Trail Cameras
We started out with 35 mm infrared and motion-sensitive trail cameras. The advantages of this camera is that the picture is at film resolution and the cameras don't cost as much, but we need to check the cameras regularly. Some example pictures taken with 35 mm cameras are shown below.
~18 month old lynx with collar. A single film with an ~18 month old lynx, snowshoe hare and at the end a fisher.
Assorted trail camera pictures. Highlights from a variety of films.
Lately we have been using a Reconyx trail camera (www.reconyx.com). This camera takes B/W digital images at a lower resolution than the 35 mm film. It operates day and night, with a red light source for night-time IR pictures. Among the advantages of this camera are increased sensitivity, faster reaction time, and more images. The camera is more expensive, but has a software protection feature which acts as a theft deterrent. There is a real potential for data collection with this type of camera (see "Lynx ignoring a trap" series).
Black Bear. Images of a black bear visiting a bait station (leg of a road-killed white-tailed deer attached to a tree).
Lynx Caching Bait. Images of a male lynx, L05, caching the leg of a road-killed deer.
Mom Lynx and Kittens. Images of L07 and some of her kittens. A few other animals are in this sequence too.
Lynx visiting bait. Note how the lynx remains wary while feeding.
Lynx ignoring a trap. After 11 hours of inactivity (note clock), a bird passes through, then a lynx at 4:25.
Kitten with bait. A 9 month old kitten playing with and feeding on a deer leg.
Kitten with bait II . The same kitten during daylight hours.
New Years Day 2006 . How one lynx celebrated New Years Day in 2006.
Busy bait station. Lynx, marten, and fisher within 6 hours of each other!