It is 7:45 p.m. on June 4, 2011. My Primos Truth Cam 35 wildlife camera has been mounted to a tree here in the forests of Petra, Maine for several days. Earlier this same day, I had retrieved its data disk, inserted a new one, and set it to take still photographs, as it had been set for video previously.
This is a favorite area for this Maine black bear. I believe that it is the same one that has shown up in previous photographs and videos here and in other Petra locations. It seems that he is comfortable here, as he generally hangs out here rather than simply passing through. I did put some apples down here for the deer and moose once some weeks ago, which the bear ate, but I do not make a habit of baiting the area. When I first came here, I could see signs of a bear in the shredded logs and the bark missing from the small birch near the center of the screen.
An animal trail passes through the area, and continues on into the tree line straight ahead in the direction that the camera is pointed. In that direction, one would pass by my compost area and finally reach a seasonal road that goes through our property. In the opposite direction, the trail leads further into the forest. Another less traveled but easily identifiable trail leads off into the woods to the left and right.