So if you were a Cuddeback/Cuddelink trail camera system user/owner, if you stopped receiving any pictures, what is the problem?
You do receive a system report, and can select 2, 3, or 4 reports per day.

But how do you really know the system is operational, unless you actually receive pictures?

Is the problem no deer/game running around in the woods, or is something faulty with the trail camera system?
Is the cell tower down?
There is a TON of sophisticated electronics in play with the Cuddeback system.
Each remote trail camera has a computer embedded in the design.
Then the mesh Wi-Fi links between all the cameras, linking all the woods/remote cameras to the base unit inside the cabin? (that's the home camera)

The Home camera is all of that, it's also the end point for image collecting from all of the woods/remote cameras before they are send out via cellular data to the Cuddeback server.

During system setup, there is a option for sending daily "verify" pictures. (Cuddeback calls them verify pictures in their documentation)
The verify pictures, I call them proof pictures, are extremely low resolution, and small file sizes.
These verify pictures are system triggered daily, and with extremely low resolution and file sizes per picture, do not count as "pictures" on your monthly picture plan count.

I routinely delete them daily after they all have arrived, but they do prove beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the system is operational.

These six just arrived.

IMG_1837328397 by cee_Kamp 32ACP, on Flickr

IMG_1837328396 by cee_Kamp 32ACP, on Flickr

IMG_1837328395 by cee_Kamp 32ACP, on Flickr

IMG_1837328394 by cee_Kamp 32ACP, on Flickr

IMG_1837328393 by cee_Kamp 32ACP, on Flickr

IMG_1837131783 by cee_Kamp 32ACP, on Flickr

Note that the verify/proof pictures do not have the black footer/identifier at the bottom.

I spent most of the day on the Kubota BX 25 today.
That offending blueberry bush? It's in the woods line now.

We had some crazy rain back in June.
My culvert washed out on the ATV/tractor road below the mobile shooting shack.
I walked the tiny stream about 25 yards downstream and retrieved it.
I piled several tons of creek bed rocks on top this time, instead of dirt.

I also removed a stump that was concerning me when bush hogging.

This is my favorite season for doing tractor projects, not too hot or cold.

That offending blueberry bush causing nighttime cabin surveillance picture problems is the one directly in front of the tractor, in the field near the edge of the woods.

PXL_20250919_174351344 by cee_Kamp 32ACP, on Flickr

The huge blueberry bush that was removed when the camera system got installed is now the bare patch of topsoil right in front of the tractor bucket in the above picture.
The topsoil settled some with rain and driving the mower on it, so I added a bit more topsoil.

PXL_20250919_182437609 by cee_Kamp 32ACP, on Flickr

The blueberry bush removed yesterday is visible in this picture, off the edge of the field inside the edge of the woods. The topsoil filled in the divot nicely!

PXL_20250919_182505604 by cee_Kamp 32ACP, on Flickr

Note the white block (TEST) in the left corner of the black footer. A test photo is different from a verify/proof photo, and does count on your monthly picture count quota.
Test photos are set up remotely, using PC/laptop, or phone.
The blueberry bush is no longer in the right foreground.

9_20_2025_Test by cee_Kamp 32ACP, on Flickr

Nice work!
I too find this time of year the best to do larger projects outside. For me it’s still cleaning up after Helene blew down about 30 large trees (24-36”). Paid a crew to clean up the big stuff and I have been cutting up smaller stuff.
I just bought a HF chipper and hopefully will have enough ground cover to keep the weeds at bay next year. Logs that are too big to chip will be cut up for firewood…

Keep up the good work! I wish I had a tractor like yours but the ground is way too steep for wheeled vehicles.

Today, October 15th, is one month away from the start of our regular firearms big game hunting season.
The state has changed bow hunting regulations here, now crossbows are legal implements for the entire bow hunting season.
The legislature passed the new bow hunting regulations earlier in the summer, and then they sat on Hochul's desk for several months before she eventually signed the legislation.
The vertical (recurve & compound bows) bow hunters are really pissed about the regulation change, and they fought the regulation change for decades.
I also believe that was the reason for Hochul waiting so long for signing, she was "reading" the political winds.
Bow season starts October 1st, and ends November 14th.

I haven't had the time available for getting my crossbow set up properly, that will likely happen next year.
Between the regular firearms hunting season (cartridge type) and the late muzzleloader seasons, you can deer hunt from November 15th until January 1st.
If you add in the bow season, you can hunt deer from October 1st and finish out during the late muzzleloader seasons on January 1st. (minus a handful of closed season days bracketing December 25th)
Not bad at all for those that enjoy deer hunting, three solid months of deer hunting if you are equipped with the various implements for the appropriate seasons.

I am still doing some firearms preparation tasks.

I've swapped a different scope onto one of my Ruger hunting revolvers, and need to sight it in.
This year I'm planning on using my Remington 700 30-06 rifle. I haven't shot it in several years, and it also needs a trip to the range.
I've acquired a Henry Big Boy brass frame octagonal barrel lever action rifle in .44 Magnum, a quick range trip earlier showed it needed a taller front sight.
I have ordered one and it is inbound from Montana via USPS. Hopefully it will arrive for installation this year.

The Cuddelink trail camera system is working great, pictures arrive virtually every day!
All of the hunters who use my recreational property will arrive at the property for a stands & blinds prep day in about another week.
This group will ensure all the stands, blinds, and ladder stands are all safe for use, and we clean up fallen branches on the ATV paths and foot trails.
One or two people could easily do this task in one day, but having all the hunters present allows them to learn all of the trails/paths/stand locations before the season begins.
Hopefully...
Other than stands and blinds day which is really more of a social gathering event, I have all the other property preparation tasks completed.

This is the scope I removed.
It's a fixed power 4 x Leupold extended eye relief handgun scope.
Using it in field conditions is tough, shooting unsupported, getting behind the eye box is very difficult, almost impossible. At the range using sandbag support it was OK.

IMG_20250326_123642561_HDR by cee_Kamp 32ACP, on Flickr

This is the same revolver now set up with a Leupold Vari X 2.5 x 8 variable power extended eye relief handgun scope.
Dialed down to 2.5 x and it's easy to get behind the eye box, and when shooting from a supported position, you can dial up the magnification as needed.
The variable scope is also significantly brighter in low light conditions.

PXL_20251011_003505348 by cee_Kamp 32ACP, on Flickr

I had to replace the #4 medium height rings which were adequate height when using the 4 x fixed power scope.
The variable scope required #6 extra tall rings for sufficient objective and eyepiece clearances.
I prefer to have the factory iron sights zeroed, that way if you have a scope failure, even at deer camp you can remove the scope with rings attached, and still have a viable hunting handgun.
The #6 extra high rings are typically used on a rifle when using a scope with a HUGE 62mm objective lens diameter.
The revolver has some bits & pieces that stick up and get in the way of a lower scope mounting height.

PXL_20251011_003430662 by cee_Kamp 32ACP, on Flickr

PXL_20251011_003403630 by cee_Kamp 32ACP, on Flickr

edit: spelling & delete duplicate photo

This message has been edited. Last edited by: cee_Kamp,

I don't know what attracts the does to this specific location. But we regularly get pictures of does feeding and bedding/sleeping here.

IMG_1846686391 by cee_Kamp 32ACP, on Flickr

I was going to chop off that little scrub tree in the right foreground. When windy, that little tree moves and triggers the camera motion sensor and gives false (no deer) pictures.

Last night, a series of pictures arrived and a small racked buck was using that small scrub tree as a licking post.
Deer leave their saliva and scent on the small branches and it acts like a scent signpost for who is in the neighborhood.

IMG_1889521281 by cee_Kamp 32ACP, on Flickr

IMG_1889817848 by cee_Kamp 32ACP, on Flickr

Deer using a licking branch is a sign of the pre rut beginning.
I will leave that scrub tree standing so they can continue using it right in front of that camera. A few no deer pictures when windy is a small price to pay.
I'm expecting larger bucks will frequent that licking branch and they will actively try and round up the does for breeding while fighting the smaller bucks for breeding rights.

We have had a bunch of heavy rain and high winds here, for several consecutive days.
With several days of very low deer/trail camera activity.
We needed the rain, it's been very dry here, and the wind is removing the leaves from the trees and improving visibility in the forested sections of the property.

Today it's sunny and cooler and the wind has died down.

Visible rut activity is now taking place!
Bucks are up on their feet during daylight hours and cruising for does willing to "dance" for a moment or three.
Opening day of regular firearms season starts November 15th.

Nothing Boone & Crockett grade so far, but many willing candidates for the freezer.
Several frosts have occurred, well into the mid 20 degrees Fahrenheit range at night.
Most of the normal "woods" green vegetation has died and turned brown.
That leaves the lush green mowed food plot field for readily available chow, and right in front of the heated/insulated shooting shack.
The two pictures below of the food plot field labeled Interior_Field, the mobile shooting shack is off to the left about 10 yards outside the camera view.
The picture directly below of the shooting shack is from last year, and doesn't show the current state of the woods today.
The other three pictures were taken this morning.

IMG_20240928_132345735_HDR by cee_Kamp 32ACP, on Flickr

IMG_1922709938 by cee_Kamp 32ACP, on Flickr

IMG_1922661060 by cee_Kamp 32ACP, on Flickr

IMG_1922661061 by cee_Kamp 32ACP, on Flickr

Nice!
Looks like all you need is the 15th to roll around and you’ll be set.

Several more from earlier this afternoon.
While not Boone & Crockett grade, this one is a VERY nice example of upstate NY/small piece of woods whitetail deer.
Hopefully, I can observe this one later through a scope equipped with crosshairs!

IMG_1922986350 by cee_Kamp 32ACP, on Flickr

IMG_1922986349 by cee_Kamp 32ACP, on Flickr

The first visible/sticking snowfall at the recreational property this season.
Here at the house at similar elevation and about 20 miles distant, nothing but green grass.
It is forecast to snow shower almost every day between now and opening day.
The white background certainly makes for easier deer spotting!
We have received 24"+ snow "dumps" the evening before opening day in the last 5 - 6 years. It makes trudging around in the woods somewhat difficult.

IMG_1927677606 by cee_Kamp 32ACP, on Flickr

Deer season, opening day for rifle season, kicked off with a "BANG" on Saturday, November 15th here in upstate NY.
My adult son, and another hunter, a great friend, hunted with me on the hunting/recreational property.
My son (age 43) successfully harvested his first deer ever, a nice big doe by 07:15AM.

My friend harvested a four point buck and a nice big doe, both by 11:00AM.
Tagged out by 2PM on opening day!

The buck required blood tracking on dead wet leaves on the forest floor (the snow melted) and it was a great learning opportunity for my son. The buck ran around a quarter mile before expiring, and it took several hours before it was located. It was a very tough tracking situation, one of the worst/most difficult that I have ever seen. Very minimal blood spots on wet leaves.
When field dressing the buck, only one lung was hit, and both the entrance and exit bullet holes were about the size of a # 2 yellow pencil.
It sure was nice having a younger pair of eyes when doing the blood tracking.

Here in New York State, they are "pushing" lead free deer hunting ammunition, and some locations require it. So far that lead free ammo thing is only a "request" when hunting on privately owned land.
I was not impressed at all with the lead free projectile performance my friend used in his 30-06 rifle.
He "bought into" the lead free ammo "Kool Aid" rhetoric, and now understands why I laughed at him when he told me his story about the State paying for his $85 box of lead free rifle ammo, 20 rounds in the box.
The State actually paid for the box of lead free ammo, via a rebate coupon.

I spent a wonderful weekend with my son!
My deer hunting time duration for opening day weekend was only 1.5 hours.
The remainder of the time was spent doing multiple deer dragging with the little Honda ATV, tracking the buck, and gutting/loading deer carcasses into vehicles.
Several deer went to the commercial processor.

Sunday weather was vile, and my son & I stayed inside the cabin near the big wood stove.
I have until January 1st for harvesting a deer of my own.
We are going back out later in the week.

BW.jpg by cee_Kamp 32ACP, on Flickr

My son used his new Ruger American Gen 2 Ranch rifle (budget bolt action) in 6.5 Creedmoor.
I was highly impressed with the new rifle/scope and ammunition performance at the range when sighting it in, and the field performance. The deer ran about 10 feet before it dropped.
That budget rifle put three shots under a dime at 100 yards from the benchrest using relatively inexpensive commercially available hunting ammunition.

RF.jpg by cee_Kamp 32ACP, on Flickr

My friend used a Thompson Center Encore rifle chambered in 30-06 Springfield.
He suffered a detached retina some years back, and is quite careful now with sudden/violent cranium movements. (this includes induced head motion from centerfire rifle recoil)
I actually check his rifle at the range for being sighted in now for him. It shot billiard ball sized groups at the range from a benchrest just about one month ago.
He commented when we were looking for the buck, that it was the first time he had ever shot a deer and it didn't drop within 35 or so feet after being shot.
After we recovered his buck, I asked him if he had noticed anything different for this year compared to previously shot deer.
He said that this year he waited until he had a good broadside presentation and took the shot, and was genuinely surprised when it didn't drop quickly.
During field dressing of the buck, only one slightly destroyed lung, and # 2 yellow pencil entrance and exit holes.
That was when I pointed out to him, the only possible explanation was the lead free ammo, which did not appear to expand at all.

Thursday, November 20th is Henry rifle day for me! It's a Henry Big Boy brass frame 20" octagonal barrel rifle in .44 Magnum.
I just barely got it all squared away for hunting season with a few days to spare.
The weather forecast for tomorrow is partially sunny, high of 44 F, and zero % chance of any precipitation.
I am meeting my son at noon tomorrow for an afternoon hunt at the cabin/recreational property. (I'm retired, but he's dodging an afternoon at work)
First time ever for me with a lever action rifle in the deer woods. Wish me luck!

PXL_20251028_212938484~3 by cee_Kamp 32ACP, on Flickr

It was excessively warm yesterday. If it's warm enough to sit motionless in a deer blind/stand and not freeze, it's also warm enough for the deer to sleep the day away in a patch of brush.

I had a learning experience with the new-to-me Henry rifle also. I already suspected the sights would be hard to see in low light conditions, I just needed another "fresh" reminder.

Here in New York State, and for many decades, legal hours for big game hunting were sunrise to sunset. "Most" other States have an additional time period before sunrise, and after sunset.
Several years ago, the regulations got "tweaked" and now legal big game hunting hours added 30 minutes before sunrise, and 30 minutes after sunset.
(sunrise/sunset defined by published "official" times for your location)

The reality is, those two additional half hour periods are actually the very best parts of your hunting day.

The tweaked regulations came with a "cost" as fluorescent orange/fluorescent orange camo became mandatory, instead of optional. Hat or vest satisfies the mandatory fluorescent orange mandate.
On privately owned land not overrun with New York City and New Jersey hunters, I prefer to go without the fluorescent orange, and now I don't have that choice.

Back to the Henry rifle. At sunset, the iron sights disappeared in the shaded twilight. The additional 30 minutes after sunset were essentially meaningless when the sights can't be seen.
It turns out that the "modern" all stainless steel Remington 700 in 30-06 with the Leupold 50mm objective 3 x 9 scope "sucks in" that light during dawn/dusk low visibility hunting conditions.
That Henry is easy to carry and fun to take out in the hunting woods. But it's clearly the wrong choice very early in the morning and at the tail end of the hunting day.

IMG_1947458077 by cee_Kamp 32ACP, on Flickr

IMG_1947458078 by cee_Kamp 32ACP, on Flickr

IMG_1947458079 by cee_Kamp 32ACP, on Flickr

IMG_1947458080 by cee_Kamp 32ACP, on Flickr

Next to the last day of regular firearms season today. Black powder/muzzleloader starts Monday 12/8 and should be some fun times for me and my son.

This.

IMG_20240928_132345735_HDR by cee_Kamp 32ACP, on Flickr

Plus this.

PXL_20251011_003505348 by cee_Kamp 32ACP, on Flickr

Equals this. Some tender venison for the freezer. I'm the camera guy, and there wasn't anyone around for taking my photo.
My deer already has the lower legs cut off with big shears, on the floor at the deer processor.

PXL_20251206_225349407 by cee_Kamp 32ACP, on Flickr

My son & I did a few days of black powder/muzzleloader hunting last weekend and then pulled the "plug" for the winter.
We spent about three hours in the woods out in the darkness on the Friday night when we arrived and replaced 24 "D" batteries in the woods trail cameras.
The snow is 8" to 10" deep out in the woods and it's tough walking.

The trail camera watching the cabin for "security" purposes is mounted up high in a tree so the camera cannot be easily stolen.
That "security" camera requires a ladder for changing camera batteries.

I ordered a remote battery box from Cuddeback that holds an additional 6 "D" batteries. (each camera uses 4 "D" batteries)
I also ordered a 10 foot long extension cable (wire mesh sheathed/armored) for connecting the elevated camera to the ground level remote battery box.
A ladder will no longer be required for the elevated "security" camera for battery replacements.
I also ordered a 120 VAC power pack for the Home unit which is inside the cabin.

All the additional items had not arrived when we departed for the cabin last weekend, and tomorrow it's supposed to be warm, and those additional parts will be installed then.
The little Honda ATV also needs retrieval from the shipping container before it's snowed in for the winter. It will get picked up tomorrow also.

It was one of the best deer seasons in recent history. Four deer total harvested for the regular firearms season.

I have found Eveready Energizer alkaline batteries will give 110 + days of service before needing replacement.
Rayovac alkaline batteries lasted for only 40 or so days.
This time, we are trying Amazon "Basic" brand alkaline batteries and we will see how long they will last.
Changing out an entire system "set" of alkaline "D" batteries including the soon to be installed remote battery box requires 34 batteries.

We have learned more about deer behavior on the property in the last few months since the camera system was installed, than what had been learned in the prior 20 + years.
The camera system was a worthwhile investment!

It turns out this evening that deer season wasn't done for me.
I harvested another deer, this time with the Toyota Tacoma.

quote:

Originally posted by cee_Kamp:
It turns out this evening that deer season wasn't done for me.
I harvested another deer, this time with the Toyota Tacoma.

Oh, crap. Sorry to hear that. Much damage?

I haven't got to the shop for the estimate yet.
Maybe early next week.
My "calibrated" eye says it will exceed $4k.
With a $500 deductible.