Friday, September 11th, 2026

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Friday, September 11th, 2026

Breaking News for

Sportsmen Since 1968

George Shiras, the beginning of wildlife photography and early concepts of trail cameras

George Shiras and a paddling companion using his night flash wildlife camera invention mounted on the front of a small boat. Shiras adapted the crude “flash” and historical camera to stop action of animals along a lake or river bank. He developed the method after watching tribal hunters approach wildlife closely at night by paddling with burning pine pitch in a frying pan on the front of their canoe. (Photo provided)

In 1890, cameras were very crude. It was difficult to get a good photographic image, especially for something other than a human portrait or scenic landscape where the subject didn’t move for the relatively long time it took the camera to record a sharp picture.
Approaching skittish wildlife that typically would bound away when humans approach was the norm and photography of live wild animals was impractical. George Shiras had a keen interest in recording live wildlife.

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