# Game/Trail Camera



## TroyW (Nov 27, 2006)

Anyone have any recommendations for a trail camera. Wanting to stay under $200. I'm looking at a bushnell thru Cabela's.
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/t...parentType=index&parentId=cat20098&id=0057187

TroyW


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## Vance Ertel (Apr 8, 2009)

We have used a few different brands with different price points on our land. They all have worked the same from the $200 ones to the $80 Walmart specials. The flash does not seem to bother the animals so the only reason I would go with the night vision is for trespassing purposes. Be sure to buy a large memory card if you can not get to the camera often. We leave ours out for months and usually get a handful of good pics out serveral thousand images. Squirrels and racoons are very photogenic. It's always interesting to see the new ways they can dispose of 1200lbs of corn from a few feeders. Also make sure it is out of the reach of pigs. While they have not destoryed one yet, a muddy nose on the lense will not make you happy. I don't think image quality is all that important. As long as it functions, keeps time, and the quality is good enough to identify the animal, save your money. I would buy two of the cheap ones if I were you.


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## Vance Ertel (Apr 8, 2009)

Also be sure to point it either north or south if possible. If east or west, your morning or evening pictures will have as much light as a near death experience.


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## TroyFeeken (May 30, 2007)

*Cuddeback game cameras is the only way to go! Very rugged, great images, infrared flash, great all around. Don't cheap out on a camera. After the first year you'll either end up with a broken camera, not enough pictures, or wishing you would have bought the more expensive one because of the quality of images.
*


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## speedy (Oct 24, 2005)

We purchased the Bushnell 5.0 Megapixel Trophy Cam. Only use it on 3MPixels, works and takes excellent pictures. Night pictures are black/white. We ordered the $199 version, purchased a 2G card for $25. It can take approx 2000 pictures, more than enough. Quality of picture is surprisingly clear, easy to set up.

We also use it for monitoring house when we are on vacation...

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/t...parentType=index&parentId=cat20098&id=0068193


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## TroyFeeken (May 30, 2007)

When you do purchase a trail camera, buy the locking box enclosure as well. Extra protection and piece of mind that it'll stay where you put it unless they cut down the tree it's connected to.


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## TroyW (Nov 27, 2006)

Thanks for the responses, decided to go with Cuddebuck. Will hopefully have some nice pics to post up.
TroyW


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## 1NarlyBar (Jul 10, 2008)

Wish I had seen this thread earlier......

I would have gone with StealthCAM over CuddeBack.

Both are good quality trail cameras, but from my experience the Cuddeback's could not spend as much time in the field(They used C-cells at the time), and they had to be reprogrammed if they did die completely, which was not very easy to do correctly in the field. We would pull full cards out and replace with an empty one. It was quite frustrating a couple of times, realizing that our hot spot camera wasn't taking usable photos for the last two weeks, and now we have to drive out there and figure out what the heck is going on before the batteries die again.

Started this project with 20 cuddebacks, and ended the project with 60 StealthCAMs and 20 dusty cuddebacks.

Plus (didn't realize 'til now) StealthCAMs are cheaper.

Add on: At the time the Cudde's used C cells(4) and the Stealths used D cells (6). The Cudde's could stay out no more than two weeks before the Batteries needed to be changed, while the Stealths could stay out 4 or 5 weeks(At low usage for both). Usually your card is going to get full before the batteries dies, but if you are taking a lot of night photos (which we were) having the larger batteries is helpful.


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## ricejumper (Jan 15, 2009)

I have used Stealth Cam but have had problems with the battery life. I had to buy an external battery. Otherwise it took pretty good pictures.
My favorite 'cheap' camera is made by Mossberg. I cant remember the name of it but it is b/t $100 and $120 and it takes a 6V battery, the same you put in Mojo Decoys. The battery lasts a whole season and I have been pleased with the quality.

1Narly, What model Stealth Cam do you use? I have been using the really cheap ones from Wal Mart and, as I have said, have had problems with battery life. I see there are more exp ones, like 150-200, and they look more durable. I was thinking about trying one of these for the upcoming season.


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## Ragin Storm Retrievers (Jan 9, 2006)

Definitely look at the Moultrie I40. This unit will run you about $200 and is a 4 mega pixel unit with IR flash. I now have 8 of these out on our farm here in NC. Me and 2 others had Cuddebacks. The Cuddebacks are good units but, the pictures with the I40 are every bit as good as the Cuddebacks if not better, the flash range and sensor range of the Moultrie is better. We use a 2GB card in our units and get anywhere from 1,500 to 1,800 pics in about a week with a lot of night shots. These batteries even in the winter time (here in NC winters not that bad though) last close to 3 months. It uses 4 D cells. We all got rid of our Cuddebacks not because we didn't like them but because we could buy 2 I40's for what one Cuddeback cost. Also, a little sidenote. We also tried the I60 from Moultrie. This is the 6 megapixel version and also has a screen where you can see whats on the card and delete photos in the field without an external device. The screen is small and it takes awhile to go through pics. The quality of the pictures was not better nor any worse than the I40. So bottom line is the picture quality of the I40 is every bit as good if not better, sensor range and flash range is better and battery life is better for half the price. Oh yeah, trigger speed is also good on the I40.


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## dnf777 (Jun 9, 2009)

Ragin Storm Retrievers said:


> Definitely look at the Moultrie I40. This unit will run you about $200 and is a 4 mega pixel unit with IR flash. I now have 8 of these out on our farm here in NC. Me and 2 others had Cuddebacks. The Cuddebacks are good units but, the pictures with the I40 are every bit as good as the Cuddebacks if not better, the flash range and sensor range of the Moultrie is better. We use a 2GB card in our units and get anywhere from 1,500 to 1,800 pics in about a week with a lot of night shots. These batteries even in the winter time (here in NC winters not that bad though) last close to 3 months. It uses 4 D cells. We all got rid of our Cuddebacks not because we didn't like them but because we could buy 2 I40's for what one Cuddeback cost. Also, a little sidenote. We also tried the I60 from Moultrie. This is the 6 megapixel version and also has a screen where you can see whats on the card and delete photos in the field without an external device. The screen is small and it takes awhile to go through pics. The quality of the pictures was not better nor any worse than the I40. So bottom line is the picture quality of the I40 is every bit as good if not better, sensor range and flash range is better and battery life is better for half the price. Oh yeah, trigger speed is also good on the I40.


Ragin Storm,
Thanks for your review. This wasn't my thread, but it took your advice, as I was in the market also.

I found a I-40 for 149USD and it performs like you say. Pretty user friendly (ie, didn't have to read the instructions) and gives good shots.

Not the easiest access to the SD card, but reasonable. I did find that the "mode" switch didn't work sometimes, and required a reset.


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## ricejumper (Jan 15, 2009)

I've owned 2 of the stealth cam wildview extremes and would not reccomend. Slow trigger time and very unreliable. Sometimes they would take pics and sometimes would not. Also, very cheaply made. 
I've owned 2 moultries, both manufactured in the past 3 years. I'm not sure of the name, but they are both flash models, and both cost around $100-120. These are very trustworthy cameras. The batteries last very long and they take HQ daytime, and decent nighttime pics. The trigger time is extremely slow though so I wouldnt use this as a trail camera, maybe more of a feeder/food plot camera. 

Right now I'm trying to decide betweed the moutlrie I40 and the busnell trophycam IR. Both cost around $200. I have yet to decide but here's what I've learned about the cameras.
The busnell has amazing battery life. Very compact in size. Great trigger speed. Sometimes blurry nighttime pics when deer are moving.
The moultrie has good battery life but slower trigger time. Great pictures and probably the best IR flash on the market. 

I'll be buying these in the next week and they'll be in the field within the month. 

I'll let you know what I find out.


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## Illinois Bob (Feb 3, 2007)

I got these last week in Wisconsin using the Moultrie Outfitter from Cabellas.I haven't had any problems with it yet.I wish I had a lock though.I only put it out where I know I can count on nobody stealing it.


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## Mike Peters-labguy23 (Feb 9, 2003)

This is the one I got. I bought it a month ago for $99 now the one step up is a better deal. 

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/t...parentType=index&indexId=cat601233&hasJS=true

Here are a few pictures, one is a buck that I have been watching for a year or so now. Night time pictures seem OK too and don't bother the deer since I have a doe with 2 fawns that pass by it at least once a day.


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