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Entry Level Trailcam


Guest young sasqua

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If you are worried about trigger speed when selecting an entry level trail cam, that is one of the easiest things to overcome in the field. If you are monitoring a trail, don't place the camera perpendicular to the trail. Place it so that it is looking at a long angle either up or down the trail, so that the subject will be in the "triggering" area of the IR sensor for several seconds. If you are monitoring a bait station, trigger speed should not be a factor at all, provided the bait is well in range, and is sufficient enough to keep the subject at the site for some period of time. I'll look through my trail cams & see which ones I like the best that are lowest in price.

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Exactly what surveyor said. First time out I had my camera pointing to the east-southeast. I got I don’t know, hundreds, of photos of glaring morning sun with nothing else you could see. Happened to be a line trees blocked the sun until 9 or 10 in the morning. When the sun crested the trees it was warm enough to set off the camera for a half dozen pictures every day for a month. I also had it perpendicular to the area I wanted photographed.

So, I learned very quickly to position the camera in such a manner as to get as much of the trail or area into the frame and in front of the sensor(s). If you put it perpendicular to the trail, even with some of the fastest cameras, you’ll get the tail end of something as it walks across the screen. So, point it up or down the trail if you can and you’ll get a full view of something as it walks toward or away from the camera.

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Thanks so much, Surveyor and Ace for your most helpful posts! :D We truly appreciate it!

Another forum member told us to check out TrailCamPro's website and it's been a big help. We did the Trail Cam Selection Guide "test" and are currently looking at the Bushnell Trophy Cam.

The con's on their review of the Primos that we were originally interested in definately helped us change our minds.

Sheesh, this is as bad as being a kid in a candy store when you could still buy penny (1 cent) candy! :lol:

I was trying to be good and keep it to around $200.00, Skip said "if it's 50 bucks more and worth it...get it". So we searched together tonight and found the Bushnell Trophy Cam Ultimate Package.

Still not jumping on it and will continue to look at other options.

Thanks again!

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Guest wild eyed willy

I too am looking to purchase my first trail cam. Anything really good will be expensive, but you have to start somewhere. Like the OP, I'm looking in the $100.00 range, mindfull of the disadvantages of quality.

Any input from the menbers on cams they had good luck with will be very helpful.. When I decide on my cam, I'll post a review of its performance.

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Guest Z Finch

I have no trail cams yet but hope to purchase some this winter. The choices I've come down to are the Reconyx HC 600 ($550) or the Stealth Archers Choice ($150).

I spoke with Derek @ Olympic Project and they use the HC 600 HC 60 and he rates them very well, they are pretty $ though.

Go to their website and check out there trail cam photos (excellent)

The Archers Choice has very good reviews but it is hard on batteries (just means more field trips, which is not that bad of a thing).

The only fear I have is getting them ripped off or vandalized in the field, but if you use a secluded area in the woods and use lock boxes your odds are better.

Does anyone have their trail cams hooked up to a transmiter via cell phone? I think this is a really cool setup!

Cheers, Doug

Good points Surveyor and ACE!!!

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  • 2 weeks later...
Guest toejam

Last year I purchased the Bushnell Trophy Cam http://www.bushnell.com/products/trail-cameras/trophy-cam/

It does glow red for the IR shots but that's what you get for a couple hundred bucks I guess.

I'm happy with it though but really don't have that much experience with them. I do like the Trophy Cam's size.

It's half the size of regular trail cams.

I just purchased my second one the other day. Same cam but they've upgraded with time lapse and audio.

I love the idea of getting audio with my video.

Easy to use and can be left up to a year with lithium batteries installed.

1 second trigger time.

45ft. range

These are the fat bastards that keep making a mess on my deck.

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Guest toejam

Last year I purchased the Bushnell Trophy Cam http://www.bushnell.com/products/trail-cameras/trophy-cam/

It does glow red for the IR shots but that's what you get for a couple hundred bucks I guess.

I'm happy with it though but really don't have that much experience with them. I do like the Trophy Cam's size.

It's half the size of regular trail cams.

I just purchased my second one the other day. Same cam but they've upgraded with time lapse and audio.

I love the idea of getting audio with my video.

Easy to use and can be left up to a year with lithium batteries installed.

1 second trigger time.

45ft. range

These are the fat bastards that keep making a mess on my deck.

Sorry about that. I should have resized that image before uploading.

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toejam,

Thanks for your reply on the Bushnell Trophy Cam!

I liked the smaller size of it (since it'll be my project) and the fact that it uses rechargeable batteries.

Still haven't come up with anything else that I like in it's price range so we'll be ordering it in the next week or two.

I'll make sure to come back to this post and give my review after I've used it a bit.

Z Finch,

I really like the Reconyx HC600 but have other projects to spend money on and Skip's eyes got a bit big on the price. :lol:

Thanks again guys!

Bit

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Guest toejam

toejam,

Thanks for your reply on the Bushnell Trophy Cam!

I liked the smaller size of it (since it'll be my project) and the fact that it uses rechargeable batteries.

Still haven't come up with anything else that I like in it's price range so we'll be ordering it in the next week or two.

I'll make sure to come back to this post and give my review after I've used it a bit.

Z Finch,

I really like the Reconyx HC600 but have other projects to spend money on and Skip's eyes got a bit big on the price. :lol:

Thanks again guys!

No problem. Happy to help.

There's a couple different models. One with and one without the built in video screen and last years has no audio compared to this years model with the time lapse feature and audio.

T.J.

Edited by toejam
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Toejam,

From what I can gather, the Bushnell that I'm looking at doesn't come with the audio but that's okay with me for now.

We've got something going after my chickens and guineas (and I thought it had gotten our cat, but she showed back up after a 2 week vacation) and mainly want to know what these 17 acres are harboring after dark, after my birds. I know we have coyotes, red fox and possibly gray, 'possums, raccoons and owls as far as night predators are concerned.

Skip works a crazy day/night schedule and the last few times he's been off work for a day or 3, we've been sitting out by our campfire and he's been hearing weird screams. I'm hard of hearing and don't catch them but it doesn't stop me from sitting outside at night when he's not here, I am enjoying being able to stargaze too much since our neighbors aren't right on top of us with security lights.

If I happen to luck up and inadvertantly catch a Biggie on it, then hopefully I'll be able to afford more cams! :lol:

Bit

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Toejam,

From what I can gather, the Bushnell that I'm looking at doesn't come with the audio but that's okay with me for now.

We've got something going after my chickens and guineas (and I thought it had gotten our cat, but she showed back up after a 2 week vacation) and mainly want to know what these 17 acres are harboring after dark, after my birds. I know we have coyotes, red fox and possibly gray, 'possums, raccoons and owls as far as night predators are concerned.

Skip works a crazy day/night schedule and the last few times he's been off work for a day or 3, we've been sitting out by our campfire and he's been hearing weird screams. I'm hard of hearing and don't catch them but it doesn't stop me from sitting outside at night when he's not here, I am enjoying being able to stargaze too much since our neighbors aren't right on top of us with security lights.

If I happen to luck up and inadvertantly catch a Biggie on it, then hopefully I'll be able to afford more cams! :lol:

Edited to add:

Just found an older post on 2010 Bushnell Trophy Cam with some good info:

Gamecam Conundrum

Bit

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Guest toejam

Toejam,

From what I can gather, the Bushnell that I'm looking at doesn't come with the audio but that's okay with me for now.

We've got something going after my chickens and guineas (and I thought it had gotten our cat, but she showed back up after a 2 week vacation) and mainly want to know what these 17 acres are harboring after dark, after my birds. I know we have coyotes, red fox and possibly gray, 'possums, raccoons and owls as far as night predators are concerned.

Skip works a crazy day/night schedule and the last few times he's been off work for a day or 3, we've been sitting out by our campfire and he's been hearing weird screams. I'm hard of hearing and don't catch them but it doesn't stop me from sitting outside at night when he's not here, I am enjoying being able to stargaze too much since our neighbors aren't right on top of us with security lights.

If I happen to luck up and inadvertantly catch a Biggie on it, then hopefully I'll be able to afford more cams! :lol:

Bit

I have last years XLT model with the built in video screen. Seems to work well. I'm sure this years model with the audio upgrade will drop in price by next year.

It's a slow process building up the equipment for the lifelong adventure.

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Guest toejam

Woohoo! Just got my XLT Trophy Cam. Sitting on my porch when I got home. No Custom fees this time! Another Woohoo!

Bass Pro here charges $329 plus tax for this unit. I'll give my dough to the U.S. of A.!

At $216 Cdn shipped to my front door, I saved around $160.

I really can't understand the whopping price difference. Anyways, glad to add another cam to my gear..and just in time for prime time!

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Guest RedRatSnake

Hi

If anyone is interested i am selling my homemade trail cam cheap, i am upgrading to a metal frame model

Thanks ~ Tim :)

post-92-063658200 1313711403_thumb.jpg

Edited by RedRatSnake
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