A lot happens in the outdoors when people aren’t around. The presence of humans keeps wildlife away. And that’s why sometimes you need a trail camera to capture the best images and videos.
A great example comes from a recent viral video that was partly filmed with a trail camera in Quebec, Canada, near a small creek.
Take a look at the video:
The video starts with photographer Francois Potvin placing a trail camera on a tree near a tiny creek in a lush green forest. It then cuts to the actual trail camera footage that shows a barred owl hunting for frogs and bathing in the water.
The video was so unexpected that Potvin decided to return to the location with his main camera. Luckily, with some patience, the owl returned, and he captured even more amazing images.
“I felt the need to return because what I saw was simply too special, a barred owl fishing for frogs, then taking a full, relaxed bath in the middle of the forest,” said Potvin with his post. “It’s still one of the wildest, most beautiful moments I’ve witnessed. A reminder that even the smallest hidden creeks hold scenes of quiet wonder.”
Using Trail Cameras
While many associate trail cameras with hunting, they’re also a great tool for wildlife enthusiasts. The cameras have become relatively affordable and now offer higher-quality video. The one trick is understanding where to put a camera to capture the best images.
Outdoors.com spoke with Trent Marsh, an expert with SPYPOINT, a popular trail camera company. He shared advice on where to place a camera to maximize your chances of capturing amazing wildlife images.
“If you’ve got historical data of the area, whether you’ve been in there looking around and you see that there are often animals in the area or if you find a game trail, you can really narrow down the likely place where you’re going to want to put a camera,” said Marsh. “Also, finding a water crossing. For the most part, if animals can avoid going through the water, they’re going to. Finding those areas will give you a funneling effect that isn’t just going to show a particular animal but is going to bring all wildlife into a particular area. They’re going to use a natural bridge. So, if you can find those crossovers, that’s a great location.”
Have you used a trail camera before? Let us know!