How to use a trail camera for home security

Everybody wants to live in a peaceful society, but criminals make that challenging. Short of keeping watch over your property and possessions from your front porch, homeowners need a way to detect intruders.

This can get tricky if you don’t want to spend thousands of dollars on a complex security system that needs a constant internet connection. However, a wildlife trail camera is another way to see who’s lurking in the backyard. Less expensive and easy to set up, these cameras do an excellent job of keeping a watchful eye.

In this article: Bushnell Trophy Cam, Spypoint Link Micro LTE and GardePro A3 Trail Camera.

The basics

At the technological heart of it, a home security system and a trail camera aren’t that much different. Both record activity in front of them and can alert you to movements. However, there are enough differences to set them apart.

The most significant is that a home security camera continually records and stores the data on a dedicated hard drive. Whether there is movement or not, it keeps on working. On the other hand, a trail camera only starts recording when it senses movement within a certain proximity. If nothing is happening, it remains dormant.

Different types

As with home security cameras, there are a few varieties of trail cameras you can use at home.

Flash type: These trail cameras have a built-in flash that illuminates the area with a bright white light. If that’s that’s not enough to scare off any intruders, you’ll at least have a clear image. However, there are also trail cameras that use infrared flashes, which are invisible to humans.

Video: Most trail cameras take still images, but a few record videos. When the proximity sensor gets triggered, it automatically starts recording.

Cellular: These trail cameras work like any other, but they use a cellular connection to transmit videos and photos. These are ideal if the camera is out of Wi-Fi range.

Advantages of using a trail camera

Home security cameras are relatively easy to spot and generally need a stable internet and power connection. This can limit their placement around your home, as you’ll need to lay down wiring — unless you use Wi-Fi-enabled cameras with a built-in battery.

But trail cameras expertly blend in with the surroundings to make them invisible to animals and, by extension, criminals. This means you can attach them to trees and place them in the garden or on tall bushes.

Wi-Fi-enabled trail cameras don’t need an Ethernet cable for the internet, as they connect to your home’s Wi-Fi signal to transmit any images. Recording only when they sense motion conserves battery life, but you’ll need to keep an eye on the levels and recharge them more frequently.

How to place a trail camera for security

Humans are more observant than animals and will quickly spot a camera if they are up to no good. The key to effectively using your trail camera is where you place it.

Be strategic: Consider where an intruder might come from, and place a camera on that route.

Be stealthy: Don’t put your trail camera where it’s easily spotted. Usually, 10 feet above the normal line of sight is great. Also, camouflage your camera as best as you can.

Be smart: Don’t place your camera facing toward a direct light source.
Be strong: Fasten your camera securely to the tree or structure.

What you need to buy to use a trail camera as home security

Bushnell Trophy Cam Trail Camera

This trail camera easily attaches to a tree through a secure nylon belt and clip. It works on eight AA batteries and stores data on an SD card up to 32 gigabytes. The camera is 16 megapixels and has a trigger speed of a third of a second. For nighttime, it uses a low-glow LED night vision flash.