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Hunting & Fishing Trail Camera Recommendations

Behyot

Private
Minuteman
Aug 22, 2018
41
6
Morrison, CO
Does anyone have a recommendation for good trail cameras? I see lots of them available in the $40-$80 range, have they gotten this inexpensive for a good one? I don't mind spending more if it's worth it, I'd like to end up getting several of them so sticking with one brand would be nice so I'd like to start with a good one. Long battery life would be important to me, I don't think I'd need one that could connect to my phone but that could be a good option.
 
That price point will get you low resolution, horrible trigger speeds and so so reliability. Up your budget to 150 ish and you will get some better options. I ran a spy point for around 4 years and it still works but is slowly failing me. I had another super cheap one in the 50 ish dollar range, I bought it to check some things happening and wasn’t worried if it got stolen. Terrible picture quality and questionable function. I left it on the tree I placed in on 2 years ago and it is still there, it will rot there. I just upgraded to a browning and it seems light years ahead of the other two.
 
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Tacticam reveal. 5$month/250 pictures. been running 8 since last year.
 
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That price point will get you low resolution, horrible trigger speeds and so so reliability. Up your budget to 150 ish and you will get some better options. I ran a spy point for around 4 years and it still works but is slowly failing me. I had another super cheap one in the 50 ish dollar range, I bought it to check some things happening and wasn’t worried if it got stolen. Terrible picture quality and questionable function. I left it on the tree I placed in on 2 years ago and it is still there, it will rot there. I just upgraded to a browning and it seems light years ahead of the other two.
Thanks, that's exactly what I was looking for as far as what budget to try to stick with. I figured those cheap ones weren't very good, they have good reviews but it's so hard to trust those anymore.

I'll look into the brands mentioned so far, that gives me a much better starting point.
 
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I’ve been running the same cuddebacks for 3 or 4 years now - they’re durable. They take good pictures and battery life is good, especially if you use energizer lithiums which resists the negative effects of drastic temperature swings and cold better than regular batteries.
Regardless I use of regular or lithium I use energizer batteries.

keep in mind frequency of pictures effects battery life. I have some cameras that last 6 months with 15-30sec delay, I have some that have lasted over 1.5yr with the same batteries on a 3-5 min delay.
 
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Like a true moron I bought five of the Moultrie
"900 bag'o-dicks-i" or whatever they're called at Wal-Mart when they were on sale for about 70 bucks. The three that I tried would take just a few photos, and nothing after 20ish hours. I have two more of those brand new in box that I'm probably going to give as Christmas presents to people I don't like.

I do have two older Moultries that work fine, but I know they cost quite a bit more. I've also ran some of the mid-level Browning stuff ($125-150 range on sale) and they are "okay".

Moral of the story is avoid the cheap stuff and buy once, cry once. Its true of just about everything gun/hunting related. Your $60 game camera is going to miss more than half the shots that a $250 camera will.
 
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Check the set up:
Have to smart phone linked to initiate.?
Have to have service agreement to operate?
Who owns the pictures?
 
I use CamPark. The trigger speed on the Pictures is good but the videos IMO is too slow. You can set the ranges and sensitivity. Moving tree branches can be a pain and it did take me a while to figure them out. Use Lithium energizer batteries and they will last for a long time 6 months or more. O they also have Ir illumination and take night pics.

I prefer them over 120v power for home surveillance as they will not turn off if the power goes out and I can point at them and most people can't find them.

Bear in the yard

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My Doper Neighbors, I set this up the day after the Local Sherrifs chased one of them to a shed next door. He was wanted for killing people with Fentyal spiked H. https://www.nwfdailynews.com/story/...-overdose-that-killed-john-obrien/6920645002/
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Random yard dog.
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The Ir illumination is nice.
 

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