Beaver capture

I have had the hardest time capturing images of a beaver. Only after spending the past few weeks learning about their environment and extensive use of trail cameras, I think I got the image I wanted.

Cognisys Scout active IR sensors
Canon 50d with kit lens
3 Nikon SB-25 strobes, (2) 45 degree left and right of the camera, (1) from behind to add separation from the dark swamp.
Camtraptions wireless triggers
RAM mounts for everything


Two trips 45 minutes into the swamp (each way) carrying tools and equipment, through tick-infested wetlands and bears coming out of hibernation. I moved a heap of scent mound to the water crossing and have captured 13 different species in 24 hours. Beaver dams and crossings are my new target sites.

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Beautiful animal. Great capture. Thanks for sharing the details.

Nice capture and it certainly sounds like you deserved success. I am curious "l moved a heap of scent mound", just want you to explain this we don't have beaver in Australia ;)

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Originally Posted by Buckhunter

Nice capture and it certainly sounds like you deserved success. I am curious "l moved a heap of scent mound", just want you to explain this we don't have beaver in Australia ;)

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Beavers, like many mammals, communicate with chemical signals. In scent marking, beavers actually build a mound of mud on which to place their scent. ... The beaver straddles this pile of mud and applies castoreum from its castor glands, or anal gland secretions, or both. I put on rubber gloves and grabbed a handful of his scent mound and placed it where I pre-focused the camera. Just enough to get whoever was crossing the sensor to pause for a second.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by stinky

Beavers, like many mammals, communicate with chemical signals. In scent marking, beavers actually build a mound of mud on which to place their scent. ... The beaver straddles this pile of mud and applies castoreum from its castor glands, or anal gland secretions, or both. I put on rubber gloves and grabbed a handful of his scent mound and placed it where I pre-focused the camera. Just enough to get whoever was crossing the sensor to pause for a second.

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Well it appears to have worked. Again great catch.