Tripping and Trail Cameras

[Jim Dodd]

Shortly after returning home, from the BWCA, before unpacking, and storing away my gear, I pulled the SD card from my Browning Trail camera, I took the camera along on my Oct. Solo trip.

I couldn't wait to see if I caught anything, that might have crept into camp, while I was away, or asleep.

One night, twice I heard something very close to my tent. I was in high hopes the camera would have caught it. Alas nothing. Reasoning later, it was a small rodent. At the time it seemed much bigger though ! At Least a Wolf ! Ha !

To me, that Trail camera provides a new dimension to solo tripping ! It watches over camp night and day. Recording wind, rain, temperature, the time, every time the camera was triggered.
The Trail camera is capable of noting critters, in my case, ME, within view of the camera ! I'm not really solo, with that camera along. It's a Watch dog !

I did learn it has limitations. Field of view(as all cameras do). Trigger range, mine is about 75' or less. I missed a lot of cooking and campfire pics, showing me relaxing, as I was just out of trigger range !

The time and date told me exactly when I got up in the middle of the night to make a visit to the Throne.

It is a visual diary of everything, within it's view. I set it and forgot it. The camera recorded 1643 mostly candid shots, of me tending camp ! I was a busy critter by the camera's account !
Setting the camera to take 3 pics a few seconds apart, has been my favorite, as an aid for watching deer at home .

So next time you go Solo ? take a Trail camera ! If you wait until you get home to view that SD card ? You will be anxious and amazed, to check it out !

Here is just one pic !



Jim

 

[Bob B.]

Interesting post Jim. I remember one night in the deep dark timber, I believed I was under siege by ill tempered moose ... turned out it was rabbits running amuck throughout my camp. Many times hearing critters sneaking about I have lied awake In my bedroll wondering what could be lurking so near by. A trail cam is a great idea, gives something to ponder this winter for next season.

Good on ya!

Bob

 

[Jim Dodd]

Interesting post Jim. I remember one night in the deep dark timber, I believed I was under siege by ill tempered moose ... turned out it was rabbits running amuck throughout my camp. Many times hearing critters sneaking about I have lied awake In my bedroll wondering what could be lurking so near by. A trail cam is a great idea, gives something to ponder this winter for next season.

Good on ya!

Bob

So True ! It's funny how the mind plays tricks !

I would have loved to see what was at my tent ! I did see two mice climb the screen on the inside of my tent when I was in it.

The Chip Monks had to be watched when cooking ! I was pretty religious about keeping food in the buckets and the Gamma lids in place !

 

[Black_Fly]

Great forensic tool for those finding your body.

 

[Boatman53]

Good idea Jim. I have that same camera so I’ll have to bring it along next time.
i was camping in Florida one time and during the day we saw a lot of wild hogs and then at night we heard a lot of noise around the tent and were a bit concerned but with a flashlight we found out the ruckus was from armadillos!
Jim

 

[memaquay]

That's a cool idea! I think I have to get a trail camera now!

 

[Jim Dodd]

Great forensic tool for those finding your body.

Ha !I never gave that a thought ! It may show a Bear dragging my carcase off ! Ha !

Good one !

 

[Guest]

I don’t own a trail camera, but I really like that idea. I know I have been caught on a trail camera; I discovered one set up near my campsite, tagged with some University Environmental Studies program label. Kinda made me ponder just what all I had done in camp. I did give them a few posed selfies, including a close up.

I don’t need 1600 shots of me scratching my butt in camp, but I could turn it on and off occasionally.

I’d be interested in what critters visit my camp while I was away hiking or day paddling, and in things that go bump in the night.

Or things that go scritchyscrathy in the dawn. I was in the tent early one morning, thinking about getting up, when I heard an odd rustling approaching my tent. Closer and closer, and louder and louder, finally surrounding my tent on all sides before slowly starting to move away.

WTF? I opened the tent door and looked out to find the largest flock of turkeys I have ever seen, slowly moving through the piney woods, scratching at the duff.

There was a 20 yard wide trail of overturned pine needles stretching from one side of the forest to the other, bisecting my tent.

 

[PaddlingPitt]

7

Trail cameras are fun and revealing. Kathleen and I have about 8 km (5 miles) of trails through our property.



You never know what you’re going to see.

our camera was destroyed a few months ago. The last image was of a moose’s face closing in.

 

[PeteStaehling]

Interesting idea. I bet I'd have some good pictures if I carried one on my backpacking trips. I didn't own one back when I was doing much canoe tripping and mine is bigger and heavier than I am willing to carry on my backpacking trips and bike tours. Mine has been used mostly to see what kind of critters raid my bird feeders at night.

 

[Cheeseandbeans]

I’ve had some cork grips chewed off fly rods over the years. I think the photos of it would just make me dislike that particular critter more. It is an interesting thought - capturing the bumps in the night.

Bob

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

Interesting topic and surely a good hobby for one who is interested in such things, but I favor a minimum of electronics while "away". Moreover, I wouldn't have the patience to look through thousands of photos just to find a couple to satisfy my curiosity about things I don't see. I have enough pictures of the things I do see, and rarely have the interest even to look at them after a while. Of course, I'll look at everyone else's on sites like these because it's the only way for me to "go" on your trips. So . . . fire away.

 

[Odyssey]

Screw the wildlife (lol) I'd just want to know where I'd left my coffee. It's around camp somewhere. Better check the trail cam.

 

[TrailBlaser]

Great post. I have had a trail cam on my wish list for about a year. I was thinking of getting one to capture the wildlife in camp both when I was there and when out on an excursion, but your idea of using it to capture your own activity brought new light to the idea of having one. Thanks, I am going to move that up on the list.

 

[Jim Dodd]

I surely wasn't expecting 1600+ pics, but the position of the camera, and the settings, a 3 shot burst contributed to the quantity.

Setting the camera, was one of the first and last things I did. Forgetting it was even there is evident by the way I looked some times.

My Oldest son has me monitor Deer on our acreage. It's a thrill to see the big one, on camera. and a Bigger one, when he harvests that buck with a bow.

Some bucks are recognizable from year to year.

I hope you guys have fun with a trail camera, on that next Solo trip !