Trail Cam Advice

ryansullivan · May 29, 2018

Hey everyone, I'm thinking about buying my first trail camera and had a couple questions. First off, how many MPs do you run and is there a point where it makes a noticeable difference in picture quality? Also are there any brands in particular that you think stand out? I'm looking for good quality without having to spend a bunch of money if at all possible. Thanks for any info you might have for me!

kenton · May 29, 2018

Pretty good thread from a couple years ago.
https://onyourownadventures.com/hunttalk/showthread.php?272849-Let-s-talk-trail-game-cameras

Ryan2782 · May 30, 2018

I have 6MP's up to 12MP's - There is a difference, but there also isn't one for my needs. Consider what you want out of the photo, what are you going to do with it? Personally, I'm just curious on what animals are around and I am not interested in showing off the photos or printing them. I have bought what is on sale and average the reviews from different sites. The first thing I look for on trail camera's is the motion detector distance. Some of the cheap ones are a lot less than you think. In the area I put my camera's I prefer a longer sensor range because of open terrain. Next I look at the trigger speed, and I don't care about MP's. Check out the sporting goods stores for sales, but also check amazon too. I have bought some refurbished as well for a heft discount that have worked just fine too with no problems.

beginnerhunter · Jun 1, 2018

I would echo Ryan2782. I have used several brands and I just don't see a big difference. Perhaps there is some benefit to a camera with good video features but I don't usually get that sophisticated (I'm not managing a private trophy deer property where they name the deer, etc.). I just want to know if there are deer in that area.

Most of my cameras were $70-$100 with good online reviews and good trigger speed. Also AA batteries only.

muledeerjunkie · Jun 1, 2018

I set the picture MP level as high as the camera allows, but I don't use video. I buy the largest memory card the trail camera will accept and can't say I've ever filled up a 32 Gig memory card taking photos based on motion detection only. I've noticed using a "high speed" memory card over a "basic speed" card seems to improve the three burst photo captures, I assume this is due to a quicker write speed (from camera to memory card).

I'm with beginnerhunter on price of cameras and AA batteries. I'm trying to cover four tracts of land totally 800 acres, so I'd rather buy 3-4 cameras for $350 total versus one camera for $350. Lithium batteries AA is the way to go and less expensive in the long run.

I'll test trail cameras in my yard before putting it in the field (see the mailman, garbage truck and other passing traffic), I was surprised at the amount of night visitors I had coming through our yard (raccoons, cats, dogs, deer, people, etc). I've noticed that different brands of trail cameras have a narrower "picture view angle" compared to others. In my experience, wider is better, but it helps in determining if you need to be looking directly down a game trail or if you can put the camera perpendicular and capture walk by traffic. I also test the camera inside my house, put it in a closet or storage room with no exterior lighting to see what the critters might experience (flash, glow, shutter sound, etc) in total darkness. Most cameras will make a click sound when the photos is taken and some will have a red glow or flash, that's why some critters "pose" for the camera, the sounds and/or light causes them to look at the camera. It's good to know what the camera is capable of before putting it in the field.

406LIFE · Jun 1, 2018

I don't need to be able to count the inches on an animal for my purposes. So I don't need a fancy camera.. I got a bunch on camofire Fire for $25. They may be 5 megapixels but they work just fine for what I'm doing and if I lose it I don't care too much. Trail cams to create a tendency to walk away on their own. I will actually put a cam at a distance on the trail cam itself just as backup. Maybe I can catch a guy who steals one of my cams.

Frenchy · Jun 1, 2018

Best camera I've run to date has been the old Primos Truth 35 cams. The BIG ones. I have a smaller version of the same camera, and it is the worst camera I have run to date. I tend to not go fancy with cameras, and opt for quantity over quality. But I guess that would depend on how you plan to use them. I'm out just to find out if there are good numbers of animals in my area vs the size of antlers.

I think there are a few sites that do a pretty comprehensive camera review.

MN Public Hunter · Jun 1, 2018

Browning cameras are a really good deal and IMO one of the best on the market now.

kenton · Jun 1, 2018

MN Public Hunter said:
Browning cameras are a really good deal and IMO one of the best on the market now.

yep yep yep

boonerville · Jun 27, 2018

I have owned and ran nearly every brand of camera that exists. everything from $25 Tasco cameras from Wal Mart, to $700 Reconyx. Right now I have over 40 cameras out and will likely be 50 by summers end. All cameras will take a picture of something in front of it, but beyond that there is a huge gap in performance from low end to high end. Don't focus too much on megapixels. a high megapixel rating means very little if the image sensor and lens is crap. this is where "cheap" camera companies get you. Wildgame makes a 20mp camera. I have one. The pic quality is average. I have pictures from a different camera that is 12mp that blow the 20mp Wildgame away. So it really depends on what you want (image quality, battery life, reliability, warranty, is video important, ease of setup, etc etc) My top priorities are reliability, battery life, image quality. Reliability is a given...cheap cameras come with an expected mortality. If you go the cheap route you can't really complain if it stops working after a year or two. Battery life is huge to me because of how many cameras I run. I don't want to spend a small fortune on batteries. Image quality is something that I don't think enough people realize the advantages of. Yea you can make out a critter up close on a cheap camera....but I want to be able to zoom in on a picture when there is a deer way in the background and be able to tell what it is without it being a blob. My number one trail cameras are Radix. I have gotten 20k-30k pics per set of 4 AA batteries (or 6 depending on which model), have had very little issues performance wise, and the picture quality is like something out of a magazine. Literally unreal picture quality.

el unit · Jun 27, 2018

My cameras were $70, $35, and $25 dollars. I have 2 each and they work great. Run them year-round for 5 years. I'm not concerned with counting points on deer or elk, videos, or super detail. They work better than expected for my needs. The cameras are placed on USFS lands and have never had any theft issues, but I'm sure there will come a day...

JDH · Jun 27, 2018

MN Public Hunter said:
Browning cameras are a really good deal and IMO one of the best on the market now.

The one I use now is a Browning and overall is pretty good. I do have to point it down the trail a little...I was getting a lot of rear end pics. Trigger speed seems a little slow.

Elkwhisper · Jun 27, 2018

I run about a dozen cams.... a couple 9f the old Leupold o rs but the rest are StealthCam, from $59.99 to $299 retails. I'll see if I can figure out how to link some of the video clips off the 4k cameras. Expensive but worth it.

BigHornRam · Jun 27, 2018

I have couple stealth cams that were under$100 each that have a number of different setting options and take decent pictures. I haven't tried the video option yet.

They take good low light pictures as well.

Buy one and have fun.

Southern Elk · Jun 27, 2018

I personally like Covert cameras. Does everyone who is in bear country use the metal bear boxes? I do because I have a friend in Colorado who has had cameras destroyed by bears, but I've never seen any sign of bears screwing with my cameras. It's nice to have them locked up tight in a metal case, but they are heavy to carry in if you're going a few miles.

Paul in Idaho · Jun 27, 2018

From my experience, activation reliability is more important than megapixels. My first trail camera was a Cabela's brand. It would take hundreds of pictures of nothing - triggered by blowing dust or something - but not take a picture of a truck driving past it.

I just bought a Browning and put it out for its first use. It is on a reduced MP setting so more photos can be stored on the card. I'd rather have more photos showing the full time it is in the field than fill up the card earlier and miss recent action.

3855WIN · Jul 1, 2018

Go into it with the mindset that they are disposable.

cheeser · Jul 1, 2018

i echo all the above comments.

i have 10 various models of wildgame innovations, most were purchased on black friday/xmas when big sales are on never spent over 40/each.

the pics good for me, the battery life is great.

the trigger speed and sensitivity i think are most important in getting good pics. the trigger distance is also important.

i most admit i am impressed with those radix pics above.

. will attach photos later