Camera Trap Winter Sets Pulled

 

 I pulled my two winter camera traps that were set to hopefully capture a bull moose in the snow browsing. Most bulls have dropped their antlers by now. My winter goal was too video a bull moose. Came close with capturing two young bulls at night, unfortunately no snow. A lot was learned from these sets. New growth in previously logged areas makes for prime moose browsing habitat. I was rather surprised that no moose used a well-worn game trail that accessed the logged area. Moose tracks randomly littered the ground and were visible in the little bit of snow that Massachusetts had this winter, those moose didn’t browse into camera range. Deer on the other hand did constantly trip trail camera sensors over a ten week period (Late Nov- mid-Feb.). Future sets will include attempting to cover as much new tree growth areas as possible, randomly setting camera traps

                      Two Young Bull Moose Captured On Winter Camera Trap Sets

Two Browning HP4’s with Browning external battery packs with Ultimate Lithium batteries were used. Each trail camera took a minimum of thirty> videos with the majority of them being at night. Both cameras still had 80%> battery life left on them. Granted this Massachusetts winter has been mild, but many nights have dropped into the twenties, with one brutal two day period of sub-zero weather. External battery packs are a good option if you are making long term sets. The only drawback is camouflaging them so they don’t stand out. You should also consider using high capacity SD cards when making long term sets.

Jim

Seeing Moose

 

I’ve seen four moose the past week, all looked good from a distance. I didn’t notice any bald spots, which would typically indicate winter ticks. Also been getting a few moose on trial cameras. The cover pic is a TC video grab of a bull that browsed in front of the trail camera for almost five minutes. Sheds are coming hard this year! Not a single antler found in nearly twenty miles of bushwhacking. Hopefully it’s only a matter of time. This winter has been extremely mild (overall) in Massachusetts. As I write this article its fifty three degrees and sunny. I’m not complaining, but it certainly is putting a hold on tracking and locating fisher scent posts. I actually had a tick on my pant leg yesterday. That’s a first in February!!

Jim

Golden Eagle

 

What a unique capture on my camera trap last week! A Golden Eagle, a first for me! There is a tall white pine behind the trail camera. The barred owl was most likely perched their prior to its demise. This is one the new spots I located late 2022 in Massachusetts. I named it Scat Swamp because of all the bear and moose scat around it. Golden Eagle predatory on barred owl.

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No doubt an expensive cold snap for Massachusetts Camera Trappers with trail camera batteries... I don’t think even lithium batteries would hold up to the record cold snap of this weekend. This morning at dawn it was minus fifteen degrees in central MA.  I’ll need to check all my sets next week. Next week’s temps will rebound reaching the mid-forties.

I checked on the “Fisher Scent Post “set I shared last week. No fisher has visited the scent post in two weeks. Hopefully something soon, and hopefully a little snow for tracking. I would like to locate more fisher scent posts to set camera traps

Jim

 

Fisher Tracks

 

Activity on the camera trap line has been slow. Also. I need to be mindful about checking trail cameras with snow on the ground. Don’t want to leave a trail for anybody to follow.

The last snow fall dropped several inches of snow which created ideal tracking conditions. I’ve been searching for a decent fisher tracks to trail in hopes of locating a fisher scent post. I found one this week and set a camera trap. A fisher will rub its scent glands, urinate and or leave scat. This is its calling card and will typically be visited again and also attract other fishers. There is much more information on Google “Fisher Scent Post” Also been working on another fisher den project. I’ll share more on that at a later date. Hopefully we see more snow (for tracking) in February. I want to locate additional scent posts.

Jim

Sneak Peak - Scat Swamp

 

Here’s a sneak peak of one of two new beaver swamps I located last month. The mild Massachusetts winter (so far) has given me opportunity to check these areas out thoroughly. Scat Swamp has an active beaver whom has given me the tail slap on several occasions. I set out several camera traps and over a two week period of time have videoed a bobcat, two coyotes, beaver and several deer. This swamp is less than an acre and loaded with wildlife sign. I’m looking forward to spring and seeing what bears use this area.

The second beaver pond I located last month (Lost Pond) has been productive. Cameras have captured the same variety of wildlife as Scat Swamp. This swamp looks it might be an ideal place for moose feeding on spring water lilies. This pond is very remote and not accessible without bushwhacking.

In another area two winter camera traps were set out late November hoping to capture moose in the snow browsing. They have captured two young bulls as of this week. I was hoping to video them in snow and during daylight. The hard part was trying to determine where the moose might browse during the winter months. There’s still plenty of winter left. Hopefully they use the area again.

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 Jim

 

Persistence pays off!

 I continue searching new areas looking for trail camera locations. A second “Gem” was located this week. It’s secluded but not all that remote. No trails or roads access the area. There was plenty of scat from deer, moose, BEAR and one raccoon. What’s unique about this spot is the small land area in the middle of the beaver dam with swamp all around it. I guess technically it could be call it an extremely SMALL island. (20 x 20 yards square) It will be an ideal spot to setup several camera traps this spring. I did set one camera to see what winter wildlife activity might be around. Once the small pond is frozen most animals will cross the ice.   There was moose, bear and raccoon scat on the island. Finding the numerous bear scat deposits of different sizes in the area suggests maybe a sow with cubs. The moose scat was also promising. You could see were the moose have been browsing on hemlock sapling branches.

Jim

3 Bobcats !

 

What a surprise I got with checking trail cameras yesterday. Three bobcats! A mom and two kittens. The kittens are nearly full grown. Over the summer and early fall my camera traps captured this family several times. The kittens will typically stay with their mom up to a year. The beaver lodges is active, it will be interesting to see if the trio visits the lodge again during the winter

Snowing pretty go here (central Massachusetts) now. Hoping we get two or three inches of snow. This will make ideal tracking conditions for tomorrow morning. My backpacked is ready to go and fingers crossed it keeps snowing.

Jim