Trail cameras, or game cameras, are cameras commonly used by hunters and nature researchers to take photos and videos of local wildlife. During SHTF scenarios, these trail cameras can come in very handy for providing you with food, extra security and even entertainment. Here’s how to use them for these three purposes. (h/t to MDCreekmore.com)

Food

At the first sign that disaster is happening, people will run to warehouse stores in panic to buy as much food as they can get their hands on. Instead of joining in on the frenzy, and possibly getting into a fight with other desperate shoppers, consider using your trail cameras to look for food yourself.

There’s a good chance that you’re using your trail cameras in a location where there are some wild game that you can hunt. Using trail cameras will give you better chances of successfully tracking and taking down your prey, thus supplementing your cache of survival foods.

Trail cameras can keep an eye on possible animal trails as well as monitor their behavior even when you’re not around. Using trail cameras will allow you to devote more time to other important tasks you need for surviving after a disaster. It will also give you an edge over less-experienced hunters. (Related: Skills assessment: What you really need to know in case SHTF.)

Security

While trail cameras are more likely to be used for hunting or nature research, you can also set up your trail cameras to protect your personal property from would-be home invaders. If criminals, or even your neighbors, feel like your home would make a great target for a burglary, one or several perfectly placed trail cameras can come in handy.

This will be even more handy if your trail cameras have a video feature or motion sensors. Whether your camera is continuously streaming footage of your backyard or is triggered by motion sensors, their correct placement can quickly alert you to the presence of intruders. The footage you take of them can also be sent to the local authorities (if law enforcement is still functioning) for identification.

And because trail cameras are designed to go undetected in a natural environment, there’s a good chance that the possible burglars or intruders won’t be able to see that you’re prepared for their arrival. Setting up multiple cameras around the perimeter of your house can also supplement your home security system.

Entertainment

After SHTF, it’s very important to keep your morale up. A lot of the luxuries you and many other people once enjoyed will disappear, including many of the sources of entertainment that you used to rely on, such as the internet or going to the movies. Keeping your mental health stable is important during this stressful time. Luckily for you, your trail cameras can also be used to entertain yourself.

If you point your trail camera at the street, you can use it to keep a close eye on your neighbors and watch how they – and perhaps the rest of society – are holding up. If your camera is set up to watch the local wildlife either for security or hunting purposes, it may be fun to watch the silly antics your local deer or raccoons come up with. If your cameras have audio, you may even be able to hear your local birds singing.

Trail cameras can possibly be used for a variety of other purposes not listed above. The limit to the trail camera’s usefulness is your imagination. When SHTF, you will need a lot of creativity to survive – and figuring out how to use your trail cameras effectively may be very helpful.

Sources include:

MDCreekmore.com

GameCameraWorld.com

NWTF.org