What the Cameras See

November 28, 2022

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The trees will tell their secrets to those who tune in.

~Steven Magee

I check the trail cameras once a week or so and am always anxious to see what secrets they uncover in our woods. The past few weeks it has mainly been squirrels chasing each other around and deer, lots of deer. November is the peak of the mating season (aka rut) for deer in our area and they have been busy. The abundant acorn crop is giving them plenty of food so they all look in their prime. There is a herd of about nine does that I see regularly on the cameras. Several bucks (at least four or five that are 6-pointers or larger) are making the rounds, chasing does and challenging each other and nearby tree saplings. Here are a few of the highlights from this month.

— Three large bucks (look for one to come in from the left) check each other one morning behind the house before one big guy becomes the obvious king

— One large buck comes in near the end to chase a doe. The cameras have caught many cases of bucks chasing does in the last few weeks.

— Sometimes a buck is just looking, hoping for a doe to be near. This beautiful 8-pointer likes the camera

— It is not all about the deer. Here, my oldest camera model captures a grainy night-time image of four raccoons (one adult and three young) climbing the large Tulip Poplar that serves as a den tree

— It has been a few weeks since the cameras caught a coyote. Here is a slow motion view of beautiful canine trotting along a favorite coyote pathway in our woods.

Comments

10 responses to “What the Cameras See”

November 28, 2022

Susan Loeb

I really enjoy all of your posts! Thank you!

Reply
1. November 28, 2022
  
  roadsendnaturalist
  
  Thanks, Susan. I appreciate that.
  
  Reply
November 28, 2022

Deb Hanson

Haha – that buck stops and poses like he’s in a beauty pageant! And that coyote slow-mo is awesome. Thanks for sharing.

Reply
1. November 28, 2022
  
  roadsendnaturalist
  
  Thanks, Deb. Yes, I loved the pose of that buck as well.
  
  Reply
November 28, 2022

Tom Griffin

What makes animals check the camera? Does it make a noise or is it lingering human smell on them?

Reply
1. November 28, 2022
  
  roadsendnaturalist
  
  Hey Tom. Probably a bit of both, plus, it is a noticeable blob on a tree trunk. But I am guessing it is a combination of what you suggest as well.
  
  Reply
November 28, 2022

Melva Fager Okun

Wow – that is one well-fed coyote. Please explain how you can tell the difference between a wolf and a coyote. A neighbor said she saw a coyote on the street the other night. Have there been in town/Carrboro sitings? Thanks Mike.

Reply
1. November 28, 2022
  
  roadsendnaturalist
  
  Yes, well-fed indeed. If you mean our NC Red Wolves vs Coyotes, they are tough to tell apart. See this link – https://defenders.org/sites/default/files/publications/red_wolf_identification_guide_for_hunters.pdf. Easier to tell between Coyotes and Gray Wolves out west. In both cases, wolves tend to be larger, heavier, more rounded snout, and much bigger feet. I would assume Coyotes have been seen in Carrboro as they are everywhere these days.
  
  Reply
November 30, 2022

Mary Kay Coyle

How graceful the coyote is!! Gliding through the forest…….
It’s amazing how much goes on all around us that we seldom really take the time to see. Love what your cameras capture!!!

Reply
1. November 30, 2022
  
  roadsendnaturalist
  
  Thanks, Mary Kay. The coyotes all seem to have that same gliding rhythm mixed with a touch of trotting. Yes, the cameras reveal so much that we never see…
  
  Reply