Where to place a trail camera
How high, how far and which way to point a trail camera so it catches animals crossing its view, and how to avoid empty frames from sun and moving plants.
- Time
- 30 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Cost
- Low cost
- Steps
- 8
- Checked
What you’ll need
- Trail camera with strap
- Tape measure Search Amazon for tape measure
- Secateurs for clearing stems in front of the camera
- A helper (optional)
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Safety first
- Don't point the camera at neighbours' homes or gardens, or at public paths, without thinking about privacy. See privacy and neighbours.
- Don't disturb badger setts or nesting birds when placing cameras. See wildlife law and trail cameras.
Step by step
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Step 1: Find where animals actually go
Look for paths through grass, gaps under fences and hedges, droppings and feeding signs. Put the camera where animals already travel, rather than hoping they'll walk past.
Next: step 2 -
Step 2: Set the height for your target animal
For most UK mammals, guidance from MammalWeb and NatureSpy suggests roughly 30–60 cm off the ground. MammalWeb's placement guide uses about 60 cm (2 ft). Reconyx suggests roughly the height of the target animal. Moultrie warns that mounting too low gives lots of small non-target animals, and mounting too high and angled down picks up shadows and changes in ground temperature.
Next: step 3 -
Step 3: Aim across the path, not down it
PIR sensors detect animals best as they cross the detection zones. An animal walking straight at the camera may not trigger it. Trailcampro suggests about 45 degrees across a trail, and Reconyx says perpendicular to the route. MammalWeb suggests aiming at a spot roughly 3–5 m away.
Next: step 4
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Step 4: Keep the camera level
MammalWeb says the camera should face straight ahead, not tilted towards the ground or sky. Tilted up, animals walk under the detection zone. Tilted down, the view shrinks. On a steep slope animals can pass beneath the zone, so choose flatter ground where you can.
Next: step 5 -
Step 5: Face north or south if you can
Sunlight can register as heat. Moultrie says cameras facing east or west get more false triggers from the rising or setting sun crossing the frame, and recommends north as best. Reconyx also advises keeping direct sun off the front of the camera.
Next: step 6 -
Step 6: Clear the view and use a solid support
Moving grass, twigs and leaves are the main cause of empty pictures. NatureSpy warns that plants within about 1 m of the sensor can trigger it. Trim stems in front of the camera, avoiding nesting birds and protected plants. Mount on a strong, straight trunk or post: thin trees sway and cause false triggers. Moultrie also lists water in view as a cause.
Next: step 7 -
Step 7: Test before you leave
Use the walk-test mode if your camera has one. Reconyx's version blinks a light for each detection. Otherwise ask a helper to crouch at the target spot, or take a phone photo from just in front of the lens to check the framing, as MammalWeb suggests. Then switch the camera on. MammalWeb notes it's surprisingly easy to forget.
Next: step 8 -
Step 8: Record the deployment
Note the site, date and time put out, camera height and settings. MammalWeb's tips include a simple record sheet, and the details are needed if you upload to recording schemes.
Tips
- Try a spot for a week or two before moving the camera. Animals may take time to pass.
- Hedgehogs and other small mammals are easier to catch at the lower end of the height range.
- If you see lots of empty frames on sunny, breezy days, that's the classic false-trigger pattern Reconyx describes.
When to get expert help
If you want to film near a badger sett or a protected species' nest or roost, speak to a licensed ecologist or your local wildlife trust first.
Questions people ask
How high should a trail camera be for hedgehogs?
Low. UK guidance for small and medium mammals is roughly 30–60 cm. For hedgehogs, the lower end of that range works well.
Why do I get empty pictures?
Usually moving vegetation, sun on the sensor or a swaying mount. Clear plants, face the camera north or south, use a solid support and consider lower sensitivity.
Which direction should a trail camera face?
North is best, then south. East and west catch the rising and setting sun, which can cause false triggers and glare.
How far from the path should it be?
MammalWeb suggests aiming at a spot roughly 3–5 m away, with a clear area in front.
Sources
Checked 18 October 2026. We wrote this guide in our own words, using:
- MammalWeb tips for good camera trap placement (Great North Museum) (northeastmuseums.org.uk)
- MammalWeb camera trapping tips and tricks (Great North Museum) (northeastmuseums.org.uk)
- NatureSpy: trail camera placement guide (naturespy.org)
- Trailcampro: trail camera anatomy (trailcampro.com)
- Reconyx tech tips (reconyx.com)
- Moultrie support: too many pictures (false triggers) (support.moultriemobile.com)
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Printed from wildlifetrailcameras.co.uk/guides/where-to-place-a-trail-camera/ · Checked 18 October 2026 · Research reviews, not hands-on tests: specifications come from manufacturers and findings from the independent reviewers we link to. Check the law before filming beyond your own property.