Interesting. This opens up a whole new realm of nature documentary film-making based around unobtrusive cameras. I don't see animal behavior differing very much, but a human presence certainly is not something the animals can ignore.

That said, some of the animals in the pictures saw the camera -- not exactly discreet.

Yeah, they're on a motion sensor, and usually flash, which is pretty hard to ignore. We've been using them for years to spot whitetails in the woods.

Are there any in-expensive game cameras that you guys would recommend. Everything seemed really expensive on Amazon.

Build your own?

I 'hacked' together a FOSCAM IP camera to capture wildlife in my backyard. Was about $70 for the camera. There's a newer IP cam out from them that costs about $150 and has a much higher resolution.

Getting power to the cam was easy as I ran a really long power cord. It is cheaper to run Power Over Ethernet if you have longer distances (just buy an injector and splitter). If I move the cam further into the woods, I will do PoE (although bought the equipment).

If I go any further into the woods, I will use a solar panel, battery, and inverter.

FOSCAM has motion detection software on-board, so it would also work great at bird feeders around your house.

http://deercam.tumblr.com/about

My friends have used game cameras for a number of years now. They give video to the game wardens to document the number of wild hogs and their travel patterns on their property in the river bottom. The number of hogs around here is mind boggling, they are encroaching farther and farther into large cities.

They work equally well for observing higher primates. :D

We, (local crime watch), use the same types of cameras to keep an eye on vacant houses in the neighborhood. So far we've assisted the police in tracking vandals and drug dealers. (Not to mention countless non-criminal animals...)