Need Help In Central Texas.........

[Catmandoo]

^^^ First Axiom of Sasquatch. Sasquatch find you, you do not find them. In the case of Bigtex, they like wolfie and accept Bigtex  (from a distance ) as long as he provides peanut butter.

[Bigtex]

GREAT stuff guys!! The real test for any of these Game Cameras is the wildlife pictures they take, if the subjects are looking, sniffing, biting, etc., the Game-cam in your pictures, they know it;'s there, and going through the time & expense to have them 'tested' is just wasted......the wildlife will test it for you! Once you eliminate these things, then you have something. When I 1st started making these, I tried to understand the limits of the store-bought models out there, and solve theses issues.......mainly the fact animals know they are there, they aren't stealthy in appearance, depth of field never known, and they only fire 1 camera.......I have solved these issues, and have something that is truly Species Specific.

 

With mine, I have always used 35mm cameras, as they fire instantly, but until they fire, they are totally off. 20 years ago when I first started developing the trigger mechanism, digital cameras were slow, and made lil noises as they powered up for a delayed firing. They are probably much better now, but too expensive to use in my rig.

 

PS.....that last post Cat is very funny by the way, lmao!

Edited December 14, 2018 by Bigtex

[Bigtex]

Here are the cameras that I use......was able to buy a case of them new years ago, and got the cost down to about $15 a piece (they retailed over $100), and another $45 to have them wired. They have extra flash capacity that really puts some light on the subject at night.

 

It's been years, and I posted about it here the first time I used my rig.......perhaps I should re-post all the details & pictures of what happened, do you guys remember?

[gigantor]

BigTex. If you could post a "How To" in the Squatchipedia, it would be great!

 

 

[Bigtex]

"How To" anything in particular? The quest for these creatures is always evolving, with beliefs, methods, & goals constantly changing. I've made my most recent transition about 6 years ago from obsessed to prove their existence (without harming one), to the complete opposite.

 

However, anyone who can predict movement along certain BF trails in your area, message me and we'll get a picture:)

 

As far as setting up a any Game Cam, and Catmandoo was spot on in his post above; if you are in a BF area, you are most likely being observed, and no matter how good or stealthy your camera rig is, if they see you putting it up, you've wasted your time.

 

When I set mine up, I use an extreme and carefully calculated method, but that's what you have to do......assume you are being watched, and hide what you are doing. What I do is this, I pre-scout the area & locate a natural pinch-point on the trail, plus make sure there is a suitable place to hide the 2 cameras on either of the trigger point, this way you get a front & back picture no matter which way it is heading. I carry the triggering device and 2 cameras in a backpack. I also have a quick set bottomless tent and test my acting skills:) I act like I am setting up the tent on the trigger spot, set the device & bury, then I come out of the tent acting mad and "not liking" the location. Then I do the same where I setup camera #1, and repeat for camera #2.....I am in the tent, and they can't observe what I am doing. Acting again, I move from the 3rd set up location to the actual camping area I will use later that night a fair distance away. The hope is that they will use this trail later to observe my camp.

 

The main negative to my camera rig is once the pictures are taken it is quite obvious due to the flash and camera rewind noise. That's why I need to be close by and try to retrieve the cameras IMMEDIATELY, and that my friends is the tricky part.

[JKH]

I frankly bet it might be dangerous. Don't remember what happened to yours before, although it's great that this looong thread has been preserved. Did they end up smashing them?

[Bigtex]

Hey JKH......yeah, they are not happy campers at all, and is dangerous. The first time I set up the camera ambush specifically for the Hairyman, I was not baby sitting the one camera I had set up. It was in a very remote location, and whatever tripped the camera removed the film canister out of the camera, pulled the film out, put the film canister back in the camera, back in the camera box, and replaced everything back to normal. I retrieved it the ext morning, the area looked totally normal, took it home to process the film, and found the empty film canister back in the camera, no film, and a large bite mark on it. I tried for weeks on other film canisters to duplicate the damage using a variety of tools, and couldn't come close, plus the damage REALLY does look like a large bite with flat teeth, and would break my teeth if I tried.

 

The 2nd BF Camera Ambush I was baby sitting nearby, and will never ever do that again, no way. After the flash, I was too far away to see anything, but there was quite a scary verbal response, terrifying actually, and I went post hast the opposite direction. Was only using one camera and lost it that night, but they/it didn't find the game trail buried triggering part, which is the hardest to make & costliest part:) 

Edited December 14, 2018 by Bigtex

[gigantor]

1 hour ago, Bigtex said:

How To" anything in particular?

 

The whole rig would be awesome, but the triggering device in particular.

 

Thanks!

[Bigtex]

I should have added above that I most certainly WILL babysit one of my camera rigs again......just be better prepared this time. I will take my 15M candle power night-to-day flashlight, at least 1 or 2 other people, and packing my 12G shotgun.......bought some non-lethal loads called 'Zombie Blasters' that are really load and shoot fire out of the barrel, and of course some slugger loads just in case it gets nasty. The plan would be to rush the camera area yelling, 15M blazing, fire a zombie blaster load, grab cameras only, and skedaddle back to the car!

 

Sooooo......any volunteers?

Edited December 14, 2018 by Bigtex

[Catmandoo]

Yes Bigtex, I remember. That is why I asked. You use a buried, pressure point/strip trigger. Can't remember the weight required to send a signal. Filters out small animals. The Canon Sure Shot was/is a popular unit. The 'BF', Big Finder series was a fixed focus lens so there wasn't any autofocus noise. More flash power also.  The Sure Shot Owl PF (power flash ) Date series was used in the Leaf River brand 'Trail Scan Model C1 & C1BU' game cameras. Those cameras were hacked electronically and you can remove them from the protective housing to fire mechanically or change the trigger source. They run on AA batteries too. I am wondering about that 800 ASA film in your post. The cameras are supposed to use DX coded 100, 200 and 400 ASA film. You tweaked it. It is possible to change/code film cassettes. Go to FIRSTCALL Photographic LTD, UK., and they have Firstcall DX Recoder labels.

 

For motion triggered set ups with these Canon Sure Shots, I am thinking Trailmaster TM550 with 1 or 2 TM Multi-Camera Triggers. The PIR sensor has a range of 65 feet in an arc of 150 degrees. Circuitry adjusts the gain for ambient temperature changes. The TM Multi-Camera Trigger can handle 3 cameras. Daisy chained together can be a set up with 5 cameras

 

I have thought about buried triggers. There are about 12 minerals in western Washington that will be false positives to metal detectors. One shovel load from a #2 shovel will change the ground balance. I have gone crazy chasing false positives. Buried triggers may have problems for me. I like the tent approach. I have a bottomless changing/shower tent for camping. The brand name is "Wolfwise". Do you pee on the trigger path? They might want to check on your DNA. They check for Wolfie's DNA. I drink a lot of coffee so I am able to leave 'Catmandoo Pale Ale' all over. They know it's me.

34 minutes ago, Bigtex said:

I should have added above that I most certainly WILL babysit one of my camera rigs again......just be better prepared this time. I will take my 15M candle power night-to-day flashlight, at least 1 or 2 other people, and packing my 12G shotgun.......bought some non-lethal loads called 'Zombie Blasters' that are really load and shoot fire out of the barrel, and of course some slugger loads just in case it gets nasty. The plan would be to rush the camera area yelling, 15M blazing, fire a zombie blaster load, grab cameras only, and skedaddle back to the car!

 

Sooooo......any volunteers?

 

'Zombie blasters'?  Sounds like what was called "Dragon Breath' when they came out years ago. Be careful to not foul the barrel of your 12G.  Please do not start a forest fire. A less spectacular approach is a 12G flash bang pistol made by ORION. It is designed as a bear deterrent. 

 

Your storm trooper plan is for night time.  Any daytime only, flash turned off missions planned?

Edited December 14, 2018 by Catmandoo

[Bigtex]

Here's a pic of the camera box I am using, and can parallel several together for a group shot from different angles of the same event. When in a State or National Park, I can put apples on the table, and the trigger mat under the camp rug, and hope they take one, no takers that night though. FYI, I had hidden a camera in the camp grill nearby, and up in a tree @ 12' feet. Also, a better pic of the film canister. 

 

Very careful about fire Cat for sure. Yep, the zombie blasters are the same as those dragon breath, and haven't really done much day stuff with the camera rig, even though the batteries are good for over a month, none in cameras, they run off the D's in the case. My usual set up includes one trigger mat, two cameras, and wiring, with a cost of around $400, plus another $850 for the audio if I wire it in too. I'm not rich enough to leave it unattended very long:) 

[JKH]

OMG, now I remember that incident with the film bite. Imagine that critter pulling it apart, biting it and then putting it all back. LOL, they are something else. On the other camera, did they roar or scream? Must have been quite a scene. 

[Catmandoo]

Nice case, Sea Horse size 120. I have some. It is the first housing that Reconyx used for their Silent Image series of cameras. Full gasket and built in pressure relief vent. The housing is not very expensive. First that I have seen with a 'bark' pattern. Did you do the 'bark'?

[SWWASAS]

On 12/14/2018 at 11:37 AM, Bigtex said:

Hey JKH......yeah, they are not happy campers at all, and is dangerous. The first time I set up the camera ambush specifically for the Hairyman, I was not baby sitting the one camera I had set up. It was in a very remote location, and whatever tripped the camera removed the film canister out of the camera, pulled the film out, put the film canister back in the camera, back in the camera box, and replaced everything back to normal. I retrieved it the ext morning, the area looked totally normal, took it home to process the film, and found the empty film canister back in the camera, no film, and a large bite mark on it. I tried for weeks on other film canisters to duplicate the damage using a variety of tools, and couldn't come close, plus the damage REALLY does look like a large bite with flat teeth, and would break my teeth if I tried.

 

The 2nd BF Camera Ambush I was baby sitting nearby, and will never ever do that again, no way. After the flash, I was too far away to see anything, but there was quite a scary verbal response, terrifying actually, and I went post hast the opposite direction. Was only using one camera and lost it that night, but they/it didn't find the game trail buried triggering part, which is the hardest to make & costliest part:) 

Perhaps Bigtreewalker would like to examine the bite marks and compare them with the marks he has found on elk bones?  

[BigTreeWalker]

We discussed that but that's as far as it went.