Camera barely got this bull elk

This is the trail a talked about earlier where I have bear, bobcats, coyotes and deer using this same location. It's such a good spot that I have to keep the camera aimed a little high for predators so I can still get a nice buck picture. I was lucky that this bull elk had it's head down while walking.

I followed this trail farther back into the brush and placed another camera aimed at a log that blocks the trail, might get a picture of bull or deer either stepping or jumping over the log.

Coyote on the same trail 2 years ago

I keep a logbook of all my photos by the date the picture was taken. I used this reference to find a picture of a coyote taken on the same trail as the bobcat 2 years ago in October. This way it helps to study the habits of animals using the same trail for years.

Once you find the trail you can get pictures anywhere along the path and slowly plot the entire travel habits of these predators. I find bobcats are much more interesting to study than deer.

My studies would be more difficult without the use of game and trail cameras.

Another advantage for a low camera

Just got this picture today and it also shows the advantage of setting the trail camera low to the ground for predators. This bobcat looked right at the camera, a Sony P41 which has a good flash, and only 4 feet away. Normally the eye glare would be terrible this close, especially on a bobcat at night.

The eye glare is not bad at all on this photo as the grass in the foreground absorbed most of the flash. I aimed the camera so the animal would be just above center in the picture so the flash would not be as bright, this works for coyotes also. Have had deer and elk go through this same trail and all I get is pictures of legs, so each setup I make is for certain animals.

Low to the ground game camera setup

A lot of the time I set my cameras very low to the ground, about 12 inches or so, to get a different look of animals. For smaller predators and birds this angle can give a better look than if the trail camera is higher and looking down. A couple of problems you might run across is the ground cover, like grass and shrubs and the refection of the flash from these same objects.

I reduce the flash and try to cut or clip the grass and ferns that might be in the way enough to change the focus. This is a bobcat walking away from the camera as seen from grass level. This type of setup is also easy to use for deer and larger animals and gives a large field of view.

Getting a drink

There's a small spring fed creek just under the camera and never worried about animals stopping to drink, but this Bull Elk decided to get too close to the camera for a drink. The trail crosses a little behind the elk and would have been a better picture.

I almost set the camera into the rapid picture trail mode but didn't think I needed it for this trail. Could have got a good picture of the elk as he raised his head. Oh well, maybe next time.

Update on injured elk

I got a picture of an injured elk that I posted on July 21 that was alone and the wound looked like it was healing. Here's another picture I just got, I believe of the same elk over 2 miles from the first picture. That's not far for an elk, but am suprised that the wound looks worse and the elk seems to have lost more weight on the rump.

At least it's back with a herd to give it some safety from predators.

Otter and pups

I try to use my fastest game cameras for otter, they run everywhere they travel. Seems to be the first long outing for these two pups as they are heading from a pond to the main river. She will then show the little ones how to fish and find food in and around the river.

A Juvenile Red Tail Hawk

During the fall and winter I set several of my Sony P41 game cameras out for birds. They spend more time hunting for food in the winter which makes it easier to get some very close pictures.

This was a close up of a juvenile Red Tail that landed on the log and looked straight into the camera. The coloring shows up very nice and I had the camera almost setting on the ground to get a different angle.

Eagle with a crooked lower beak

A last years picture I got of a Bald Eagle with a crooked lower beak. It's a little smaller than than a normal eagle but has made it to an adult. Must be very hard to eat anything but soft food like fish.

Tried to get another picture this year of the same eagle but haven't seen it again.

Larger Bull Elk are finding the herds

When I got into the area where I have set out several cameras for bull elk, the alders and brush were torn up where a bull had looked very angry. After looking at the pictures I can only imagine the reason, seems he was happy to find a small herd but the cows -- well they have a mind of their own. If the camera would have been aimed just a little more to the right I could have gotten several pictures of the bull venting some anger on a few trees.

I knew it was about time for the bulls to get back with the herds so I set out 5 Sony cameras to cover about 1/2 square mile. Was pleased that I had bull pictures on 3 of the cameras, that's a good percentage in this brush hole.