Game camera

[STF]

I've never owned a game camera and I'm thinking about getting one. Any advice?

 

[kwo51]

Cheaper than dirt!

 

[Jo6pak]

Don't go too cheap. Many of the cheaper cameras have slow trigger speeds and narrow sensing windows.

 

[TScottW99]

I own two brands at the moment. I own two Wildgame Innovations and five Spypoints. I started a blog the other year where I post pictures from my Spypoints but have not kept up with it. Work has been busy and I have not been hanging any cameras this year nor on any forums for that matter. Here is my blog with some pictures and videos.... Scouting for wildlife

I agree to not go cheap. My Wildgame Innovations lasted maybe a year, one does not do IR anymore and the other misses more then it takes. I would suggest doing your homework and maybe reading up on trail cams at Chasingame.com: Scouting Camera Reviews | Performance Reviews | Trail Camera Models compared | Sample Pictures and Movies

He has a ton of helpful reviews and goes into great detail. I love my Spypoints, especially the ones that record with sound. They IR6 is my workhorse, I have three of them. No sound but good video and pictures.

 

[Wilson]

how many days before the batteries go dead?

 

[TScottW99]

Depends on the camera, the batteries and the activity. On my IR6 I get about 2,000 pics or so when it's cold. If you wanted to drop the money on a Reconx you would get a year out of a set.

If you don't have bears to worry about you could add a solar panel to prolong your set on most cams.

 

[STF]

Thanks a lot TScottW99.

I had looked at the spypoints before and I really appreciate seeing your pics and videos from them.

I haven't been able to get off the fence and buy one yet but I probably will next week sometime.

 

[fletch74]

I agree with TScott on the spypoints, I have 2 of them and they have been good cameras. Totally agree with the bear comment also, I have 3 wildgame innovations IR's also (used to have 5) that the bear in my area seem to find as toys.

 

[TScottW99]

If you do have bears I highly recommend the Custom 1 enterprises bear safe. They are made of 11 gauge steel. I attach my to the tree with hardened lag bolts. Has survived bears and thieves so far.

Here is a blog I did on the bear safes... Scouting for wildlife: Bear Safes

Here is a Custom 1 bear safe with the Spypoint Tiny-W



Here is a sideview. The Spypoint cams have a slot so that the Python cord can slide through them, plus the Custom 1 has the slot also.

 

[FarFromStock]

I've been through 3 Primos 35 Truth Cams in the last couple years. We got them on Amazon for under $100 each. They take pretty good pictures, HOWEVER, they eat batteries fairly quickly. Given that they use 4 D cells, it gets pricey after a while. Since we have them on our homestead property and can check them daily, it's not such a big deal for us. If I was going to mount them somewhere more remote, I would definitely look for something with better power management.

 

[Smith]

If you do have bears I highly recommend the Custom 1 enterprises bear safe. They are made of 11 gauge steel. I attach my to the tree with hardened lag bolts. Has survived bears and thieves so far.

Here is a blog I did on the bear safes... Scouting for wildlife: Bear Safes

Here is a Custom 1 bear safe with the Spypoint Tiny-W



Here is a sideview. The Spypoint cams have a slot so that the Python cord can slide through them, plus the Custom 1 has the slot also.

I should suggest this to a friend of Mine. He has had a couple of his cameras stolen

 

[kwo51]

If they want it ,it's gone.Cut tree. Nothing is safe unless you are sitting on it.

 

[TScottW99]

True, if they cut the tree above & below the safe. They then have to carry the log out and take it somewhere to defeat the shrouded masterlock. I've never said they were POS proof, I'm just going to make them sweat for it ;-p

Plus I put them in out of the way places, all of these steps help. Beats leaving a cam just sitting there.