Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Trail camera questions

I am considering these things to help me "scout" some areas I won't be able to get to often.

I was wondering who uses them and what do I need to know before I put cash into one?

It seams to me that a flash photo would spook hell out of any mature deer that had one go off in it's face. Is there a way to operate these things without that problem?

If money were not a factor I'm sure I could link a digital video to a sat. phone and watch it on my puter monitor in real time. But I need to do something much cheeper than that. Was thinking of placing one where it might catch critters traveling through a natural funnel at the top of a canyon.

Who can give me the poop on these things?

You want to go digital and have a removable memory card, which you can have for under $200. Beyond that, if you want infrared capability for night shots without a flash, break out the checkbook. Here are two samples of a less-than-$200 camera...





Good luck!

Combo

PDS,
Go with a digital, I don't think the flash really bothers the deer but the sounds that the 35mm cameras make with the shutter and mostly the autowind of the film it what spooks mature deer.
One of the guys that I hunt with got a digital last year and had pictures of the same mature bucks on lots of different days or nights as the case may be. Just be sure to check out the delay and trigger time of the camera. Some have as long as 3 or 4 seconds between detection and the activation of the camera. This will work fine around feeders but for a deer steadily walking it will be gone from the view of the camera before it takes the picture. I just bought a new digital off of ebay and will take it to the new lease the next time I go up.
I bought the camera, two 256 meg cards and a card reader that hooks to a TV so I can look at the pics while at the camp without needing a Laptop or other reader. Got the whole works for under $225 even though I did buy each item from different sellers.
Good luck with you hunt for a camera.
Drop

I am pretty new to using them, would love to have digital so I can get some immediate feedback, but I have a hard time hanging $300 on a tree and coming back in 2 weeks to see where it use to hang. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />

I went with a film camera to get started and already see the downfall to that. I get to the camera and have 4 pics on a roll of 36, I dont have the patience to not go look at the pics so I stick another couple dollar roll of film in and head to the one hour photo and pay $10 to see 4 pics.

Digital would allow me to see the pic immediately, and in the long term be cheaper than buying film and developing.

I have heard of several cameras getting stolen though and dont want to be a victim.

I have often thought about getting one of these, but I am hesitant due to the worry about theft too..

If i do get one I am going to try one of those infra red ones as then you won't have that bright flash to give away its position to the two legged vermin that seem to fequent the woods...