Rain is pouring from white sky here today in northern Minnesota. I watch it from a window. Fog seems to be steaming out of the trees and hanging in the air. Today is a day when you could either stay in and "putz", as they say here, or throw a poncho on and continue work outside. For now, I'm enjoying the window.
Wildlife in northern Minnesota is ABUNDANT! In this Coniferous Forest you can see all sorts of animals everywhere you go. Dead, or alive and well. The assortment of species is a long list, but for my experiment I am focusing mainly on deer, muskrat, squirrel, grouse, porcupine, raccoon, bear and cat.
For the past week I have been setting up an outdoor night vision camera. Designed mostly for hunters, it is camouflage and waterproof in a hard plastic shell with long strap in the back for attachment to trees and such. The actual model is a Moultrie Game Camera.
The land I'm on is rich with greens, berries and vegetation. In the middle of the plot is a large gardening area. Outside of the garden a Salt Lick was placed in the grass. Each night I've mounted the camera in different places, but the most animal movement was caught when it was mounted facing the salt lick. So far I haven't left any other "food" out for the animals. My goal is catch footage of a bear on the property, and thus far have only captured deer...cool, nonetheless!
DAY 1
The first time I used the camera, a raccoon was getting into the garden shop and eating the cat food and bird seed and making a big mess. So that's where the idea of using a night vision camera came from. Although, I never caught footage of the raccoon! Only Gracie here, about to hop up on her bench.
Wait a minute!!! I DID spot the raccoon!!!
HA! I joke. This is Mrs. M. in an example of what night vision shots look like.
DAY 2
And here is Minnesota's Whitetail Deer enjoying the salt lick.
DAY 3
Can you guess what this animal could be??
This is what seems to be the family Woodchuck, Charlie. He doesn't come around much anymore since the cats have stood guard. He can be a pesky bastard who likes to eat the wood foundation of the garden shop and make the crawl space his toilette. However, even though they are normally not noctural, this could be a black squirrel.
Below is the video I captured...
There ARE fireflies in Minnesota!! These are not them.
An example of night vision video.
"Deer in the headlights."
SASQUATCH????!!!
:) ...more to come.
