Trail Cams - What's worth it?

Kristopher10 · #1 03-14-2019, 09:24 PM

With all of the ever-changing technology in today's world it's hard to find time-tested reviews for a product that isn't obsolete by the time you read it. I'd like to set up a few trail cameras this year, they are completely new to me. What should I look at or avoid in today's market? I'd like to get maybe 3 or 4 cameras and try not to break the bank.

kropsbone · #2 03-15-2019, 09:40 AM

The. Best I've used is reconyx

The moose · #3 03-15-2019, 09:54 AM

my favorite cameras to date are the spypoint force 10's. retail on sale at 129.
they are a nice camera in a smallish package. Mine have worked extremely well for me. There is just as much into learning the ins and outs of camera placement as there is about the cams themselves. I would look for some of the "2 pack" and lesser expensive cameras first if just getting into it.

keep in mind. Camera's will all eventually fail. That being said, I really enjoy getting out and checking cams.

Jayhad · #4 03-15-2019, 10:16 AM

Best info I can give you is give the camera's time to percolate, I've found that if I returned within a week the picture amount is low the camera really starts to produce after 15 days.

wildwoods · #5 03-15-2019, 10:16 AM

Cabelas brand and Spypoints have been great to me. I've tried quite a few brands now. Make sure you buy the furthest "trigger detection" possible. I like my cams to go 80-100 feet in daylight. I'm not a big stealthcam fam although some of them work fine. The cheaper ones aren't great. You kinda get what you pay for. I try to target $100 per camera if possible. Sometimes up to $130. Hope this helps

wildwoods · #6 03-15-2019, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jayhad

Best info I can give you is give the camera's time to percolate, I've found that if I returned within a week the picture amount is low the camera really starts to produce after 15 days.

I've never seen or heard of that before. Interesting. I honestly haven't noticed. Can you elaborate?

Kenmore · #7 03-15-2019, 12:23 PM

I run alot of Bushnell Trophy cam HD. They have been awesome!! Real fast trigger speed so you catch the head and not the butt of something running past. Also...use lithium batteries. I get a year plus out of them and in deer season....1500+ pics a week from october to end of december and 100+ pics a week on bear baits from mid april to end of june.

JBE · #8 03-15-2019, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jayhad

Best info I can give you is give the camera's time to percolate, I've found that if I returned within a week the picture amount is low the camera really starts to produce after 15 days.

I don't quite understand this. You are either saying the camera needs more time to start taking pictures or the logical explanation is the longer you leave it the the more pictures you will get

tikkataker · #9 03-15-2019, 01:03 PM

Browning ones have worked the best for me. Super long lasting and great video and picture quality. rarely have a blurred image.

Deer Hunter · #10 03-15-2019, 01:03 PM

Spypoint is junk. Terrible service.
The last one I had worked for a year and then they emailed me saying it was no longer able send pics due to its programming. 450$ piece of junk now.
Going to try Ridgetec.
Stealth Cams are a good easy to use non cell cam.

501s · #11 03-15-2019, 02:06 PM

I have tried most of the brands on the market in that $100-$200 range. My favorite cheaper cameras ($100 range) are Moultrie. Great pics, long lasting batteries, etc... my favorite more expensive cameras are Browning ($150-$200). I am really not a fan of Stealth, WGI or Primos.

Hope this helps.

wildwoods · #12 03-15-2019, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deer Hunter

Spypoint is junk. Terrible service.
The last one I had worked for a year and then they emailed me saying it was no longer able send pics due to its programming. 450$ piece of junk now.
Going to try Ridgetec.
Stealth Cams are a good easy to use non cell cam.

Ridgetec has unreal service and good cams. Highly recommended

BigPapaBear · #13 03-15-2019, 02:57 PM

Depending if you are on private or public land you should check out Cuddeback cameras before making your purchase. These are the best cameras with their own wifi system that saves trips into where you want to hunt. They are more expensive, so you may not want to set them up on public lands but super fast and amazing picture and video quality.

leo · #14 03-15-2019, 03:34 PM

I have 7 cameras. 4 Stealth Cam, 1 Spy Point and 2 Wild Game Innovations. All cameras are between $100-$200 price range. They all worked reasonably well in warmer weather and in most lighting ranges. The difference was when it got cold. The cheaper of the Stealth Cam's would take 4000 pictures of nothing. I'm guessing the trigger stuck open. The best of the best is the WGI cameras. I have 2, they were put up in September, and never failed to take pictures through all temperature ranges and weather. And I haven't had to change batteries either. Canadian Tire sells them, wait until they come on sale.

Sooner · #15 03-15-2019, 03:44 PM

Picked up a Uway at the sportsman show a few years back. Been a great trail cam, view screen, AA batteries and they last a long time, even in the cold. I would buy another.

bdub · #16 03-15-2019, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kenmore

I run alot of Bushnell Trophy cam HD. They have been awesome!! Real fast trigger speed so you catch the head and not the butt of something running past. Also...use lithium batteries. I get a year plus out of them and in deer season....1500+ pics a week from october to end of december and 100+ pics a week on bear baits from mid april to end of june.

That's what I've been using. Picture quality is really good.

Kristopher10 · #17 03-17-2019, 10:01 AM

Thanks for all the input guys, guess it's time to go shopping!

MyAlberta · #18 03-17-2019, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigPapaBear

Depending if you are on private or public land you should check out Cuddeback cameras before making your purchase. These are the best cameras with their own wifi system that saves trips into where you want to hunt. They are more expensive, so you may not want to set them up on public lands but super fast and amazing picture and video quality.

Only because I’m interested, how does the Wifi save trips.

pikeslayer22 · #19 03-17-2019, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deer Hunter

Spypoint is junk. Terrible service.
The last one I had worked for a year and then they emailed me saying it was no longer able send pics due to its programming. 450$ piece of junk now.
Going to try Ridgetec.
Stealth Cams are a good easy to use non cell cam.

This^^^have the same issue with spypoint cell cam. Absolutely 0 customer service! Never again for me

Red Bullets · #20 03-17-2019, 01:54 PM

Moultrie has lots of specials on now on refurbished cams. As low as 30 bucks. Still have 90 day warranties.

https://www.moultriefeeders.com/specials

I have an older moutrie that still takes great pics.

bigwolf · #21 03-17-2019, 11:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pikeslayer22

This^^^have the same issue with spypoint cell cam. Absolutely 0 customer service! Never again for me

Spypoint emailed me saying my LINK 4G camera will no longer work on the network, but also sent me a brand new LINK DARK LTE for free. They even let me keep the old LINK 4G so I can use it as a non-network camera. Seems like good service to me.

pikeslayer22 · #22 03-17-2019, 11:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigwolf

Spypoint emailed me saying my LINK 4G camera will no longer work on the network, but also sent me a brand new LINK DARK LTE for free. They even let me keep the old LINK 4G so I can use it as a non-network camera. Seems like good service to me.

Good for you...must be a good customer because I never got that courtesy

DRhunter · #23 03-18-2019, 07:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigwolf

Spypoint emailed me saying my LINK 4G camera will no longer work on the network, but also sent me a brand new LINK DARK LTE for free. They even let me keep the old LINK 4G so I can use it as a non-network camera. Seems like good service to me.

I have had good experience with Spypoint customer service as well, never any issues in returning and replacing cameras; I do not have any of their cell cameras though.

For me, best bang for my buck has been Spypoint. I do like my ridgetec cell cam.

Good luck in your shopping, pretty soon you will be like the rest of us having multiple brands in seeing what you personally like best with empty wallets!

DR

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

BigPapaBear · #24 03-18-2019, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MyAlberta

Only because I’m interested, how does the Wifi save trips.

The Cuddeback cameras can be set to either remote or home configuration. The remote cameras all transmit their pictures back to the home camera. They have about a 1/4 mile range and can be linked in series, so you only need to check the home camera to see all the pictures from all the remote cameras. You can link upto 16 remote cameras to one home camera. Therefore you do not need to walk into your hunting areas to check the cameras.

Jayhad · #25 03-18-2019, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JBE

I don't quite understand this. You are either saying the camera needs more time to start taking pictures or the logical explanation is the longer you leave it the the more pictures you will get

The camera doesn't need more time, the animals do.
In most of my camera locations I won't see anything for at least 3-4 days, the more time given the more comfortable the critters get. If you go in to check your camera every week the area won't settle and you won't get pics you could have if you stayed out of the area for a few weeks.

Hope that is understandable.

sharpstick · #26 03-18-2019, 09:57 AM

UWAY/Ridgetech have been great cameras for me and their service is as good as I have had to deal with. Bushnell cams are great too and battery life is good. Best thing that happened to my Primos camera was it got stolen... LOL
I am trying Browning and a Moultrie right now too, time will tell.
If money isn't an issue, I would go Reconyx.

Deer Hunter · #27 03-18-2019, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigwolf

Spypoint emailed me saying my LINK 4G camera will no longer work on the network, but also sent me a brand new LINK DARK LTE for free. They even let me keep the old LINK 4G so I can use it as a non-network camera. Seems like good service to me.

They screwed me. Never again