Mysterious Lights and "Something Behind The Camera" -the truth about trail cams (cats are smarter than humans)

 There are certain fallacies regarding the use of trail/game cams. The main one is that animals cannot detect them or the 'invisible flash' when a photo is taken.

I have footage of a fox that was very wary and jumpy -I had no idea why until I checked the second game cam. The second camera was ata different angle to get a rear view of an animal  -in this case to determine the sex of foxes at a site. This also afforded a view of the position of the first camera.

What I saw was surprising. The very nervous fox was jumping as camera 1 took photos of it. The magnitude of the flash was very surprising. When the camera was removed the nervous fox acted       normally. So foxes could definitely see the 'invisible' camera flash.

Watching other clips and images from cameras I noted domestic cats also jumped when the cameras took photos.In fact, in one clip a cat can be see jumping as the photo is taken. Two cats even play at getting the ground level camera to flash! Once use to the camera flash the cats continue as normal. Without fail all three of the cameras I use were visited by and sniffed over by cats.

Now if canids and felids can detect the flashes and react itputs a whole different slant on certain 'unexplained' video clips usedon TV and in You Tube videos. "The deer cannot detect the camera flash and are clearly looking at something behind the camera" No. They are looking at the flash from the camera. Then we have the clips where "A mysterious light flares up in the background -there is no explanation as to what the source of this light is. It is unexplainable". No. I have seen exactly the same thing: it is a second trail cam flash. When you hear people say they have trail cams "scattered  all over this area" it is not surprising these bright flashes are picked up by other cameras -I have enough images to prove this and a tree or bush branch moving slightly will set of cameras.

I, as a human (no, I really am) cannot detect the camera flash but it is quite clear animals can.and certain cats appear to love making a game of setting the cameras off.

above and below: This cat "A" is fond of "striking a pose" after playing around in front of the camera. In some photos, while in this pose, the cat is making sure that she is being photographed. I even have images where a paw is waved in front of the camera to make it flash -a  second camera showing this.

Below: Cat "A" again images he islooking up to where a camera was placed (it had never been placed in that [position before and this was in the rear garden not front). She then jumped upon to the wood planks and "performed" -she also did this indaylight after checking that the camera was still there!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

Below we have Cat A who saw, approached and played in front of the camera before getting bored. Rear of property, side of property-cats have absolutely no problem finding the camera -concealed or in the open.

Below: Cat "B" is a young cat and at first reacted as foxes did to the camera but got used to it. She now deliberately sets the camera off by waving her paw in front of it as well as her tail. On thios occasion she approached the camera and repeatedly moved back and forth setting it off until she got bored...and a hundred images of her head and shoulders were captured.

Before anyone askes -there is nothing where the camera is placed to attract her attention just the camera: that was part of the test.

Cat C  also notices the flashes from the camera but has  no real interest after checking out the camera.

In fact, Cat C deliberately looks at the camera and posed for three photos before moving off.

So, when those 'experts' tell you about mysterious lights from trail cams or that animals are looking at something 'behind' the camera -they are frauds or have no idea about the cameras they use.