Choosing a game camera

[thatsjet]

I'm still a hunting newbie but I'm wondering how many folks use game cameras for hunting elk and I have a few questions if you do:

• Are cellular cameras worth it if I live nearby (2 hours) and can get out to scout/move them?
• Are expensive cameras worth it which means I'll buy only one, or are cheaper cameras/fewer features best so I can get more than one?
• How often should you check them/how long do you leave them where they are before you move them?

So many questions... thanks for any input.

 

[CTELK83]

I only use them for whitetails in NY... Ive had good luck on my property with Browning. My buddy has the ones u can check on your phone on our lease.... Gets hard to work during the rut constantly refreshing

 

[wytex]

Cell cams are illegal in several states now.
They have come quite a ways now and an expensive one is not necessary. Get a quick trigger speed and no glow or black out that has no visible light when it triggers.

 

[belshawelk]

I have 5 Bushnell HD. I have posted lots of pics from them. Most important is battery life. I get over 5,000 pics plus and 2 years in hot and cold weather with lithium batteries. Take 16 each but last for at least 2 years.

 

[RJH]

Appropriate timing for this thread, I will be setting out about dozen camera's this next week. Already have 4 out here in Arizona. To answer your questions, it depends on what you want to accomplish, here in Arizona cell cameras are illegal during hunting season, unless they have changed the law again. I myself are primarily interested in finding the game (elk & deer), monitoring the time of day they show up and how long they stay in the area. I also seldom post a camera on a water hole because normally here in AZ there are dozen of cameras already there. I and my dog will move out from a water hole about 100 yards and then start walking a circle around the water hole until we pick up their trails coming in and out and place a camera there. If we find a natural water source out and away from trails and roads I will post there. I am not looking for the highest resolution or a camera that can shoot pictures several yards out, so none of my cameras cost more than $100.00. And if I see a re-manufactured camera on sale at Camofire I will pick it up. Just bought a camera their for less than $30 bucks. I do suggest that is you set your cameras up on known watering holes you get a metal camera box and locking cables - there are idiots out there that will damage or steal your camera. As far as how often I check my cameras, again it depends on distance - I am fortunate to have a cabin in unit 5A in northern AZ so I check those cameras about every two to three weeks. If I am hunting in another unit few hundred miles away about every 6 to 8 week and more often when it gets closer to the season. It is important not to leave a lot of human scent in the area so the more you visit may not be a good thing. Not sure where you hunting, here in AZ there is a lot of great hunting in the high junipers and the desert where there is not a lot of trees to attach your camera to so you need to be inventive. I made a camera stand (see pic) so I can post a camera in the middle of no where - that could hold game. So hope this helps and good luck with your hunting. The pic is a metal fence post painted in camo with an adjustable screw system to hold the camera. Been using these now for 3 years and none of them have gone missing.

 

[RJH]

PS - pick up a notebook of some kind, I have an old Galaxy S2 with GPS - so I obviously take the coordinates of each camera - plus write them down in a journal in the truck. Also, with the tablet I can download the pics to the notebook from the field, format the sd card and place back in the camera. Just something to think about.

 

[thatsjet]

These comments are pure gold folks. Thank you. I bought a couple no names off Amazon for $50/ea that have infrared no glow cams. I'm going to take a climbing stick with me and get them up off the ground to discourage interested parties and try to get them out of high traffic areas. I'll post my success or fail in case these cameras suck.

 

[Elmacho]

Been waiting 3 dang weeks for my trail cams to arrive-----must have sent them in a covered wagon......driving me nuts- I NEED TO GET OUTSIDE!!!

 

[RJH]

check out this link on Camofire Daily Shooter <[email protected]>, looks like they have some good deals on cameras and things.

R

 

[Rzrbck918]

I like cell cameras in the midwest because I don't have to worry about messing up an area with repetitive traffic, which whitetails are notoriously sensitive to. Out west we use game cameras but honestly just as a census of what's there and not so much to pattern or aid in location. Two hours is close enough to check and I would check them every three or four weeks. As to price, I have used expensive and cheap and I have been happy with both. I would opt for more cameras over more expensive cameras.

 

[325 WSM]

Just my $.02 but we've used many different models at many different prices over the years & the only difference to me is some are color & some black & white (sorry if I offended anyone saying black & white the basic premise is to see what's coming in to your hunting area not how many hairs it has on it's nose so to me the cheaper ones are every bit as good as the real spendy ones

 

[thatsjet]

sorry if I offended anyone saying black & white

 

[thatsjet]

Camofire Daily Shooter

Looks like some good deals. Thanks.

 

[3855WIN]

Work buddy ask younger guys he knows what brand camera they use. They said whatever they find in the woods.

 

[gouch]

Work buddy ask younger guys he knows what brand camera they use. They said whatever they find in the woods.

That's a good reason to use cheep cameras. That and the fact that bears like to chew on them.

 

[EastCoast94]

I run 2 sets of cheap wild game innovation cameras and 2 sets of the cheap Tasco Walmart cameras. I use them mostly in Maryland public land and I’ve already had 1 stolen. My advice is to stick to the cheap ones if it’s going up on public but maybe spend a little more on nice ones for private.

 

[seeth07]

Last year I started using the cuddielink system. Its pretty cool to never have to check my cameras as they all link to the house unit sitting in my office. I have 6 of them linked over the 140 acres I hunt behind the house.

 

[thatsjet]

I ended up getting two of these to get me started and see how they work. I set them up for video + 3 stills as others suggested and took a climbing stick with me so I could mount them up high. I put a stick behind the top so that they would angle out a bit and surprise-surprise, got lots of great pics! So far I'm pleased and will likely buy more so that I can cover more area in my units.


Here's some pics of wildlife that these ugly beauties grabbed on my behalf


I caught several humans scouting the same area, none noticed my camera so I'm hopeful they will remain where I put them if I continue my placement strategy.

I have two now, and will probably get two more. At < $50 I think it's a reasonable price of entry for a novice hunter who is still learning.

 

[CB1]

I ended up getting two of these to get me started and see how they work. I set them up for video + 3 stills as others suggested and took a climbing stick with me so I could mount them up high. I put a stick behind the top so that they would angle out a bit and surprise-surprise, got lots of great pics! So far I'm pleased and will likely buy more so that I can cover more area in my units.
View attachment 146882

Here's some pics of wildlife that these ugly beauties grabbed on my behalf
View attachment 146883View attachment 146884View attachment 146885

I caught several humans scouting the same area, none noticed my camera so I'm hopeful they will remain where I put them if I continue my placement strategy.

I have two now, and will probably get two more. At < $50 I think it's a reasonable price of entry for a novice hunter who is still learning.

I bought a couple of those and just put them out so no pics yet. Seemed like a good, cheap option.

 

[thatsjet]

I bought a couple of those and just put them out so no pics yet. Seemed like a good, cheap option.

Yea i was suprised at the picture quality and I don't have it turned up to the higher HD options. I had several elk and a bunch of yotes cruise by it and none were spooked by the light so the IR seems to be doing the trick.