Who knew when trail cams were invented how much love they would give back to society? A deer is probably trying to have a private walk in the woods then is suddenly startled by a flash and can make the wackiest face!
Then there are the times when it looks like a wolf is posing for the camera. He's probably fully aware of how majestic his fur looks blowing in the wind. If you're looking for the photos of animals caught on trail cams, you've come to the right place!
Just A Deer And Its Barrel
What's in the barrel Mr. deer? This buck found something he likes and has decided to take it. After all, no one is going to brave enough to step up and stop him. Really it's a perfect crime; the only witness is the trail cam.
With no humans around and hundreds of other deer that look exactly the same, good luck finding this barrel thief in the wild! He's probably halfway to Albuquerque by now.
This Guy Really Tumbled Into That Weed
Horns are just inconvenient for a buck. This young stud will never get the tumbleweed off his head. Maybe if someone had been around when he walked past the camera, his problem would be solved.
Instead, we get this comedy gold. We just wish we could see his deer friends' reactions as he walks back into the woods. Hopefully, he has a good sense of humor about himself! Next up is a bear with zero sense of humor!
This Bear Isn't Messing Around
We're sure happy we weren't around for this incident. The bear in the picture is running at something. Perhaps a salmon escaped the river! Maybe this furry friend just likes getting their 30 minutes of exercise a day.
The bear isn't running at the trail cam; we know that for sure. If it was, the angle would be different, and we probably wouldn't have this heart-stopping picture to enjoy! We think this bear might be running to the deer party coming up!
Deer Party, No Humans Invited
No humans were harmed in the making of this picture. Deers hanging out in large groups in the woods should be adorable, not more frightening then swimming with sharks!
The real question is; what are these deer doing? Did the trail cam just catch them at a creepy town hall meeting? Sorry to interrupt deer, we didn't mean to intrude. We're just going to walk the other way now and pretend like we saw nothing...
Perfectly Timed Owl Attack
Here we have a deer trying to have a peaceful midnight stroll: take in the sights, contemplate life, and look at the stars. Then what happens? An owl swoops down out of nowhere to ruin the peaceful evening! How rude!
Hopefully, our feathery friend didn't think this deer was dinner. That would bring a new meaning to the saying, "eyes bigger than your stomach!" Last time our eyes were bigger than our stomachs it turned out about as well as this owl's life is about to.
Just A Squirrel Pretending To Be A Bird, No Big Deal
This trail cam was either set off by the deer or the bird. Wait, that's not a bird; it's a squirrel! What kind of mad science is this? We assume this squirrel thought flying over the deer was the fastest way back home.
It's definitely not attacking the deer. You can see food hanging from its mouth. We're also guessing this tiny guy didn't suddenly think it was a bird. Then again, stranger things have happened because "life finds a way."
Raccoon Selfie!
This raccoon really took advantage of a great opportunity. It knew there was a trail cam in these woods. It's probably been caught on camera a few times. Now its just posing. We don't blame it though. We'd love to take a casual selfie with deer grazing in the background!
The only thing this photo is missing a selfie-stick. It's not a true selfie these days unless a selfie stick is involved!
This Is Not The Party We Want To Join
We've never seen a group of happier raccoons. They found a ton of spilled food and are partying the night away while eating. One has had its fill and passed out, waiting for the morning light to come.
Another has taken up residence in the middle of the food pile. This is its life now. It doesn't care about your judgment. It's living its best life! This is one party we're glad we weren't invited to.
The Most Motherly Of Foxes
There's no way this momma fox knew she was feeding her youngers while perfectly framed in front of a trail cam. She also doesn't care. Her puppies are happy, and she is happy as a result. What a proud momma!
This picture is proof of the incredible photos that trail cams are capable of catching. Nature is a beautiful thing, and this fox mom with her baby is one of the most beautiful pictures we've ever seen.
Speaking Of Nature's Beauty...
For those confused; yes, that is a wildcat riding a buffalo. It's good to know Lyft and Uber exist in the wild. This wildcat had better remember to tip its driver. The last thing it needs is a stampede waking it up in the morning.
It's incredible to us how animals seem to know when trails cams are there. Both the buffalo and cat are looking straight into the camera. How long does it take the camera to take the picture after the light flashes on?
When Food Fights Back
This coyote got more than it bargained for when it came across two deer with zero interest in becoming lunch. They're standing their ground, and the coyote is close to running. Before that, it's going to try every growl in the book to get the high ground back.
We think the coyote should probably just stick its tail between its legs and leave though. This battle was lost before it ever really began. Sorry, buddy.
What Happens When Nature Has Had Enough!
This trail cam had a good run. According to the owner, this was the last picture taken before the camera was smashed and broken. Nature knows you're watching, and it's finally had enough!
Seriously, that doesn't even look like a scary bird. It's just tired of having its privacy invaded and is stepping up for itself and all its fluffy and feathery friends. Without these pictures, though, the world just got a whole lot darker...
This Looks Like A Surrealist Painting
This picture is real. The blue sky is blown out in the background, and the tiger isn't very well lit, giving the poorly exposed picture a surrealist feel like no other. Normally we'd be mad to see such an amateur picture taken of nature, but this one is oddly beautiful.
The heat the trail cam was exposed to at the time didn't help either. The tiger must have been hot, or it wouldn't have dipped half its body in mud to cool down. It's not going to be very happy when all that mud dries.
This Raccoon Called An Uber
Wild Uber isn't just for the buffalo. This raccoon didn't feel like walking to meet up with its friend, so it called an Uber instead. The swine seen above was more than happy to take the raccoon to its destination for a fair rate.
Now that these raccoons are together, who knows what trouble they're going to get into. Their ride should stay close; just in case they need help getting home at 4 a.m.!
All You Can Eat Deer Buffet
We had no idea Golden Corals existed in the wild! These deer have one, and they are eating all they can. Even getting caught by the trail cam won't stop these ravenous herbivores! They're looking straight into the camera with pure defiance.
This is their meal now, try and stop them. Somehow few things in this world are scarier than normally harmless animals looking straight into your soul with glowing eyes. Eat, please! We don't want any trouble.
A Jaw-Dropping Escape
What an incredible moment caught on camera. This coyote had its dinner cornered and was about to go in for the kill. Then, out of nowhere, this raccoon lept to safety on a nearby tree, narrowly avoiding the jaws of death!
The timing of this picture takes our breath away. We'd love to see the rest of what was taken. This is a great movie poster, but we want to see the whole movie.
A Gigantic Mountain Lion
Whoever saw this image when they were looking at the footage of their trail cam was probably extremely happy they were not outside when this mountain lion was strolling by.
Spotted in the wild of Alberta, Canada, this lion looks anything but friendly if his sinister facial expression says anything. Needless to say, people probably weren't vying to go on a hike anytime soon after seeing this camera image.
The Battle For Food Never Ends
This deer and raccoon came across the same feeder at the same time. Sadly, there's only enough food for one of them. Sharing is caring, but sometimes it's every animal for themselves. The deer has the advantage in this picture, but never count out a raccoon.
One good scratch could turn the tide in the raccoon's favor. Hopefully, this deer has good health insurance. It might need a few stitches! This battle is truly one for the ages.
The Chase Is On!
We're not sure why this man is chasing this wild dog on the trail, or why he's dressed so nice, but we have our guesses. The most likely one is the wild dog stole something that didn't belong to it.
Or this man is just protecting his property. Perhaps he owns a near by farm and spotted this hound eyeing one of his chickens. The last thing anyone would want is to give away a free meal in this economy!
Get Away From My Hammock
This cat is just trying to enjoy itself on its little hammock when these two deer came along and ruined all of the fun. Luckily for the cat, deer don't eat meat, so it should count its blessing.
Those could easily be bears or wolves instead of cute little deer. That being said, these deer still look like they're up to no good and that cat probably won't be in the hammock for much longer.
Abducted
If you've never seen an alien abduction, now you can say that you have. We don't have any other explanation for this picture. We assume that one second the deer was there, and the next, it was gone. We wonder that if any other animals have been abducted from this same spot.
If so, somebody better go check around that camera and hope they don't get abducted as well! Hopefully, someone has video evidence to see what actually happened.
Flying Squirrels Are Not Friends
While at first, you might just think that this is a screenshot of a deer running through the forest. Yet, If you look closely, you'll notice the menacing-looking flying squirrel chasing after it.
That squirrel's eyes are enough to make some of the bravest men run away in fear, so we don't blame the deer for looking so panicked. We just hope that it got away quick enough to be on the squirrel's dinner menu.
Forestry Love
We don't think that these two porcupines were caught sharing a smooch in front of the trail cam by coincidence. We think that they wanted to show the world that they're together, and the trail cam was their best option.
They better be careful, there's a lot of predators that would like to stumble upon two animals that are preoccupied with playing tonsil hockey and aren't paying attention to their surroundings. We wonder how they're doing today.
Not High Enough
Fortunately, for this wild pig, some hunters figured that they had hung their food up high enough from the animals on the ground. They're going to have a rough morning when they wake up only to see that a pig has eaten and destroyed all of their food. They might as well pack up everything and head home.
We're willing to bet that someone convinced the others that it was hung high enough and are to blame for this situation.
Run Little Guy!
This could play out one of two ways. Either this little bunny is about to meet its maker after being attacked by the mountain lion, or it will escape in the last second. While we don't want the mountain lion to go hungry, we also don't want the rabbit to die.
But hey, that's the circle of life. Also, considering how quick rabbits are, chances are that it got away just fine.
Let Me Whisper In Your Ear
If we didn't know better, we'd think that this deer is whispering something to the other deer that's caught its attention. Odds are, it's really just licking behind its ear for them, or maybe these two deer are partners.
We're just glad that they decided to do this right in front of the camera so that we can see it. They sure do look like a cute couple if you ask me.
"What Are You Looking At?"
At a glance, this furry creature looks like a bear cub, but it's actually a large marten. These mammals can be quite destructive, as they have a tendency to chew on things like cars. People who live in areas where martens live can even purchase special marten-damage insurance.
They are solitary animals and can be found in the alpine tundra of the Northern Hemisphere. Their fur is prized by trappers.
Bye Bye Santa
Looks like somebody put this stuffed Santa Clause directly in front the trail cam to see what would happen. Instead of curious deer coming and having a look, it appears that a bear took particular interest and decided to take it for its own.
Somehwere, that toy Santa is probably inside of a bear cave and has been there for a while. That's the most festive bear that we've ever seen. Somebody should bring it some other Christmas decorations.
Howl At The Moon
We've all heard packs of coyotes and wolves before, but we've never actually seen it caught on camera. Here, three coyotes are howling at the moon and they're putting on quite the show.
Coyotes howl in order to keep in touch with other coyotes in the area, or in order to make a threat when they're protecting their den or a new kill. It looks like these three are just communicating with fellow Coyotes.
Step Up, Bro
We're not too sure what these two deer are doing, but we doubt that they're being friendly with one another. It looks like they're about to start boxing each other which would be a sight to see. We have our money on the deer on the left.
This picture makes you wonder what deer are really doing when they're alone in the wild. These trail cams are really giving us some insight into what animals are really up to in their natural habitat.
Didn't See It Coming
This little squirrel was just out and about minding its own business when things went south. It was swooped up by a hawk, one of the main predators that it has tried to avoid its entire life. it's not really a fair fight, to begin with.
Although squirrels are fast, hawks can fly and are even faster and much more fierce. It also doesn't help the squirrel that they can be silent and can swoop down without making a sound.
Get Out Of Here!
Looks like this deer was trying to either protect its food or its young. It has a very aggressive look on its face, so if I was that fox, I'd really put it in gear to get out of there.
The deer's antlers look like they could really do some damage, so that fox better hope it can escape in the undergrowth because that deer looks like it means business. Not to mention that getting stomped on by those hooves could be deadly.
A Lot Going On
This trail cam really caught an image of some serious action in the wilderness. A wild lynx runs off with a fresh kill as a duck flies right overhead. The duck should count its blessings because it just as easily could have been him in the lynx's mouth.
It's a dog eat dog world in the wilderness, and this picture perfectly sums up how things are in nature. Makes you thankful that we aren't worried about being someone's dinner all of the time.
Showdown With An Audience
While these two deer are proving their manhood, little do they know that they have an audience gathering in the back. We're not entirely sure what kind of animals they are, but they sure look very interested in the fight.
For all we know, they could be making bets over there and exchanging nuts that they've found while foraging on the forest floor. Maybe this is a nightly tradition that the animals do for entertainment.
Standing Their Ground
This buck is fighting for its life against what looks like a coyote, wold, or a dog. You can see by the bite marks on the back of the buck's legs that this fight has been going on for some time.
But by the looks of it, it seems like the buck has the upper hand. The other animal appears to be cowering away from it and is maybe even thinking about running away. Looks like this buck is going to live another day.
Picking Up Her Cub
We know that mother bears take extremely good care of their young, but we've never seen them pick up a cub like a human does a baby. Here, a mother bear lifts her cub up to get a better look at something or maybe get something to eat.
Imagine stumbling upon this while on a hike in the forest. Maybe the bear saw a human doing this and she decided to try it out for themselves.
A Fox Fight In Black And White
Fox Vs. Fox... Who Will Win?
Foxes are a common sight on these nighttime trail cams. But it's not so common to find a photo like this, of two foxes engaged in paw-to-paw combat while standing upright. You can almost hear them hissing at each other!
If you're a lover, and not a fighter, you can just pretend these two are having a "friendly" and "civilized" discussion about politics. Because THOSE kind of talks are usually pretty polite these days, right? Actually, their facial expressions look about right for a political debate.
Like Something Out Of A Horror Movie
While it's a shocking image, what's happening to this deer isn't supernatural.
This deer is suffering from cutaneous fibromas, growths that are caused by a species-specific infection typically thought to be transmitted by insects. Poor thing likely has trouble eating.
A Camera Built For Two
Have you ever tried to photograph a fox? They're pretty particular creatures, if they even let you take their picture at all! It’s never guaranteed. This one was probably bribed with snacks, but is ready to snatch the camera and run if it doesn’t approve of the result.
Have you ever tried to photograph a fox? They're pretty particular creatures, if they even let you take their picture at all! It’s never guaranteed. This one was probably bribed with snacks, but is ready to snatch the camera and run if it doesn’t approve of the result.
What Are You Up To?
Everything was going great for this photographer until this cheetah showed up. Now he's stuck staring through camera unable to move. Any sudden motion and this calm kitty might go into big cat mode. For now everything is okay. Just don’t move.
There’s always a chance this cheetah really wants to look at the camera. Cats are curious creatures, and this one might just want to see what this strange human is doing. Is he looking at more cheetahs? A tasty snack, perhaps? One thing is certain… curiosity won’t be the end of this cat!
One Kiss And You'll Become A Prince
First, we have no idea what kind of animal this is that has adorably distracted this photographer. We think it's a baby weasel, but aren’t quite sure. Whatever it is, it’s giving the photographer an "Eskimo kiss." Let’s hope she keeps her nose!
If this little fella is lucky, the kiss from this photo princess will turn him into a prince. That’s how that fairytale goes, right? True loves first kiss will break the curse and turn this critter into its truest form.
Excuse Me, You're Standing On My Back
Being a photographer is tough. Not only do you need to be creative and technical, but you've got to hone your laser focus to get the perfect shot. That can be hard when you have a bunch of distractions all around you — especially if those distractions are cute animals.
These cuties didn’t want their picture taken and weren’t afraid to let the photographer know. Instead of running away, they walked right up to her. Maybe they’re just giving her some creative direction?
Cutest Distraction Ever
Look at that baby cheetah and try and tell me that you would be mad if it stopped you from taking a picture. We'd put the camera down and start playing with it. Who could resist? As long as its mama doesn’t show up we’re safe.
If she does come out of the brush, then we act like the photographer in the first picture and stop moving. It’s not our fault cute animals are impossible to stay away from! Especially this little fluff monster!
Don't Take That Picture!
Here's a nature photographer with a sense of humor. He was just trying to take some amazing pictures of seals on the beach when one snuck up behind him. Now he’s stuck between a seal and a hard place, unsure what his next move should be.
With no way out, all he can do is laugh at the situation this seal has put him in. Thank goodness he had a friend with him to document him trying to document nature. He’s never going to live this one down when he catches up with the rest of his crew back at the hotel!
You Have Something On Your Head
This woman is determined to take the perfect picture and she doesn't care who, or what, gets in the way. Not even a big white wolf whispering sweet nothings into her ear. If that were us, we’d be running away as fast as our feet would take us.
Some pictures just aren’t worth taking. Kudos to this photographer for being braver than us. Or more stubborn. That sounds more accurate, actually. This is a once-in-a-lifetime photo and she’s not about lose the chance after years of trying!
Is That Food?
When it's winter time, food is hard to come by. This fox is really hoping this camera is food. Sorry, buddy, it’s only used to take pictures Would you like an uncomfortably close shot of your nose? That sounds fun for everybody!
With any luck, this photographer will find a way to take a good photo. It looks cold and he probably doesn’t want to stay outside for too long. We wouldn’t. We wouldn’t be laughing either. This fox is cute, but it really is doing this picture taker a disservice.
Nice Picture, Friend
Sometimes you just want to play. This baby tiger was bored of playing with other cats, saw a human, and decided to take a chance. If only this guy was prepared. Now his picture is ruined, he needs to buy a new pair of glasses, and if this cat isn't careful he’s going to need stitches!
This is one of our favorite pictures so far. This little tiger has made it impossible for this photographer to do his job, and that’s okay with us! The more humans you play with the better.
That's How You Tackle!
This poor photographer was expecting to go out into the wild and snap a few majestic photographs. This golden eagle saw what he was up to and decided that wasn't allowed. Linebackers in the NFL need to take note; this is how you tackle properly!
Lesson learned for this guy. He’s not going out into nature for this kind of punishment again. Especially with a friend who is going stand there and take a hilarious picture of the attack instead of stepping in a doing something to help out!
Well This Is Awkward
This photoshoot could not have gone worse for the poor man. He was just taking a few pictures when he looked to his left and saw a bear. Then he looked to his right and you know what he saw; another bear!
On the other side, the bears saw him and wondered if they had lucked into the perfect afternoon snack. No better way to fatten up for the winter hibernation months than a tasty human morsel. On a less dark note, these bears look friendly enough, the photographer just needs to remain calm and collected.
Just A Little Higher
That's one proud looking bird! Unlike some other animals on this list, it really wants this photographer to his shot, he just has to find the bird first. Who knows how his framing will look when he has to shoot the picture blindly!
Just a little higher. Now lower. Now to the left. Now to the right. Back to the left. Up an inch. PERFECT! Take a few shots, though, just to be sure. The more camera roll this photographer uses up on this one bluebird, the better!
HELLO, CAN YOU HEAR ME?
This picture is another case of one photographer being lucky another photographer is with him! Without picture takers traveling together, we'd never get some of these amazingly hilarious pictures. We don’t know what this deer was expecting to find in the camera lens, but we also don’t care.
More importantly, this guy might be laughing now, but he won’t be laughing if this deer cracks his lens. If you’ve ever looked up prices of new lenses, you know they aren’t cheap!
Found You!
Another day trying to take pictures; another fox ruining it all. The worst part is there is nothing this photographer can do about it. He or she is stuck in their makeshift igloo trying to keep warm and stay out of view.
This fox found the camera and planted himself right in the front of it. No, the lovable but poorly placed critter is going to stay there until it figures out exactly what is going on. This is going to be a long battle on both ends!
Squirrel!
Okay, there must be nuts in that bag because we've never seen a squirrel this friendly. Usually, they get skittish and are just looking to grab a quick meal then get away as fast as possible. This squirrel has firmly planted itself on this backpack while this person takes pictures.
Also, what is this person taking pictures of? Flowers? The squirrel is on your back, guy! That’s where your camera should be pointing. If there is anything we learned from the guy taking the picture of the bird on his head, it’s "where there’s a will, there’s a way."
Look Over Here
Sometimes you just need a little help from a friend to get the perfect picture. The cameraman saw a meerkat family on their adventures and knew he had the perfect opportunity for a picture. The problem was the meerkats refused to turn and pose for him.
The problem, thankfully, was solved when another meerkat jumped on his back to help out. Now his friend can wave over to the family so they know what's going on. Then it’s up to them whether or not they want to take the perfect picture for their upcoming holiday cards.
A Fox Of Another Color
What is it about foxes when they see photographers that they just have to do something about it? This fox seems to be taking a new approach. Instead of confronting the photographers face to face, it's snuck up from the rear and is getting ready to play some sort of trick.
This poor photographer will never see it coming. How will she react? We hope whoever was watching and took this picture did something to help out after. That’s what a good friend would do, anyways.
Where's The Photographer?
Uh oh, what did this lion do to the person who was holding this camera? Are they okay? That's a very proud trot this lion has as it walks away with its prize. The phrase "it’s going to cost an arm and a leg" has never been more true.
Now that this lion has a new camera, what is it going to take pictures of? We’re predicting that this is the first lion to ever start a family album with pictures of its cubs growing up. The sentiment brings a tear to our eye.
Bad Camera!
Maybe this is how the lion got the camera on the previous slide. We can't prove that it’s the same lion or camera, but maybe. This ferocious feline is clearly teaching itself how to take a picture. It watched the humans do it enough and now it’s taking a turn.
Is this how Animal Farm starts? Now that lions know how to take pictures, the other animals will slowly start to learn how to do other things. Before we know it, we’ll be living in the grass while our furry friends are building lives for themselves indoors.
The Animal Takeover Continues
First it was the lions, then it was the foxes. Or did the foxes start this whole apocalyptic scenario? We've now seen several foxes getting in the way of wildlife photographers doing their jobs. It looks like they had ulterior motives. Sneaky foxes!
What’s next, mice learning how to take pictures? Snakes? The possibilities are endless and we’re shaking in our boots. Okay, we’re not actually that scared. This whole doomsday scenario is too ridiculous to take seriously. Go back to foraging, fox!
Oh No, Here We Go
Well, so much for the animal takeover scenario being ridiculous. Our worst fears have come true. The foxes taught the lions how to use cameras first, then they taught they mice. First it's the cameras, then it’s the rest of our technology,
And if you think your thumbs will save you, don’t bet on it. Call your local veterinarian and let them know what’s going on. The future of your kids is at stake. The future of your kids' kids is at stake!
Move a Little to the Left…Now the Right…
This little fox looks like a professional behind the lens of this Canon camera. Just look at the way he's standing upright and leaning against the camera on the tripod. His paw placement is just right and it almost looks like he’s looking over the viewfinder to give his subject some creative direction!
…And maybe he is. After all, they don’t call foxes one of the cleverest species in the animal kingdom for nothing.
