Wildlife Biologist and Land Manager Mark Thomas Uses Motion-Sensor Cameras to Improve Lands
Day 3: How Mark Thomas Also Uses His Motion-Sensor Cameras for Property Surveillance
Editor’s Note: Mark Thomas (forestrywildlifeintegration.com/) is both a registered forester and a registered wildlife biologist and an active member of the Quality Deer Management Association (QDMA) and the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF). Thomas consults for the timber and the wildlife industries and constantly evaluates and improves properties for hunting. One of the key tools he uses in his daily work is motion-sensor cameras, often having as many as 50 cameras on one piece of property doing various surveys. This week we’ve talked with Thomas about what he’s doing with his motion-sensor cameras, and how cameras can help you improve you land.
  Question: How else are you using your motion-sensor cameras on lands?
Thomas: I use the cameras too when I’m using a new logger I’ve never worked with before. I’ll put the camera a short distance in the woods along the road that the logger uses going into the woods and hauling timber out of the woods. The camera records every load of logs he takes out of these woods, and I compare the number of loads the logger tells me he takes out of the woods with the number of loads I’ve photographed him taking out of the woods. I make sure that the number of tickets that I have from the mill jive with the number of loads of lumber I’ve seen the logger take out. I use cameras to photograph gates, especially if one of the properties I manage is having problems with vandalism. I can see who’s vandalizing the gates, who’s gone into the property, who’s come off the property, and when they’ve gone in and come out. To catch poachers, I’ll set up a dummy camera that oftentimes the poacher will find. Then I’ll hide two or three cameras around the dummy camera. When the flash goes off, there are four flashes at one time, and more than likely, he won’t see one or two of the flashes. Or, I’ll use an infrared flash so that the poacher can’t see it.
  Too, I’ll use the motion-sensor camera for property surveillance. If I have a piece of property with a cabin on it, I’ll set up the camera to photograph anybody who enters or leaves the cabin. Often I’ll set them up on sides of roads where I can see who’s passing by my property. Any place you want to have silent surveillance and photographic evidence, use the cameras.
You can learn more about hunting deer in John E. Phillips’ Kindle eBooks by clicking on these: “How to Hunt Deer Like a Pro,” "How to Hunt Deer Up Close: With Bows, Rifles, Muzzleloaders and Crossbows,” and “PhD Whitetails: How to Hunt and Take the Smartest Deer on Any Property.”
About the Author
John Phillips, winner of the 2012 Homer Circle Fishing Award for outstanding fishing writer by the American Sportfishing Association (ASA) and the Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA), the 2008 Crossbow Communicator of the year and the 2007 Legendary Communicator chosen for induction into the National Fresh Water Hall of Fame, is a freelance writer (over 6,000 magazine articles for about 100 magazines and several thousand newspaper columns published), magazine editor, photographer for print media as well as industry catalogues (over 25,000 photos published), lecturer, outdoor consultant, marketing consultant, book author and daily internet content provider with an overview of the outdoors. Click here for more information and a list of all the books available from John E. Phillips.
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