I have been pondering getting into the hobby of setting camera traps and searching for animals that may not be, or are very rare, in my area. I have a good deal of experience in trekking and back woods camping, but I have never used trail cameras. What are some good tips and tricks to get started? At this point in my life I can't get out to check them every weekend....so security tips is critical. I understand that some cameras will be stolen....but hopefully the locations I am considering are off the beaten track enough to keep them out of most people/'s way. I am particularly interested in trying to get panthers and possibly wolves on camera as I live in an area of Florida that does have the odd panther and wolf sightings.
You want to set it at about two meters from the ground and in a clearing with little surrounding growth (which may unfortunately increase the chances of it being stolen or damaged by someone) to reduce the likelihood of you getting repeat misfire /shots of vegetation moving in the wind. Look for signs of wildlife nearby such as evidence of browsing on vegetation or chewing of bark or carcasses from kills and of course scat and pugmarks/ tracks of animals. If you can find a break or bottleneck in forest which is used as a crossing then great and if you can find a body of water or feature of the landscape commonly frequented by wildlife then also great. You should be thinking about how the wildlife is using the surrounding landscape / habitat as this will inform where you strategically place the camera to obtain footage. If you are after predators then I would read up on how to set camera traps for both wolves and big cats using journal papers (look in methods / methodology) as from what I've been told there is a particular way of doing this. If you want to attract puma then oddly enough bring cologne when you go to set it up and spray around tree trunk as I am reliably informed that big cats are drawn to the scent and that this is how jaguars are lured to camera traps.
Also I don't want to scare you / deter you but remember that more remote areas are not just a haven for wildlife but also for illegal activities like drug cultivation (which I understand is on the rise in the US) or trafficking. This can increase odds of your camera being deliberately damaged and risks to your personal safety when going to collect. Just be mindful of that and stay safe.
Thanks for all of the tips! I will follow up by reading more information online and in texts. Interesting about the cologne! Yeah, most of the areas I know of are fairly safe, I have hiked and camped extensively in them in the relatively recent past. None the less, I will keep that in mind as well.
Generally, you set camera traps 40 cm above the ground, not 2m. Invest in a good chain and a padlock. Put it away from urban places and recreation spots likely to attract vandals. Finding a good place is a bit on an art. The best sign is probably a good number of tracks of different wildlife. Good are often obvious passageways in the habitat, for example a dry dyke crossing a wetland or a low passage between steep hills. Another good place are water holes in a waterless habitat. Try to recognize subtle paths made by wild animals versus dense thickets of unbroken plant stems where obviously no large animal crossed. Wild animals often walk on human dirt roads, too, but there you have possible vandalism and problems with privacy. Another tip is to spray baldrian or valerian (cheaply available self-medication drops) or deodorants containing zibetone. These smells attract carnivores, but also other mammals, too. Be prepared that many pictures will show nothing, an animal hidden and almost invisible, unrecognizable animals, domestic animals or people. For me it is frustrating to see such pictures, because you realize how little wildlife you actually see yourself.
Thanks for all the tips! There are not a lot of areas without water here in central Florida....the swamp areas are kind of our defining feature, same for steep hills (or lack of them). That said, there are some interesting open mine areas that have been made into parks that have some steep areas and small canyon like features. The swamps can be challenging to navigate, but properly observed also offer choke points to use.
