Hunting & Fishing Trail Cams????

[mclevela]

What is your experience with trail cameras??
I know zero about them and I am about to make my first trail camera purchase.
Thanks in advance.

 

[Sportin Wood]

Re: Trail Cams????

Chasingame.com

Read through their reviews before buying!! There have been acouple that I wanted to buy on a "good deal" but found out why via that site!!!

 

[ejd049]

Re: Trail Cams????

My experience:

Stealth Cam Rogue- Good pictures but was to sensitive on the lowest setting.
Wildview cheapest model(not sure the model but is was on clearance for 10.00)- Pics ok but battery hog and flash burned out
Using these this year
Stealth Unit 7- Awesome pics and takes AA batteries. Very compact and user friendly
Primos Truth 35- Clear pics and seems ok so far

I recommend getting a solar charger and the biggest SD card.

 

[scsbronco]

Re: Trail Cams????

Im going to need to buy a few soon also. I will have to read through those when I m at work!

 

[Sendero_Man]

Re: Trail Cams????

I run 3 of the Bushnell Bone collectors.. been really happy with them. Long battery life, good pics and night video. Bought steel boxes for them off Ebay and they are protected from the bears better and keep honest people... honest !

Some of the Stealth cam's are great pics, but eat the batteries.

 

[scsbronco]

Re: Trail Cams????

How do you not love that.......

 

[Sendero_Man]

Re: Trail Cams????

cameras go back to the Mtn. on the 8th of August

 

[trigger time]

Re: Trail Cams????

I went with the moultrie infrared for the range of the flash. Very glad I did. Batteries lasted all season and takes good pics.

Took me all season to catch up with him, but I knew he was out there because of the pictures and finally found him.

 

[Phil1]

Re: Trail Cams????

Nice, 180" ?

 

[Dakota_Mike]

Re: Trail Cams????

I've been building my own since about 2002. Up until the last couple years what you could build was always better (faster, better pics, better battery life, cheaper, etc) It looks like the commercial cams are finally starting to catch up. If you have any interest in building your own look at HagsHouse.

 

[mildot22]

Re: Trail Cams????

I have a $50 dollar one that works well. They let ya know whats out there. EZ Cam is the name on it. There are some really neat one out there.

 

[redirt78]

Re: Trail Cams????

I have had problems with the Moultrie cams not being too weather resistant and the LCD screens getting water damaged. Lots of cams eat up the batteries or have slow triggers like the older Stealth cams. So far the pocket size Bushnell has been great. Good pics, great life, no water damage. Got mine on sale at Walmart for $150. I will post which model it is when I go move it today or tomorrow.

 

[skinney_7]

Re: Trail Cams????

i've used Moultrie, Bushnell (trail, trophy, and sentry cams), Stealth Cam, wildview, and have had "minor" contact with the Cuddeback... and i think the Cuddeback has great trigger time, and picture quality... but over 200 for the newer ones, when i need about 10 cams... if i wanted quality i would look @ Cuddeback... if quantity is whats needed, look on egay!!!

 

[308club]

Re: Trail Cams????

Moultrie makes a very good camera or at least the i spy 40's are anyways.

 

[tomcatfan]

Re: Trail Cams????

I have a bushnell trophy cam and am so far happy with it. I've had it out in the woods for about 3 weeks and am impressed with the pictures. But below is a link to a great trail camera review website. The link takes you to the type of camera I bought. I learned a lot from that website though.

http://www.trailcampro.com/bushnelltrophycamblackflashreview.aspx

 

[wadevb1]

Re: Trail Cams????

I've tried them all. Nothing compares to my Reconyx HC-500. I purchased this camera and bear case last November. I placed ten lithium AA batteries in the unit and it has taken over 25K pictures, sat through a cold Ontario winter and used only 3% of its battery life as of last week. This unit doesn't miss a thing and I actually have caught bat flights with it.

Best part: Made in the United States of America. Damn right I pay a few more dollars. Great warranty too.

Bear case was worth a few dollars more:

Elk proof too:

 

[264win]

Re: Trail Cams????

tag for more study. im also in the market , thanks for all the info guys.

 

[Tunanut]

Re: Trail Cams????

I've gone through dozens over the years and found that for a cheap good camera go with the Moultrie or Bushnell and excellent customer service with both of those companies.

For the best get a cuddyback or reconX. Best pics and trigger. Never had to send any in for service.

I've had terrible customer service with stealthcam and wildview. You couldn't give me one. Sent them two of their cameras in for repair because they were missing pics that my cheap moultries were getting, they destroyed them and told me just to buy new ones. I would never consider owning one of their products again. GSM sucks the twohole.

 

[Night Hunter]

Re: Trail Cams????

It varies depending on you use. I run about 300 camera sites per year and have used most of them on the market. That said, you get what you pay for.

Reconyx (sp) are by far the best I have used, but they are $$$

I have been impressed with a new one out called the Little Acorn. Check it out. Good for the money.

Cuddeback and Moultrie = quality camera + bad customer service

Leaf River = decent camera + good customer service

Stealth = decent all around but not good

 

[66cessna172]

Re: Trail Cams????

trail cams are great tool for seeing what is in the field, I own 12 of them, all diferent brands. some are good some are not..cuddeback is good but have had trouble with one of them and it has been sent back 4 times. they finally replaced it with new model, it works well

 

[66cessna172]

Re: Trail Cams????

trail cams are great tool for seeing what is in the field, I own 12 of them, all diferent brands. some are good some are not..cuddeback is good but have had trouble with one of them and it has been sent back 4 times. they finally replaced it with new model, it works well

 

[Icecreamman]

Re: Trail Cams????

I love trail cameras. I will set them up at every deer stand to find the deer patterns to know which stand to sit at during that time of the day. It has made me a way more successful hunter. Although I still see most my deer from 9-10am when people are leaving for breakfast or being "too cold".

 

[John M]

Re: Trail Cams????

I wouldn't mind spending a fair amount on a good one if I could keep these nuts around here from stealing everything!!

 

[killahog]

Re: Trail Cams????

I am currently using a Bushnell trophy cam and Im not very Impressed with them.

 

[Southbreeze]

Re: Trail Cams????

I've had the best luck with Cuddeback, the older moultrie and new primos are just junk. They don't wake up in time to take a pic and you're constantly feeding them batteries.

I drove past my moultrie one late evening on my john deere, while bushhogging the pasture....never even took a pic of me??? WTF? I do believe you get what you pay for.

Cheers,
Breeze

 

[PK_IN_KC]

Re: Trail Cams????

I just bought a Reconyx HC600 and the pictures are fantastic. The Homebrew cameras are great but they don't have the blackflash feature yet so your left with white flash or the red blob effect which can scare deer away from the camera.

 

[.17Sniper]

Re: Trail Cams????

I'm totally satisfied with my two Bushnells. Small, lightweight, great battery life, and have 8MP cameras/720p video. Ain't cheap, tho.

 

[jsm.usmc]

Re: Trail Cams????

have 12 myself, half bushnell and half moultrie. Has anyone ever had pictures show up as a ? mark and say un identified image? whats the problem here. Checked 6 today and had about 500 pictures like this. No telling what i missed.