Seeing In The Dark: Cabela’s Gen 4 Trail Cameras
In Julian Jaynes’s thought-provoking book, The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind, Jaynes contemplates the mechanism of human awareness through the brilliant analogy of a flashlight inside a dark room. Jaynes likens reality to a dark room where human awareness, represented by a narrow flashlight beam, shines all around the room. To the bystander, it is clear the room is mostly dark with only a single, bright beam illuminating small portions of the room. Jaynes contended that if we asked the flashlight what it saw, the flashlight would say that everywhere it looked, it saw light, therefore incorrectly concluding that the entire room was illuminated.
Sometimes, I feel like Jaynes’s flashlight shining through a dark forest. Everywhere I point my awareness, I see life all around me, but what lies outside my awareness remains unseen. This is the conundrum of human awareness. We think we see everything; we think the world is bright, when there is so much happening right outside our awareness.
This might seem like an odd introduction to recommending a trail camera, but having a trail camera provided me with the opportunity to see a little more of the dark forest in which I live. If you would have asked me about the wildlife that lives on my property before I purchased trail cameras, I would have told you that there were a couple of deer, snakes, rabbits, geese, squirrels, and various songbirds. Little did I know that well over fifty animals were living on my property. There are over twenty deer that frequent the location throughout the year. There are also beavers, otters, raccoons, opossums, foxes, coyotes, herons, bobcats, and a feral cat, all passing through the same trails I walk each day.
Some of these animals are nocturnal, and all of them have a habit of avoiding humans. Without trail cameras, I was completely oblivious to their presence. I now have four cameras mounted at different locations in the woods. Each day, I walk through the trails, stopping at the cameras to see what they’ve captured. They’ve completely changed my perspective and knowledge about the local landscape.
There are no words to describe the excitement of seeing a large buck feeding in front of the camera, a hawk eating a skink, or the heron that caught a large bullfrog which it carefully washed in the creek before swallowing it whole. There were the beavers gathering brush and chewing on sticks, the family of raccoons comically fighting over food, five turkeys strutting in single file, and the fox that always looked like he had somewhere to be. Thanks to trail cameras, I was made aware of all these amazing creatures, and now manage the land differently.
We place organic scraps out of the raccoons and opossums. I regularly put corn out for the deer, with feeders on the property. I want the wildlife here to have a haven where they can survive, thrive, and carry on. As I write this, I’m sitting outside under my pergola watching a male Wren feed its five babies in a nest about six feet from me. This is the joy of being a part of nature, living in harmony with it, and being a good steward of the land.
If you live in a rural area or suspect you have wildlife in the area, then I recommend you invest in a trail camera. There are many brands with several models that all have unique features, but I opted for a middle of the road, non-brand name, camera manufactured by Cabela’s.
Review
Trail Cameras are great for hunters, conservationists, and the curious. After doing some research online, I opted for the Cabela’s Gen 4, 48 MP IR Trail Camera in a camouflage pattern. There are cheaper and more expensive cameras. The more expensive brands have cellular signals that allow you to retrieve pictures remotely if you have a paid service plan with a local carrier. While these are handy for hanging in remote areas you only visit occasionally, I liked a camera that allowed me to retrieve its SD memory cards while walking the trails each day.
The Cabela’s camera came with a package of the camera, a mounting strap, 8 AA batteries, and an SD memory card, and they loaded it with features that are usually more expensive. It has a simple interface and allows you to select several options, including the camera speed, sensitivity, and quality settings for either photographs, videos, or both. The camera features rich color during the day and black and white photos and video in the dark. This model also features a flash-less infrared light that illuminates animals without startling them.
I have had a positive experience with my cameras, leading me to purchase more. I thought I would use them to take photos, but the videos are much more interesting and reliable. The batteries last for several months, and the SD cards have been an easy way to transport images from the field to my computer or iPad. To see some various clips of footage from my Cabela’s Gen 4 cameras, you can visit my Instagram page here, and click on the Trail Cameras Highlights button.
To read more about this camera model, visit Cabela’s website here, or check out these specs from their website below:
A powerful IR-flash game camera that won't break the bank, the Cabela's® Outfitter Gen 4 48MP IR Trail Camera Combo makes monitoring game easy. Boasting a lightning-fast .4-second trigger (.5-second for video) and 2-second recovery rate, this capable cam snaps 48MP images and captures 1080p HD or 720p HD video clips to help you develop your hunting game plan. Powered by 48 LEDs, the cam's IR flash illuminates game up to 100' away at night to capture clear, crisp photos and videos. A 2" color LCD display offers user-friendly operation and viewing, while the efficient PIR design works to reduce false triggers to conserve battery life and valuable storage space. Versatile cam also features a time lapse mode and Multi-Shot mode to capture a more complete picture of activity around the camera. Efficient design runs up to 1 year on a full set of batteries and comes with a 1/4"-20 brass tripod mount insert w/Dead Stop. Combo includes a 6' nylon strap with buckle, a 32GB SD card, and 8 AA batteries so you can take this cam straight to the woods. Cable lock compatible.
FEATURES:
Quality game camera at a great price
High Resolution 8MP native sensor
4K video
Fast .4-second trigger speed - .5-second for video
Speedy 2-second recovery rate
48 LED infrared flash - 100' range
48MP photos
1080p HD or 720p HD video clips
Efficient PIR system for reduced false triggers - saves battery life and storage
Multi-shot mode - up to 6 images per trigger
Time lapse mode
User-friendly operation and viewing
1/4"-20 brass tripod insert in bottom
Combo includes 6' nylon strap with buckle, 32GB SD card, and 8 AA batteries
Cable lock compatible