Was looking to set a trail cam on the edge of a meadow close to a water hole we noticed a box cabled to a tree it was flat about the size of a back pack is square it had a arm extending up and away with what could of been a mic or a camera. I’m thinking mic it appeared to have a camera in the box near the top.

It has a cable lock and a camo ratchet strap on it but it looked government expensive not an everyday type game cam. Anyone ever come across such a contraption in the middle of the National Forest?

The cameras on a friend of mine's place, that were set up to monitor bird and bat populations look like that. His land is leased to a wind turbine company that has to have surveys done, before construction.

Keith

Sasquatch prolly put it there.

I know there has been some serious problems with trail cam thefts in the Hillsthe last few years, wonder if it’s someone trying to protect their equipment.

government, here has them for wolf study1200 or so

I think they are onto you................

watch em folks, he's a fairly dangerous man

This thing is way bigger then a regular cam like medicine cabinet big not in a great place it does point to the road, the water tank is off to the hard left so that’s not the target. I’d guess cattle in there but if they were the focus it would point to the water tank I’d think.

It’s either monitoring the ATV trail or recording sounds maybe set up to keep track of bugling maybe.

Likely one of those connected to the internet type cam's. They already have your pic on file now. LOL

I might go out next week I’ll get a pic if I go.

can you harvest firewood in that area?

I made it back out to the Hills and took a pic of the mystery box on a tree. I showed this pic to a GFP guy “retired” he thought it was maybe to monitor ATV traffic and noise levels.

Had an elk trail pic of a side by side where it should not of been it could have been the rancher but looked a little to nice for a work ATV.

I know here they study turkey gobbling. I believe they do so buy putting some kind of recorder in the woods. My vote would be a recording device, but no idea what they are listening for.

My guess is monitoring ATVs since it points towards the road but elk seasons coming up in a few weeks it could recording bugles for some study.

Law Dog can you send me some specifics on where, FS guy will let me know what it is.

pm sent to you sir

Thanks looks too spendy to be an average Joe setup.

Here is what the FS guy emailed to me:

Hello



It’s a bat detector. We are monitoring for bats near an aspen/meadow ecotone. It’s for a large project that is assessing aspen health. We are targeting bats that roost, rear pups, and forage in deciduous trees. Something like little brown bats, long-legged myotis, big brown bat, silver-haired bat, hoary bat, northern long-eared bat, western small-footed bat, and possibly red bat.



It looks like the monitor might have come apart. Maybe a cow or an elk rubbed on it. It probably should have been placed a little more conspicuous. This equipment is expensive and sometimes ends up missing. Thank you for the photo and thank you for the interest.



Ruben

WOW!