Trail Cameras

[PAkev]

With hunting licenses going for sale in PA this month I'm beginning to think of the fall hunting season. For the past few years, I've also been thinking of building a permamnent tree stand where my kids can come along. We have about 12 acres of wooded property where we see deer on a regular basis. However, I would like to locate the tree stand in an area with some promise of deer traffic and was thinking of purchasing a trail camera to help identify the optimum location. Although I know some guys that have them and have seen a few pictures from trail cameras, I have never used one and don't know much about them except they range in price from around $79 to $399. I believe I only need something basic and was thinking of a budget around $125 to $150 and may spend a little more if I can justify the cost of a practical feature. I would like something fairly user friendly since technology can sometimes frustrate me.

Helpful advice appreciated

 

[Bass Man Bruce]

Re: Trail Cameras

I have a digital one which is nice as there is no wait to develope the pics, just take the chip inside to the 'puter.
They can be a high theft item, anyone tresspassing has their mug shot taken so they tend to remove the evidence. Might be ok on private property though.
We've had a lot of fun with ours and it is just a cheapo.

 

[Nandy]

Re: Trail Cameras

I used to built my own but then Moultrie started building one for less than $100 and it is sold at walmart. I have taken hundreds of pictures from game. I have also used it to help a friend that was having problems with teens messing around their property. You need to install them in a tree close to where you suspect the game will be around. I try to aim it in a way that will face the trail as is easier for the camera to get the shot. If you aim it perfectly perpendicular to the trail put some distance between the trail and the cam as the trigger is not too fast. Cameras with fast triggers are usualy over $250.

This are the cameras I used to built. I will create them using an outdoor moving detector from Home Depot, a vivitar old digital camera (i bougth 5 for the project) and I designed my own triguer board using cmos logic IC's. Making the board and see it at work was very satisfiying. It was more satisfying to see the game photos...

I could not dig up some of the photos but I have some photos from that moultrie camera i told you:

and a collage of a deer I hunted and had the chance to put my cross hairs on it (well, really tried) and was not able to close the deal. I still feel sick to my stomach every time I remember...

Good luck! they are fun, almost as fun as the hunt!