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Waterfowl hunting can be tedious. Don’t get me wrong: we love it and live for it, logistics and all. With that said, all the gear involved, the time and money spent scouting, getting permission, dog work, nasty weather and figuring out the precise timing of our hunts can add up over a long season.
If there is one piece of gear that has made my hunting more efficient, it is the cellular trail cam. It is not a replacement for boots-on-the-ground scouting, but it is another effective tool that can be used to help garner success.
My primary use of cameras is twofold: 1) Placing cameras to know if a location will hold birds or not, and 2) Monitoring flock numbers on camera to know exactly when to go.
Whether you’re a duck farmer, leasing hunting ground, or a diehard waterfowler hunting a hardfought roster of honey holes, using a cellular camera can give you real-time intel on conditions and bird numbers to make your hunt as productive as it can be. I use Tactacam REVEAL Cellular Cameras, and they connect to the strongest available signal to send data. Along with advances in lithium battery and solar panel technology, cell cams can be placed and monitored without having to return to your hunting zone until it’s time to bring your dog and a shotgun.
I love hunting water, but most of my advice here applies to all waterfowl hunting habitat and styles. I like to leave the roost alone and find day loafs in shallower water that birds use in between feeding and roosting. Placing cameras on these areas will help me identify potential hunting locations. Once a critical mass of birds starts to use an area, you might see hundreds of other birds follow suit. Watch the numbers build up and time your hunt accordingly.
If you have the ability to hunt dry fields, cameras can give you invaluable info on timing and the specific part of a field to hunt. Some of these fields are vast, and having a camera in place will help you know what part of the field birds are using. Things can also change quickly in dry fields; a field could see 100 birds one day and then 10,000 within a few days' time. Mallards will eat up all the feed and move on in a matter of days. Without driving all the way out to your hunting ground to monitor it, a camera will tell you when the numbers are peaking. When your camera is full of birds getting fat and sassy, load the truck and set the early alarm.
Cameras can also tell you where to build a blind and if birds are comfortable with an existing blind. Whatever habitat I’m hunting, I place blinds based on wind and where I think birds will finish. Cameras can help identify these areas. Once I have a blind built, I will place cameras directly on the blind. If I see consistent numbers of birds on those cameras, I know they’re comfortable with the blind. I like to place cameras close to the ground or water so I can really see the details. I’ll also place a camera on a stake to show as much of the hunting ground or water as possible.
I highly recommend utilizing video on your cameras. Videos of birds are not only fun to watch and listen to; they will show you all of the birds' activity, including exactly where they’re landing. I use REVEAL cameras, and getting 4K video is just as easy as getting photos (although it does require a small upgrade in your subscription). REVEAL cameras also provide a Live View option, which is really nice to have. Nothing gets me more fired up to hunt than seeing and hearing a pile of ducks on video in an area I’ve scouted.
Using trail cameras for waterfowl hunting will help you become more efficient and successful in the field. It can also go a long way in turning your uncertainty and anticipation into optimism and positivity. We work hard and lead busy lives. Our time in the field is sacred. Being able to make the most of it, and most importantly having fun, is what it’s all about. If you’re as serious about waterfowl hunting as I and my buddies are, cell cams will only add to your success and fun. I even let cameras roll right where I hunt and have got some awesome photos and video of my buddies and our dogs hunting.
The last thing I’d say is to monitor your device closely. As I mentioned, conditions can change quickly. Keep a close eye on your spots and be the hunter who knows exactly when to catch the flock.
Chad Belding is the founder of The Fowl Life. Learn more at thefowllife.com
Learn more about Tactacam REVEAL cellular cameras at tactacam.com/hunt-cameras
This content is brought to you by Tactacam as part of a Sponsored Content program. Ducks Unlimited editorial staff played no role in the creation of this content.
