Wildlife Cameras: A Snapshot of What You Need to Know
By Lauren Grand, OSU Forestry & Natural Resources Extension, Lane County
Wildlife cameras, often called trail or game cameras, are cameras that are strategically placed on your property to take pictures and video of wildlife while you aren’t around. The cameras are typically triggered by heat and/or motion and store the pictures internally for you to view later. Originally, wildlife cameras were used in wildlife management research, but as camera technology improved they became affordable and available to the public.
There are many benefits to placing a wildlife camera on your property. Not only will it be fun and educational, but it also provides useful information to supplement the wildlife section of your property’s management plan. With the help of these cameras, you can develop a cumulative list of the diversity of wildlife species found on your property. Wildlife cameras can also document animal activity of rarely seen wildlife, monitor animals without disturbing them, and scout the presence and movement of game animals. Additionally, these cameras can be an added security measure if you are concerned about the potential of illegal trespass on your property.
If you have a large property, you do not necessarily need to purchase a lot of cameras. For a species inventory, get a few cameras and systematically move them around a few times a year to capture multiple habitats. Alternatively, if you are able to identify areas of high priority or habitat value, such as a pond or bird’s nest, it may be more efficient to monitor wildlife in these specified areas. It is always helpful to know where animals congregate on your property to help you make an informed decision as to where to put them.
Once you have the general location determined, placement of the cameras will depend on the animals you’d like to see. To maximize your viewing potential, put the cameras up higher and angle them slightly downwards. This will increase your visibility in thicker brush while increasing the chances of seeing both the large and small animals. Using a mount may secure the camera better than a strap in this case. Interested in seeing some amphibians, snakes, or small carnivores? Consider putting some cameras closer to the ground. Try placing cameras slightly off the trail at a curve, so animals need to walk toward it.
You will have better success getting pictures of the animals looking directly at the camera. This is also a benefit if your camera has a slow trigger speed. Clearing branches, large shrubs, and leaves when setting up the camera will minimize setting off the motion trigger excessively on a windy day. If you are using the camera to scout for game animals, minimize your scent by wearing gloves. Check and double check the camera’s placement and test it before you leave. There is nothing more disappointing than returning to a camera that you forgot to turn on.
If you are worried about the camera being seen, protect it by getting a security box or label it with your name and phone number. Recording the serial number may help authorities if the camera gets stolen; though the risk of this should be low on private property.
With the growing popularity of wildlife cameras, there are lots of choices out there. You’ll want to choose one that has the features you need, and not waste money on those that you don’t need. A rundown of different camera features and their uses are in the full version of this article. Wildlife cameras can be a great addition to your property and useful tool for augmenting your management plans. If you keep your objectives in mind and choose wisely on the features, there is no reason you can’t get a good quality camera that does what you need for around $200. Now go out and set your cameras to show off the wildlife on your property, adding excitement for both you and your friends.
This is a condensed version of Lauren’s article. For the full article, with many details about camera features, go to:
http://extension.oregonstate.edu/lane/sites/default/files/wildlife_trail_cameras.pdf .
Reprinted by permission from Tall Timber Topics, OSU Extension, Spring 2018, https://extension.oregonstate.edu/sites/default/files/documents/8341/spring-2018-tall-timber-topics.pdf
(RR 01/19)
Wildlife cameras, often called trail or game cameras, are cameras that are strategically placed on your property to take pictures and video of wildlife while you aren’t around. The cameras are typically triggered by heat and/or motion and store the pictures internally for you to view later. Originally, wildlife cameras were used in wildlife management research, but as camera technology improved they became affordable and available to the public.
There are many benefits to placing a wildlife camera on your property. Not only will it be fun and educational, but it also provides useful information to supplement the wildlife section of your property’s management plan. With the help of these cameras, you can develop a cumulative list of the diversity of wildlife species found on your property. Wildlife cameras can also document animal activity of rarely seen wildlife, monitor animals without disturbing them, and scout the presence and movement of game animals. Additionally, these cameras can be an added security measure if you are concerned about the potential of illegal trespass on your property.
If you have a large property, you do not necessarily need to purchase a lot of cameras. For a species inventory, get a few cameras and systematically move them around a few times a year to capture multiple habitats. Alternatively, if you are able to identify areas of high priority or habitat value, such as a pond or bird’s nest, it may be more efficient to monitor wildlife in these specified areas. It is always helpful to know where animals congregate on your property to help you make an informed decision as to where to put them.
Once you have the general location determined, placement of the cameras will depend on the animals you’d like to see. To maximize your viewing potential, put the cameras up higher and angle them slightly downwards. This will increase your visibility in thicker brush while increasing the chances of seeing both the large and small animals. Using a mount may secure the camera better than a strap in this case. Interested in seeing some amphibians, snakes, or small carnivores? Consider putting some cameras closer to the ground. Try placing cameras slightly off the trail at a curve, so animals need to walk toward it.
You will have better success getting pictures of the animals looking directly at the camera. This is also a benefit if your camera has a slow trigger speed. Clearing branches, large shrubs, and leaves when setting up the camera will minimize setting off the motion trigger excessively on a windy day. If you are using the camera to scout for game animals, minimize your scent by wearing gloves. Check and double check the camera’s placement and test it before you leave. There is nothing more disappointing than returning to a camera that you forgot to turn on.
If you are worried about the camera being seen, protect it by getting a security box or label it with your name and phone number. Recording the serial number may help authorities if the camera gets stolen; though the risk of this should be low on private property.
With the growing popularity of wildlife cameras, there are lots of choices out there. You’ll want to choose one that has the features you need, and not waste money on those that you don’t need. A rundown of different camera features and their uses are in the full version of this article. Wildlife cameras can be a great addition to your property and useful tool for augmenting your management plans. If you keep your objectives in mind and choose wisely on the features, there is no reason you can’t get a good quality camera that does what you need for around $200. Now go out and set your cameras to show off the wildlife on your property, adding excitement for both you and your friends.
This is a condensed version of Lauren’s article. For the full article, with many details about camera features, go to:
http://extension.oregonstate.edu/lane/sites/default/files/wildlife_trail_cameras.pdf .
Reprinted by permission from Tall Timber Topics, OSU Extension, Spring 2018, https://extension.oregonstate.edu/sites/default/files/documents/8341/spring-2018-tall-timber-topics.pdf
(RR 01/19)
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