ADVERTISEMENT

Being in the great outdoors can be quite an experience. There is a palpable serenity in being one with nature and basking in its glory. 

However, these adventures also come with thrilling circumstances, the most obvious being close encounters with wild animals. How close? Check out these trail cam photos to see what we mean. 

Some of these are questionable at best. However, a few images on this list could send creepy tingles down your spine. 

Enjoy scrolling, but hopefully, you’re not doing so in the wee hours of the night. 

#1

Washington State Woods, Creepy Woman

Ghostly figure captured in a forest at night on a trail cam, showcasing a creepy and eerie atmosphere.

Jared72Marshall Report

RELATED:
    #2

    Glad To See This Handsome Guy Again. I’ve Been Watching Him For 2.5 Years And Hoping He Makes It Through The Season So I Can See How He Looks Next Year

    Deer with glowing eyes caught on creepy trail cam at night in forest.

    attractivenuisance16 Report

    #3

    Looking For Someone To Play Fetch The Deer Leg With?

    Wolf carrying a leg bone captured in a forest on a trail cam, surrounded by trees and fallen leaves.

    MaDrAv Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Heir of Durin
    Community Member
    2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This is more like it! My stepdad has hours and hours of trail cam footage on Mt. Rainier (Washington state). I’ve never seen or heard of anything spooky or odd. I like this cool look into nature, especially knowing it’s very likey real.

    View more commentsArrow down menu

    Many photos you see on this list capture images from odd angles. That’s because heat and motion trigger trail cameras, leading to “false positive” images. Tree branch movement or sun fluctuation may activate these cameras. 

    It’s also why most photographed animals featured on this list are warm-blooded; they set off the heat sensors. On the other hand, cold-blooded animals like insects may be difficult to detect.

    #4

    Trespasser Walking On My Property In 31 Degree Weather Without A Flashlight At 1:47 Am In Bear/Lion Country. Totally Normal Behavior

    A hooded figure captured on a trail cam at night, evoking a creepy atmosphere in a wooded area.

    So a couple days ago a car was stolen and abandoned about a mile or two from my place. Someone took a photo of a woman leaving it, posted it online and reported it as to the police. Well today I saw the same woman on an another cam of mine with a man.

    They were hiding out and the man was making supply runs for her late at night. About an hour ago the sherif caught her. Not sure about the man.

    WestCoastTrawler Report

    ADVERTISEMENT
    #5

    Friends Trail Cam In North Carolina

    A mysterious figure captured in the woods at night by a trail cam, creating an eerie atmosphere.

    PHFM Report

    However, trail cams' all-seeing lenses also attract strange creatures, many of which cannot be explained. One of the more infamous examples is creepy clown sightings. 

    Fact-checking website Snopes confirmed that these photos date back to 2010 and aren’t the same as the clown apparitions around the US in 2016. However, they are chilling either way.

    #7

    Some Person Was Having A School Project And Set Up A Camera Outside, But Instead Got This Image. A German "God" Named Derk

    Trail cam captures eerie figure with glowing eyes climbing a tree in the dark woods.

    semajvc Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    RamiRudolph
    Community Member
    2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Yeah, I'm sure this image is completely unedited and real. 🙄

    View more commentsArrow down menu
    #8

    Caught Someone In Mid-Werewolf Transition

    Blurry animal captured at night in the woods on a trail cam, showcasing creepy trail cam pictures.

    snanarctica Report

    ADVERTISEMENT
    #9

    What Is This? Spotted On A Trail Cam

    Trail cam capturing an eerie figure partly obscured by trees, creating a mysterious and creepy ambiance.

    My mother spotted this on her trail cam and we have no idea what it is. She has requested a better photo from spypoint but has had no response yet.

    I thought it was a bug because it seems to be in front of the trees, but she thinks it's too big to be a bug, which is fair. We are located in Southern Ontario, and this was about 2 km from the house on her property.

    IllNefariousness8733 Report

    ADVERTISEMENT

    These photos are compelling because the cameras captured these animals in their element. According to Mike Wittlin of Cuddeback Scouting Camera, trail cams appeal to wildlife enthusiasts. 

    This is why Wittlin and his company invited trail camera owners to a photo contest in 2014. Site visitors had the chance to vote for their favorites each week.

    #10

    Trail Cam Image From My Neighbor In Rural Wisconsin

    A blurry figure in cornfield captured by trail cam at night, adding a creepy vibe.

    azimm212 Report

    #11

    Strange Man Caught On Trail Cam In Minnesota

    Creepy trail cam picture of a figure with antler mask in a forest, surrounded by autumn foliage.

    macincos Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Maartje
    Community Member
    2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    hehehe.. I think he knows about the cam and decided to have some fun.

    View more commentsArrow down menu
    #12

    Rural South Carolina. From A Co-Worker's Trail Cam. What Is This?

    Creepy trail cam picture showing a mysterious, ghostly figure in the dark.

    danaann3165 Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    G A
    Community Member
    2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    See through. Load of rubbish. No such thing as a Rake. Made up Internet nonsense like Slender Man. Nah, not having this one! :)

    View more commentsArrow down menu

    Wittlin says the most captivating photos have been of animals doing something humans can see with the naked eye. For example, a hawk grabbing a squirrel or a deer standing on a raccoon—with one foot. 

    “You could sit outside for hours and hours holding a regular camera and probably never get that kind of shot,” Wittlin told the Herald-Times.

    #13

    This Guy Shouldn’t Be Here

    A mysterious figure captured at night on a trail cam, emitting an eerie glow.

    OperateOnCoffee Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Abel
    Community Member
    2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    A creature made of pure light! 🥹. Or maybe Mr. Burns from the episode " The Springfield Files".

    View more commentsArrow down menu
    ADVERTISEMENT
    #14

    South Georgia Bigfoot?

    Blurry creature in the woods captured on creepy trail cam picture.

    HoloskyPod Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    G A
    Community Member
    2 weeks ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Probably a guy in a Ghillie suit. Reason why? Look at the legs-above the knee they suddenly bulge out a lot, suggesting to me that the legs below knee are in boots and the rest is under a camouflage hunting suit.

    View more commentsArrow down menu
    #15

    What Even Is This?

    Trail cam captures a mysterious glowing orb in a forest at night, evoking a creepy atmosphere.

    reddit.com Report

    Now, we’d like to hear from you. Which of these photos creeped you out the most? Better yet, do you have your own strange trail cam photos to share? The comments section is open for your input!

    #16

    Friend's Cousin Got This Off Of His Tree Cam

    Creepy trail cam picture showing a deer running and a mysterious figure in the background at night.

    noddog11 Report

    #17

    What Do Y'all Think?

    Creepy trail cam pictures showing a snowy forest road with a possible Sasquatch sighting circled on the left.

    WSDOT_East Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Delta Dawn
    Community Member
    2 weeks ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Honestly looks 100% like a person to me. They’re wearing boots.

    View more commentsArrow down menu
    #18

    From One Of Our Trail Cams In The N. Grapevine Lake Trails

    Mysterious figure caught on trail cam, running through a dimly lit forest.

    We ran past a few cameras trying to activate them when we heard something traveling close behind us. It was around 8 PM. We spotted one picture with a figure. Could be man, could be creature. This area has an increase in creature sightings.

    Sasquatch817 Report

    ADVERTISEMENT
    #19

    Caught On A Friend's Trail Cam On A Ranch On Private Property

    Eerie figure captured on trail cam at night, October 2018.

    No_Recognition1998 Report

    #20

    Possible Entity In Sothern Minesota

    Trail cam image showing a shadowy figure in the woods at night, with trees and foliage.

    My grandparents live on the edge of a small town in sothern MN. This was taken on a trail camera I had setup for them facing the field behind their house. It;s the only picture anything like it I have ever seen.

    tomwitter1 Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    A girl
    Community Member
    2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    To the far left. A person in a puffer coat with the hood up

    View more commentsArrow down menu
    #21

    Game Cam Pic. I'm A Little Freaked Out Here

    Blurry figure captured at night on a trail cam, adding to the creepy atmosphere of the scene.

    crickit2626 Report

    #22

    Had A Ghostly Visitor (Or A Time Warp) Last Saturday

    Blurry, eerie figure captured in forest on trail cam, surrounded by trees and fallen leaves, showcasing creepy imagery.

    l_dean Report

    #23

    Trail Cam Photo Of A Real Bigfoot In Georgia

    Creepy trail cam pictures showing a forest with purple-hued trees and a hanging feeder captured on a laptop screen.

    Matt_Moneymaker Report

    #24

    North Florida/Alabama State Line Cryptid

    Mysterious and foggy trail cam picture showing unidentified lights in a nighttime forest scene.

    Anyone got any ideas what this might be or what might fit this bill? This camera is a 360* and as you can see the other views were clear as day but the one frame is foggy/smokey with two very clear large eyes and taken around 6:30pm (obviously dark outside.)

    This image comes about 3 days after FIL said he seen something on the edge of the woods looking straight at him with eyes about a foot apart early morning around 4:30 AM and gave him chills. He’s gone to the area since then and states it must be at least 8ft tall while standing. It’s made its presence known and the dog will not leave the porch only growls and backs up to the door around the times it’s been “seen”.

    Immediate_Result811 Report

    ADVERTISEMENT
    #26

    This Is A Snapshot From My Trail Cam On My Property In Southern Oregon. It Was Taken Back In May Of 2016. What Is This?

    Overexposed trail cam image capturing glowing eyes at night.

    No one was home when this snapshot was taken and I live on 5 secluded acres with no nearby neighbors.

    Full_Asparagus243 Report

    #28

    Caught This On My Trail Cam Last Night. What Do Y’all Think It Is?

    Creepy trail cam picture showing a mysterious cloaked figure walking at night in a deserted area.

    No-Initial5621 Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Unholy Diver
    Community Member
    2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It's a woman walking in the dark woods. She's even got a flashlight

    View more commentsArrow down menu
    #30

    Any Idea What This Could Be?

    Trail cam captures eerie night scene with a mysterious figure in a forest setting.

    thejuice0220 Report

    Continue reading with Bored Panda Premium
    Unlimited content
    Ad-free browsing
    Dark mode
    #31

    What Is This Thing? It Vertically Flew By The Camera Twice. We Have No Idea What This Could Be. Middle Of Nowhere, Upper Midwest. Please Help Identify

    A mysterious, floating light captured by a trail camera at night, creating a spooky atmosphere in the wooded area.

    reddit.com Report

    ADVERTISEMENT
    See Also on Bored Panda
    #33

    Can Anyone Tell Me What These Strange Things Are Flying In The Night On My Trail Cams?

    Creepy trail cam pictures showing glowing objects in a dark field at night.

    RepresentativeTea903 Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Earthquake903
    Community Member
    Premium
    2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    More rods. I used to watch shows like Sightings in the 90's and they talked about them a lot. I think they're just flying insects.

    View more commentsArrow down menu
    #34

    What Do We Think?

    Creepy trail cam picture showing a mysterious glowing animal in a dark forest, surrounded by leafless branches.

    Only-Ad-7929 Report

    #35

    We Just Checked Our Deer Cam And This Was One Of The Pictures On It

    A shadowy figure captured in the woods at night by a trail cam, conveying an eerie atmosphere.

    BeerAndWeed Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    G A
    Community Member
    2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Vague blob? Tree bark scraped off? Person leaning on trunk?

    #36

    Yesterday My Dad's Trail Cam Captured This Image. What Is This Animal?

    Close-up of a mysterious creature's eye captured on a trail cam, exuding a creepy atmosphere.

    BipolarBuffalo Report

    #37

    Caught This On My Trailcam Tonight. Thoughts?

    Eerie figure captured in a forest at night in creepy trail cam picture.

    Orange-Pumpkin-6895 Report

    ADVERTISEMENT
    See Also on Bored Panda
    #40

    My Grandpa's Game Cam Caught This Eerie Image At Dusk Last Night

    Eerie figure captured on trail cam in a dark forest, adding to creepy atmosphere.

    BrawlyHawk609 Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    RedRose
    Community Member
    2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    “I’d like to talk to you about your cars extended warranty.”

    View more commentsArrow down menu
    #41

    Trail Cam Capture At 2 AM On Christmas Eve In Woods Adjoining My Kids Elementary School

    Blurred figure in white robe captured at night, representing creepy trail cam pictures.

    basementintheattic Report

    #42

    Aunt’s Deer Cam Photo From 2012, Still Think About It To This Day. Ideas?

    Blurry figure captured on a snowy trail cam, surrounded by trees, creating an eerie atmosphere.

    dookiepropaganda Report

    #43

    A Bit Foggy

    Trail cam captures deer with glowing eyes in a field at night, creating a creepy atmosphere.

    GetOutIowa Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    John L
    Community Member
    2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It's a deer running from a bigfoot....what's the mystery?

    #44

    What Is This Thing Our Camera Caught?

    A mysterious figure captured in a dimly lit trail cam picture in the woods.

    Creative_Fan6412 Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Agfox
    Community Member
    2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Looks like it's carrying a basket, so I'm assuming it's off to see grandma

    View more commentsArrow down menu
    #45

    Checking Out The Trail Cam And Found This

    Trail cam image showing glowing eyes in a dark forest, creating a creepy atmosphere.

    This is from my uncle's camera only 100 yards from his house. He's had this camera set up in this spot for months in hopes of spotting an elusive bobcat that he's been having problems with. He lives on the southeastern edge of Illinois. There are no bears or wolves in this area. He usually spots deer, raccoon, and the occasional g**g of turkeys. My best guess was a deer, but he and I both agreed that the eyes were too big, too far apart, and too high off the ground.

    enigmatticus Report

    ADVERTISEMENT
    See Also on Bored Panda
    #47

    Trail Cam Pic Mystery Entity

    Nighttime trail cam image showing a mysterious figure kneeling in a forest clearing.

    AgalychnisCallidryas Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    G A
    Community Member
    2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Camera malfunction. You can see it's disrupted all up that side

    View more commentsArrow down menu
    #49

    Can Anyone ID This? Trail Cam Pic On Private Property

    Mysterious white figure captured in a forest environment, typical of creepy trail cam pictures.

    BorderlineEmotions Report

    #51

    Strange Figure Appeared On My Cousin’s Trail Cam In Mississippi

    Creepy trail cam picture of a shadowy figure in a grassy field captured during daylight.

    careerBurnout Report

    #52

    Any Idea What This Critter Is In The Background That Has This Raccoon So Spooked?

    Nighttime trail cam capturing a mysterious animal and glowing eyes in the background, illustrating creepy trail cam pictures.

    I know it’s grainy, this is the clip sent to my phone from the camera.

    roqthecasbah Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Donald Jack
    Community Member
    2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It's a house with lights in 2 windows. You can see the chimney above the left light and the roof outline

    View more commentsArrow down menu
    ADVERTISEMENT
    See Also on Bored Panda
    #53

    Random Trail Cam Picture

    Trail cam captures deer in a forest at night with glowing eyes, fitting theme of creepy trail cam pictures.

    Character_Ad_7798 Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Emma London
    Community Member
    2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It just looks like that the deer care more about the apples than about the random predator.

    View more commentsArrow down menu
    #54

    Partial Hooded Apparition? Trail Cam Pic From 2015 At Cannock Chase. What Are Your Thoughts On This?

    Dark trail cam image showing a mysterious, possibly creepy, figure with glowing features.

    SupernaturalUK Report

    #55

    Can Anybody Tell Me What This Is?

    Creepy trail cam picture showing a dark animal with glowing eyes in a forest at night.

    Bigfishh_36 Report

    #56

    Eyes On Trail Cam

    A deer captured in two creepy trail cam pictures during day and night in a forest setting.

    The first picture is the one in question and the second is a pic from the same spot in the day. No idea what it is. 

    Electrical-Papaya-41 Report

    #57

    Over A Year Ago, This Picture Was Taken By A Trail Cam Back On My Property. It’s Something Holding A Dead Coyote By The Throat, And Stands About 7 1/2-8ft Tall. Any Ideas What It Might Be?

    Dark forest scene captured by trail cam; eerie figure in distance, night setting.

    AdjacentGunman , AdjacentGunman Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Iva Kazalova
    Community Member
    2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I think the poster should take his meds if that’s what he can see

    View more commentsArrow down menu
    ADVERTISEMENT
    See Also on Bored Panda
    Ic_polls

    Poll Question

    Have any of these trail cam photos ever made you feel uneasy?

    Yes, definitely

    No, they're fascinating

    Only a few times

    I've never seen them