Top 20 Creepiest Things Caught on Trail Cameras

In 2023, there was a strange occurrence going on in Evansville, Wyoming. Animal bodies and huge paw prints had appeared, seemingly pointing at a rogue mountain lion stalking the area. So, the local police put up a trail camera to find the elusive creature and released the images on social media. But instead of the big feline, alongside various wildlife photos, the device captured a very unsettling snapshot of a ghoul menacingly confronting the camera. Resembling Batman villain, the Scarecrow, the creepy series of pictures left folks unsettled with its bony fingers. But before residents of Evansville could pack up and leave, it turned out to be a joke by the police chief Mike Thompson, who was promoting their Halloween event early.

Imagine being a deer at night. You find a pile of apples to munch on and have a great time in the woods. But then, you hear sticks snapping. Already startled, you glance up to see some outstretched creature with glowing eyes descending from the skies towards you. You’d be as freaked out as the poor deer who darted away from danger, leaving its free meal behind. Sadly for the deer, the creature is likely a flying squirrel, probably just hoping to share the apples. But in the darkness, the big mammal might’ve thought it was a bird of prey or a demon. And we don’t blame it.

Coyotes can be a problem -- stay tuned for more on them later. As such, some folks put up cameras to see if an area houses any of them. But in 2012, one concerned citizen discovered something more unsettling than the carnivores. At the side of the image, a hooded creature with a white face and dark hair stares at the camera… and into our souls. Seemingly, a witch with only half its body visible had been photographed. Could this be proof of the occult presence in the forest under the cover of darkness? Or is it a simple Photoshop job to mess with us? Let us know below your thoughts.

It’s depicted in countless movies and media, but it’s even eerier hearing the actual thing. This trail cam spied a group of coyotes howling at each other in the moonlight (though not actually at the moon, as it turns out that concept is a myth!). There are several reasons why pack animals howl, such as hunting or navigational purposes, but that doesn’t make them sound less unsettling. These particular cries begin with a single pooch that sets off a disquieting chain reaction. The calls morph into deafening screams that could shake your spinal cord if you can stand to listen. It’s even creepier when the yelping stops and the unnerving silence returns. Don’t play this loudly around your pets, or they might join in too…

The US state of Michigan already has a load of urban legends to scare and entice tourists and local residents. After all, there’s the mysterious Dogman, the human-wolf-hybrid creature, the hobgoblin Nain Rouge, and the haunted Hell’s Bridge. But now, we can add this creepy ghost man to the list. According to articles online, someone set up their camera to be motion-activated. Yet when this chap appeared, only one image was taken. Seemingly, he appeared, then vanished like a specter or some kind of supernatural recluse. It even looks like he was simply standing in place, making the situation scarier somehow. Yikes.

In 2012, this unsettling image appeared online. Supposedly taken in the state of Wisconsin, the photo seems to depict a cloaked creature walking off into the darkness, probably to cause some mayhem or shenanigans. People have speculated that it might be a zombie, one of the cryptids, a ghost, or some other supernatural being. It also looks like it could be Gorr the God Butcher staggering off to find Thor. But there are more natural theories. One person theorized it could simply be the back half of an elk, as the rest is hidden by shadow. Others believe it could be bird poop on the camera’s lens or a human playing a joke.

Children are one of the creepiest entities around with their never-ending energy and sticky fingers. Just making eye contact with one is enough to send shivers down our spine. So, imagine how the owner of this camera felt when they looked at the pictures taken during the night on the trial camera in 2009 and found a boy staring at the lens with glowing eyes. Eerie. Is this proof that the “Children of the Corn” are real? Or that the urban legend of the black-eyed children exists? Yet perhaps it’s just a kid that went sleepwalking, then woke up in his next-door forest. Hopefully, it's the latter.

In 2017, the residents of Cambridge, New York were in for a scare when an image taken from the local woods’ trail cam circulated. It showed a blurry black-and-white photo of a young girl walking through the trees, seemingly imitating Salt Bae, which somehow makes it more disturbing. Locals were so concerned that they immediately speculated that this was a ghost. But before they could strap on their proton pack and sprint into the woods, the truth of the image came out. A local man called the police and informed them it was his granddaughter in the picture. The two had gone for a stroll through the forest. No specter shenanigans here. Unless that’s what the ghostly girl wants us to think…

Do you ever get that feeling that you’re being watched, but when you look up and no one’s there, you feel a little silly? Well, that might be because you didn’t have a trail camera with night vision to look for ghouls in the darkness. This camera discovered a tall woman in a long nightgown watching behind a bunch of branches. Was she a lost human lady looking to return home after a nighttime wander? Or was something more supernatural going on? It’s difficult to know for sure. Even Snopes had trouble finding the truth here. But they believe it might be connected to another infamous incident that you’ll see later…

Real-life nature can be beautiful, sure. But it can also be brutal and terrifying. In 2011, believed to be in the state of Montana, locals set up cameras to keep an eye on the coyote population. On top of seeing the furry fiends, the cam also saw the destruction of a deer. A buck was ganged up on by two coyotes, one appearing to have glowing eyes thanks to camera trickery, making it seem more demonic. In a series of images that were taken, the buck is unfortunately ended by the attack.

While it’s widely known that deer spook easily, we really can’t blame this one for running for its life. This trail camera still image captures the moment an unexplained creature is giving this poor deer the chase of its life. While most who see this image believe it’s a hoax or a really strange angle of a natural predator such as a cougar, others believe this could be proof of the elusive yet infamous Jersey Devil. No matter what it is, we are definitely on the same page as this deer. We do not want to run into this creature in the middle of the night.

It doesn’t matter what Blue Oyster Cult said. We are still going to fear this one. While the grim reaper is usually seen as a bad omen, maybe this particular one was just trying to help a forest creature pass over to the other side. Considering the date stamp, it is possible that this was simply one of those people who celebrate Halloween for the entire month of October. Then again, even the most dedicated Halloween lover has to draw the line at being out in the middle of the night in freezing temperatures. Whatever the case, seeing this on your trail camera is pretty terrifying, no matter the time of year.

Sure, venison is delicious, but can ghosts even eat it? Maybe this particular Pennsylvania hunter is trying to find out. There are two creepy aspects of this photo. Of course, the ghostly hunter is spooky, but this could simply be a case of the camera distorting either a human subject or a water reflection. After all, trail cameras aren’t exactly the best quality, and this photo was taken at night. The truly creepy and worrisome part of this picture is how the buck staring into the camera doesn’t even seem to know it might be being watched from behind. The most likely explanation to this mysterious visitor is, of course, that it’s a hoax, so maybe the deer’s oblivious nature isn’t so bad.

Even the frights are bigger in Texas. This grainy image appears to capture a nighttime wanderer on the trail. A similar but clearer image that might show the same figure was posted on a hunting forum in 2015, taken near a cemetery in Liberty, Texas. Now, it could simply be a person out and about for a stroll in their nightgown or someone chasing after their dog. However, the proximity to a graveyard and the fact that it was two miles from any houses is a bit spooky, as is the fact that bare footprints were allegedly found in the spot.

Maybe you’ve heard that Virginia is for lovers, but have you heard that Virginia is for baby Bigfoot, too? When outdoorsman Roger Williams captured this photo in 2013 in the mountains of Southwest Virginia, he submitted the strange image to a local newspaper. In no time, the picture circulated around cryptozoologist circles and quickly drew similarities to the famous Jacobs photos taken in 2007 in Northwest Pennsylvania. Williams also disclosed to the “Finding Bigfoot” team that one of his neighbors heard strange sounds a few miles from where the photo was taken. As Williams himself said when he first published the photo, “The mystery remains!”

Virginia seems to be a hotspot for bizarre trail camera photos. This image first started circulating around October 2012, and it just gets creepier the longer you look at it. At first, it looks like two out of sorts figures wandering the woods late at night. However, a closer look reveals that the figure in the front is missing some flesh, exposing its ribcage. While it could be an indication that the dead roam Virginia, it’s more likely to be a hoax or another case of October-long Halloween enthusiasts. No matter the case, this image is unsettling.

This creepy creature took being the GOAT too seriously. In the small town Bowie, Maryland, legends and rumors about the mysterious goat man have circulated for decades. According to the stories, a scientist at Beltsville Research Agricultural Center conducted experiments combining goat DNA and human DNA. Of course, something went horribly wrong, resulting in the creation of the goat man. This particular image has been tied to the legend, but it should actually be tied to a Photoshop contest. An artist who goes by Lew AKA Viergacht submitted the photo as part of a contest in 2011. While they did not win the contest, their art has lived on in countless “Proof Cryptids Exist” compilations. In fact, Viergacht calls it their “My most-stolen image.”

These deer seem more freaked out by the camera than by the little girl who is right next to them. Could this child be part of their herd or a Disney princess in the making? As it turns out, there’s much more to this photo than meets the eye. For starters, there are actually several more pictures of this magical girl and her deer friends. That’s because this image is part of a series called “Following the Deer” by Illinois artist William Harper. The image was taken out of context and widely circulated around the Internet, leading several concerned citizens to wonder why this little girl was wandering the woods. Thankfully, the girl was never really lost, but this picture is still very spooky.

Accounts of an American cryptid known as the Rake date back to the 1600s when a mariner apparently fled back across the ocean to escape the creature. Well, if this photo is anything like what he saw, we can’t blame him. This particular image was allegedly recovered from a trail camera in a destroyed hunting camp. While this could be true and the creature could be responsible for the destruction, this picture’s murky origins leave room for doubt. Is this the Rake of lore or is it simply a spooky edit? No matter the case, this image is probably the most relatable one on this list. After all, who wants their picture taken unexpectedly at 1:44 a.m.? We empathize with your frustration, mysterious creature.

Back in 2016, there was a massive wave of creepy clown sightings that spooked people in several cities. However, it looks like someone was about seven years early to the circus-themed party. These images were captured on a trail camera in the middle of the woods. While this matches the later clowns’ MO, this particular sighting occurred several miles from the nearest town. This could simply be a case of someone wanting to mess with the person who put out this camera, but it is extremely creepy no matter the motive. The bizarre eye contact definitely doesn’t help, either.

What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever seen caught on camera? Share with us in the comments.