Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/80127
2B Daily News – Saturday, August 25, 2012 Outdoorlife living MILWAUKEE (MCT) — Jim Schoenike has loved the Wisconsin outdoors for as long as he can remember. From the time he was a young boy, Schoenike was tutored in archery and mak- ing traditional archery equipment by his grandfa- ther John Schoenike and father, Jerry Schoenike. John Schoenike was a charter member of the Wis- consin Bowhunters Associ- ation. And Jim Schoenike has- n't missed a Wisconsin deer hunting season since he was 12. Schoenike, 53. "It's a big part of my life." "Love it," said Schoenike has been garner- ing just as much enjoyment from another form of wildlife pursuit in the Bad- ger State — trail cam pho- tography. But in recent years, deback, a trail cam manu- facturer based in De Pere. "It's a good problem to have." In response to requests from the public, the Wis- consin Natural Resources Board earlier this year authorized overnight place- ment of trail cams on state- owned properties. Lax said many trail cam users continually update to the latest models. Like many forms of electronic technology, trail cams have generally improved in per- formance and decreased in price in recent years. The products have come & Trail cams no flash in the pan hunters who enjoy captur- ing candid photos of wildlife. growing segment for the products: home security and surveillance. Schoenike started his trail cam use in 2000. Like most users, he bought a camera to learn more about deer movement on a hunt- ing property. His first camera was a 35 And perhaps the fastest mm film model. Schoenike laughs as he recalls his early efforts at trail cam photogra- phy. "There's a real excite- ment each time you check to see what a camera has captured," Schoenike said. "And it's rewarding to learn what's on your property and learn how to get better pho- tos." growing army of trail cam users in Wisconsin and beyond. aren't available, most indus- try experts say the number of trail cams in use in the United States has more than doubled in the last decade. "Most users don't own one, they own several," said Beth Lax, president of Cud- Schoenike is among a Although hard figures a long way since company founder Mark Cuddeback built his first model in 1984 to assist in scouting for deer near his home in Park Falls. Word of Cuddeback's trail cams spread and in 1989 he decided to form a company dedicated to man- ufacturing the products. The company now has facilities in Park Falls and De Pere and employs 30 people. Lax said Cuddeback is the "oldest and one of the largest" trail cam manufac- turers in the country. What's more, ownership is spreading beyond the United States. kets are growing fastest," Lax said. "There's more awareness, more recogni- tion of what the products can do." "Our international mar- ing experience," Schoenike said. "I got lots of shots of branches and grass waving in front of the camera." But with today's digital technology, Schoenike said beginners can learn much faster. "It was definitely a learn- Products to sell calendars, T-shirts and note cards bear- ing images of his trail cam photography. A portion of proceeds from sales of the calendars will be donated to the Wis- consin Bowhunting Associ- ation. "I've been doing it and learned the hard way by practicing," Schoenike said. "It's fun because you keep learning things all the time." Schoenike said camera placement and positioning are two of the most impor- tant considerations for good trail cam photography. "You absolutely must Schoenike developed advanced trail cam tactics and has accumulated an extensive library of stun- ning wildlife images. With cameras placed on land near Clintonville over the last decade, Schoenike has captured images of predators pursuing prey, animals in intimate moments, including does nursing fawns, and close- ups of secretive wildlife such as fishers and bobcats. The common theme: Through trial and error, Lax said the most trail cams are sold to hunters to assist with scouting. But many also are sold to non- Trail cams can deliver images seldom seen with human eyes. Together with his wife, Nicki, Schoenike has started a company called Big Oak and you could help pets that have been abandoned in our community know where you are point- ing the camera and what time of day you intend to capture most images," Schoenike said. Schoenike said he takes most of his images with the camera pointing north, which is never directly into the sun. Schoenike tries to cap- ture most images of animals within 15 feet of the cam- era. California Outdoors Q&A License Required to Fish Outside California Waters? Question: A group of friends and I are planning to take a trip on their yacht, basically sailing up and down the coast and visiting some of the small islands along the way. A couple of us like to fish but aren't sure of what regulations will apply to us if we're fishing outside of state waters. Do we have to have a fishing license if we are fishing more than three miles from shore? I've heard something about the coastal three nautical mile limit but want to be sure we have our ducks lined up before we launch. Thanks for your help. (Randi L.) Answer: Yes. California sport fishing licenses are Carrie Wilson If using a camera with flash, he advises using the lowest flash power setting to avoid "washing out" sub- jects that pass nearby. Schoenike suggests plac- ing most cameras about 4 feet off the ground, close to eye level with many ani- mals. more experimenting with placements, including high on fence posts to capture different perspectives. Schoenike learned early to use a solid mounting device for the camera, building one if necessary. There's nothing worse than discovering your trail cam was pointed at the ground for weeks due to a failed or weak attachment. And always remember to clear foliage away from the camera. In recent years he's done experiment with it in your yard," Schoenike said. "Set it up and walk into the frame and check the results. Then take it into the field." In general, game trails, displaying zones and feed- ing areas are among the best places to capture wildlife on trail cams. Schoenike said he limits his visits to trail cams to about once every two weeks or even once a month. And he prefers not to set trail cams near bedding areas. And get ready to get "When you get a camera, hooked. "Most people I talk to get addicted," Schoenike said. "I love it because you never know what you're going to get. Sometimes the photos are better than anything I could imagine." required even when fishing outside of California waters if the vessel you're fishing from is registered in California, or if your trip either begins or ends in California waters. The only time you will not need a California license is if your boat is not registered in California and your trip origi- nates in another state or country, and you never come into California waters to fish or to conduct commerce (e.g. pur- chase fuel, food or other goods.) This includes the offshore islands that are considered a part of California (e.g. Farallon Islands, Channel Islands, etc.) In addition, species that are illegal to possess in Califor- nia are also generally prohibited from being imported into California. Fish and wildlife cannot be imported into Cali- fornia unless legally taken and possessed outside of the state (Fish and Game Code, section 2353). Proper disposal of cat litter benefits sea otters, wildlife and humans Question: What is the most responsible way to manage cat litter? Because of wildlife disease impacts from cat feces, biodegradable forms of cat litter disposal may be a bad idea if they are composted on site. Yet, loads of litter in plastic bags in our overburdened landfills is not a good thing either. We know that keeping cats indoors is the best thing to do for wildlife (the number of birds and lizards killed by house cats each year is staggering AND outdoor cats defecate where feces can enter the ecosystem), but it's hard to know how best to deal with litter. Any advice? I'm stumped… and I have an indoor cat I want to be responsible about caring for it! (Becky S.) Answer: The following information is provided by Department of Fish and Game (DFG) Veterinarian Melissa Miller from the Marine Wildlife Veterinary Care and Research Center in Santa Cruz: owner. I do agree that cats make wonderful pets, but their natural predatory behavior can significantly impact native wildlife. Animal feces, including cat feces, can also spread parasites, bacteria and other pathogens to sea otters, wildlife and humans. So what can you do to prevent this?" "First, like you, I keep my cats indoors all of the time and "First of all, thank you for being such a responsible pet provide sunny spots for them to hang out and watch the birds outside-they really enjoy that! It's good to know that indoor cats commonly live longer and are healthier overall, so this is a win-win!' "Second, cats have very unique nutritional requirements, so I feed them a high quality commercial cat food and make sure that any special treats I give them are fully cooked, because raw meat can cause bacterial and parasite infection for your cats, and indirectly, you." "Third, I prevent access to rodents, wild birds and their fleas, which could also be a source of infection. As for the cat box issue: I agree that there is no "perfect" solution. However, based on what we know at present, our recom- mendation is to clean the cat box(es) every day, place the soiled litter in a plastic bag, seal it and place it in your regu- lar trash where it will be disposed of in an approved landfill. We do not recommend composting of feline waste because of the potential human and wildlife health risks. Some of the pathogens that can be present in feline feces are extremely hardy and can survive for months to years in contaminated soil, and the infectious dose is very low." For more information on this topic and to learn more about how improper disposal of kitty litter can be dangerous for sea otters , please see:http://seaotterresearch.org/resources.shtml to Providing Essentials for the Tehama Shelter to benefit the Tehama County Animal Care Center make a $500 donation If we receive 1,500 "likers" on Facebook by Sept. 15 we will NOW AT $1,000+ LIKERS Go to www.facebook.com/rbdailynews in the look-up bar near the top of the page, then click to "Like" our Facebook page when you get there