Hunting Washington Forum

Community => Photo & Video => Topic started by: TeacherMan on December 11, 2012, 09:34:42 AM

Title: Best game camera for the $$$
Post by: TeacherMan on December 11, 2012, 09:34:42 AM: I'm wanting to get a few new game cams coming up but don't want to spend $400 ea. I was looking at the Moultrie 6.0 IR for around $150 at cabelas. Any other suggestions in that price range?
Title: Re: Best game camera for the $$$
Post by: bobcat on December 11, 2012, 09:40:38 AM: Wait till January if you can. The new 2013 models will be coming out and there will be some great deals on the old models. Happens every year. There will probably be some great cameras for $50 to $60. (Which is all I have ever spent on any of the trail cams I own)
Title: Re: Best game camera for the $$$
Post by: TeacherMan on December 11, 2012, 09:50:38 AM: Quote from: bobcat on December 11, 2012, 09:40:38 AM
Wait till January if you can. The new 2013 models will be coming out and there will be some great deals on the old models. Happens every year. There will probably be some great cameras for $50 to $60. (Which is all I have ever spent on any of the trail cams I own)

that be really great! No real rush just starting to think about it. I'd like to get 6 or so.
Title: Re: Best game camera for the $$$
Post by: pd on December 11, 2012, 09:51:04 AM: Hey, TeacherMan,

I spent quite a lot of time recently doing my homework, and finally purchased my first camera. I, too, did not want to spend too much for a camera, especially given the risk of theft. I found the reviews on this website to be very helpful. http://www.trailcampro.com/trailcamerareviews.aspx (http://www.trailcampro.com/trailcamerareviews.aspx)

Good luck.
Title: Re: Best game camera for the $$$
Post by: JLS on December 11, 2012, 09:51:46 AM: Quote from: bobcat on December 11, 2012, 09:40:38 AM
Wait till January if you can. The new 2013 models will be coming out and there will be some great deals on the old models. Happens every year. There will probably be some great cameras for $50 to $60. (Which is all I have ever spent on any of the trail cams I own)

Where do you recommend looking?
Title: Re: Best game camera for the $$$
Post by: bobcat on December 11, 2012, 09:54:15 AM: Amazon, Wal Mart (online), Wing Supply, and Cabelas might even have some good deals.
Title: Re: Best game camera for the $$$
Post by: bobcat on December 11, 2012, 10:01:52 AM: The DLC Covert "Red 40" is getting the best reviews right now that I've seen. It would be one to look at for sure. It's $150 which is way more than I would spend on a camera, but if that's in your budget, it's probably the best camera in that price range.

http://www.wingsupply.com/red40/dlc-covert-scouting-cameras-extreme-red-40-scouting-camera/ (http://www.wingsupply.com/red40/dlc-covert-scouting-cameras-extreme-red-40-scouting-camera/)
Title: Re: Best game camera for the $$$
Post by: coop2424 on December 11, 2012, 10:06:12 AM: Really depends what you want out of the camera since some are better at one thing while not so good at other features. The battery life of trophy cam bushnells is what made me go that route. Not the fastest trigger speed so some pics are blurry but usually can make the pics out other than that has been a great cam. I paid $129 for the 8mp version. Have ran 3 trophy cams since June getting on average 500-1000 pics a week and still have not had to change any of the batteries. The batteries I am running cost me $3 at lowes for 30 no name batteries so I have spent $3 all year on batteries since June on my cameras. I have not tried any other of the newer cams other than these so cant talk to those but there is some great cams out there. I might pick one of the m-100 or m-60 up to try them out.
Title: Re: Best game camera for the $$$
Post by: Heredoggydoggy on December 11, 2012, 10:16:44 AM: Quote from: coop2424 on December 11, 2012, 10:06:12 AM
Really depends what you want out of the camera since some are better at one thing while not so good at other features. The battery life of trophy cam bushnells is what made me go that route. Not the fastest trigger speed so some pics are blurry but usually can make the pics out other than that has been a great cam. I paid $129 for the 8mp version. Have ran 3 trophy cams since June getting on average 500-1000 pics a week and still have not had to change any of the batteries. The batteries I am running cost me $3 at lowes for 30 no name batteries so I have spent $3 all year on batteries since June on my cameras. I have not tried any other of the newer cams other than these so cant talk to those but there is some great cams out there. I might pick one of the m-100 or m-60 up to try them out.

I'm going for battery life on my next camera. I have a Wildgame that I bought on sale for $65 with SD Card. Takes good pictures, but eats up the batteries in less than a month, and half that in cold weather. The Moultries get good revews, albiet a bit spendy.
Title: Re: Best game camera for the $$$
Post by: montanasoldier on December 11, 2012, 11:23:25 AM: check the walmart clearance isle a few weeks after the hunting season has endded i picked up mine for 45 bucks
Title: Re: Best game camera for the $$$
Post by: HUNTINCOUPLE on December 11, 2012, 12:01:16 PM: Moutrie here!!! :tup: The new little ones are easy, quick and AA
Lithium batteries last loooooong time! :tup:
Title: Re: Best game camera for the $$$
Post by: cem3434 on December 11, 2012, 12:10:46 PM: I have had pretty good luck with my refurbished Primos Truth 60 cameras. For the price, you might want to try one of these out. They have the same warranty as the new cameras. We have 4 Truth 60's and they have all appeared to be new when we received them and we havent had any issues so far.

http://www.natchezss.com/index.cfm#q%3Drefurbished%2520camera (http://www.natchezss.com/index.cfm#q%3Drefurbished%2520camera)
Title: Re: Best game camera for the $$$
Post by: grundy53 on December 11, 2012, 12:20:48 PM: I run moultrie M-80's and love them.
Title: Re: Best game camera for the $$$
Post by: bullcanyon on December 11, 2012, 12:29:05 PM: :yeah: m80 is the cam to get. What ever you get. Make sure it takes AA batteries.
Title: Re: Best game camera for the $$$
Post by: Heredoggydoggy on December 11, 2012, 12:37:33 PM: Quote from: bullcanyon on December 11, 2012, 12:29:05 PM
:yeah: m80 is the cam to get. What ever you get. Make sure it takes AA batteries.

:yeah: Especially the part about the AA batteries! My Wildgame takes C batteries, and they don't last worth a darn.
Title: Re: Best game camera for the $$$
Post by: bullcanyon on December 12, 2012, 06:20:35 AM: Check Ebay for camera and case combo deals. The bear box is a must.
Title: Re: Best game camera for the $$$
Post by: huntnnw on December 13, 2012, 12:38:06 AM: Quote from: bobcat on December 11, 2012, 09:40:38 AM
Wait till January if you can. The new 2013 models will be coming out and there will be some great deals on the old models. Happens every year. There will probably be some great cameras for $50 to $60. (Which is all I have ever spent on any of the trail cams I own)

:yeah: Keep an aye out on Amazon
Title: Re: Best game camera for the $$$
Post by: Seabass on December 13, 2012, 12:50:44 PM: I have both Bushnell and Wildgame cameras. I have 2 different models of the Wildgame camera. The Micro Red 3 and 5. All of them take AAA batteries. I have had good luck with both but my Wildgame cameras take better pics and were significantly cheaper.
Title: Re: Best game camera for the $$$
Post by: oldleclercrd on December 13, 2012, 03:16:43 PM: Moultrie m-80. I have a few and take anywhere from 8,000-12,000 pics in a year with no problems. You might get a great deal with other cameras, but if the other cameras take anything other then AA, you will lose the money you saved in a hurry. :twocents:
Title: Re: Best game camera for the $$$
Post by: Seabass on December 13, 2012, 06:13:17 PM: Quote from: Seabass on December 13, 2012, 12:50:44 PM
I have both Bushnell and Wildgame cameras. I have 2 different models of the Wildgame camera. The Micro Red 3 and 5. All of them take AAA batteries. I have had good luck with both but my Wildgame cameras take better pics and were significantly cheaper.

I apologize I meant AA batteries.
Title: Re: Best game camera for the $$$
Post by: Alan K on December 16, 2012, 06:49:17 PM: Last year they had these, except with a camo body rather than black, for $50 each!

http://www.amazon.com/Wild-Game-Innovations-Infrared-6-0-Megapixel/dp/B007MX0IPK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1355712236&sr=8-1&keywords=wild+game+innovations (http://www.amazon.com/Wild-Game-Innovations-Infrared-6-0-Megapixel/dp/B007MX0IPK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1355712236&sr=8-1&keywords=wild+game+innovations)

I bought 10x of them, and they've been great. They take the AA's. They have good battery life relative to just about all cameras, but still not as long of life as the Bushnell Trophy Cams. I'd much prefer to have an arsenal of trophy cams.

For me, I now go for as many mid range cameras as I can afford rather than a ton of cheapies or a few high enders.
Title: Re: Best game camera for the $$$
Post by: huntnnw on December 17, 2012, 10:16:57 PM: all my cams work great as I use alot of different brands in the spring summer and early fall. The one thing i noticed with ALL of my cams is cold weather effects the trigger on ALL of these cams. I have tested them all and payed close attention to them in the field when hunting by one. I make notes as when deer are in front of the cams and times and how long they are there. None of the cams take pics as they should in cold weather. It has something to do with their body heat, cause all my cams work perfect on me when I walk by and up to them take pics every time. I watched a spike feed for 20 min 10 ft from a cam last week..it took 3 pics this happens to all my cams..and if they just blow by real quick sometimes no pics. I have yet to find a great cold weather cam
Title: Re: Best game camera for the $$$
Post by: deaner on December 24, 2012, 02:26:17 AM: i havent exactly used a wide range of cameras, but trailcampro.com has bushnell xps for about 150 and im very happy with them. also have available lockboxes. buy the camera, lockbox, and the masterlock python cable and nobody will steal it short of cutting down the tree. i tried the $100 bushnells from walmart and get way too many blurry pics on them. slower shutter speed
Title: Re: Best game camera for the $$$
Post by: turkeyfeather on December 24, 2012, 05:11:58 AM: I agree with others. I have tried several different brands and for around the price your talking the Bushnell Trophy cam is by far the best. Just the battery life alone saves you a ton of money. I ended up selling the others that I have and bought a couple more of these.
Title: Re: Best game camera for the $$$
Post by: huntnnw on December 24, 2012, 05:45:14 AM: any of the cams on dbl A batts have long battery life..I wont agree with the Bushnell cam.. I have some and they are absolutely horrendous in cold weather and not battery life either
Title: Re: Best game camera for the $$$
Post by: turkeyfeather on December 24, 2012, 05:55:14 AM: Quote from: huntnnw on December 24, 2012, 05:45:14 AM
any of the cams on dbl A batts have long battery life..I wont agree with the Bushnell cam.. I have some and they are absolutely horrendous in cold weather and not battery life either
Really, that's suprising. What problems did you have? I have a buddy that got one as well, so we have 4 between us and never had an issue.
Title: Re: Best game camera for the $$$
Post by: huntnnw on December 24, 2012, 06:16:22 AM: Most seem to think all there cams work great..I was one of them..come and check it after a week and theres pics everyday...all seems well I thought.I started paying close attention to them, if your in a stand and see a deer in front of them make a note how long, time what was the cam setting on then check the card. Even my best working cams I thought this year were actually working till I sat in my stand and had a deer in front of it and the same ole crap... sporadic pics :bash:. Mind u this stuff only happens in the late season here November-January..summer they work perfect all of them. I have noticed human presence in front of the cams they all work flawless in cold weather.

last year I set up 3 different brands of cams in November on the same tree in the same direction on the same photo settings...every cam had different pics on it that 1 cam didnt have..they varied 100-300 pic count difference! now just imagine if u had just the 1 cam and thinking it worked great cause u saw pics everyday..just think of what you missed and would it have altered your hunt? cause it only takes a pic or 2 to make that decision to sit there or not. I am skeptical now and hang 2 at places know i have a shooter to be positive that he was in the area.
Title: Re: Best game camera for the $$$
Post by: huntnnw on December 24, 2012, 06:20:45 AM: this year I averaged 1100 pics at a spot over 7 days for 3 weeks with my wildgame innovation cam..I hung my Bushnell trophy cam..same settings over 7 days 156 pics! :bash:
Title: Re: Best game camera for the $$$
Post by: turkeyfeather on December 24, 2012, 06:26:40 AM: That's good info. :tup: Nice job on the research, I will have to try putting multiple cams in the same area and see what I may be missing.
Title: Re: Best game camera for the $$$
Post by: huntnnw on December 24, 2012, 06:33:49 AM: something to do with the deer insulation in cold weather, cause its really sporadic..I even had moose in front of them doing the same deal!! People put out more heat than a deer and I think its why my cams always work on me when walking in and out everytime
Title: Re: Best game camera for the $$$
Post by: oldleclercrd on December 24, 2012, 08:22:33 AM: I noticed the same thing when I was sitting in my stand. I would have a deer visit for some time and end up with only a few pics. The same camera was flawless in the summer. Like huntnnw said, one or two pics can make all the difference. During the rut that buck might just walk right through real quickly checking scents, and if your camera was being slow you may miss him and never realize he was ever even there.
Title: Re: Best game camera for the $$$
Post by: huntnnw on December 25, 2012, 10:02:35 PM: :yeah: Alot of us rely on those pics to make a decision on where u sit..I have become careful on that now
Title: Re: Best game camera for the $$$
Post by: huntingfool7 on December 26, 2012, 05:30:49 AM: Quote from: huntnnw on December 24, 2012, 06:20:45 AM
this year I averaged 1100 pics at a spot over 7 days for 3 weeks with my wildgame innovation cam..I hung my Bushnell trophy cam..same settings over 7 days 156 pics! :bash:
This is interesting,which models?