Trail camera troubles

Photography can be trying at times. For me, the troubles aren't just limited to the camera I carry. The trail camera that had been taking snapshots for years at the neighbors' pond finally decided to call it quits. 

While age and wear may have had something to do with its demise, Kennedy might have had more to do with it. He insists on biting or butting the camera.  He gets scolded when I catch him, but I'm usually too far away to make an immediate save. 

Despite my best efforts, Kennedy insisted on terrorizing the trail camera. However, he held no prejudice against just the pond camera. He has attacked all the game cameras. 

However, some of the resulting photos can be entertaining after my anger has subsided. Most are up close and personal photos of Kennedy with me in the background wearing a disgusted look.

Meanwhile, I get to view what shenanigans happen in the background while I'm distracted doing something. 

A new camera for the pond site was purchased so I could keep an eye on things.

​However, it didn't seem to be making many captures and there were no nighttime shots. Then there were no photos at all. Dead batteries seemed to be the culprit this time.

Then the camera reset to factory settings.

I checked it the next day and the display said the memory card was full. This seemed suspicious. There were over 1,000 photos on it. After checking the card, it had been a windy day and the swaying fall grasses had tripped the camera.

​Someday I will have to read the instruction booklet and figure out how to change the settings and fix the date so it isn't 2021. 

Meanwhile, the camera in my parents' backyard also was taking hundreds of photos in a week. I suspected that weeds or leaves in the wind had triggered that device as well. However, that was not the case. My parents' field was a hotbed of deer activity. 

There was a series of 15 photos of two young bucks that were up to shenanigans.

As the rut was in full swing, the camera snapped photo after photo of bucks pursuing does. 

Some of the photos suggested that the bucks' attention was unwanted. One day while walking we spooked a buck that was stalking a doe. The doe was used to our presence and seemed to use our appearance as a deterrent against the horny buck. After we moved out of the area, the buck came in and doe ran off. 

The rut has since wound down. However, the deer are still on the move as deer rifle season opened Saturday. 

Meanwhile, everyone in my posse is sporting orange vests for visibility during hunting season. It was a good thing that the vests were wash and wear as Sadie and Clem decided to wear them into the pond to "fish" for some ice chunks.

​That's just the nature of things 'round here.