+16 votes
by (600 points)
Mounting camera in a tree?   Our usually nice neighborhood has had an explosion of smash and grab crimes to cars parked on the sidewalks at night. I was thinking to place a camera with one of those camouflage skins you can put over the camera and mount it conspicuously in a tree that’s in our front yard looking over the street. But other cameras seem to come on when the wind blows the camera sees a leaf moving etc. From INSIDE the tree, there will certainly be constant movements of leaves that will trigger the camera and deplete it’s battery in probably a day or two. Any advice from people who have done this as far as what sensitivity to set the camera at and any clever ways of getting it off and on a magnetic mount that wouldn’t require a ladder each time?  
Mounting camera in a tree?  Our usually nice neighborhood has had an explosion of smash and grab

10 Answers

+13 votes
by (820 points)
 
Best answer
They make an extendable grabber for magnetically mounted ones. As to the battery life. If you know what part of the day/night is most vulnerable, then you can remotely turn it off for the time you're not worried about things. Then turn it on remotely when it's time to catch the bastards.  
by (600 points)
@woodyard855 - Arlo makes a grabber? That would be awesome. Is it on their website?  
by (820 points)
by (820 points)
Paul, okay and? I guess I should have worded my response differently. There is a grabber tool available via the internet. Is that better? ‍♂️
by (820 points)
@somatology , what did I SPAM?!?!  
by (340 points)
@woodyard855 sorry. my bad you aren’t that guy who always posts this
by (820 points)
I didn't realize it was a thing that got spammed about. I was just trying to help the OP.  
by (820 points)
@wollongong , the magnetic mount is pretty tuff. The back of the camera is where the magnet is located and it sticks pretty good. It doesn't seem to come off easily.  
+12 votes
by (1.5k points)
I have several in trees with no issues. The ones in my backyard have no skins to let folks know they’re there.  
+11 votes
by (1.9k points)
Maybe a pic of the area you're wanting to monitor would help. I have a camera on my mailbox watching our street and neighbors.  
+10 votes
by (4k points)
I have a few cameras in trees. As long as there is no leaves in front of it you’re fine.  
+12 votes
by (3.1k points)
Cameras are for after the fact. Not leaving stuff in the cars prevents the smash and grab bc nothing to grab. Focus on perimeter detection.  
+10 votes
by (2.6k points)
Camouflage but conspicuous? If you want the camera to deter, leave it plastic white and visible.  
+11 votes
by (630 points)
If it makes nay difference, we have plenty of weather in Oregon, and the only thing that sets the cams off are animals, or car or person. at least so far.  
+13 votes
by (700 points)
I put one screw on trunk, use a magnetic mount, cover the camera with camouflage silicone skins. Nothing bad happened over years. Squirrels never touched them.  
0 votes
by (210 points)
I have ours in a tree and just have to disarm on the really windy days.  
+6 votes
by (280 points)
Install it in a bird house
by (600 points)
@phonetics Great idea!  
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