Trail cam suggestions and setup

[archeryasu]

Hello all.... I have been a reader of this forum for a while now but just recently decided to register and start posting...anyway; I was wondering what is the best trail cam for under $180.00. I have read many reviews and have heard many good and bad things about many models. I just want to see what?s coming into my set up and the pictures don?t have to be perfect. I would also prefer a digital rather than something like a 35mm. I just want to hear some input for someone who has had some trial and error with these cameras.

One other question I have is about setting out mineral blocks for elk, deer ect... I was wondering if it would be best to put one near water or out in a canyon somewhere remote and just let the animals come to it. Has anyone has sucess by just putting one in a remote location or is it better to set it by a water source? The only problem i have with setting it by a water source or some type of trail is that someone may discover it and tamper with it. I look forward to your input.

[BASS]

I wouldn't just walk out to somewhere and drop off a salt block. Scout the area out for sign that the animals are using that area for either a travel route, bedding area, or feeding area. Those will give you the best chance of finding a good spot that won't take too long for them to hit it. Other wise you are just hoping that they will happen by it, and remember where it was.

 

As for the trail cams, if you are willing to put about another $20 or so into the price, you can get a digi stealth cam with I think 3 megapixels or so. They are great cams, and the photos they take are of high quality. Or, you can take that money and buy a few 35mm ones, or a 35mm one for high traffic areas and a lesser quality digital one for the more remote areas. The only problem I have with the expensive $300 + cameras are the fact you have to leave them on public land on a tree as you walk away. I'm sure you saw my post in the other trail cam thread about wal-marts new .3 megapixle (that's .3, as in less than one) digicam that costs around $55 out the door or so. The photos are not going to win any awards, but they allow you to see what is out there, with some detail. I'm still in the testing phase of mine, and so far I'm happy with it. I think I saw the same camera with a 1.3, or maybe 2 megapixle camera for $75 or so at cabela's but don't quote me on that. When you do find a cam to use, be sure you buy a good lock and chain. I just use a bicycle combo lock for mine. The combo lock is great because I have huge issues with keys. Mostly loosing them, or forgetting them but either way this way I don't need a key.

[vegasjeep]

I went last week and picked up one camera from wal mart and have been testing it around the house. I was happy and went and bought two more. I believe they were 59.99. the time the sensored is triggered to the time the camera takes a pic is about 4 seconds. Do nto know if this is great or not. The mega pixel is 300k so I think iht is the same camera your talking about.

 

This camera takes 4 cc batteris and takes 113 pics on high res without having to download to your computer. I have taken over 700 pics on one camera without replacing the C batteries yet. So thats a plus too.

 

so far this camera is a go. Low pixels wont be printed in a magazine but it is detailed enough for me to see and know what i am looking at.

 

heres a living room pic from a couple nights ago..

[BASS]

Yeah, that looks like my little cam. It's about the size of a mouse pad correct? Did you get a USB cable with yours?

[vegasjeep]

Yeah, that looks like my little cam. It's about the size of a mouse pad correct? Did you get a USB cable with yours?

 

 

Yes I bought three of them and all three of them came with a USB cable. Abuot the size of a mousepad and brown.

 

So far for the money htis thing is great. Batteries last ahwile, takes many pics and the ics are good enough to see what i am looking at.

[BASS]

Darn, I bought one of the older larger digi ones that they were selling, and it didn't come with a USB cord. I took it back, and got another one, and that one didn't have one either. Also when I bought the newer one, it didn't come with a USB cord. Man, do I know how to pick 'em or what! I agree, these little cameras do not take awsome photos, but how can you compare a $60 camera to one that costs $200+? You can't, and I never will try to compare two items that far apart, but for the money they are well worth it to me.

[scout4u]

whats the name of this camera from wal-mart i cant seem to locate it. I am wanting another cam for a high human traffic area and i cant stand the 35mm and dont want to lose a $300+ cam to some jackA$$ and his buddies.

[ForkHorn]

Yeah this camera sounds just what i have been searching for, I don't need higly detailed pics.

 

Does it have a time and date stamp?

 

Do you know if you can add on memory with a sd card or something similar?

 

Sorry for all of the questions

 

 

 

Thanks - ForkHorn

[BASS]

http://cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/pr...&hasJS=true

 

There is info about this camera. I'll try to get a comparison photo up between a 35mm stealth cam, and wal-marts old digi cam along with the new one. It does have a slot for a SD card, and I have one for mine. I think the best thing to do is to hit up best buy once a week or so, and look for the returned ones. Most of the time they are really cheap, I got mine for $15 for a 256mb. They are perfectly fine, and have been put through tons of tests before the store accepts them back (just ask anyone who has ever returned anything back to best buy) I did the same thing with my sony hanicam I use for filming.

[ForkHorn]

BASS,

 

I hate be a pain, but any pics from that new cam yet? The new .3 wildview in the cabelas link is what im really interested in.

 

 

 

 

Thanks -ForkHorn

[vegasjeep]

BASS,

 

I hate be a pain, but any pics from that new cam yet? The new .3 wildview in the cabelas link is what im really interested in.

 

 

 

 

Thanks -ForkHorn

 

 

the pic posted in this topic is off that camera

[BASS]

I have mine sitting on a trail leading to a water hole that seems to be getting hit my elk and some deer so I should know by this time next week. I sat on the tank yesterday but all I saw were some ducks, then the rain hit hard so we left. It takes some nice photos, for the price it is. I would say they are about the same as a 35mm or maybe a little less.

[billrquimby]

I have mine sitting on a trail leading to a water hole that seems to be getting hit my elk and some deer so I should know by this time next week. I sat on the tank yesterday but all I saw were some ducks, then the rain hit hard so we left. It takes some nice photos, for the price it is. I would say they are about the same as a 35mm or maybe a little less.

 

Just a thought: Has anyone tried using lag screws inside a trail camera to attach it to a tree? Chances are good a bandit wouldn't be carrying a socket wrench when he finds it, and although he might have one in his truck, he'd have to be a real @#$%^! to walk out and back to steal it. You might come across a really bad guy who would destroy it while trying to get it off the tree, but you were going to lose the camera to him anyway. The ordinary, run-of-the-mill bad guy would see it can't be removed and leave it alone.

 

Bill Quimby

[vegasjeep]

I have mine sitting on a trail leading to a water hole that seems to be getting hit my elk and some deer so I should know by this time next week. I sat on the tank yesterday but all I saw were some ducks, then the rain hit hard so we left. It takes some nice photos, for the price it is. I would say they are about the same as a 35mm or maybe a little less.

 

Just a thought: Has anyone tried using lag screws inside a trail camera to attach it to a tree? Chances are good a bandit wouldn't be carrying a socket wrench when he finds it, and although he might have one in his truck, he'd have to be a real @#$%^! to walk out and back to steal it. You might come across a really bad guy who would destroy it while trying to get it off the tree, but you were going to lose the camera to him anyway. The ordinary, run-of-the-mill bad guy would see it can't be removed and leave it alone.

 

Bill Quimby

 

 

Thats a good idea , Kind of keeping an hoenst person honest. If the average jow sees it and opens it and sees lag screws he will close it and leave. But the guy who was going to see it woulkd be pissed and break the plastic to rip it off. But like you said he was going to take it anyway.