You can help the DNR monitor wildlife populations by adopting a trail camera in targeted research areas southeast of Mille Lacs Lake and directly south of Park Rapids.
The project is part of the DNR's continual effort to evaluate potential improvements to the methods it uses to monitor and estimate wildlife populations.
Results of this study to monitor foxes, wolves, bobcats, raccoons, fishers and other furbearers will be used to assess the feasibiity of establishing a statewide camera-based wildlife survey network.
- Where are the cameras?
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One camera will be placed in each survey block that is 3 miles wide and 3 miles long. Although the camera must be placed inside that block, it may be positioned at any location you choose within that area.
You must own the land where you place the camera, have permission to deploy it there or be on public land. The DNR will help you determine if the spot you choose on public land requires special permission.
Camera adopters will select the specific camera location. Tips the DNR will provide for deploying the camera will include:
- Desired camera height and positioning.
- Good sites to detect the species of interest (e.g., game trails, stream edges).
- Places to avoid due to concerns related to theft or false camera triggering from sun/shadows or wind.
- Who can participate?
Mille Lacs camera blocks
Park Rapids camera blocks
You must have legal access to a parcel of land within one of the 128 survey blocks (click the maps at right for a larger view).
All participants are required to:
- Have an email address that is regularly monitored.
- Deploy a camera.
- Upload and assist with identification of animals in the images using a third-party online image processing website.
- Provide feedback on the overall process.
DNR will provide a camera to each participant for use on the project. The camera must be returned at the end of the project using the pre-paid label and box provided.
Because you will be uploading and processing the images using a website, participation assumes you (or a friend or family member) are reasonably comfortable with computer use and have internet access.
- Camera deployment, required visits and retrieval
Cameras need to be deployed on or near Sept. 1 and retrieved after they have been out for six weeks, approximately mid-October.
Half of the participants, randomly chosen, will also be asked to deploy a carnivore attractant (fish oil, which DNR will provide) to the ground or a tree in front of the camera.
Batteries and memory cards should not need to be replaced during the six-week deployment, and frequent visitation to the camera is not needed.
Occasional inspection is recommended to ensure the camera has not been altered (e.g., by a bear) and the field of view has not become obstructed by vegetation.
- Image uploading and processing
Soon after you retrieve the camera, participants must upload and process their camera's images using free access to a third-party image-processing website. DNR will provide the link and tutorials.
The time required to upload and process images will vary based on how quickly you become comfortable with the website’s image species identification tools, your internet speed and how many images your camera collected.
As a rough guide, we expect it might take an average of two to eight hours for most participants to complete this process. Note that you can upload and process images in multiple website visits. All images do not have to be processed during a single website visit.
- What happens to the images once uploaded?
Most images uploaded will be stored indefinitely on the third-party website.
Participants are free to save images from the camera to their own computer. Although not required, you may delete any photos of humans or vehicles taken by the camera prior to uploading your images. All human images will be automatically deleted by the uploading system even if you upload them.
Do not delete any of the images of animals prior to upload. Blank images need not be deleted.
Images collected on this project and uploaded will be considered non-public for four years. After that period, images and associated data (but not your personal information) could become available to other researchers or the public if requested.
- What must participants agree to?
You will need to provide the DNR with your name and address (so we can mail you the camera) and an email address so we can send project communications and reports.
You must have an active email address, regularly monitor it and provide that address to the DNR. Your email is considered private data and will only be used to communicate with you about this project and, with the exception of the the third-party software company that may need an email address for identity verification, the DNR will not provide it to any other business, organization or entity.
As is typical for most online service providers, the third-party software company you will utilize for processing the images also may require that you provide certain information (e.g., name, email) when you set up an account. After establishing an account, the DNR will provide the information necessary for you to gain access to this project.
Participants will receive detailed information once accepted.
- How do I sign up?
Click the Sign Up Now button to select a survey block using the interactive map, ensuring the property where you have permission to deploy the camera is within that block.
Enter your personal information as requested and you will receive more instructions on the next steps. A camera and other information will be mailed to you. Correspondence also will come via email.
If you have questions about the project or participation, please contact [email protected] or [email protected].
