Photographic bait stations
| Authors: | T.E. Kucera, A.M. Soukkala, Bill Zielinski |
| Year: | 1995 |
| Type: | Miscellaneous Publication |
| Station: | Pacific Southwest Research Station |
| Source: | In: Zielinski, W.J.; Kucera, T.E., eds., American Marten, Fisher, Lynx, and Wolverine: Survey Methods for Their Detection. Albany, CA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station; Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-157: 25-62 |
Abstract
There are a variety of systems in use that employ a camera at a bait station to detect wildlife. We will describe three that are widely used and with which we are most familiar. They can be divided into two major categories according to the type of camera used. The first employs automatic, 35-mm cameras and can be further divided into two types that differ by the mechanism that triggers them. We will refer to these types as "single sensor" (Kucera and Barrett 1993, 1995) and "dual sensor" (Mace and others 1994). The second major category is a line-triggered system that uses a manual, 110- size camera (e.g., Jones and Raphael 1993). We provide data on equipment costs and discuss the relative merits of the various systems in a later section of this chapter.
Remote-camera systems are currently available from several manufacturers (e.g., Cam-Trakker, 1050 Industrial Drive, Watkinsville, GA 30677; Compu-Tech Systems, P.O. Box 6615, Bend, OR 97708-6615; Deerfinder, 1706 Western Ave., Green Bay, WI 54303; also see Bull and others 1992, Laurance and Grant 1994, Major and Gowing 1994, Danielson and others 1995). All employ somewhat different configurations and have different advantages and disadvantages. The cameras used in these systems also change as camera models are discontinued by manufacturers and new ones are introduced. Thus, the systems we describe in this document may differ from what is available in the future, and the reader who wishes to use remote photography to detect wildlife may need to modify specific procedures as appropriate for the equipment in hand. As remote-camera technology advances, it is likely that additional designs will continue to be developed.