Whats Watching You? O_O

[NuggetN8]

What's Watching You? O_O

After prospecting alone for a while and feeling that eerie feeling of something or somebody watching me.. I decided to put out some trail cams in the woods around my to keep an eye on what critters are watching me while I'm prospecting. Not that I'm worried about animals attacking me or anything, I'm just curious to see what's out there. I've never seen an animal while prospecting except little animals like squirrels and birds & snakes etc. I'll be putting these out every time I go out so if I get any more I'll post them to the same thread. This first one came around a few hours after I put the camera out. Wasn't expecting to get anything on camera the first day.

 

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[mellowyellow]

Hahahaha hahahahajana! Too dawm funny! Did u spread peanut butter all over the camera or what!?!? They sure are smart and have a GREAT nose eh

Thx for the vids!

 

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[NuggetN8]

Hahahaha hahahahajana! Too dawm funny! Did u spread peanut butter all over the camera or what!?!? They sure are smart and have a GREAT nose eh

Thx for the vids!

If I would have put peanut butter on there I don't think I'd have a camera lol. When I went to collect the footage I didn't see the cam strapped on the tree and I thought somebody had stolen it. I found it half buried in leaves at the base of the tree. Going prospecting tomorrow so I might have some more vids coming.. I'm sure they came around today too.

 

[AzViper]

I think its time to move the camera higher and put a wedge at the top between the tree and camera to point the camera downward. Great video bud...

 

[NuggetN8]

I think its time to move the camera higher and put a wedge at the top between the tree and camera to point the camera downward. Great video bud...

Thanks for the advice! I'll try that as a quick fix. My camera is mounted to the tree with a strap right now. I think I might try making a mount for it so I can screw it onto the tree.

 

[AzViper]

Thanks for the advice! I'll try that as a quick fix. My camera is mounted to the tree with a strap right now. I think I might try making a mount for it so I can screw it onto the tree.

If a bear can pry open a 1/8" steel plate lid screwing the camera to the tree will only entice the bear to destroy your camera. Those bears were smelling your scent and this is why they pulled it from the tree. You need to clean the housing and keep the camera in a sealed container until you use it. Then use latex gloves to handle the camera and mount it. These dang bears if they smell any scent will do anything to get to the camera.

You can also take the housing and rub it with the dirt or vegetation of the area to mask the scent. The key is covering up your scent entirely going and coming into the area you place your camera. This goes for your clothing, boots, etc. If you go from your home into the area you are going to mount the camera you are leaving your scent. Back in my hunting days all my hunting cloths, boots would be cleaned prior to arriving in camp but then I would take everything and make it smell like the area I was going to hunt to hide any unnatural scents that the animal could pick up on.

 

[NuggetN8]

If a bear can pry open a 1/8" steel plate lid screwing the camera to the tree will only entice the bear to destroy your camera. Those bears were smelling your scent and this is why they pulled it from the tree. You need to clean the housing and keep the camera in a sealed container until you use it. Then use latex gloves to handle the camera and mount it. These dang bears if they smell any scent will do anything to get to the camera.

You can also take the housing and rub it with the dirt or vegetation of the area to mask the scent. The key is covering up your scent entirely going and coming into the area you place your camera. This goes for your clothing, boots, etc. If you go from your home into the area you are going to mount the camera you are leaving your scent. Back in my hunting days all my hunting cloths, boots would be cleaned prior to arriving in camp but then I would take everything and make it smell like the area I was going to hunt to hide any unnatural scents that the animal could pick up on.

Do you know if those "bear proof" boxes that they sell work? I've seen those for trail cams. Seems like the young bears are the only ones interested in the camera and they haven't put a scratch on it.. yet.. I'll try covering the scent but I think now that they've seen the camera in that same spot so much they're going to mess with it every time..

 

[Sample Pan Dan]

Great footage! Did the camera survive?

 

[NuggetN8]

Great footage! Did the camera survive?

Yep. There was just a little bit of bear slobber on the lens. No scratches or bite marks or anything. It's still out there! We'll see if it survives through the night. Lol.

 

[AzViper]

Do you know if those "bear proof" boxes that they sell work? I've seen those for trail cams. Seems like the young bears are the only ones interested in the camera and they haven't put a scratch on it.. yet.. I'll try covering the scent but I think now that they've seen the camera in that same spot so much they're going to mess with it every time..

I have never seen them but sounds like a great idea as it will also secure the camera form those who walk upright as well. You may want to build your own metal box. Go to the electrical area of HD or Loews and purchase a JBox and cut out the needed holes.

Just make sure you secure the metal box using lag bolts from the inside of the box into the tree.

 

[Sample Pan Dan]

That's awesome N8! Thanks for sharing. Maybe hang them cameras just a few feet higher? Lol

 

[DizzyDigger]

Any hunters on here that know if a predator call would attract a lion? Like a rabbit distress call?
I'm into photography and it would be awesome to get a shot of one.(without becoming kitty chow..) I have predator calls on
my phone and a wireless speaker that can be used from pretty far away. There's a huge open area near where I have the trail cam.

N8, you bet they will! Suggest though you switch from the Cottontail or Jackrabbit sounds
to more of a fawn bleat. This is best accomplished using an open reed call (like the old
Olt D8 duck call). Lions are very slow to come in at times, so stands will need to be
at least 30-45 min each, and keep a very close eye on the downwind side, as most cats
will work their way downwind so they can get a whiff of what they hope will be supper.

Takes a lot of patience and many stands, but yes, it can absolutely be done. Called
in quite a few of them myself (usually unintentionally!) and they are very stealthy
on the way in. Use a pair of bino's and keep your eyes peeled for that orange head
to be poking out from under the brush somewhere.

Had a one-man business making custom predator calls back in the late 80's, and
still have all the materials I used. Walnut, Coco Bolo, African Blackwood, etc. along with
about 5000 of the metal reeds used in the majority of calls. Also used to make a call for
lions, and another for bear. Each barrel was cut by hand on a lathe, and every reed
was tuned to perfection. Unfortunately I couldn't compete with the mass producers,
and while mine were of very high quality, 99% of the hunters still bought the cheap calls
simply because of the lower price.

FWIW, get yourself some doe pee, and dilute it about 50% and put into a spray
bottle. When you set your speaker out, camo it well and then shoot a few sprays
of that doe whiz into the air. It'll cover your scent, and also act as an attractant
for the critter.

BTW, if your in cougar country odds are there are bear in the area too....watch yer arse!

 

[GarretDiggingAz]

Yep. There was just a little bit of bear slobber on the lens. No scratches or bite marks or anything. It's still out there! We'll see if it survives through the night. Lol.

Another great vid N8. I think if you post higher. Mama bear might see cubs looking at cam and try nocking it down for kids to play with. Lol. Parents wants to let them play.

My wife hates when I go out. I smell like the woods. I also cover up as much scent as I can. Another tip I heard and tried with good success was when walking through woods. Walk toe to heal when walking and not heal then toe. Sounds completely different but animals hear the stepping in the woods. Works good to get close to deer. We are the only creature that walks that way and they know to hide and/or run when they hear that type of step.
I was actually within 10' from a mountain lion. Too close for comfort, but what a view. That black around his/her eyes looked like eyeliner painted on. I just wish I had a camera at the time. Plus would've felt better armed, but I did feel a little safe being on my bass boat. I truly don't know if he realized I was there. He was sneaking up on a ground squirrel.