# Monitoring Your Property with Game Cameras



## GPS1504 (Dec 13, 2013)

Cameras are depended upon more and more for surveillance of events and locations. They have been used as theft monitors and deterrents in stores and retail outlets for quite some time in addition to being used at banks to watch over money handling and, ideally, to prevent robberies. If you\'ve ever set foot in a casino, you\'ve done so on camera. Cameras have even been added to police cruisers to record interactions between police and the public, ensuring proper conduct on both ends of the spectrum. In many cities, traffic cams have been installed that snap pictures of license plates so tickets can be sent by mail to the address on file for the vehicle owner should a traffic violation take place.

There is hardly anywhere you can go these days without crossing the path of a camera. You buy groceries and pump gas on camera. While this can be a little creepy and intrusive, camera surveillance does have advantages. It is possible that cameras offer protection with their mere presence, as thieves know that getting their face caught on film will likely lead to a conviction. More likely, however, is that thieves and attackers take greater care to hide themselves. Even so, having an early warning system and possible evidence is better than having nothing at all.










With early warning in mind, one must consider the types of home protection cameras can provide. As I look for a parcel of land to call my future home, I cannot help but think about the way I wish to protect that place. In a perfect world, I would like to have a long, gated driveway, but that may or may not happen. Whether or not it does, I will be sure to take other means to protect my homestead and to make sure I know what goes bump on my side of the property lines.

How, you ask? With game/trail cameras strategically placed at key observation points. Game cameras are available with many different features, several of which will come in very handy when it comes to home defense. Many are designed with camouflage in mind, so they naturally blend with their surroundings. They are available with motion detection, coming to life to record images when something comes within a set distance of the sensor. Some even come equipped with night vision flash that can reach up to 60 feet. Depending on how much you are willing to invest, you can link them to a feed in your home or download data by USB as needed.










You may wish to hide these cameras so it is less obvious that you are monitoring your surroundings, or you may prefer them out in the open in hopes they will serve as a clear deterrent. Either option is fine, because game cameras are easy to hang in just about any location. They come with a belt or bungee by which they are easily affixed to trees and the like. These cameras are also small and lightweight which makes handling them convenient.

Aside from using game cameras to monitor your home and property for intruders or theft, you can also use them to track prey. The intended purpose of a game camera is to track game, so you can use them to tell you what is lurking on your property. If the same 8 point buck crosses your property at the same time every afternoon, one of those afternoons you can arrange to be there waiting to bring him in from the yard and onto your dinner plate. Do keep in mind that spotlighting is illegal and please don\'t use your game camera to choose a good time of night for that practice.










Whichever purpose you have in mind, game/trail cameras do have a lot to offer you. They can get expensive, but peace of mind and safety are priceless, as is feeding your family with a game animal when times get lean. Scout out some locations around your home and surrounding land to see what might work for you, or throw one in your BOB for when the tides of change are upon us. Even then you might wind up in an uncertain place and want to see that which moves around you, invisible in the night to your naked eye.


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