# Critter Cam advice? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 16, 2021, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/critter-cam-advice/938045 "2021-03-16T20:54:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2021, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/critter-cam-advice/938045/1 "2021-03-16T20:54:23Z")
We have a lot of wildlife. I’ve seen, over a few years, foxes (red and gray), raccoons, skunks, a fisher, a bobcat, groundhogs, a 'possum, deer, and endless squirrels (mostly gray, but sometimes red), chipmunks, and rabbits. Neighbors have seen coyotes. There are also interesting birds, including owls that I’ve never seen, but regularly hear. I’m thinking a critter cam might be fun. But if it is triggered by every passing squirrel, i may as well just stay up all night and stare out the window. Any advice, recommendations, etc? ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2021, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/critter-cam-advice/938045/2 "2021-03-16T21:22:06Z")
Hmm, my squirrels do not come out at night. I know because I leave feed out that they love and it’s still there is the morning when we both wake up. Same with the birds, except maybe for owls which I never see but hear. Raccoon’s, skunks and deer are mostly rooting around at night. I’d be interested in a critter cam myself as it’s hard to sit around and wait for a great shot. I’d like a wifi enabled 4K video with the ability to rotate it around and some night vision capability but don’t want to spend more than $300 unless it was really good. I’ve had squirrels, Blue Jays, Cardinals and Wood Pecker on my deck all at once several times and then an occasional deer in the backyard as well. But by the time I notice and get up with the camera they are gone. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2021, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/critter-cam-advice/938045/3 "2021-03-16T21:52:30Z")
Is it a location where you can run power, or will you need a battery? Hunting trail cams are designed to work off battery, and possibly power depending on model. Most are designed to last months without being checked, and can take either photos (with a timeout) or fixed length video. Night vision is a common feature, and they’re often designed for down to squirrel sized animals, more sophisticated (expensive) once can be tuned. Then you pick it up later and pull the files. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2021, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/critter-cam-advice/938045/4 "2021-03-16T21:56:07Z")
I ‘follow’ a neighbor’s farm cam on Facebook. They have a night cam set up on a log crossing a creek. Everything from bears to beavers comes across there at night. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2021, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/critter-cam-advice/938045/5 "2021-03-16T22:38:06Z")
> [@Si\_Amigo](#): > > Hmm, my squirrels do not come out at night No, but the rabbits do. And I saw both the fisher and the bobcat in full daylight. I’d like something to run full-time. I could possibly mount it indoors, or run a power cord to something outdoors, or use a battery. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2021, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/critter-cam-advice/938045/6 "2021-03-16T23:48:03Z")
Some models offer a separate solar charger. We have one trail cam installed, mainly to monitor for unauthorized humans down by the pond (battery operated). It has so far sent us images\* of a blue heron, a wild turkey, a fox and a coyote (the latter two have been nighttime lurkers). Either squirrels aren’t triggering the camera at the current sensitivity setting or they’re active elsewhere. \*there’s an inexpensive option to have a cell tower connection so you can be instantly sent a photo via text of whatever is roaming around. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2021, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/critter-cam-advice/938045/7 "2021-03-17T00:08:23Z")
> [@Si\_Amigo](#): > > Raccoon’s, skunks and deer are mostly rooting around at night. My commute has me driving past a house with some birdfeeders in the yard. I’ve seen a skunk out there 2 or 3 times in broad daylight, sniffing around for spilled seed. It really makes you double-take. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2021, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/critter-cam-advice/938045/8 "2021-03-17T00:41:06Z")
Yes, I have had racoons come up on my deck in the middle of the day this winter rutting through the seed on the ground, they must have really been hungry since trash day was still 3 days away. I pointed an air horn at him and he fled. My feeder is my rear deck rail just off my kitchen work from home table, so I scare of birds I don’t like with it. Hate Starlings. I’d like a webcam to record our fights. Spent one afternoon throwing rocks at a flock of them just past my fence line. Good times. ---
**Author:** ![mordecaiB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mordecaib/32/7725_2.png) [@mordecaiB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mordecaiB)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2021, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/critter-cam-advice/938045/9 "2021-03-17T07:09:29Z")
> [@Si\_Amigo](#): > > Hate Starlings Amen. Noisiest ugliest birds around, and there is never just one. I’ve never actually seen a good quality picture off a trail cam but I don’t think I have ever seen daytime pics either. I think they are more for curiosity/tracking than for getting good wildlife pictures. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2021, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/critter-cam-advice/938045/10 "2021-03-17T16:29:11Z")
> [@Si\_Amigo](#): > > Hmm, my squirrels do not come out at night. We have a family or two of [Northern Flying Squirrels](https://www.nwf.org/educational-resources/wildlife-guide/mammals/flying-squirrels) living in our attic\* and feeding in our trees. Very cool little guys. \*They are destructive. We had a roofer/handyman line the part of the attic where they live with stainless steel plates and welded wire. They live and breed without chewing our home.