Best practices for tracking and identifying big cats on Bodmin?

I've been researching the Bodmin Beast for about three months now and I'm planning a proper expedition in October. I want to do this properly, not just wander about hoping for the best. I'm thinking trail cameras, maybe a thermal drone if I can afford it, and I want to know the best techniques for collecting evidence that would actually hold up to scrutiny.

What I'm really keen to know: where should I position cameras? Should I be looking for scat samples? Has anyone tried using livestock carcasses as bait (ethically, of course - nothing still alive)? And what's the best way to preserve track evidence if I find any?

I know half the internet thinks it's just escaped zoo animals or complete nonsense, but the sighting reports going back decades are too consistent to ignore. Looking for serious advice from people who've actually done this fieldwork.

The scat thing is actually your best bet for hard evidence if you can get it analysed properly. Get in touch with a local university biology department - they sometimes help with this stuff. Trail cameras are essential, mount them at chest height roughly 5-10 metres from likely animal paths. Look for habitats with dense cover near water sources. Bodmin's got plenty of both so you're in the right place.

I'll be honest with you, if these things exist, they're probably nocturnal which makes thermal imaging crucial. Borrow or hire a thermal drone if you can - the DJI Zenmuse H20T is the gold standard for wildlife work and they're around £2000 new but you can find rentals. Position your ground cameras where there's evidence of movement - worn paths, scratch marks on trees, that sort of thing.

the sighting reports going back decades are too consistent to ignore

Or they're all reporting the same few escaped animals that people have been spotting since the 70s? Either way, good methodology is good methodology. Keep a detailed log of everything - weather conditions, time of day, moon phase even. Lots of 'big cat' sightings correlate with moon cycles which suggests people are more likely to be out and spotting regular animals they mistake for exotic cats.

Honestly mate, start with footcasting if you find any prints. Plaster casts are harder to dismiss than blurry photos. Get some dental stone from a supply shop (about £15 for a bag) and learn the proper technique. Also get proper GPS coordinates for everything. The difference between 'something happened on Bodmin' and 'something happened at grid reference XYZ' is huge when it comes to actual evidence.

One thing nobody mentions - check what big cats actually sound like. Get some recordings, listen to them at night when you're out there. Helps you identify what's just a fox or domestic cat versus something bigger. And please tell someone where you're going and when you'll be back. Dark moors are dark for a reason.