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Tool Shed Garden Clinic Integrated Pest Management

Good Infrared Game Camera to Capture Mole Activity

westes Zone 9b California SF Bay

last year

I need to monitor an area that is roughly 3 feet by 3 feet with a game camera. I am trying to detect a small digging animal at night, and it might be a mole. I guess game cameras all use infrared cameras to help visualize the scene at night? Can someone recommend some specific products from Amazon?

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Comments (5)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
last year
i know the point is ID.. but arent moles underground and blind???

if so.. would a camera do anything???

apparently not blind: https://www.pestwiki.com/moles-facts-get-rid/

and apparently not necessarily nocturnal ... of course if you live in tunnels.. where the sun is doesnt really matter....

never a dull moment for you out there on the left coast.. eh?? ..lol

ken
westes Zone 9b California SF Bay thanked ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
krnuttle
last year
To my knowledge most game cameras are capable of taking IR pictures. I have two, one is a higher end camera and the other a lower end camera. The main difference between the two cameras is the software which provides the trinkets and menus in the camera.

In you case that fact that it has IR is not as important as the lens, For small animals you will need a camera that can get a good relatively close pictures. Otherwise a small animal may not be able to be identified as when the image is zoomed there may be insufficient resolution to see the identifying marks on the animal.

As I said I have two, and it has been fun to learn of the variety in the wild life in our yard. It has been interesting to see what the animals actually do, ie thier interactions with each other, what they eat, etc.

We have seen many different types of birds, fox, opossum, coyotes, deer, etc
westes Zone 9b California SF Bay thanked krnuttle
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westes Zone 9b California SF Bay
Original Author
last year
@ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5 The hope is that the animal excavation will change the area's infrared energy, which will trigger the sensor. Also, the animal may poke its head out from under the growing pile of earth. I have no idea how sensitive these camera IR can be set.
westes Zone 9b California SF Bay
Original Author
last year
@krnuttle Any ideas on how I can mount this to a pole that is angled toward the ground? Does anyone sell such a pole?
krnuttle
last year
Both of mine are on trees. One has the ability to adjust the camera so it is pointed closer to the camera or farther away. The cheaper one does not.

In there are no trees, then it depends on what kind of wild life you have. At a minimum, it should support the camera and be stable enough that a bird landing on it will not knock it over. At the other end of the spectrum, we have a deer that likes to take selfies, and sometimes pushes on the camera.

I know of no commercial products that are designed for a camera, however a wooded stake (At least a 1 X 4 or 2 X 2) placed in the ground 12 to 18" should provide a stable support for most animal situations. How you attach it to the stack depends some what on the camera. What ever arrangement you use, it must be stable enough to prevent camera movement.
westes Zone 9b California SF Bay thanked krnuttle

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