Need new cam?

E_308

Well-Known Member
Setup my two 2008 model Bushnell trophy cams about a month ago. Pulled them this weekend, one looks like it got extremely hot and melted the plastic on the inside. The other ate a set of batteries in 18 pictures. Time for some newer models, unfortunately I think I missed all the trade in events. What are you using that you would recommend?
 
I really like the Moultire M888i cams so far.

I got a Bushnell TC HD at the trade in event and maybe I am too dumb to be able to figure it out but for some reason it only took 1 picture but in it's defense it only showed it took 1. I opened the hatch a few hours later and checked it and it showed 16 but I haven't looked at them yet...
 
I am using all Exodus cameras and have not had an issue with them yet. I have 35 of them out and haven't changed batteries yet this year. They were put out in June. I just set a camera on video mode last week so here in a couple weeks I can let you know how it worked out for me.
 
I have a few browning strike force. One is the newer model and 2 are older. The older ones are on sale at trailcampro.com. The Brownings and bushnells get the highest ratings there. Moultries are high rated, too
 
I've been hearing very good things about the Browning cameras. They take great pictures and are very reliable. Two close friends of mine have been running them since they hit the market.

I've always had decent luck with the Bushnells, Moultries and coverts.
 
I am using all Exodus cameras and have not had an issue with them yet. I have 35 of them out and haven't changed batteries yet this year. They were put out in June. I just set a camera on video mode last week so here in a couple weeks I can let you know how it worked out for me.

You run 35 cameras?
 
I bought 4 brownings last year and 1 of them always had a problem trying to get to come on. It took multiple attempts each time to get it to light but once you got it going it worked fine...about mid fall last year it started taking pink daytime photo's like this one but I continued to painstakingly use it. This last card pull I absolutely could not get it to come back on so it is out of commission now...

pink bear.jpg
 
Moultries are all I own currently and dont see changing anytime soon. Price wise they can be had for $100 or under if you find the right sale, good pictures and video for the most part and run along time on a set of batteries.
 
I have 6-8 Brownings. I like the BTC 5HD Elites. Great quality pics, long battery life. Hopefully they have good longevity, none of mine are over 2 years old, so far, so good.
 
Moultries are all I own currently and dont see changing anytime soon. Price wise they can be had for $100 or under if you find the right sale, good pictures and video for the most part and run along time on a set of batteries.
I agree, I have had great luck with my Moultrie cameras. My older M-80 Moultries are still going strong.

My generation 2 - M550 Moultrie camera has been a great.

Stay away from the Moultrie A-5 cameras, IMO. Takes a ton of false pictures.
 
I have been disapointed with night time pictures on most of the cameras I have bought including Moultrie, Browning and Stealthcam. They are all basically blurry and of course black and white because they are IR. I recently purchased a homebrew from a forum member because his pictures were so good and I just pulled my first card this weekend. I am extremely pleased with the quality of both day and night time pics. This camera uses a Sony S-600 with a white flash and takes color night-time pics. From what I can tell the white flash does not bother the deer at all as they hang around a long time. The price was very reasonable. I just need to turn on the Time/Date stamp setting on the camera. Not trying to sell anything but wanted to pass on in case others want better night time pics they might want to consider this option.

nSbsHwK.jpg


llyMahC.jpg
 
I have been disapointed with night time pictures on most of the cameras I have bought including Moultrie, Browning and Stealthcam. They are all basically blurry and of course black and white because they are IR. I recently purchased a homebrew from a forum member because his pictures were so good and I just pulled my first card this weekend. I am extremely pleased with the quality of both day and night time pics. This camera uses a Sony S-600 with a white flash and takes color night-time pics. From what I can tell the white flash does not bother the deer at all as they hang around a long time. The price was very reasonable. I just need to turn on the Time/Date stamp setting on the camera. Not trying to sell anything but wanted to pass on in case others want better night time pics they might want to consider this option.

nSbsHwK.jpg


llyMahC.jpg
You can buy moultries in white flash and get some pretty great night photo's as well. I remember using them exclusively a few years ago and I had numerous camera sites in the woods. I remember easing up through the woods in the dark for a morning hunt and seeing the camera flash at one of my sites telling me something was there at that moment and then once my hunt was over checking the camera and seeing my target buck staring down the hill at me in the photo.

Also sat on stand in the dark in the morning and could see cameras going off here and there. It never seemed to bother the deer at all and I get more negative reaction from deer on the glowing red blob cameras than anything...

Link...

https://www.amazon.com/Moultrie-White-Flash-Trail-Camera/dp/B01BE8JCNW
 
That's a ton of pictures to go through!!!!!! Keep us posted on your Exodus cameras performance!?!?

I see they have a 5 year warranty, that's a great insensitive!!!

You are correct usually between 1500 and 3000 pictures per camera each pull. One of the great things is the battery life. I am running standard AA batteries in them but am told by Exodus if I run lithium I will get double or better the battery life. I have already got over 12,000 pictures from some of these cameras since putting them out and they say that battery is still at 95%.

There warranty is a great no BS warranty as well. If you have an issue with a camera they will take care of it no questions asked. I have yet to have an issue with a camera but if I do I know these guys will take care of it. I have personally met both Matt and Chad with Exodus and they are very stand up down to earth guys.
 
You are correct usually between 1500 and 3000 pictures per camera each pull. One of the great things is the battery life. I am running standard AA batteries in them but am told by Exodus if I run lithium I will get double or better the battery life. I have already got over 12,000 pictures from some of these cameras since putting them out and they say that battery is still at 95%.

There warranty is a great no BS warranty as well. If you have an issue with a camera they will take care of it no questions asked. I have yet to have an issue with a camera but if I do I know these guys will take care of it. I have personally met both Matt and Chad with Exodus and they are very stand up down to earth guys.
No way I could go through that many photo's with that many cameras. I get about 350 or so photo's a week on 11 different cameras and also have to watch video's on 2 plotwatchers and it eats up several hours a week so I can only imagine how much time you are spending messing with yours...
 
I have a pretty good system anymore. I obviously don't save many photos. Basically I do not save any doe and fawn pictures unless it is a very pretty or unusual photo. I don't save bucks until they are over 3 or have very definitive characteristics. So it is just a matter of flipping through pictures almost as fast as watching a video. I then write down picture numbers of keepers. After getting through entire card I go back and name the keepers (usually whatever the date is). Refresh the list and drag and drop picture files into their farm's folder, delete everything from card and move on to the next one. I typically spend about 3 hours a day messing with pictures. As soon as I get off work I run and grab a couple cards from whatever farm is due to be checked. Run back to shop and check them on laptop and repeat each day.

It has just become part of my daily routine. This fall after the time change this will become a little tougher. I typically try to set cameras as close to roads as possible so I can get in and out with as little disturbance as possible. Having several cameras out when I have tie to check them I have to get it done. Mid day would be the best time to do these but that doesn't work with my schedule so all I can do is set them up where I can get in and out as easy as possible.
 
I've got 6 brownings and have problems with 2 (one keeps powering down and the other shoots blank videos about 60% of the time (I need to rattle trailcamera pro's chain). When the Brownings work, they work well. I've had decent luck with the Bushnell Agressors--Cabelas has them on sale for 110. I love my older mid and entry level coverts. Other than a reconyx, they are the most reliable cams I've ever had (they don't take great night time pics but they just keep working). I'm more concerned with reliability than magazine quality pics.
 
I bought 4 stealth cam P-12 a couple of years ago. They aren't anything fancy but they take good pictures seem to be reliable and have a good battery life. You can get them on sale for $60 a piece.

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk
 
The major thing I have found between the cheaper cameras I have and the newer cameras I got this year is battery life and trigger sensitivity. I have an older cuddeback, wild game, moultrie and browning and none of them compare to the Exodus cameras. Like I stated earlier I put these out in June and most have been taking 1000-2000 pictures every week to 10 days. All cameras but one are still at 95% on battery life and the one odd ball is at 45% but earlier in the year it was taking over 2000 pictures a week.

Battery life was just one of those things I never really thought about until I saw what better quality cameras get out of battery life. The money I saved by buying cheaper cameras was wasted in batteries in a years time. I am convinced that I will only have to change out batteries twice a year on food sources and probably just once a year in the timber where i will have less traffic. Also, I do have lithiums in one camera so that I can do a test to see if the battery life is enough to offset the cost of lithium batteries compared to alkaline.
 
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