Plotting Trail Camera locations

[VFX_man]

Hi all, was concerned with being able to find the 10 trail cameras that we set out last weekend . . .

Note: I do have a pretty good visual remembrance, but after the leaves fall, it will look totally different.

What I ended up doing since they are spread around a roughly 100km loop . . .

Using my iPhone during scout:
1) Pre-cached the google map of the area we were scouting on the phone.
2) After placing a trail camera, in Google maps I drop a pin at the location and save it to my "Favorites". Unfortunately, you can't add a location label due to no cell/wifi signal. But it will drop a marker you can edit later.
3) Take photos of roadside landmarks/trail camera - iPhone records the Photo location even without wifi/cell connection.
4) Rinse and Repeat.

After Scout at Computer:
1) Went online to my Google account and converted the "Favorites" to "Starred" locations and added descriptor labels - i.e. trail camera number and landmarks.
2) Then compared the Google markers to the iPhone's Photo's "Places" Album [iPhone shows a map with where they were taken] and did any slight corrections.
3) Recorded all of the GPS coordinates and descriptor info in a text document on the iPhone. That way I can copy paste the GPS Coordinates into my iPhone map when out of signal range.

Geeky bit:
1) Created a high resolution multiple screen captured stitched base map using the Google maps satellite images that display my "Starred" locations.
2) In a photo manipulation application -- Labelled all points and landmarks needed.
3) Imported and labelled the iPhone photos I took of the locations onto the base map then added connector lines from them to the "Starred" locations.
4) Saved composite high resolution image to iPhone and might even print it out.

Why all of the effort? If I am unable to retrieve these at season end. My two buddies who live up there can try. And I can try to "scout" using Satellite images - but they appear to be out of date unfortunately.

Geek out, VFX

[Clint_S]

Or buy a gps unit and hit "mark"

[RackStar]

Or buy a gps unit and hit "mark"

That's what I do,
seems way to easy tho!

[hunter1947]

I put pin marks on google earth the exact paces where I put my cams I number them from 1 to 18 then I know exactly where the cams are..

[Cyrus]

I am not bothering with cameras this year but I just numbered my cams 1 through 35 and placed the corresponding number on my gps to mark them. 35 cameras is too may to try and remember where they all are.

[VFX_man]

Or buy a gps unit and hit "mark"

true, but want it on my computer/iPhone so I can recon with the full power of google earth maps. Already found another promising valley I had no idea was there -- I'm going to check it out in a couple of weeks.

[XPEIer]

GPS kit HD on your phone will allow you to cache imagery, go into a non cell coverage area, track log, take geo referenced photos, drop points. When you get back to cell coverage or wifi email that data to yourself as a KML and open it in Google Earth.

XPEIER

[Sitkaspruce]

I use a Garmin GPS and download all the cam locations, licks, trails etc. to this site.

http://skybase.ca/mapbuddy/

It uses GE maps and is more focused on the NE. You can also use Garmins Base camp, it does the same thing. Or you can convert the files and download them on GE Pro.

Lots of options

Cheers

SS