Wildlife cameras are fun and they combine tracking, hunting and photography.

I set up the camera for a week near the downed tree on the pathway along the Boise River. Nothing. It was pretty disappointing. Then, on a walk on the Greenbelt path after a fresh snow I saw beaver tracks and the drag of the animal’s tail. The critter was going from the Boise River to a small frozen slough off the pathway. The animal crossed right over the Greenbelt.

This was my chance.

I set up the camera in the afternoon and returned the next morning. Success! The young beaver crossed right in front of the camera. The infrared light on the camera even caught the attention of the beaver and it was mesmerized by the light.

Critter cams, or wildlife cameras, offer a whole new way of hunting, tracking and photography, and the banks of the Boise River through the Treasure Valley offer miles and miles of terrain for pursuing all kinds of critters.

Over the years I’ve gotten mule and white-tailed deer, mountain lions, skunks, bobcats, marmots, rabbits, magpies, coyotes, squirrels, you name it, on my camera. And finally, a beaver. Score!

Check out wildlife cameras, also called trail cams, for price, ease of setup and operation, picture quality, trigger speed, etc. Costs vary widely from under $100 to well over $200. Look at reviews online.

I have an accompanying solar panel that helps with battery life. You’ll need a lock and cable. Try to get everything in camouflage color.

On your hikes, look for game trails, tracks and scat and position your camera for the best shot. You might find the angle wrong the first time out by how the animal was photographed. I only got one eye and ear of a bobcat. Unfortunately, I only got the butt and tail of a mountain lion. Tweak the position and try again.

Good hunting.