Weak sensor?

[catman529]

I got a cheaper moultrie that I've had for a couple years. It takes pics, and I move it around to different places. I had to remove the IR lens filter because it constantly got stuck in the "on" position resulting in black nighttime pics. All that does is makes the daytime pics pink, but that's ok.

I checked it the other morning after weeks of being left alone at a salt lick. I hunted that morning and had a doe stand in front of the camera eating salt and licking her haunches for 10-15 minutes. When I climbed down and checked the camera, no pics of that doe. Plenty of recent day and night pics, and a pic of me checking the camera. The doe was soaking wet from crossing a creek - was that maybe blocking her body heat from the camera detection or is the sensor just weak? It takes pics of deer there but didn't take any pics of this one doe. Delay on pics is 1 minute.

Edit: also the camera was about 5 yards from the salt lick. I moved it to a scrape at a distance of about 3 yards.

 

[BSK]

I'll bet the cold water greatly reduced her thermal signature.

Even with cameras that I've tested, and know they don't miss a lick, if I walk by them in my heaviest insulated clothing, gloves, and headgear, they won't trigger. I'm so well insulated, my body isn't producing a thermal signature. Take off the headgear and gloves, or unzip the outer clothing, and then the camera will trigger.

 

[catman529]

I'll bet the cold water greatly reduced her thermal signature.

Even with cameras that I've tested, and know they don't miss a lick, if I walk by them in my heaviest insulated clothing, gloves, and headgear, they won't trigger. I'm so well insulated, my body isn't producing a thermal signature. Take off the headgear and gloves, or unzip the outer clothing, and then the camera will trigger.

that's what I was hoping. I guess that would suck if ol mossy horns chases a doe across the river to the camera, I prob won't get a pic of him, lol. Got a few buck pics though. Looking forward to seeing what pics I get on the nearby scrape.

 

[BSK]

Some cameras have adjustable triggers. All the ones I use have at least a "high sensitivity", "normal" and "low sensitivity" setting. Setting to high sensitivity might catch a cold, wet deer (although it will also catch every squirrel and bird too!).

 

[catman529]

One of my old cams that got invaded by bugs had hi-med-lo sensitivity. I don't think this one has that.

 

[Mike Belt]

I sent a ReconyX back to the factory after last season for that very same problem. All day time pics were pink/ monochrome looking shots and it missed taking some pics. I can't remember what they had to replace but once done it works fine now. Send it back unless the repair works out to be more expensive than simply replacing the camera. Mine also has 5 or 6 sensitivity settings.

I ordered the new ReconyX 8 megapixel camera that should be here in the next couple of days. I already downloaded and printed the operation manuel and if I'm reading it correctly it senses a difference in the target's temperature compared to the surrounding ambient temperature EITHER side of the ambient temperature. If the target is warmer OR cooler than the surrounding area it picks it up.

 

[BSK]

The "pink" daytime pictures occur when the IR filter gets stuck over the camera's lens. It's supposed to go over the lens at night, but move off the lens during daylight.

 

[catman529]

The "pink" daytime pictures occur when the IR filter gets stuck over the camera's lens. It's supposed to go over the lens at night, but move off the lens during daylight.

I think that might be backwards, the IR filter was getting stuck over the lens and making black night pics, so I opened the camera and removed the filter and now the day pics are pink because there is no filter to block out the IR light.

 

[BSK]

Could be right catman529. I just know that when an IR filter gets "stuck," it produces pink daytime images. Maybe it's stuck "off" instead of "on."