Trail Cameras - Models, Questions, Reviews, Etc.

[sticknstring]

A lot of new models out there this year. Lets keep a thread alive on the different models, battery life, image quality, and recommendations on current/old models on the market.

I'm currently running a fleet of 4 Cuddeback No Flash cams and 1 Capture IR. The trigger speed is excellent but battery life leaves much to be desired. Great daytime images but night pictures could be better as would be expected with infrared. I'm contemplating getting a flash camera to have nice color pictures at night but wonder how the deer will react. I've been running infrared for so long, I don't know any different. I'd also like to have a temp/moon, even barometer stamp on the pictures as well. I do a lot of journaling and it would make recording patterns easier.

The new Bushnell Trophy Cams seem to be doing very well this year. Any feedback on those or any other new cameras you guys are using?

[Meat-Run]

SNS, I'm surprised you don't have an Moultrie's, any particular reason?

mr

[sticknstring]

No reason other than my first camera was a Cuddy and I wanted to keep them the same rather than learn a bunch of new settings and buy mixed batteries, etc. If I would've gotten an I40 first, I'd probably have a bunch of them instead.

[LOTWSvirgin]

No reason other than my first camera was a Cuddy and I wanted to keep them the same rather than learn a bunch of new settings and buy mixed batteries, etc. If I would've gotten an I40 first, I'd probably have a bunch of them instead.

Yah I wish I would of done the same. But I buy when and what I can afford at the time. but they all work some better then others but they get the job done. Kinda funny how it seems the cheapest and worst picture tkaer I got always gets the most deer pics though

[x1957x]

ANy ideas what is wrong with my cam. I have 4 I40 moultrie's and one of them takes alot of black nite time pictures and it has some problems with the digital screen. Like it has aline threw it and like it is missing a line when you look at it. Hard to read how many pics etc., etc., Need any advice. thanks

[lungdeflator]

My moultrie flash crapped out late last fall and I have looked everywhere but Moultrie for a new one. I could still use it for daytime pics though. I have owned a couple diff moultries and a couple wildviews, I bought a cudde capture white flash this spring and by far it is the best camera I have owned. The wildviews are not the greatest, I payed 90$ for them 4-5 years ago.

But they are still in the woods and working so I guess they out lasted the 200$ moultries by a couple years.

over 400 pics from the cudde so far this year and no blank or white out pics.

[Boar]

I read alot of post on certain modles that eat up batteries an most center around the flash modles, but never really hear what people are putting in them, I assume that it's the cooper tops, but just curious. I spent around 50 bucks so far loading up my cameras with c-tops. My Moultrie IR 6.0 has by far the best batterie usage of my three cameras. Boar

[FishingWebGuy]

ANy ideas what is wrong with my cam. I have 4 I40 moultrie's and one of them takes alot of black nite time pictures and it has some problems with the digital screen. Like it has aline threw it and like it is missing a line when you look at it. Hard to read how many pics etc., etc., Need any advice. thanks

I have 2 Moultries. One is a year old and the screen is nearly impossible to read. The other takes great pictures but has a lot of corrupted pictures everytime I check it.

I put out 2 NLC Covert IIs now to try them out. If I'm not happy, I'll go with the new Bushnels.

[x1957x]

fishingweb guy. I talked to some guys and they thought that when the batteries get low this could happen. Haven't checked it out yet although there is a battery meter on it that say's 96% yet. Maybe it isnt telling the truth. haha

[BLACKJACK]

I have 2 Moultries. One is a year old and the screen is nearly impossible to read. The other takes great pictures but has a lot of corrupted pictures everytime I check it.

I put out 2 NLC Covert IIs now to try them out. If I'm not happy, I'll go with the new Bushnels.

If you're getting corrupted pictures, try reformating the SD card.

[WaveWacker]

Still run the D40 Moultries but have added one Bushnell Trophy Cam and have to say that I'm very impressed so far. Especially if the batteries last 1/4 the time that they advertise. Plus they are AA batteries instead of D's.

[BLACKJACK]

sticknstring, the past couple years I've been running two Leaf Rivers and two of the low-end flash Moultries. I wouldn't recommend the Leaf Rivers to anyone, too many problems, too many times sent back. The two Moultries take nice pictures and have been very reliable, battery life hasn't been an issue since I have rechargable 6 volt batteries and just replace them every week.

Bought my first IR camera this spring, the Moultrie D55IR. Battery life has been very good, at 78% after two months- it takes 6 C cells. The nighttime IR pictures have been a little fuzzy, you can tell its a buck and count points, but after getting used to sharp nighttime color pics from the other cameras the IR pics have been disapointing. But thats what you give up for the good battery life of the IR cameras.

I've stuck with the Moultries because they've been reliable and easy to set up and use. I'm actually looking to buy another one, the D55.

Trigger speed isn't an issue, I have all my cameras over a salt block and/or facing down the trail or food plot. I end up getting multiple pictures of most deer.

Does the flash bother deer? I think on a few it does, sometimes I only get one picture and they're gone, but most deer it doesn't bother. Even with the IR camera the deer will look at the cameras.

A good site for trail camera reviews is c h a s i n g a m e dot com..

[FishingWebGuy]

I'm guessing the screen got ruined in the cold last winter. That was when I first noticed it. Even with new cells I can't read the screen on one of them.

I've had 2 SD cards in the new one now. My first thought was that it was an SD problem. The last card didn't have nearly as many corrupt pictures on it -- only 2 out of almost 300. I hate to complain about them because they take very good pictures day or night and battery life is excellent.

[sticknstring]

My cameras will have episodes as well where they'll snap a bunch of false triggers or I'll have 15 blank pictures in a row and then it'll start functioning properly again. If new batteries, sd cards, or resetting it won't fix it, it may be time to send it in for repair.

For batteries, I've found the cheap Rayovacs to outlast anything else. I wait until Menards puts the 12pks on sale and load up.

[jay83196]

I have used flash cameras for years and had multiple LG spooky bucks on for entire seasons and they stair at the flash and don't spooky a bit. I've watched them with night vision and they don't flinch a bit when camera goes off.

[FishingWebGuy]

I have used flash cameras for years and had multiple LG spooky bucks on for entire seasons and they stair at the flash and don't spooky a bit. I've watched them with night vision and they don't flinch a bit when camera goes off.

My concern with the flash models is more about alerting passers-by to the location of my camera. Someone out walking at dusk or dawn would probably notice a flash right away where maybe they could walk right by an IR model.

[jay83196]

I hunt private so I don't have that concern but I could see that being a problem if your close to a trail...

[fr0sty]

I am going on year three with a moultrie d40. It works ok for me. The battery lasts about one month. I wish it could go 3-6. The trigger speed is somewhat slow, so it's best to have it over a salt lick or pointed down a trail.

[vman11]

We have Moultree I40's out now and they seem to be working well.

The night time pictures aren't the best, but I don't necessarly feel that is a deal breaker. The biggest problem comes at dusk and dawn when the IR doesn't trigger and its still a little dark to take a good picture.

Battery life is great as a couple of these cameras have taken litterly thousands of pictures (birds-squirrels-coons) and is still above 80%. I am sure that will close quickly once nighttime lows start to dip.

I was looking for more quantity than quality. To me, I'd rather have 2 - $150 cameras taking OK pictures than 1 - $350 camera taking great pictures, but that's just me.

[sticknstring]

I agree. A guy can't have enough cameras. The only issue is batteries. Anyone have any luck with D cell rechargeables or wiring up Cuddebacks to a 6v or 12v power supply? I've got plenty of vex batteries but I don't have a camera in front of me to monkey with.

[hockeybc69]

Yep, I wired up my Cudde to a SLA battery. Would go for 6 monhts on a charge.

Found the info on how to do it on chasin game(remove the space).

[sticknstring]

Cool, I'll look into that. I just switched one of the No Flash cams to take video so I'm sure it'll start eating batteries with a vengeance.

[BLACKJACK]

I was looking for more quantity than quality. To me, I'd rather have 2 - $150 cameras taking OK pictures than 1 - $350 camera taking great pictures, but that's just me.

I agree. I think its overkill when they started putting out these 5 and 6 megapixel cameras. Plus its a lot easier on the pocketbook if a $100 camera walks away....

[BLACKJACK]

Yep, I wired up my Cudde to a SLA battery. Would go for 6 monhts on a charge.

Found the info on how to do it on chasin game(remove the space).

I bought an external plug for one of my cameras, but how do you figure out which lead is positive and which one is negative?

[Rippinlip]

Since this is my first year with the trail camera's, I purchased Wildview for a whopping $50 bucks. I have posted some pictures and for the price it did well enough for me. I do agree the flash could bring in some shady characters if they see the flash.

I did have to purchase Sim cards and 4 "C" cell batteries for them.