what is this camera?

We just came upon this in the woods. I wasn't able to climb throught the snow to

get a closer look. Is it maybe a video cam in a weather proof case? Or what? It

is anchored to a fallen tree and semi camoflaged with branches and has a lock on it.

More images available if it will help.<div></div>

A geocaching repository? An environmental or research monitor? A drug stash?

Hunters or wildlife manegment rangers set up motion triggered game cameras to monitir their activity.

Motion detector camera. Hunters, for example, use it to automatically shoot time-stamped shots so they know what sort of critters use what paths through the woods at what time and under what conditions.

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They use the same grade of IR-based motion detector that trigger your driveway floodlights. Some of the cameras actually shoot in IR for nocturnal stuff. You can find them at <a href="http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/tplimage?lid=41000000009104984&pubid=21000000000052290" target="_blank">Cabelas.com</a> and similar outfitters. To the extent that stalking and choosing locations for wildlife photography is similar to big game hunting, these are pretty great tools for the outdoorsy set planning to point something (lens, bow, etc) at deer, mountain lion, bear, and other large moving objects. Ironically, they're also good for catching poachers. But if poachers see these cameras, they tend to put a round through them, or steal them and use them themselves. Best to think of these as disposable.

and I was just signing up at geocache.com - I had never heard of that.

 

The camera explanations make more sense though where it is isn't really deep enough in the woods to be hunting. It is just off a paved path which leads to one of the town's water supply wells. Wondered if it could be a security camera?

 

Jeez, in this day and age, I was ready to call the police. It's not a bombable location, but I was afraid someone could be monitoring who is walking alone on the path. - I guess they could.

 

So its definitely a camera - likely motion activated? but could be used for anything? ha-ha, it will be funny when the owner sees pictures of me taking pictures.

With no identifying markings and on a path to a water supply in an obviously non-remote area? I would report it. It is probably OK, but it should have some sort of markings.

 

Out in the deep woods here in the NorthWest there are <a href="http://www.conservationnw.org/wildlife-habitat/remote-camera/?searchterm=remote%20carnivore">Carnivore Studies</a> that plant remote cameras.

DN, I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought it possibly reportable. I asked some friends in ton about it and they didn't seem to think it was strange. The camera itself being so close to the path is not really in a remote area where one would be hunting. It is however, surrounded by an area where there may be hunting. But I couldn't understand why one would take pictures right on the path if they wouldn't be hunting there.

 

Then, know nothing about hunting, so maybe there is a reason they would be tracking paths there or something?

There's no guarantee its a hunter's gear -- could be a lower leg fetishist :-)

 

Seriously, if you report it to your local authorities you've done your civic duty -- the onus is on them. Probably a perfectly good explanation for it, but who knows?

especially these days, I'm suprised more of these things aren't reported.

You will love Big Brother in the end Winston

At least there are no lite-brite style animated characters that are obvious in the picture, Lauren!

I wouldn't even mind big brother as much as a child or female predator or just plain weirdo.

ha ha DN - then I'd have to report it for sure!

 

I have a fun update. Someone suggested last night that I email the water dept guy in town (since I had already been in touch with him to complain about our water quality). I sent a nice email explaining where it was and what my concerns were and that I considered "reported to authorities" by asking him about it and to look into it if he didn't know about it and its purpose.

 

As of tonight, no return email from him. However, I was walking the dog down there today and ran into two Water Dept employees parked right at "the location". It turned out I knew one of them and I stopped to talk and asked if they were checking out the camera. They admitted, it had been placed there by one of them on behalf of the water department as they are trying to catch some teenagers who have been vandalizing in the area. Of course, they want to keep it quiet, but I think since I haven't heard at least a reply of "don't worry it's taken care of" from the Water Dept guy I emailed - I may share the story with my little group of townies.

 

The guy who placed it admitted it wasn't one of his better hiding places and after they left I looked as I passed by the fallen tree again and noticed how badly it had been hidden. The entire tree and surrounds are all dead bare branches. The camera had been hidden by obviously out of place, pine branches.

 

Anyway, so ends another massachusetts terror alert!

 

Ps- they said the images it takes are terrible and barely distinguishable. I asked them to let me know if they got a shot of me photographing it and get me a copy - (the guy I knew is the husband of the owner of the photo lab I use - small town)