Program information

There are two main ways to get involved:

1. Apply to host a trail camera. Selected volunteers will complete a training workshop and deploy a Snapshot Wisconsin trail camera provided to them. These volunteers will collect and submit photos several times per year.
2. View and classify photos on Zooniverse [exit DNR], the internet's largest collection of citizen science projects. Everyone is welcome to identify and tag animals in photos. The resulting dataset will help us learn more about Wisconsin’s wildlife populations.

Apply to host a camera

Who can volunteer?

Anyone can apply to host a camera including individuals, families, or educators. We are able to provide one camera per survey block [PDF].

What will be expected of me as a volunteer?

Each volunteer will complete training, deploy an issued camera, and collect photos at least four times per year. Volunteers can participate for as long as they wish, but a minimum one-year commitment is preferred. Although alternatives can be provided, it is ideal if volunteers have access to the following:

• A smartphone or a GPS unit and compass in order to collect camera location and orientation information.
• Access to broadband internet, a computer with Microsoft Windows (XP, Vista, 7, 8, or 10), and an SD card reader in order to upload pictures to the DNR from a personal computer.

Where can I place a camera?

Volunteers can sign up for a survey block where they own land or where they have permission to place the camera. The minimum acreage required for a property is 10 contiguous acres. Properties less than 10 acres will be considered on an individual basis. Cameras should be placed in a natural area 100 yards from buildings, paved roads, or baiting for wildlife.

When can I apply?

Enrollment for Snapshot Wisconsin will open on a county-by-county basis. We are currently seeking volunteers to host trail cameras in specific Wisconsin counties listed on the right side of this page. We are also accepting applications from educators and tribal members/affiliates statewide. Apply now

Sign up to receive project updates and notice about open application dates.

Classify photos

From black bears to badgers, see what critters you can spot roaming the Wisconsin forests! Photos collected by Snapshot Wisconsin volunteers will be placed on Zooniverse – a website where Wisconsinites and people across the globe can go to identify and count the animals present in Snapshot Wisconsin photos. With participation from many people, it is possible to classify many photos in a short amount of time. For a pilot project of 80 cameras placed by DNR biologists, Zooniverse participants classified over 30,000 photos in one week!

Get started [exit DNR]

Snapshot in the classroom

Snapshot Wisconsin is a great way to get students outdoors and learn about local wildlife! The project is a unique opportunity to integrate science and technology into your classroom.

Educators can volunteer to host a trail camera with their students at a school forest or other property. Students can also help identify and count critters in photos captured across the state by logging on to the Zooniverse website.

Sign up to receive project updates and notice about open application dates for educators!

Events

April events

• April 7th, 2018 Girls in Engineering, Math and Science (GEMS) Conference [exit DNR]
• April 7th, 2018 Northern Highlands Citizen Science Workshop
• April 10th, 2018 Trail Camera Host Training at Kickapoo Valley Reserve
• April 18th, 2018 Aldo Leopold Audubon Society Presentation
• April 23rd, 2018 Nelson Institute Earth Day Conference, Madison WI [exit DNR]
• April 25th, 2018 Trail Camera Host Training, Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center, Ashland, WI
• Apil 30th, 2018 Trail Camera Host Training, Baraboo Public Library, Baraboo, WI