure.” the area. Bears, wolves, lynx, mountain lions, coyotes, fowl,
and varmints—trail cams paint broad strokes of the wildlife
living on your land. For Lonnie and others, trail cams also offer
a unique way to understand the local wildlife population—how
and where animals are moving; which water sources they rely
on; and how land use shifts from one season to the next.

USING TRAIL CAMS FOR A BETTER HUNTING
EXPERIENCE

While trail cams can certainly enhance the hunting experience,
Heath gives fair warning, “The worst thing you can do is look at
trail cams. It’ll make you sick; big buck after big buck you might
never see again.” And while he’s right—some of the biggest
racks don’t make it onto the wall—having trail cams on the
property can help you prepare.

Place a trail camera over bait like a mineral lick. He adds, “We use trail cams for animal counts. We count every
deer we see. It lets us know what’s on the property.” Lonnie
counts on trail cams for knowing the time of day animals are
Look closely for nearby plants that might trigger the camera.
coming in. And Shad likes to use them to learn more about what
There’s nothing worse than hoping for a great shot of that
comes after hunting season. “After last rifle season was over,
Boone-and-Crockett buck only to get hundreds of pictures of
we had about three to four 150-class bucks show up. We saw
grain or a branch.
new deer move in.” Heath notes trail cams aren’t just for big
game. “They’re great for turkey hunting, too. Trail cams let me
USING TRAIL CAMS TO ENHANCE WILDLIFE see where the turkeys are, because down here, turkeys don’t
OBSERVATION gobble a lot. So we’re using trail cams to see where they’re
traveling in and out.”

You might be using trail cams for hunting, or just to get an
inside view of the wildlife. Lonnie Gustin is familiar with
both. He’s been hunting and wandering the mountains of the
West his whole life, but is quick to tell you he’s never been an
outfitter. “I always said I liked hunting too much to be a guide.”
Nowadays, he hunts with his boys along the Rocky Mountain
Front throughout Wyoming and Colorado. He calls 4,000 acres
along the Western Slope of Colorado and Wyoming home,
and joined Hayden Outdoors “back in the day,” about 13 years
ago. If you’re looking to buy or sell a farm, hunting property, or
ranch land in the area, Lonnie is your guy.

He uses trail cams all the time, most commonly placing them Trail cameras are a fun way to learn more about wildlife

54 THE KANSAS SPORTSMAN | SPRING 2024