Anyone thought of carrying a tree camera to see what is watching you when you sleep?

[Gambit McCrae]

I have thought about setting a tree cam up at shelters and tent sites to see what I miss while in my tent, "what was that noise?" It could either put you at ease or freak ya out! lol

I can just picture pulling pictures up once at home of "the mountain men of the Smokies" in their tattered loin clothes and push clothes, knife in hand sneaking around my tent salivating at the mouth

[Dogwood]

No. I want to develop my awareness in other ways other than just through sight. Being aware of your environment is much more than sight. I'll offer this bit of craziness, as it will likely be perceived, information does not only come through our physical senses. There is more than a physical reality.

[MuddyWaters]

All you will see is raccoons, porkies, and 40+ yr old men getting up to pee.

[Sarcasm the elf]

I had considered it but ultimately decided that setting up a hidden camera at a designated camping site (most of my A.T. camping is in designated site only areas) wasn't appropriate and went against the implicit respect that most of us show for the privacy of other campers.

I have set one up in the woods behind my house, that is always fun see what wildlife is living in the 'burbs

[JaketheFake]

Setting up game cameras on my place and checking to see what lurks out there has gotten to be more fun than actual hunting. Just not sure it has an application on the AT. However, from an AT study standpoint it would be interesting to see how many people camped in particular spot over a month's period.

[Slo-go'en]

The main issue is the bulk and weight of a tree camera. You really want to carry that for a long way?

Tree cameras have been set up along the trail and capture an amazing number of critters using the trail at night. One reason you really should camp aways off the trail and not on it or right next to it.

[donthaveoneyet]

I think this is a really cool idea. I've often wished I had a tent that I could have the rain fly a few inches higher than the tent floor/bathtup, so I could see 360 degrees around me at ground level, just so I could figure out what the hell it is that's walking around out there. Yeah, most likely raccoons, but I've heard coyotes nearby on a regular basis in one place I camp, and certainly bears are always a possibility. I think I'm gonna try this. Any suggestions for a camera? I don't think I've ever seen anything billed as a "tree camera"....

[squeezebox]

Interesting thought to bring to your favorite camp site. I wouldn't carry one hiking.

[Dogwood]

Can tree cameras be used to catch people doing the cathole thing? Umm, I reconsider. I'm in favor of tree cameras.... and satellite imaging, GPSing, trail police, and robots giving citations at every TH too. We NEED one of these at every mandated camping are too. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rVQGT01Kzg

[MuddyWaters]

Setting up game cameras on my place and checking to see what lurks out there has gotten to be more fun than actual hunting.

+
Deer with collars, trespassers, wild dogs, an emu, coyote with fawn leg in mouth, bocats, hogs, bucks you will never see in daylight. My fav is the new fawns, they start moving with mom around 2 weeks.

[swisscross]

Any Big Foot sightings?

[MuddyWaters]

Any Big Foot sightings?

Of course, but always blurry.

[rocketsocks]

I had considered it but ultimately decided that setting up a hidden camera at a designated camping site (most of my A.T. camping is in designated site only areas) wasn't appropriate and went against the implicit respect that most of us show for the privacy of other campers.

I have set one up in the woods behind my house, that is always fun see what wildlife is living in the 'burbs

You bring up a good point, and topic for discussion. Do we have an 'expectation of privacy' when we make a camp....hmm, I'm gonna say we do, but legally I just don't know.

[Pedaling Fool]

Any Big Foot sightings?

Nope:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_vLy3T65X8

[gpburdelljr]

I think this is a really cool idea. I've often wished I had a tent that I could have the rain fly a few inches higher than the tent floor/bathtup, so I could see 360 degrees around me at ground level, just so I could figure out what the hell it is that's walking around out there. Yeah, most likely raccoons, but I've heard coyotes nearby on a regular basis in one place I camp, and certainly bears are always a possibility. I think I'm gonna try this. Any suggestions for a camera? I don't think I've ever seen anything billed as a "tree camera"....

Google "Trail Cam".

[scrabbler]

Another problem is most of them take a ton of batteries (hence HEAVY) since they are usually left in the field for quite a while.

[shakey_snake]

I've thought about getting a min/max thermometer for recording at night, does that count?

[tflaris]

My imagination is dangerous enough without photographic or video evidence.

TF


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[MuddyWaters]

Another problem is most of them take a ton of batteries (hence HEAVY) since they are usually left in the field for quite a while.

The ones I built take 2 AA batteries, and will last a month or more in the field with energizer Li taking hundreds of IR flash pictures at night. IR has no visible flash so it doesnt alarm animals or human intruders. With NiMH I get 3 wks with 2400 mah. The energizers are 3000 mah with no self discharge.

But yes, they are heavy. Waterproof case, 3d camo, controller board, camera, batteries, locking cable to attach to tree, all adds up.

ir2cam-1.jpg

frontcamo.jpg

DSC02975.jpg

[gpburdelljr]

Wouldn't you love to get some pictures like this:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AihvuZiDhsg