Hunting & Fishing Cellular Game Cams

[SkyScrapin]

Game cameras are not something that I'm particularly familiar with. What I'm looking for is a camera that has solar charging capability and can stream messages to me in whatever capacity (app, email, text, web browser) without limitations on storage potential. Ideally there wouldn't be any degradation of photo quality either.

What brand/model do you use? What would be the best route to go?

Looking at the Skypoint Trail Cameras at the moment.

 

[Rumlover]

I picked up a spypoint cellular/ solar camera this year at a trade show. It's great on battery life and the pics are decent. The only thing I don't like is that it holds the pics for transmission a couple hours. So if there is a threat of someone about to steal it, you don't find out until later. My Bushnell 3G camera takes slightly better pics, but I'm hearing that 3G won't be supported much longer. The plan pricing is better with Bushnell as well. If they finally delivery on the Bushnell impulse, 4G, I think you get a better product. Either way, cellular is the way to go for up to date Intel. You can make decisions on where to go before having to visit the camera and scrolling through pics.

 

[SkyScrapin]

Good info. Anyone else have input on cellular type game cams?

 

[Emc_2015]

Spartan go cam. $5/month with verizon. I run 3 of them strictly for surveillance on our farm. I have them in hidden in trees around 12' up. Great for catching trespassers, poachers, and druggies. Pics sent to my email or text on phone withing 15 seconds with good service. Almost real time.

 

[SkyScrapin]

Spartan go cam. $5/month with verizon. I run 3 of them strictly for surveillance on our farm. I have them in hidden in trees around 12' up. Great for catching trespassers, poachers, and druggies. Pics sent to my email or text on phone withing 15 seconds with good service. Almost real time.

How often do you have to replace batteries?

 

[Emc_2015]

30 days or so. Depends on how much use they get. Mine are set overlooking a dirt road and a private driveway. More pics means less battery life. But I'm fine with the high traffic areas changing batteries once a month. I looked into a solar charger and all that but to me it's not worth it. As far as using it for strictly a game camera on wildlife, no reason why you shouldn't get less that 35-40 days out of a set. Depending on temp and traffic.

 

[SkyScrapin]

Good info - thanks @Emc_2015. So I went up the road to the land to check mobile service, and I get 1-2 bars of LTE all over the property. Do you feel like that would be enough to transmit pics or should I get an antenna booster? The companies that sell these things think I should buy every freakin accessory they sell - not much help.

 

[Emc_2015]

1-2 bars is plenty. No antenna booster needed.

 

[SkyScrapin]

So I purchased a SkyPoint Link-S because I found one for 25%~ off, and these damn things are spendy so that helped. It's 3x more expensive on a per month basis, but it keeps me from entering into an agreement directly with a wireless company which I do not care to deal with.

 

[Chesapeake]

Any updates from guys running cellular game cams? Looking to make a purchase and I’m seeing reviews all over the map. Mh biggest priorities are reliability, battery life and decent pictures.

 

[264win]

I have tried quite a few cellular cams
And recommend the SPYPOINT link micro.
For $150.00 it is hard to beat

 

[SkyScrapin]

Any updates from guys running cellular game cams? Looking to make a purchase and I’m seeing reviews all over the map. Mh biggest priorities are reliability, battery life and decent pictures.

SPYPOINT Link-S has served me well. I put it in the field last year this time and haven’t changed the bats once. It keeps on working regardless of weather. Don’t hesistate.

 

[Chesapeake]

@SkyScrapin do you remember what you paid for it? I’m seeing everything from $339- $499 but the lower end ones are from some sketchy vendors.

 

[SkyScrapin]

@Chesapeake Can't recall, but I did not pay full price. Believe it was 25% off on Amazon with Prime.

 

[jojotheclown]

I’ve tried the spypoint and the spartan go-cams. The Spartan cameras are amazing and in a whole different league. I now run 9 of them year round in the field. I have them setup with a 42ah 6v battery and a 10w solar panel and they don’t have to be touched. I have several that have been out for well over a year still at full battery. The only other cell camera that I’ve seen that comes close is the covert, which look pretty good, but you have to use their app. With the Spartans you can deliver text messages with the pics directly to your phone. I have pictures from all my cameras going to several of my hunting buddies. They also do video.. all without ever having to enter the field.

 

[TampaBud]

I had been running Spartan cams for years. Nothing more exciting than the first look every morning to see who visited. I never did run a solar panel and believe that is the best way to go if the ultimate goal is not having to physically check a camera....i should have bought stock in a lithium battery company. The other critical factor is a chip rotation periodically. I've had chips go bad and get nothing but grey fuzzy photos for a week. Dont get me started on the 3G to LTE conversation....ughhh

A hunting buddy of mine in OK just migrated to the SpyPoint Micro and still loves it. I'll pop back here with a newer update when i speak to him again.

 

[Rumlover]

I picked up a spypoint cellular/ solar camera this year at a trade show. It's great on battery life and the pics are decent. The only thing I don't like is that it holds the pics for transmission a couple hours. So if there is a threat of someone about to steal it, you don't find out until later. My Bushnell 3G camera takes slightly better pics, but I'm hearing that 3G won't be supported much longer. The plan pricing is better with Bushnell as well. If they finally delivery on the Bushnell impulse, 4G, I think you get a better product. Either way, cellular is the way to go for up to date Intel. You can make decisions on where to go before having to visit the camera and scrolling through pics.

Update, when I updated the software this summer the spypoint now allows for instant picture transfer. It's fast and works great.

 

[AHorn]

I just got a new SPYPOINT micro, the app works good and can be set to transfer any time you want it too. The pics are not the best quality but they are good enough to tell shooter buck or not. I guess if I buy another one i would spend more $ and get one better than the 10mp camera. But it works....