Game/trail cameras

[PoppaJohn]

Hello all! I was looking around here and didn't see this topic covered, so here goes.

I am wanting to purchase a game/trail camera(s) for scouting purposes, and was hoping for some recommendations/information. Obviously I want something that won't break the bank, but I also want something that isn't a piece of junk either. I'm a mid range kind of guy, who doesn't mind paying a few bucks for quality, but I don't have the budget of Bill Gates. With so many different ones out there I just want to try to figure out which ones are worth the money, and which ones aren't.

Any input is welcomed, but be gentle, its my first thread. Thanks!

Poppajohn

[Tenbender]

Best quality, battery life and a great price. They won't last long.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00..._dp_o_pC_S_ttl

[aspangler]

I'll get beat up for this, but the Tasco 3mp for 50 bucks at Walmart is a good camera. Batteries last all season and they take good pictures. I have 3 and have no trouble with any of them. YMMV

[Omega]

I'll get beat up for this, but the Tasco 3mp for 50 bucks at Walmart is a good camera. Batteries last all season and they take good pictures. I have 3 and have no trouble with any of them. YMMV

No beef with a Tasco, I have one, and a Moultrie and a Bushnell and all but the Bushnell have been rather good. The Bushnell just has issues with the rechargeable batteries but not a bad camera. Sun affects them so location is a big factor on how well they will work. But I dont expect flawless pictures, just good enough to see the deer and pattern their comings and goings.

[hoosierlogger]

I bought one of the $99 bushnells from Walmart. I like its quality, size, and construction. The thing I'm not fond of is the 5 second delay from the time it detects motion to the time the shutter snaps the picture. You have to be cautious how you set it up on the trail, or you will get a lot of pictures of nothing. You have to spend more $$$ to get a lower delay. Trail cams are vulnerable to theft, so it's hard for me to spend a bunch of money on a "nice" one.

[NSB]

I've been using trail cameras on my property for about ten or twelve years now. I've owned literally dozens of different cameras. There is a VAST difference in quality and features and a wide range in prices. I'm like you, I don't mind paying a little extra for value but I don't need a Reconyx either for what I do (Reconyx are the gold standard here and are worth the price...but it's over five-hundred bucks). What all the cheap camera suffer from is unplated connections inside and that allows them to corrode within a short period of time. They also lack trigger speed which causes a lot of empty pics...no game in the pic, it already went by before the camera woke up. They also have a short warranty so you can figure on one, or at most two seasons of use. Some might last longer if not used much but most won't. If you want a good camera with lightning fast trigger speed, a five year prorated warranty (two full years and three years at 50%), black infrared, small and concealable, and fantastic battery life...months, get a Cuddeback E3 Blackflash for around one-hundred-fifty bucks. I now have three of them and I can't say enough about them. Not only are they the best cameras I've ever had, they have a battery life that's beyond belief. I now leave my camera up year round and get pics during all four seasons. I still have half a dozen of the other brands and models but when checking my cameras on a regular basis it's very obvious the others are very inferior to the Cuddebacks. FWIW, I have bought several other brands for more money and got less warranty, shorter camera life, hundreds if not thousands of blank pics, and very short battery life. Batteries aren't cheap when you're using eight at a time. I'll soon be phasing my other cams out for more Cuddebacks.

[ole 5 hole group]

As NSB advised, Reconyx is the gold standard. I understand some of their technology is old school - meaning dated without all the bells & whistles. Their picture quality is some of the best of the best - meaning their 3.1 vs 8.0 pixels does the same job - maybe even better??

I know a couple people who have owned dozens of trail cameras - of all the trail cameras they have purchased, very few worked reliably for more than a couple weeks to several months. Most had to be sent in for warranty repair/work. You pay for shipping to them - they repair and pay shipping back.

For some, that doesn't sit well, as it adds to the cost, lost time and maybe lost info on an area that you skipped over due to the camera. If your only going to use the camera for a couple weeks a year at most - probably no big deal. If you plan on using the camera most of the year for various projects - then invest a little money, as having a camera perform reliability for 5 to 10 years is money well spent in my opinion.

One acquaintance with deep pockets was looking into BuckEye Cams, he's never pulled the trigger on them but has purchased a couple Reconyx's and is a happy camper. He's had one stolen and that puppy was secured with whatever is/was the toughest chain available, so if someone sees yours and he's got the equipment - kiss your investment goodbye.

I guess trail camera's are like everything else in life - how are you going to use it?, just how dependable do you need it and what type of quality pictures do you need and how long do you plan on keeping/using it? For most hunters with a desire - I think any of them would do - if you have a real need to see/scout then I would spend the money for a good one. Right now, if I "felt the need", I would go Reconyx, as next year the money spent now would be but a distant memory - same as purchasing a fine firearm or a gift for a special anniversary - I know, as I just dropped a chunk of change for my 50th wedding anniversary, as that will probably only occur once in my lifetime and presenting her with a Reconyx probably wouldn't go over very well - BUT I did think of that in addition to her gift but just couldn't afford both, so I knew what I had to do.

[NSB]

One more thought on trail cameras. I just got back a few minutes ago from visiting my property in the southern part of New York....our "Southern Tier" as it's called. On the way down there I came the closest I've ever came to an animal with my SUV and not hit it. It was a bear and it was so close it disappeared when it got in front of my bumper. I was towing my ATV trailer and it started to jack knife. Somehow or other the bear made it past in front of me without getting hit. Score one for the bear. When I got to my property I had nine cameras to check. On the fifth camera I checked I noticed it was sitting sideways on the tree. Closer inspection showed it had several punctures in in. One right through the lens and one through the lights. I checked the card and had about ten bear pics. The bear was facinated by the camera and was eye ball to lens with it in several shots. The last shot was his mouth around the camera. Score two for the bears and zero for me. If you get a camera, get a bear box. I've had dozens of bears come up and look at my cameras before and several times they "mouth" them but cause no damage. I've never bothered to get any bear boxes. Tomorrow I'm going to order several. If they're mounted up high enough they won't bother them but at near ground level they can be considered a chew toy....as I found out today. It was a pretty new Cuddeback, my favorite camera. I'll send it back and see if it can be fixed.

[ole 5 hole group]

Take a look around this site for some info:

http://www.chasingame.com/forum/inde...2d12777e2a9015


Just picked up a Reconyx PC 900 off Ebay for 5 bills - a lot of money but the spouse is unaware of the purchase and I plan on lying about the price went it comes - like maybe $75.00 total with shipping. I don't have a need - just a want and this damn thread made me do it!!!!

[SWMO1]

A route I've taken is to use inexpensive cameras. I'm currently using a Moultrie for $75. Takes good pictures and battery life of three months plus. I leave it out year round. Had two ladder stands and a camera stolen several years ago so I'm not investing a whole lot in cameras. They also seem to only last several years. I got burned on some more expensive cameras. Just my opinion though.

[Geezer in NH]

Watch where you leave them. I gave up on them 5 years ago do to thefts.

[poacherjo]

Reconyx hands down. I always set one camera up high so it watches the other camera! So far 2 have been stolen and both were returned! The Game Warden stole one and got 2 weeks off without pay as a result of an internal investigation. The other was a little harder to find but I kept showing his picture to people until someone gave me a name. He worked for the power company that was maintaining the poles on that property. When I said I would explain it to his employer he drove straight to my house to return the camera.