IT'S A TRAP
As much as one can love wildlife, there are particular animals that it would be best not to come into contact with, and some animals which are a challenge to find as it is, sometimes both! That is where the DSLR camera-trap becomes a useful tool.
set up
As easy as it would be just to set up the trap up and hope something wanders by, a couple of preliminary scouts around potential trap areas is the best way to begin any trapping endeavor, looking for recent signs of animal activity or game-trails. It is also worth noting that it is advisable to be aware of environmental factors when selecting a trapping area. With a suitable area selected, the trap must then be set. The preferred method being a camera facing square to the area animals are hoped to be photographed in, at a height equal to or below that off the eyeline of potential animals which may trigger the camera. The PIR sensor is then set adjacent to that, with blinders to limit the trigger area. Finally a flash unit is set overhead of the camera to light the animal and foreground. A second flash unit at a different height and relative angle to the camera can be utilized for background lighting.
Timing
Once in place, the trap set-up is usually left for a month before going back out to check up on it. Cleaning the lens-port on the housing, switching batteries (particularly in the flash units), making sure the set-up is still functioning, and most excitingly: giving the camera roll a quick scroll to see if there have been any hits. After this first months check, the trap is usually revisited every three weeks or so. The longer a trap is in place, the better chance it has of capturing an animal wandering through, however the more frequent the visits, the more human scented and disturbed the surrounds may become.
Triggered
Whilst the camera-trap is set up with particular animals in mind hoping to be photographed, the PIR sensor is indiscriminate, triggering the camera whenever anything passes in front of the sensors range. This results in a wide range of shots to scroll through when the camera is recovered. Notable shots include a black bear (Ursus americanus) up close inspecting the set-up, a striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis), and great blue heron (Ardea herodias).
