Trail cameras, what's best for the money?

[redsnow]

Several years ago I bought a Moultrie trail camera, I don't see a model # listed on it. It's an older model, it takes 6 D-size batteries, it's a flash camera, takes good pictures and all, but it'll break a feller just buying batteries.

Last fall I loaded it with new batteries, set it up in a good spot, went back a week later to change SD cards, and the batteries were down to about 20% charge. It did take some flash pictures, no video, but you figure 6 D size batteries, and it's almost dead in a week, that's a dollar a day.

I know that trail cams have improved over the years, what do you guys have and like best?

[trappincoyotes39]

Go with stealth cam G42 NG great cameras and they have a no glow flash, high resolution pictures and in the warmer months lots of pics off 8 AA batteries. Small and compact but takes great pictures and video. Set them about 5 ft high and you get a fairly wide area of view. Fast trigger speed as well.

Amazon right now 113.95 or so they sell for 150 or more normally. Great buy at that price.

[redsnow]

A friend has a Moultrie, think it's a 9000i, it seems to work good. I found an M1100i in my catalog for $147 plus shipping, it's 12MP. And 3 different Browning trail cams listed at $120 or less, they are all 10 MP.

One thing about my bud's camera, he had it out for 6 weeks or so last fall, and it's still got 83% battery life. With my old camera, I'd had to change batteries, probably 4 times. At 3 bucks for a 2-pack of D size batteries, $9 every change, wouldn't take long to pay for a new camera.

The only Stealth Cam I have listed in this book is a G30, 8MP, my cost is $96 plus shipping.

[trappincoyotes39]

Look on Amazon. Browning does not make cameras some other company is doing them and just branding them as browning.

Again I like the trigger speed of the Stealth cams and at amazons price your getting a lot of features for 114

Cold are batteries worst enemy no matter camera brand.

[redsnow]

I found a link online, top 10 trail cams, it listed the pros/cons of each model. Stealth, Browning and Moultrie brands were listed, forget the rest. Some were really expensive.

Also found a link to the Stealth model you listed above, seems like it's easy to setup, and also showed good battery life. Anyway, I've got one on the way, final cost was $115.

Here at work, I've asked a dozen guys what kind of trail cams they have, and they're almost all different. Just whatever was on sale.

I did talk to one guy, I've thought about this before, he's got a 12volt car battery with a solar fence charger attached to his camera. My old camera does have an external power plug. That'd be ok, if you could drive to the camera, wouldn't be worth a crap if a feller had to carry it far. I've got a little lawn mower battery, with a full charge it might last a couple weeks?

But I'll try this new camera, should be here Monday.

[trappincoyotes39]

Think you will like it mine has served me well. The daytime pictures are super high quality and night time are good as well. Buy a set of rechargeable AA and save you some money. You will get 100's of pictures from a charge of batteries, night time of course uses more than daytime and video uses about 30 percent more battery than still pictures.

[redsnow]

Well, I got it yesterday. Haven't had a chance to look through the book yet, it is small, seems fairly well built. Not sure if it's bear proof?

Think I'm going to put it up watching a spring back on the side of the mountain. It's just a little water hole, the size of a truck bed. Mainly interested in still pictures, for now, wonder how would be best to set the settings?

That little water hole is the only water for 3/4's of a mile, I should get lots of pictures, probably leave it up for 2 weeks, see what I've got.

[trappincoyotes39]

Set it on Q2 that will take a picture every 30 seconds that something triggers it. MKe sure to have your area trimmed back some as on a windy Day and close branches they will trigger the motion sensor.

[redsnow]

I set it like that the other evening, here in the house. I had it on the kitchen counter facing the back door, and left it up an hour or so. I got one picture of the woman coming in the door, she's inside, and has her hand pushing the door closed. So that's pretty fast, on my computer I can zoom in and tell what she's got in her hands. And she was better than 40 feet from the camera.

Seems like a really wide angle, side to side and top to bottom too. But on the computer I could zoom in and almost read the hand written notes on the fridge, and that would be from 12 feet or so. I think I'll like this little machine! Going to put it in the woods either today or tomorrow.

[trappincoyotes39]

[trappincoyotes39]

[redsnow]

Finally had a chance to put up the new camera, I set it on a salt lick. Only had it out 4 nights before I checked it, wanted to make sure I had it set right, ended up with 225 pictures, including a dozen or so of me. While I was setting it up and taking it down.

Of the 225, I only had one picture with nothing in the picture, it was daytime, could have been a crow or something fly past? Otherwise they look good. Pictures are pretty crisp. Where I had it, the sun goes down 2 hours before dark, just in the shadow of a mountain, but they're ok.

I got pictures of at least one little buck deer, maybe 3, not sure? Just had little nubs, maybe 2 inches long.

But I put it back up in another spot, Thursday, won't get to check it for a week or 2, but the battery life still showed 90% charge. If I get anything interesting I'll post a picture.

[redsnow]

Seems like it's working!

[trappincoyotes39]

Nice pictures

[redsnow]

Here are some of my most recent pictures.

[redsnow]

I cropped this picture, I'm pretty sure the buck on the right is the same buck, as in the picture above, with it's velvet already off. I thought it had 9 points, not positive, but I think it has 10, if you'd count those little nubs.

I had the camera up 3 weeks this time, had 245 pictures.

[trappincoyotes39]

Great clear pics love the stealth cams.