Tag: trail camera

Rarely seen wildcat caught on trail-cam in northern Minnesota

“This might be the best video of a lynx we have ever captured, not least because the lynx decided sit right in front of the camera.”

The Voyageurs Wolf Project has shared rare footage of a lynx pausing directly in front of a remote trail camera in northern Minnesota.

“We captured some really neat footage of lynx this past year on our cameras but this is definitely the coolest,” the group stated Wednesday via Instagram. “In fact, this might be the best video of a lynx we have ever captured, not least because the lynx decided sit right in front of the camera.”

The Voyageurs Wolf Project uses a network of motion-sensor cameras to study wolves in and around Voyageurs National Park. But, naturally, other critters also utilize trails frequented by wolves.

But the Canada lynx, which hunts primarily at twilight or during the night when snowshoe hares are most active, is considered by the state to be a “rare wildcat.”

According to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, the lynx weighs between 20 and 44 pounds and also preys on other small mammals and birds.

The stealthy felines tend to occur more frequently in northern Minnesota when snowshoe hare populations crash or decline in Canada.

The lynx has few natural predators, but wolves are known to kill lynx.

Watch as giant grizzly bear executes perfect back scratch

Trail-cam footage from the Yukon Territory shows several bears expressing interest in the same pine tree.

A compilation of trail-cam footage from Canada’s Yukon Territory shows grizzly bears expressing specific interest in the same tree at various points in 2022.

The accompanying footage, shared Wednesday by Yukon Wildlife Cams, also shows moose on the same remote trail, including one that appears suspicious about the camera.

But on three occasions a grizzly bear is seen using the tree as a scratching post, which is how bears deposit their scents to communicate with other bears.

The most rigorous scratch occurs at 1:30, involving a large grizzly bear that spends several seconds executing its technique: standing on hind legs, clutching a branch for leverage, and rubbing deeply against the trunk.

The bear even sticks its tongue out at times, as if enjoying a sensation that anyone who loves a thorough back scratch can appreciate.

Yukon Wildlife Cams showcases the region’s wildlife with footage captured from several trail-cam locations.

One of our favorite clips involves a massive grizzly bear scent-marking a tree before charging in slow motion toward the camera, lending a unique perspective of what a grizzly bear charge in a person’s direction might look like.

Giant Yukon grizzly bear provides riveting trail-cam moment

A trail-cam operator in Canada’s Yukon Territory has shared several compelling grizzly bear video clips recently, but one stands out above the others.

Last week, a trail-cam operator shared video footage that revealed his “near encounters” with grizzly bears in Canada’s Yukon Territory.

This week, David Troup of Yukon Wildlife Cams shared footage showing a “marvelous” grizzly bear scent-marking a tree on which one of his cameras was attached.

It was reminiscent of perhaps Troup’s most compelling related footage: that of a massive grizzly bear back scratching, or scent-marking a tree before charging toward the camera.

The accompanying slow-motion footage, captured by Yukon Trail Cams in August 2021, lends a unique perspective of what a grizzly bear charge in your direction might look like.

Reads one of the more popular comments: “Can you imagine standing where the trail camera is?”

Another: “Remember, you only have to be faster than your hiking partner!”

Troup maintains a network of trail cameras in the Yukon and periodically shares footage to showcase the region’s wildlife.

Cougar pursues coyote past trail camera, audio reveals likely result

Recent trail-cam footage showing a mountain lion hunting a coyote is reminiscent of a similar but more dramatic scene captured last fall.

On Monday we featured trail-cam footage showing a mountain lion’s successful nighttime hunt in the Southern California wilderness.

The mountain lion, or cougar, was shown following a coyote past the camera and returning minutes later with its kill. The footage revealed a predator-prey interaction that plays out routinely on trails when most people are in their beds.

It’s also reminiscent of a similar but more dramatic scene also captured via trail-cam in eastern Orange County. (See video below.)

In Nathalie Orozco’s footage, captured last fall, the coyote is shown trotting down a trail and a stealthy mountain lion sensing opportunity. The ambush occurs in the darkness beyond the camera’s infrared light, but audio reveals the likely result.

Mark Girardeau, who featured the footage on Orange County Outdoors, stated:

“Just before entering the frame, the mountain lion noticed the coyote and went into action to secure his next meal. Notice how the mountain lion pounces quietly rather than sprinting.”

A scouting mission the next day turned up coyote fur but no carcass. Girardeau, who theorized that the cougar had hauled its kill off-trail, commented:

“Our guess is that the mountain lion was successful based on other nearby cameras which showed him hanging out in the area for the entire night afterwards.”

Coyote no match for stealthy cougar, as trail-cam footage shows

A trail camera in Southern California has captured surreal footage showing a mountain lion following a coyote into the darkness and returning minutes later with dinner.

A trail camera in Southern California has captured surreal footage showing a mountain lion pursuing a coyote into the darkness and returning minutes later with the coyote in its jaws.

Jason Andes, who owns the camera, states in the accompanying footage that the coyote walked past the camera at 10:15 p.m. on a recent night in eastern Orange County.

The mountain lion, or cougar, passed in the same direction 12 minutes later. It then passed the camera in the opposite direction 20 minutes later with a freshly killed coyote.

If there were cries by the coyote, they are not heard in the footage.

Andes wrote on YouTube:

“This Coyote met his fate after a Mountain lion was close behind. Mountain lions kill and eat Coyotes on a pretty regular basis.

“Mule Deer are their main prey, but Coyotes are not far behind. This is nature and a great look at how prey and predator have interactions.”

The footage was captured in Black Star Canyon in the Santa Ana Mountains.

The canyon is popular among hikers and mountain bikers, but at night its trails are utilized by nocturnal predators and prey.

Wild horse definitely feeling its oats in bizarre trail-cam footage

Trail-cam footage captured in the Yukon Territory picks up mystery sound as wild horses bolt across snow.

A motion-sensor trail camera has captured footage showing wild horses bolting across snow in Canada’s Yukon Territory. But the Yukon Wildlife Cams footage also picked up a mystery sound seemingly issued by the lead horse.

However, David Troup, who monitors the cameras he positions on remote game trails, is reasonably sure he solved the mystery.

“I’m not sure what else this could be other than flatulence from the first horse on a warm winter morning,” Troup wrote on Facebook.

Add this to the many behaviors exhibited by critters as they pass Troup’s cameras.

In the past week Yukon Wildlife Cams has shared footage of grazing wood bison (a first for the cameras), a bugling elk, a lynx, and a compilation featuring appearances by a lynx, a black bear, two moose, a coyote and another black bear.

One of our favorite clips, from 2021, shows a large grizzly bear scratching its back on a tree before charging within feet of the camera, revealing its ominous bulk and massive claws.

Best trail-cam reaction – Yellowstone wolf or Yukon coyote?

Which animal has the best reaction after encountering a trail camera, the Yellowstone wolf or Yukon coyote?

Remote trail cameras wonderfully showcase the natural behavior of wild animals, but that’s not always the case.

For example, the Rocky Mountain Wolf Project recently shared footage showing a wolf in Yellowstone National Park licking a trail-cam’s lens.

“Just a short clip of some wild wolves from Yellowstone, courtesy of our colleagues at the National Park Service,” the RMWP stated March 27 on Facebook.

The footage, posted below, shows a lead wolf become curious about the camera before stopping to lick the device. Several other wolves ignore the camera.

The footage was somewhat reminiscent of a clip featured here last December, showing a coyote’s comical response after encountering a trail camera in Canada’s Yukon Territory.

In the footage, posted below, the coyote bows briefly before bounding from a perceived danger.

David Troup of Yukon Wildlife Cams stated: “Inevitably wildlife can detect peculiarities in their environment, whether it’s by sight, sound or smell.”

Last September, one of Troup’s cameras captured footage of a grizzly bear responding like the Yellowstone wolf.

Troup wrote on Facebook: “A family of grizzly bears find a camera and investigate the peculiarity in September, with a quick view inside mom’s mouth included.”

–Editor’s note: A similar version of this post, with more focus on Yellowstone wolves, was published April 18

Mountain lion hunts coyote in eerie footage captured by trail-cam

Nighttime footage captured via trail-cam shows a mountain lion pursuing a coyote into darkness on a Southern California trail, and audio hints at a successful hunt.

Nighttime footage captured recently via trail-cam shows a mountain lion pursuing a coyote into total darkness on a Southern California trail – and audio hints at a successful hunt.

The eerie scene appeared on a motion-sensor camera placed by photographer Nathalie Orozco.

Her footage begins with a lone coyote trotting rapidly down the trail, and the mountain lion, or cougar, in a cautious pursuit that turns into an apparent ambush after both animals vanish into the blackness.

In the Facebook description Mark Girardeau, who runs Orange County Outdoors, urges viewers to turn the volume up because it reveals how this likely ended – with the coyote crying out while under attack.

Girardeau writes: “The coyote was trotting along as they usually do and unaware of the mountain lion which just happened to be walking along his normal route.

“Just before entering the frame, the mountain lion noticed the coyote and went into action to secure his next meal. Notice how the mountain lion pounces quietly rather than sprinting.”

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Girardeau explained that mountain lions are ambush hunters that rely on stealth to capture prey.

“After checking the area, we noticed lots of coyote fur but did not locate a kill so we’re uncertain of the outcome,” the photographer continued, noting that mountain lions often drag kills off-trail. “Our guess is that the mountain lion was successful based on other nearby cameras which showed him hanging out in the area for the entire night afterwards.”

The mountain lion, a young male nicknamed Toro, is scientifically cataloged as M313. Girardeau said Toro might be the father of kittens recently born to Uno, who occasionally appears before Girardeau’s cameras.

The footage was captured on private property in the Orange County Wilderness.

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Grizzly bear trail-cam appearance both awesome and terrifying

A trail camera in Canada’s Yukon Territory has captured footage showing a large grizzly bear marking territory by standing and rubbing its back against a tree.

A trail camera in Canada’s Yukon Territory has captured video footage showing a large grizzly bear standing and rubbing its back against a tree.

But the eye-catching portion is the aftermath: the bear charging toward the camera in slow motion, its massive head lurching downward with each step as the bruin approaches within feet of the camera.

“Look at those claws!” David Troup boasted Saturday on his Yukon Wildlife Cams Facebook post. “A grizzly bear runs toward the camera in slow motion after marking a tree in early August.”

An obvious comments reads, “Can you imagine standing where the trail camera is?”

Another follower joked, “Remember, you only have to be faster than your hiking partner!”

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The footage is revealing in that it shows the bear expressing itself in a natural environment without human influence.

Researchers believe bears scratch their backs on trees as a means of communication. Male grizzly bears will sometime mark several trees while in search of breeding mates.

The rest of Troup’s footage shows the bear’s determination to keep moving and, as some of his followers observed, the awesome power in a gait that’s somehow awkward and graceful.

Troup told FTW Outdoors that he monitors 15 motion-sensor cameras in the Yukon wilderness for possible posts to showcase the region’s wildlife.

He received several comments complimenting him for his editing skills.

Troup’s reply: “Thank you! I’ve developed a pretty good system for reviewing, organizing and sharing videos so I don’t repeat the same ones.”