Trail Cameras

Happy fall season, trappers. I need to buy a few trail cameras. Mostly for anti-theft reasons but also to see and video animal movement on the property. These won't be in cell range so I won't be needing link cameras, necessarily. I need good trigger speed. 512 gb storage would be nice. good quality photo and video. Money's not really an option...these are protecting important equipment. Infrared flashes would be nice as well. I see that JR has a Browning camera and a Spypoint. Not sure what models, but they seem to take good photos.

Any ideas? It's so difficult to check reviews online, as most are advertisements and some are not reliable. I'd rather trust you all who have tested and tried them. Thanks!

Reconyx is what we use for work. They’re left out all winter.

I would call Reconyx and talk to someone. They are great for customer service and it sounds like you need something a little better than a trail camera. There are two grades of cameras.

You get what you pay for mostly the more you pay the better camera you will get. Do up a budget and stick to it, So long as you get a name brand you should be fine. make sure you get good quality SD cards with enough storage and lithium batteries. Not cheap so make sure you budget for them and replacements. Also don't forget security lockable cases or bears may rip them off. Another thing that would be good is a downloader so you can take the footage and clear your card in the bush. Im kind of sorry that I did not get solar powered cameras.

Contact Trailcampro.com. I buy all of my cameras for my business from them. I buy only Browning no glow or low glow. They use invisible infrared light for flash. I do not buy the red glow because everything notices the red lights on the camera. You want no glow or low glow for security. I run 20 cameras at a time. Daytime and nighttime photos and videos are great. Video on highest setting is broadcast quality. Buy the model that costs about $190. Do not buy cheaper model because you lose the screen for aiming the camera. I take about 100,000 images and videos per year. Battery life is phenomenal.

Get memory cards from trailcampro. Slow read and write cards work best. Buy extra memory cards so you can switch cards in the field. Look on B&H photo and buy 2 Pelican memory card cases. Label one empty cards and the other full cards.

A strap comes with the camera. They hold scent, get wet, and freeze onto something. Check out the Slate river screw in mount. I buy one for every camera.

They double the warranty to 2 years and you return with them, not some obscure address. I have had 3-4 fail in 4 years and a heap of cameras. I send an email with camera brand model number serial number and date of purchase to John, he replies with a shipping label, I ship back, he sends replacement by Fedex.

Suggestion - this is what i do and it is a must if you run a bunch of cameras. I use a label printer that prints waterproof labels. Make a chart with camera brand, serial number, date of purchase, and assign your own camera number. Put the camera number label on the camera in 2 places. Inside the camera program it as Camera 007 or whatever. Do not write on the camera or it voids the warranty. If a camera fails, I remove my labels and return it.

I just bought two cameras to try out - a Browning no glow cellular and a Ridgetec Lookout no glow cellular. We have lousy cellular service but like you I need some cameras to monitor very valuable equipment and if it can send a photo all the better.

Tell them the guy from Genesis Wildlife Services sent you. best wishes!

Wiley,

Thanks for all those "pro tips! Some great ideas.

Pete
"

Thanks, everyone. Great info. Cabelas here in Albuquerque had the Reconyx HyperFire 2 available for pick up. Bought 4 of them along with the steel covers for protection. Can't wait to experiment with them here for a little while. I go back to Kotzebue on the 27th of September. Will be putting them in the woods shortly thereafter. Only have a few weeks of capture time. Noatak River freezes up around the middle of October. I'll pick them up then and put them to use again in the spring. Got bears, moose, and people on the trail. So I'm excited to see what these cameras catch! Lynx, rabbits, red fox, squirrels, and porcupines too. https://www.reconyx.com/product/hyperfire-2-covert-ir-camera#carouselExampleControls

Mirror

I found Apeman cameras on Amazon to be great for the price.

Pete - you bet, glad to offer ideas.

Willy