Ma wants to buy pa a game cam for x-mas. They get a fair amount of wildlife around their house and they'd like to see whats on the prowl, so to speak. She started asking me questions and I couldn't answer because I know nothing about them. So here's what she wants:

-Affordable (they're retired and on a budget)
-Waterproof (live on the Oregon coast)
-Simple to operate (don't want a lot of messing around with it to make it work)
-Able to take pics in the dark (don't want a flash going off every time the wind blows or the cat walks by)

Make some recommendations and if you have any tips, tricks or hacks to help them operate efficiently and take better pics, throw that out there too. Any help is appreciated!

3-2-1-Go!

i like the Browning cameras. Seem to hold up well for several years.

I just got 2 refurb'ed for $103 off ebay

They are great if you don’t have lots of pigs. I quit putting mine out, because I was sick of deer and Turkey pics.

Most cams available today offer all the features they are looking for. I picked up an 8MP Wild Game Innovations model (new) for $30 at a local hardware chain (Menards). Look around for those bargains.

walmart usually has combo packs for cheap this time of year and closer to Christmas....any of the new ones will work just fine and most are fairly simple

I've had good luck with my $100 Bushnells. They've even been swatted around by bears a few times. Just remember to take the batteries out in the off season.

Like my Wildlife Innovations game cam.

Thanks fellas!

I've got a couple of coverts...they are easy on the batteries, take sharp photos, and relatively cheap. That's the good. The bad: will take pics of blowing grass all day, both of the ones I have are warranty replacements. I bought 3 about 4 years ago. Now I have 2, and there both replacements. If I recall the originals all failed in driving rain.

I also have a Reconyx. I've had it for 6 years and no sign of slowing down. Only complaint is sometimes I get azz end pics of deer that are moving through, which shouldn't happen on a $600 camera. It also burns through the batteries faster than I'd like. But, very durable. If I had to pic between covert and reconyx I would definitely go with Reconyx.

I bought one. On sale.

Have yet to read the directions...

I really like the new Moultrie we have but I would seriously look at the Cabela's models with a lifetime warranty.
We seem to only get about 2 or 3 years out of a camera no matter what brand.

Directions are nothing more than someone else's opinion.

I bought a few Stealth Cams on sale from Midway. I don't have any basis for comparison, but they do what I want them to do. Set up was simple and I use one of the factory pre-set modes. No technological challenges. Though the range tends to be shorter with the low glow LEDs, I recommend them. They do not alarm the animals at all. I don't buy anything from Wild Game Innovations. Their owner is a jackwipe.

http://www.wideopenspaces.com/wildg...ely-recent-charges-poaching-elk-wyoming/

This. The batteries will corrode and have to clean all the contacts.




I tried the coverts several years ago. Got them on sale at a sports/ hunting show.

Would take pics to the batteries ran down. Check it and would have 10k+ pics of grass blowing in the wind....

I've had good luck with Moultrie, good battery life, can take multi-pictures on a trigger if you want, does video, good trigger speed.

The one requirement you mentioned that you are out of luck on "when the cat walks by", it will take that, the only way around that is aim it higher but then you miss other "cat sized" animals.

However remember a 2GB card holds about 1000 pictures, so a few cat pictures won't fill it up

Just don't trust them to always trigger when there's a deer or anything else in the area. Last night I was in a bow stand that has a camera (Moultrie) pointed at the trail. Had a little fork horn come through and spend several minutes right in front of the camera at less than 10 yards. A little later a young doe spent quite a while in the same area, most of it withing 15 yards directly in front of the camera. Not long after that, another doe came through the same spot and I shot her at 12 yards from the camera. Checked the camera card this morning and had one picture of the fork horn, one of the younger doe, and none of the one I shot even though it was in the sweet spot for a couple minutes. It did get one of me as I walked through the field of view to pick up my arrow. All in all, the 3 deer spent 15-20 minutes in front of the camera and I got 2 pictures total. I've got it set for single picture, 30 second delay.

LOL

All good info here, appreciate it. I'll pass on what's been said.

I really liked my Primus 46HD until it stopped taking color photos...

I bought 4 Browning Trail Cams, but the trigger time is vastly slower than the claimed .67 second. More like 2-3 seconds. Disappointing.

Having owned many of the name brands there is only one brand worth a crap - Reconyx. Buy once cry once