The Magellan Triton 200 is a great introductory model in the Triton series. It is very affordable and built to last. I would recommend it to anyone needing a cheap easy to use GPS. It is good for the casual or frequent user. Take a look at the specs here and on Magellan’s website.
o Amazing ease-of-use - Reinventing handheld GPS™, simple menus, instant access buttons, intuitive scroll pad and crystal clear graphics let you navigate without the need for a Ph.D.
o Full-color 2.2" display - The large display shows maps, simple menus, navigation screens and other data in brilliant color
o Built-in maps - Basemap of the 48 contiguous United States, Alaska, and Canada (major highways, city centers, bodies of water and more) plus worldwide geographic boundaries
o Compass screen - See your direction of travel, distance and position of destination, heading, bearing, speed and more on the beautiful graphic compass screen.
o 3-meter accuracy - SiRFstarIII™ chipset and integrated multidirectional antennae offer superior GPS accuracy using the Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS)
o Access exclusive VantagePoint™ software - Lets you easily manage user generated content, updates and upgrades on your PC. View saved routes and tracks. Customize them for future trips or create new ones. Optional (requires purchase of Data Cable)
o Add detailed maps - Upload optional marine cartography, topographic maps, and other data including the highly-detailed and feature-packed National Geographic TOPO! State series and Weekend Explorer 3D maps based on USGS 1:24.000 series quads. -- Optional (requires purchase of Data Cable)
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Magellan Triton 2000 review/specs
Magellan GPS units have been around for a long time now. They are a good dependable product. A friend of mine has used nothing but Magellan units. I would recommend the Triton series for the serious outdoorsman. The Triton 2000 is the top of the line Triton unit. It offers everything an outdoorsman would need. Take a look at the specs here and on Magellan’s website.
· Reinventing handheld GPS™, the Triton 2000 is the first of its kind, ultimate outdoor GPS. Amazingly easy to use, the large, 2.7" color touch screen makes it simple to navigate the intuitive menus and control navigation features with a touch.
Use our exclusive VantagePoint™ software to easily manage and upload detailed maps, user generated content, updates and upgrades on your PC. View saved routes and tracks. Customize them for future trips or create new ones.
Use your own SD-cards, up to 4 GB, to save photos and sounds, store routes and waypoints and add an unlimited number of detailed maps. It's easy to expand your navigation capabilities with optional topographic maps, marine cartography, and other applications. Find your way on all your outdoor adventures. Plus, Triton is the first handheld GPS to offer compatibility with National Geographic TOPO! State series and Weekend Explorer 3D maps. These highly detailed nation-wide topographic maps based on USGS 1:24.000 series quads, offer seamless scalability, multi-layer overlays and much more.
Use the 2 mega pixel camera to capture images of your journey. Snap a shot of the amazing view, your adventuring companions and your found geocache or favorite campsite to attach to a waypoint or just to capture the moment. Share your images with friends and family, download the pictures to your PC for posting to the Web, email friends and family or create prints.
Record audio notes for waypoints and play them back with the built-in microphone and speaker. A powerful, low battery consumption LED flashlight helps you find your way in the dark: an invaluable tool for camping and other outdoor recreation.
Additional advanced features include a 3-axis electronic compass and built-in barometer. The electronic compass shows your direction even when standing still and no matter how you hold the unit. The barometer gives you advance notice on the changing weather and helps provide a highly accurate elevation reading.
Triton is designed for precision navigation, offering the fastest GPS positioning acquisition in the industry with the SiRFstarIII™ chipset. An integrated high-sensitivity antenna provides reliable signal reception even in heavy cloud cover, canyons or deep woods. Built-in signal augmentation reception (WAAS/EGNOS) provides 3-meter accuracy.
Rugged and waterproof, your Triton is built to withstand intense use, accidental impact and immersion in one meter of water for up to 30 minutes (IPX-7). It's ready to guide you across any terrain in the great outdoors.
Touch-screen technology makes it easy to use all the advanced features. View the elevation profile for the trail ahead (or any route) or even the track you just traveled. See the precise time of sunrise/sunset any day of the year. Get a calculation of the best hunting and fishing time. And much more.
Triton is built on the experience of GPS users and nearly 20 years of precision positioning technology from Magellan: the first name in navigation.
· Reinventing handheld GPS™, the Triton 2000 is the first of its kind, ultimate outdoor GPS. Amazingly easy to use, the large, 2.7" color touch screen makes it simple to navigate the intuitive menus and control navigation features with a touch.
Use our exclusive VantagePoint™ software to easily manage and upload detailed maps, user generated content, updates and upgrades on your PC. View saved routes and tracks. Customize them for future trips or create new ones.
Use your own SD-cards, up to 4 GB, to save photos and sounds, store routes and waypoints and add an unlimited number of detailed maps. It's easy to expand your navigation capabilities with optional topographic maps, marine cartography, and other applications. Find your way on all your outdoor adventures. Plus, Triton is the first handheld GPS to offer compatibility with National Geographic TOPO! State series and Weekend Explorer 3D maps. These highly detailed nation-wide topographic maps based on USGS 1:24.000 series quads, offer seamless scalability, multi-layer overlays and much more.
Use the 2 mega pixel camera to capture images of your journey. Snap a shot of the amazing view, your adventuring companions and your found geocache or favorite campsite to attach to a waypoint or just to capture the moment. Share your images with friends and family, download the pictures to your PC for posting to the Web, email friends and family or create prints.
Record audio notes for waypoints and play them back with the built-in microphone and speaker. A powerful, low battery consumption LED flashlight helps you find your way in the dark: an invaluable tool for camping and other outdoor recreation.
Additional advanced features include a 3-axis electronic compass and built-in barometer. The electronic compass shows your direction even when standing still and no matter how you hold the unit. The barometer gives you advance notice on the changing weather and helps provide a highly accurate elevation reading.
Triton is designed for precision navigation, offering the fastest GPS positioning acquisition in the industry with the SiRFstarIII™ chipset. An integrated high-sensitivity antenna provides reliable signal reception even in heavy cloud cover, canyons or deep woods. Built-in signal augmentation reception (WAAS/EGNOS) provides 3-meter accuracy.
Rugged and waterproof, your Triton is built to withstand intense use, accidental impact and immersion in one meter of water for up to 30 minutes (IPX-7). It's ready to guide you across any terrain in the great outdoors.
Touch-screen technology makes it easy to use all the advanced features. View the elevation profile for the trail ahead (or any route) or even the track you just traveled. See the precise time of sunrise/sunset any day of the year. Get a calculation of the best hunting and fishing time. And much more.
Triton is built on the experience of GPS users and nearly 20 years of precision positioning technology from Magellan: the first name in navigation.
Garmin GPS60 review/specs
The Garmin GPS 60 is another great little unit that is great for the new user. It offers a lot of features for a reasonable price. I would highly recommend this unit for anyone needing an affordable GPS unit. See the specs here and on Garmin’s website.
Backwoods, boundary waters, blue highways — the GPS 60 is your trusted guide to the great outdoors. The GPS 60 and its counterpart, the GPSMAP 60, are packed with several of the features found in the 60-series colour navigators, but sport an affordable, high-resolution monochrome display for outdoor enthusiasts on a budget.
Get Rugged Navigation
The robust, waterproof GPS 60 is the perfect, low-cost navigator for wherever your spirit of adventure takes you:
· Large, sunlight-readable, four-level grayscale display with bright LED backlight makes it easy to find your way, day or night
· Up to 28 hours of battery life for more hours of outdoor enjoyment
· WAAS-enabled for even more precise location and navigation
· Both serial and USB connections for fast and versatile connection to your computer
Get Fun-filled Features
GPS 60 has one megabyte (MB) of internal memory for storing points of interest, and it comes factory preloaded with a worldwide city point database. Just find the place you want to go to, and the GPS 60 creates a straight-line route to your destination. The GPS 60 also offers special geocaching features, indoor and outdoor games, an alarm clock, sunrise/sunset and moon phase tables, optimal hunting and fishing times — plus much more.
GPS 60: Making it easy to navigate the great outdoors on a budget.
Backwoods, boundary waters, blue highways — the GPS 60 is your trusted guide to the great outdoors. The GPS 60 and its counterpart, the GPSMAP 60, are packed with several of the features found in the 60-series colour navigators, but sport an affordable, high-resolution monochrome display for outdoor enthusiasts on a budget.
Get Rugged Navigation
The robust, waterproof GPS 60 is the perfect, low-cost navigator for wherever your spirit of adventure takes you:
· Large, sunlight-readable, four-level grayscale display with bright LED backlight makes it easy to find your way, day or night
· Up to 28 hours of battery life for more hours of outdoor enjoyment
· WAAS-enabled for even more precise location and navigation
· Both serial and USB connections for fast and versatile connection to your computer
Get Fun-filled Features
GPS 60 has one megabyte (MB) of internal memory for storing points of interest, and it comes factory preloaded with a worldwide city point database. Just find the place you want to go to, and the GPS 60 creates a straight-line route to your destination. The GPS 60 also offers special geocaching features, indoor and outdoor games, an alarm clock, sunrise/sunset and moon phase tables, optimal hunting and fishing times — plus much more.
GPS 60: Making it easy to navigate the great outdoors on a budget.
Garmin eTrexH review/specs
A great introductory GPS that does not cost and arm and a leg is the Garmin eTrexH. This unit can be bought for less than one hundred dollars and offers a lot for the money. It is great for the occasional user that does not have the need for detailed mapping. This unit will get you home safely without the expense of other units. See the specs here and on Garmin’s website.
Perfect for outdoor enthusiasts on a budget, eTrex H comes with a high-sensitivity GPS receiver that locks onto satellite signals quickly and maintains accuracy — even in the toughest conditions. And just like the popular eTrex, this little yellow wonder combines an intuitive interface and a rugged exterior into a lightweight handheld that fits in the palm of your hand.
Enjoy Clear Reception
With its high-sensitivity, WAAS-enabled GPS receiver, eTrex H locates your position quickly and precisely and maintains its GPS location even in heavy cover and deep canyons. The advantage is clear — whether you’re in deep woods or just near tall buildings and trees, you can count on eTrex H to help you find your way when you need it the most.
Built for Adventure
You can operate your eTrex H with just one hand using five buttons, which are located on either side of eTrex H within easy reach of your fingers. Thanks to its bright yellow case, eTrex H is easy to find in your boat or backpack. And, eTrex H is IPX7 waterproof, so it can take an accidental splash or dunk in the water and still continue to perform.
Find It and Go
With eTrex H, your adventure can last and last — up to 17 hours on just 2 AA batteries. While you roam, you can store up to 500 waypoints in memory for easy retrieval. Just enter the point you want to go to, and eTrex H points you to your destination (no street or terrain maps). To get home, use Garmin's exclusive TrackBack® feature to reverse your track log and help you navigate back to your starting point.
Perfect for outdoor enthusiasts on a budget, eTrex H comes with a high-sensitivity GPS receiver that locks onto satellite signals quickly and maintains accuracy — even in the toughest conditions. And just like the popular eTrex, this little yellow wonder combines an intuitive interface and a rugged exterior into a lightweight handheld that fits in the palm of your hand.
Enjoy Clear Reception
With its high-sensitivity, WAAS-enabled GPS receiver, eTrex H locates your position quickly and precisely and maintains its GPS location even in heavy cover and deep canyons. The advantage is clear — whether you’re in deep woods or just near tall buildings and trees, you can count on eTrex H to help you find your way when you need it the most.
Built for Adventure
You can operate your eTrex H with just one hand using five buttons, which are located on either side of eTrex H within easy reach of your fingers. Thanks to its bright yellow case, eTrex H is easy to find in your boat or backpack. And, eTrex H is IPX7 waterproof, so it can take an accidental splash or dunk in the water and still continue to perform.
Find It and Go
With eTrex H, your adventure can last and last — up to 17 hours on just 2 AA batteries. While you roam, you can store up to 500 waypoints in memory for easy retrieval. Just enter the point you want to go to, and eTrex H points you to your destination (no street or terrain maps). To get home, use Garmin's exclusive TrackBack® feature to reverse your track log and help you navigate back to your starting point.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Oregon 400t review/specs
Get in touch with your wild side with Oregon 400t. This next-generation handheld features a rugged, touchscreen along with preloaded topographic maps, 3-D map view, a high-sensitivity receiver, barometric altimeter, electronic compass, microSD™ card slot, picture viewer and more. Even exchange tracks, waypoints, routes and geocaches wirelessly between similar units.
Touch and Go
Oregon 400t leads the way with a tough, 3-inch diagonal, sunlight-readable, color, touchscreen display. Its easy-to-use interface means you’ll spend more time enjoying the outdoors and less time searching for information. Both durable and waterproof, Oregon 400t is built to withstand the elements. Bumps, dust, dirt, humidity and water are no match for this rugged navigator.
Explore Backcountry in 3-D
Oregon's preloaded U.S. or
European topographic maps, 3-D map view and a built-in worldwide basemap with shaded relief give you all the tools for serious climbing or hiking. Map detail includes national, state and local parks and forests, along with terrain contours, elevation information, trails, rivers, lakes and points of interest. Just in case you’re wondering how steep that hill really is, Oregon’s 3-D map view helps you visualize your surroundings — giving you a better perspective of the elevation.
Share Wirelessly
With Oregon 400t you can share your waypoints, tracks, routes and geocaches wirelessly with other Oregon and Colorado users. Now you can send your favorite hike to your friend to enjoy or the location of a cache to find. Sharing data is easy. Just touch “send” to transfer your information to similar units.
Find Fun
Oregon 400t supports Geocaching.com GPX files for downloading geocaches and details straight to your unit. No more manually entering coordinates and paper print outs! Simply upload the GPX file to your unit and start hunting for caches. Show off photos of your excursions with Oregon’s picture viewer. Slim and lightweight, Oregon is the perfect companion for all your outdoor pursuits.
Keep Your Fix
With its high-sensitivity, WAAS-enabled GPS receiver and HotFix™ satellite prediction, Oregon 400t locates your position quickly and precisely and maintains its GPS location even in heavy cover and deep canyons. The advantage is clear — whether you’re in deep woods or just near tall buildings and trees, you can count on Oregon to help you find your way when you need it the most.
Get Your Bearings
Oregon 400t has a built-in electronic compass that provides bearing information even while you're standing still, and its barometric altimeter tracks changes in pressure to pinpoint your precise altitude. You can even use the altimeter to plot barometric pressure over time, which can help you keep an eye on changing weather conditions.
Add Maps
Conveniently plug in optional preloaded microSD cards for all your outdoor activities on land or water (see maps tab for compatible maps). Just insert a MapSource® card with detailed street maps, and Oregon provides turn-by-turn directions to your destination. Add detailed trail information by purchasing additional TOPO maps for national parks and more. With BlueChart® g2, you’ll get everything you need for a great day on the water including depth contours, navaids and harbors. The card slot is located inside the waterproof battery compartment, so you don't have to worry about getting it wet.
Touch and Go
Oregon 400t leads the way with a tough, 3-inch diagonal, sunlight-readable, color, touchscreen display. Its easy-to-use interface means you’ll spend more time enjoying the outdoors and less time searching for information. Both durable and waterproof, Oregon 400t is built to withstand the elements. Bumps, dust, dirt, humidity and water are no match for this rugged navigator.
Explore Backcountry in 3-D
Oregon's preloaded U.S. or
European topographic maps, 3-D map view and a built-in worldwide basemap with shaded relief give you all the tools for serious climbing or hiking. Map detail includes national, state and local parks and forests, along with terrain contours, elevation information, trails, rivers, lakes and points of interest. Just in case you’re wondering how steep that hill really is, Oregon’s 3-D map view helps you visualize your surroundings — giving you a better perspective of the elevation.
Share Wirelessly
With Oregon 400t you can share your waypoints, tracks, routes and geocaches wirelessly with other Oregon and Colorado users. Now you can send your favorite hike to your friend to enjoy or the location of a cache to find. Sharing data is easy. Just touch “send” to transfer your information to similar units.
Find Fun
Oregon 400t supports Geocaching.com GPX files for downloading geocaches and details straight to your unit. No more manually entering coordinates and paper print outs! Simply upload the GPX file to your unit and start hunting for caches. Show off photos of your excursions with Oregon’s picture viewer. Slim and lightweight, Oregon is the perfect companion for all your outdoor pursuits.
Keep Your Fix
With its high-sensitivity, WAAS-enabled GPS receiver and HotFix™ satellite prediction, Oregon 400t locates your position quickly and precisely and maintains its GPS location even in heavy cover and deep canyons. The advantage is clear — whether you’re in deep woods or just near tall buildings and trees, you can count on Oregon to help you find your way when you need it the most.
Get Your Bearings
Oregon 400t has a built-in electronic compass that provides bearing information even while you're standing still, and its barometric altimeter tracks changes in pressure to pinpoint your precise altitude. You can even use the altimeter to plot barometric pressure over time, which can help you keep an eye on changing weather conditions.
Add Maps
Conveniently plug in optional preloaded microSD cards for all your outdoor activities on land or water (see maps tab for compatible maps). Just insert a MapSource® card with detailed street maps, and Oregon provides turn-by-turn directions to your destination. Add detailed trail information by purchasing additional TOPO maps for national parks and more. With BlueChart® g2, you’ll get everything you need for a great day on the water including depth contours, navaids and harbors. The card slot is located inside the waterproof battery compartment, so you don't have to worry about getting it wet.
Colorado 400t review/specs
The Colorado 400t is my personal favorite. It allows me to do everything I could ever want and then some. It is a little bit costly, but I figure why buy a cheaper one just to have to buy another in a year or two. Check out the specs on this unit here and on Garmin’s website.
Take on the trails with Colorado 400t. This rugged, advanced handheld is packed with detailed topographic maps for all your hiking adventures not to mention 3-D map view, a high-sensitivity receiver, barometric altimeter, electronic compass, SD™ card slot, picture viewer and color display. Exchange tracks, waypoints, routes and geocaches wirelessly between similar units. When the going gets tough, Colorado leads the way.
Explore Backcountry in 3-D
Colorado's preloaded U.S. topographic maps, 3-D map view and a built-in worldwide basemap with shaded relief give you all the tools for serious climbing or hiking. Map detail includes national, state and local parks and forests, along with terrain contours, elevation information, trails, rivers, lakes and points of interest. Just in case you’re wondering how steep that hill really is, Colorado’s 3-D map view helps you visualize your surroundings — giving you a better perspective of the elevation.
Share Wirelessly
With Colorado 400t you can share your waypoints, tracks, routes and geocaches wirelessly with other Colorado users. Now you can send your favorite hike to your buddy to enjoy or the location of a cache to find. Sharing data is easy. Just select “send” to transfer your information to other Colorado units.
Rock on. Find Fun
Intuitive and fun, Colorado features a Rock ‘n Roller® input wheel for easy one-handed operation and supports Geocaching.com GPX files for downloading geocaches and detail straight to your unit. Customize Colorado's interface based on your favorite activity. Even show off photos of your excursions with its picture viewer. Slim, lightweight and waterproof, Colorado is the perfect companion for all your outdoor pursuits.
Keep Your Fix
With its high-sensitivity, WAAS-enabled GPS receiver, Colorado 400t locates your position quickly and precisely and maintains its GPS location even in heavy cover and deep canyons. The advantage is clear — whether you’re in deep woods or just near tall buildings and trees, you can count on Colorado to help you find your way when you need it the most.
Get Your Bearings
Colorado 400t has a built-in electronic compass that provides bearing information even while you're standing still, and its barometric altimeter tracks changes in pressure to pinpoint your precise altitude. You can even use the altimeter to plot barometric pressure over time, which can help you keep an eye on changing weather conditions.
Plug in and Go
Conveniently plug in optional preloaded SD cards for all your outdoor activities on land or water (see maps tab for compatible maps). Just insert a MapSource card with detailed street maps, and Colorado provides turn-by-turn directions to your destination. Add detailed trail information by purchasing additional TOPO maps for national parks and more. The card slot is located inside the waterproof battery compartment, so you don't have to worry about getting it wet.
Colorado 400t: For adventure in any direction.
Take on the trails with Colorado 400t. This rugged, advanced handheld is packed with detailed topographic maps for all your hiking adventures not to mention 3-D map view, a high-sensitivity receiver, barometric altimeter, electronic compass, SD™ card slot, picture viewer and color display. Exchange tracks, waypoints, routes and geocaches wirelessly between similar units. When the going gets tough, Colorado leads the way.
Explore Backcountry in 3-D
Colorado's preloaded U.S. topographic maps, 3-D map view and a built-in worldwide basemap with shaded relief give you all the tools for serious climbing or hiking. Map detail includes national, state and local parks and forests, along with terrain contours, elevation information, trails, rivers, lakes and points of interest. Just in case you’re wondering how steep that hill really is, Colorado’s 3-D map view helps you visualize your surroundings — giving you a better perspective of the elevation.
Share Wirelessly
With Colorado 400t you can share your waypoints, tracks, routes and geocaches wirelessly with other Colorado users. Now you can send your favorite hike to your buddy to enjoy or the location of a cache to find. Sharing data is easy. Just select “send” to transfer your information to other Colorado units.
Rock on. Find Fun
Intuitive and fun, Colorado features a Rock ‘n Roller® input wheel for easy one-handed operation and supports Geocaching.com GPX files for downloading geocaches and detail straight to your unit. Customize Colorado's interface based on your favorite activity. Even show off photos of your excursions with its picture viewer. Slim, lightweight and waterproof, Colorado is the perfect companion for all your outdoor pursuits.
Keep Your Fix
With its high-sensitivity, WAAS-enabled GPS receiver, Colorado 400t locates your position quickly and precisely and maintains its GPS location even in heavy cover and deep canyons. The advantage is clear — whether you’re in deep woods or just near tall buildings and trees, you can count on Colorado to help you find your way when you need it the most.
Get Your Bearings
Colorado 400t has a built-in electronic compass that provides bearing information even while you're standing still, and its barometric altimeter tracks changes in pressure to pinpoint your precise altitude. You can even use the altimeter to plot barometric pressure over time, which can help you keep an eye on changing weather conditions.
Plug in and Go
Conveniently plug in optional preloaded SD cards for all your outdoor activities on land or water (see maps tab for compatible maps). Just insert a MapSource card with detailed street maps, and Colorado provides turn-by-turn directions to your destination. Add detailed trail information by purchasing additional TOPO maps for national parks and more. The card slot is located inside the waterproof battery compartment, so you don't have to worry about getting it wet.
Colorado 400t: For adventure in any direction.
Bushnell GPS units for use with your trailcam
The ONIX110 is a fairly new GPS unit from Bushnell. It is a compact unit that offers a lot for the money. It is one that I would like to try in the next couple of months. If anyone has tried it already, let me know and I will publish the review here. Take a look at the specs on this nice little GPS. Check it out on Bushnell's website.
ONIX110
When it's time to switch navigational gears. Turn to this little powerhouse for truly unique technology - four specific modes of navigation make this one of the most versatile and personalized GPS units available today. It's also incredibly compact, simple to use and equiped with all the features you need for everything from a casual day hike to an intense sojourn into the backcountry. The four modes include Simple, for basic functions and beginners; Advanced, for more in-depth routing and exploration; Geocaching; and Sport, which includes training logs. It's built tough and fully water resistant with enough built-in memory to store 100 waypoints and 50 routes. Includes a US and Canada basemap.Warning: This device is intended as a supplemental navigation aide only. The user assumes all responsibility with the use of this product.
· Features
· Large, easy to read 2.6" LCD Screen
· 20-channel SiRF Star III GPS reveiver
· Four user navigation modes including sport training logs
· Water resistant - IPX6 Standard
· Rugged rubber armor
· Travel and trip data logs
· 128MB user memory
· USB & COM interface with PC companion software
· Rechargeable Li-Ion battery
· US and Canada base map
· Saves 1,000 waypoints & 50 routes
· USB port (cable included)
· Dimensions: 166mm (h) x 66mm (w) x 25mm (d)
ONIX110
When it's time to switch navigational gears. Turn to this little powerhouse for truly unique technology - four specific modes of navigation make this one of the most versatile and personalized GPS units available today. It's also incredibly compact, simple to use and equiped with all the features you need for everything from a casual day hike to an intense sojourn into the backcountry. The four modes include Simple, for basic functions and beginners; Advanced, for more in-depth routing and exploration; Geocaching; and Sport, which includes training logs. It's built tough and fully water resistant with enough built-in memory to store 100 waypoints and 50 routes. Includes a US and Canada basemap.Warning: This device is intended as a supplemental navigation aide only. The user assumes all responsibility with the use of this product.
· Features
· Large, easy to read 2.6" LCD Screen
· 20-channel SiRF Star III GPS reveiver
· Four user navigation modes including sport training logs
· Water resistant - IPX6 Standard
· Rugged rubber armor
· Travel and trip data logs
· 128MB user memory
· USB & COM interface with PC companion software
· Rechargeable Li-Ion battery
· US and Canada base map
· Saves 1,000 waypoints & 50 routes
· USB port (cable included)
· Dimensions: 166mm (h) x 66mm (w) x 25mm (d)
Keeping track of your cameras with a GPS
With the advancement of technology, prices of trail cameras have fallen a lot in the last several years. The lower cost allows a person to buy more cameras to spread around their property. I feel that using one camera for every 20 acres is a bare minimum. This allows you to cover most areas of use. It also allows for capturing deer that might only use a portion of your property. With the addition of multiple cameras and the frequent changing of locations, it is easy to forget where you placed all of the cameras. One of the new GPS units on the market is the ideal way to keep track of your cameras. It also allows you to mark the location on a map for future reference of where you captured a picture of that big buck. I have begun using my GPS for this exact purpose. A GPS allows me to mark the location to within 3 feet of the camera. I have then transferred the waypoints onto my computer where I can also download specific pictures of the buck I caught there. This allows me to keep a detailed record of where I have seen the buck, giving me an idea of his travel patterns. There are many different cameras out there and they all offer advantages over the others. I have personally used Magellan and Garmin GPS units. I prefer the new Colorado series of GPS units by Garmin. I highly recommend that you first take a look at what you need in a GPS and the possible uses you would have for it. Prices vary greatly and you can get a basic unit for less than one hundred dollars. I use mine for hunting and also on the lake. Therefore, I have found it necessary to buy one that has both topo and detailed lake maps. The Colorado series allows me to download both and this has been a great combination for me. However, it might not be the best for you. Do your research before buying and you will be happier in the end.
New!!! Bushnell Trophy Cam
I have been checkingout some of the new cameras on the market lately and I come across the Trophy Cam by Bushnell. This is one sweet looking little camera. It measures 4"x6". That is one very compact unit. I am planning on ordering one in the next couple of weeks to try out. If anyone else has already tried one then send me your inputs and thoughts on it. I will publish the information here on this post. Take a look at the specs for this camera:
Trophy Cam™
Trail Cameras
TROPHY CAM
6" tall, 4" wide, and big enough to revolutionize the industry. Small enough to fit in your palm, and packed with technology that’ll put your hands around antlers like no other trail camera on the market. Along with efficiency of space – carry a whole fleet of Trophy Cams to your hunting grounds in a daypack – the battery life and trigger speed are among the best in the world today. They’ll run up to six months on a single set of AA batteries. And the PIR sensor has a coverage area 3x that of any camera we’ve built to date, with a trigger time consistently less than one second. They won’t alert game animals thanks to 24 night vision LEDs. Select up to three rapid-fire images per trigger, or a 0 to 60-second interval between photos. Video mode records a programmable 1 to 60 seconds of action. Plus, an optional built-in color viewer gives you an instant look at what’s passed by. High/low resolution settings capture your choice 3MP or 5MP images.
Features
5 MP high-quality full color resolution
Day/night autosensor
External power compatible
VGA video 16 FPS
Adjustable PIR (Lo/Med/High)
Trigger speed less than 1 second Trigger interval – 0 sec. to 60 min. programmable
Multi-image mode – 1-3 images per trigger
Video length – 1-60 seconds, programmable
Time lapse mode
Temperature range -5° F to 140° F
24 infrared night vision LEDs – 45 ft. range
PIR sensor is motion activated out to 45 ft.
4 AA – 8AA batteries (not included)
Runs up to six months on one set of batteries
Adjustable web belt and 1/4-20 socket
SD card slot
Trophy Cam™
Trail Cameras
TROPHY CAM
6" tall, 4" wide, and big enough to revolutionize the industry. Small enough to fit in your palm, and packed with technology that’ll put your hands around antlers like no other trail camera on the market. Along with efficiency of space – carry a whole fleet of Trophy Cams to your hunting grounds in a daypack – the battery life and trigger speed are among the best in the world today. They’ll run up to six months on a single set of AA batteries. And the PIR sensor has a coverage area 3x that of any camera we’ve built to date, with a trigger time consistently less than one second. They won’t alert game animals thanks to 24 night vision LEDs. Select up to three rapid-fire images per trigger, or a 0 to 60-second interval between photos. Video mode records a programmable 1 to 60 seconds of action. Plus, an optional built-in color viewer gives you an instant look at what’s passed by. High/low resolution settings capture your choice 3MP or 5MP images.
Features
5 MP high-quality full color resolution
Day/night autosensor
External power compatible
VGA video 16 FPS
Adjustable PIR (Lo/Med/High)
Trigger speed less than 1 second Trigger interval – 0 sec. to 60 min. programmable
Multi-image mode – 1-3 images per trigger
Video length – 1-60 seconds, programmable
Time lapse mode
Temperature range -5° F to 140° F
24 infrared night vision LEDs – 45 ft. range
PIR sensor is motion activated out to 45 ft.
4 AA – 8AA batteries (not included)
Runs up to six months on one set of batteries
Adjustable web belt and 1/4-20 socket
SD card slot
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Cuddeback Cameras
Cuddeback now offers a good assortment of quality trail cameras. They offer several models with both white and infrared flash. Below is a little information about each and a comparison chart from the Cuddeback website. Please go and take a look at their site for more information.
Capture IR has a super simple set-up. It provides color images by day and infrared by night, so there is no flash to spook the game. The trigger speed is over twice as fast as the previous models and you get over 2,000 images per set of batteries, all with a delay range of 30 seconds to ½ hour.
Capture is just like the Capture IR except that it contains a white flash instead of the infrared.
The NoFlash takes color pictures by day and infrared pictures by night. It has the ability to take both day and night video footage and has time lapse mode and TheftStop Plus protection.
The Expert is similar to the NoFlash except that it cannot take nighttime video footage.
The Excite is similar to the Expert except that it contains a white flash and cannot take nighttime video either.
Cuddeback Model Comparison Chart
Feature Capture CaptureIR NoFlash ExPert ExCite
Trigger Speed <1/3 sec <1/3 sec Instant Instant Instant
Battery Life 2000 images 2000 images Battwise Battwise Battwise
Megapixels 3.0 3.0/1.3 3.0/1.3 3.0 2.0
Flash Range 50 ft 25 ft 60 ft 60 ft 40 ft
Video Clips day/night day
TheftStop™ Password Protection x x
Programable(owner name/phone#) x x
Time Lapse Mode x x
Sensitivity Adjustment x x x
Time of operation 24 hr 24 hr adj adj 24 hr
Delays ----30sec-30min----- ------------1min-1hr----------
Media SD SD CF CF CF
Capture IR has a super simple set-up. It provides color images by day and infrared by night, so there is no flash to spook the game. The trigger speed is over twice as fast as the previous models and you get over 2,000 images per set of batteries, all with a delay range of 30 seconds to ½ hour.
Capture is just like the Capture IR except that it contains a white flash instead of the infrared.
The NoFlash takes color pictures by day and infrared pictures by night. It has the ability to take both day and night video footage and has time lapse mode and TheftStop Plus protection.
The Expert is similar to the NoFlash except that it cannot take nighttime video footage.
The Excite is similar to the Expert except that it contains a white flash and cannot take nighttime video either.
Cuddeback Model Comparison Chart
Feature Capture CaptureIR NoFlash ExPert ExCite
Trigger Speed <1/3 sec <1/3 sec Instant Instant Instant
Battery Life 2000 images 2000 images Battwise Battwise Battwise
Megapixels 3.0 3.0/1.3 3.0/1.3 3.0 2.0
Flash Range 50 ft 25 ft 60 ft 60 ft 40 ft
Video Clips day/night day
TheftStop™ Password Protection x x
Programable(owner name/phone#) x x
Time Lapse Mode x x
Sensitivity Adjustment x x x
Time of operation 24 hr 24 hr adj adj 24 hr
Delays ----30sec-30min----- ------------1min-1hr----------
Media SD SD CF CF CF
Moultrie GameSpy I40
The Moultrie GameSpy I40 is a good camera for someone not wanting to spend a lot of money on a high end camera. It takes good quality pictures and has a good trigger time.
Moultrie GameSpy I40 Details
The I-40 Game Spy infrared game camera provides the ultimate outdoor scouting experience. For the outdoors enthusiast that wants a top-of-the-line infrared game camera at an affordable price. Equipped with a quick rapid trigger time, 150-day battery life and no visible white flash you won't miss a shot.1GB SD Card Included
Infrared cameras with no visible white flash
4.0 Mega pixels
Rapid response time captures moving game
150-day battery life
50-ft flash
Easy-read photo strip
Temperature, moon phase, time, date and camera ID on every photo and video
Color day pictures
Day and Night video clips
Laser and IR aim for quick and precise camera set-up
Multi-shot pictures (up to 3 shots)
Upgradeable software
Weather-resistant, airtight camera housing and seal
Operates on 6 D-cell batteries (sold separately)
Easy to operate LCD menu driven display
Display shows battery life remaining, pictures taken and remaining, and events occurred
Picture Delay, set 1-60 min.
Three picture resolutions (Low, Medium, High)
Two video resolutions (Low and High)
5/15/30 sec.video clips
15 secs. between multi-shot pictures
32 MB internal memory
Up to 4 GB with SD card (card not included)
Includes USB and TV out cable
Includes mounting strap
External power port for optional 12-volt battery support
Computer software requirements: Windows 2000/ME/XP/Vista
Moultrie GameSpy I40 Details
The I-40 Game Spy infrared game camera provides the ultimate outdoor scouting experience. For the outdoors enthusiast that wants a top-of-the-line infrared game camera at an affordable price. Equipped with a quick rapid trigger time, 150-day battery life and no visible white flash you won't miss a shot.1GB SD Card Included
Infrared cameras with no visible white flash
4.0 Mega pixels
Rapid response time captures moving game
150-day battery life
50-ft flash
Easy-read photo strip
Temperature, moon phase, time, date and camera ID on every photo and video
Color day pictures
Day and Night video clips
Laser and IR aim for quick and precise camera set-up
Multi-shot pictures (up to 3 shots)
Upgradeable software
Weather-resistant, airtight camera housing and seal
Operates on 6 D-cell batteries (sold separately)
Easy to operate LCD menu driven display
Display shows battery life remaining, pictures taken and remaining, and events occurred
Picture Delay, set 1-60 min.
Three picture resolutions (Low, Medium, High)
Two video resolutions (Low and High)
5/15/30 sec.video clips
15 secs. between multi-shot pictures
32 MB internal memory
Up to 4 GB with SD card (card not included)
Includes USB and TV out cable
Includes mounting strap
External power port for optional 12-volt battery support
Computer software requirements: Windows 2000/ME/XP/Vista
Moultire GameSpy I45
The Moultrie GameSpy I45 is said to be good camera, although I have not personally used it. I have read many other reviews on it and they are all very good. I thought I would post a little information about this camera here for you to look at.
Moultrie I45 Details
Infrared Invisible Flash
Many hunters want to avoid any detection in the woods by using an infrared camera, but many on the market still have a “red glow”. Moultrie's Game Spy I-45 solves that problem completely. It's the first truly invisible infrared Game Spy. Its invisible infrared flash captures excellent nighttime images using light that game, and humans, can't see.
Crisp, Detailed, Brilliant Daytime Photos
In the daytime, your game camera captures crisp, 4-megapixel color images out to 50 feet. Moultrie's new game camera captures video clips, day or night. This new scouting camera also takes up to 3 multi-shot pictures. Moultrie has solved the empty-frame problem with a more rapid response time. An added feature of the Game Spy I-45 is the 1-to-60-minute picture delay. Checking your photos is easier than ever with an easy-to-read photo strip. Each picture the scouting camera takes contains information about the temperature, moon phase, time, date and camera the picture was taken with. Adding new software is no problem since the Game Spy I-45 is easy to update.
Easy Access to Your Pictures
The Moultrie Game Spy I-45 game camera features 32 MB of internal memory in addition to a memory card slot that accepts up to a 4 GB card. To reduce the frequency of your trips to change out memory cards, you can choose among three resolutions for photos and two resolutions for video. And when you do get out to your hunting camp to check things, the game camera's easy-to-operate LCD menu-driven display shows how much battery life remains, how many pictures have been taken, how many pictures remain and the events that occurred.
Superior Weather-Resistance
And of course, since a game camera sits outside, it's got to be weatherproof. That's why the Game Spy I-45 includes a weather-resistant, airtight camera housing and seal. Use the included mounting strap to set it up. This camera uses 4 D-cell batteries to operate, plus you can use the external power port for the optional Moultrie PowerPanel.
Compatible with the Game Spy Game Management System
Traditionally there have been two ways to get pictures from your game camera. You could go out to the camera and switch the memory cards or you could take it back with you and use USB and TV out cables. But now, there's a third way. The Game Spy I-45 is compatible with , which allows you to check your camera through a private-access web site. That means you can view your game camera photos using your computer, cell phone or PDA without visiting your hunting camp.
Moultrie I45 Details
Infrared Invisible Flash
Many hunters want to avoid any detection in the woods by using an infrared camera, but many on the market still have a “red glow”. Moultrie's Game Spy I-45 solves that problem completely. It's the first truly invisible infrared Game Spy. Its invisible infrared flash captures excellent nighttime images using light that game, and humans, can't see.
Crisp, Detailed, Brilliant Daytime Photos
In the daytime, your game camera captures crisp, 4-megapixel color images out to 50 feet. Moultrie's new game camera captures video clips, day or night. This new scouting camera also takes up to 3 multi-shot pictures. Moultrie has solved the empty-frame problem with a more rapid response time. An added feature of the Game Spy I-45 is the 1-to-60-minute picture delay. Checking your photos is easier than ever with an easy-to-read photo strip. Each picture the scouting camera takes contains information about the temperature, moon phase, time, date and camera the picture was taken with. Adding new software is no problem since the Game Spy I-45 is easy to update.
Easy Access to Your Pictures
The Moultrie Game Spy I-45 game camera features 32 MB of internal memory in addition to a memory card slot that accepts up to a 4 GB card. To reduce the frequency of your trips to change out memory cards, you can choose among three resolutions for photos and two resolutions for video. And when you do get out to your hunting camp to check things, the game camera's easy-to-operate LCD menu-driven display shows how much battery life remains, how many pictures have been taken, how many pictures remain and the events that occurred.
Superior Weather-Resistance
And of course, since a game camera sits outside, it's got to be weatherproof. That's why the Game Spy I-45 includes a weather-resistant, airtight camera housing and seal. Use the included mounting strap to set it up. This camera uses 4 D-cell batteries to operate, plus you can use the external power port for the optional Moultrie PowerPanel.
Compatible with the Game Spy Game Management System
Traditionally there have been two ways to get pictures from your game camera. You could go out to the camera and switch the memory cards or you could take it back with you and use USB and TV out cables. But now, there's a third way. The Game Spy I-45 is compatible with , which allows you to check your camera through a private-access web site. That means you can view your game camera photos using your computer, cell phone or PDA without visiting your hunting camp.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Tips to help deter thieves
Trail camera theft does happen, it might not be an everyday occurrence but it could happen to you. By taking careful precautions, one can help deter or prevent theft. By using quality locking devices and good camera placement can be crucial to making sure your camera is still where you left it when you come back. I prefer using cameras that are built with a solid casing with heavy duty locking points. Some cameras are built with lightweight plastic and only have a small plastic locking point. This will not be sufficient in preventing theft. By using a heavy cable, such as the Python locking cable, and a good metal fastening point on the camera, then you can make it more difficult to steal the camera. I also ran across a great idea on TrailCameras.net website talking about how to document and insure your cameras. I had never thought about this before, but I will be doing this as soon as possible. It is a great idea and if it only deters one person, then I would consider it money and time well spent. Here is what they have to say:
Document Your Game Camera
The very first thing that you should do after buying your brand new game camera is add it to your household record of valuables. For many people this is going to be the most expensive item that they have every decided to leave in the woods for weeks on end. Don't get to excited about the purchase and run off to the deer lease to hang the game camera. You should document the exact make and model of the camera and the serial number of the unit. All of this information is located on the inside of most game cameras. If possible you could even make a label with your contact information and place it inside the camera.
Another tactic that has been tried is to label the outside of the camera with a sticker that could imply that the camera is the property of a state wildlife commission or other government branch. This little scare tactic may not work, but it never hurts to try.
I would also suggest that you check with your insurance agent to find out if there is anyway to apply coverage to a scouting camera. You may be surprised to find out that they will insure your cameras for a couple of dollars a year. They may require to prove that you are doing your due dilligence in securing the game camera but that is a small price to pay for coverage.
Document Your Game Camera
The very first thing that you should do after buying your brand new game camera is add it to your household record of valuables. For many people this is going to be the most expensive item that they have every decided to leave in the woods for weeks on end. Don't get to excited about the purchase and run off to the deer lease to hang the game camera. You should document the exact make and model of the camera and the serial number of the unit. All of this information is located on the inside of most game cameras. If possible you could even make a label with your contact information and place it inside the camera.
Another tactic that has been tried is to label the outside of the camera with a sticker that could imply that the camera is the property of a state wildlife commission or other government branch. This little scare tactic may not work, but it never hurts to try.
I would also suggest that you check with your insurance agent to find out if there is anyway to apply coverage to a scouting camera. You may be surprised to find out that they will insure your cameras for a couple of dollars a year. They may require to prove that you are doing your due dilligence in securing the game camera but that is a small price to pay for coverage.
Monday, March 30, 2009
New Moultrie Game Management System
The Moultrie Game Management Unit allows you to connect your cellular enabled Moultrie I-45, I-65, M-45, M-65 with the internet. Once you have opened an account on the MGMS website, you can validate your camera by entering the SIM number from the cellular modem. Your account will then contain information about your cellular plan, pictures from your cameras and maps. Here are a couple of really amazing things that the Moultrie Game Management System enables you to do from the luxury of your easy chair. From your personal computer or smart phone, you can control the settings of your trail camera from the MGMS site. This means you can change the delay between photos by using your blackberry. You can also plot the photos on an aerial photo of your deer hunting lease. The entry level data plan only costs $29.99 per month. This plan will allow you to transmit approximately 238 images per month. Moultrie is also stating that there will be no surprise charges. So when you sign up for the $29 plan you know you are going to be billed $29. When deer season is over, you can idle your account for a 3 month period. All plans can be reduced to $12.99 for that 3 month period.
These plans carry a 250 MB of free storage and you can receive email or text messages when camera is triggered. These packages are offered through AT&T cell phone service. If you do not have AT&T coverage in your area then it might be a problem.
These plans carry a 250 MB of free storage and you can receive email or text messages when camera is triggered. These packages are offered through AT&T cell phone service. If you do not have AT&T coverage in your area then it might be a problem.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Leaf River Trail Cameras
Leaf River trail cameras are developed and built by Vibrashine. Their staff of sportsmen have been designing and testing scouting cameras for over a decade. One of the first features that will be noticed by the consumer is the heavy duty mounting bracket that secures the unit to the tree. The heavy bar that hugs the game camera to the mounting bracket gives you a little added comfort that the unit will not be stolen. Another interesting feature that can be seen on first glance is the external on-off-test switch. This is a great feature because some trail cameras can be very difficult to turn on and then close the case and fasten to the tree before the test period is up and it begins snapping pictures. The Leaf River digital trail cameras do not have an aiming laser but they do have a test light that will indicate when the PIR is tripped during a walk test. The cameras also give the flexibility between still images and video. The early detection PIR can sense deer movement that is just outside the field of view and the camera and activate the camera so that no shot is missed. This insures that the camera is triggered and ready even by a buck chasing a doe down the trail. The status of the battery and the number of events can be easily with the onboard indicators
Monday, March 23, 2009
Shot placement captured on film
This is an article from trailcameras.net It is such an interesting article that I had to show it to you all. Please go to their website and check out this article and others in more detail.
"Trail cameras are constantly producing amazing pictures that people would normally never get to see. For some, the pictures reveal that a black bear has been visiting their land. For others, a picture verifies that the big brow tine buck has made it through the season. A trail camera picture could show a hawk lifting a squirrel from a bait pile. In this case, it is a picture of a young buck with an arrow sticking out of its side. The picture looks authentic and shows no signs of being altered or tampered with. Regardless of the authenticity, this photograph proves that there is very little margin between a perfectly ethical shot and a shot that results in a wounded animal.
I have been bow hunting since I was 12 years old. I actually killed(harvested) my first whitetail with a bow during that first hunting season. It was a great evening hunt with my brother and dad. During the summer before that bow season, we shot everyday. My brother and I were wearing out tabs on a weekly basis. You guys remember tabs, they were the leather flaps that covered your fingers long before we had releases. At 12 years old, I was able to put 12 arrows in a 6 inch circle at 20 yards. The only problem was that I never practiced when I had the "fever". Even with all the practice, my arrow sailed further back and missed all major vitals. My dad and brother worked hard and we were able to track down my deer. Since that first hunt, there have been over 20 bow seasons in camp, and unfortunately there have been hunts that resulted in a wounded animal. Normally the story begins, "I hit him perfect, right behind the shoulder and he ran off over the ridge." Everyone meets at the camp to gather lights for the tracking job and then heads back to the beginning of the trail. At first emotions are high, and everyone is optimistic because the sign is normally very good at the beginning of the trail. 10, 20, 50, 80, 100 yards and the trail continues on, but the blood sign is definitely weaker than before and the optimism has also tapered off. The tracking party is now spread out and begins making small circles in desperation of finding a speck of blood or a tuft of hair. After searching for several more hours, it is decided that everyone should meet back at first light and continue the search. Now the hunter that took the shot begins to second guess himself and say, "maybe it was a little high and forward." Maybe the hunter's arrow hit one of the "no kill zones" on the deer."- courtesy of trailcameras.net
"Trail cameras are constantly producing amazing pictures that people would normally never get to see. For some, the pictures reveal that a black bear has been visiting their land. For others, a picture verifies that the big brow tine buck has made it through the season. A trail camera picture could show a hawk lifting a squirrel from a bait pile. In this case, it is a picture of a young buck with an arrow sticking out of its side. The picture looks authentic and shows no signs of being altered or tampered with. Regardless of the authenticity, this photograph proves that there is very little margin between a perfectly ethical shot and a shot that results in a wounded animal.
I have been bow hunting since I was 12 years old. I actually killed(harvested) my first whitetail with a bow during that first hunting season. It was a great evening hunt with my brother and dad. During the summer before that bow season, we shot everyday. My brother and I were wearing out tabs on a weekly basis. You guys remember tabs, they were the leather flaps that covered your fingers long before we had releases. At 12 years old, I was able to put 12 arrows in a 6 inch circle at 20 yards. The only problem was that I never practiced when I had the "fever". Even with all the practice, my arrow sailed further back and missed all major vitals. My dad and brother worked hard and we were able to track down my deer. Since that first hunt, there have been over 20 bow seasons in camp, and unfortunately there have been hunts that resulted in a wounded animal. Normally the story begins, "I hit him perfect, right behind the shoulder and he ran off over the ridge." Everyone meets at the camp to gather lights for the tracking job and then heads back to the beginning of the trail. At first emotions are high, and everyone is optimistic because the sign is normally very good at the beginning of the trail. 10, 20, 50, 80, 100 yards and the trail continues on, but the blood sign is definitely weaker than before and the optimism has also tapered off. The tracking party is now spread out and begins making small circles in desperation of finding a speck of blood or a tuft of hair. After searching for several more hours, it is decided that everyone should meet back at first light and continue the search. Now the hunter that took the shot begins to second guess himself and say, "maybe it was a little high and forward." Maybe the hunter's arrow hit one of the "no kill zones" on the deer."- courtesy of trailcameras.net
Do's and Dont's of Trail Camera Set-up
Having set up trail cameras for several years, I have experienced many situations of how to properly place the camera for optimal images. A preference for an individual animal or many animals will determine exactly where you will want to set up your trail camera. If you are targeting a specific animal, then setting up on individual trails and locations known to contain that animal are best. By doing this, you can focus your time on patterning one animal without wasting time or batteries on less-desirable animals. For setting up on animals in general, I recommend setting up over high-use feeding areas. By doing this, you will capture multiple images of multiple animals. I personally like this approach best simply because it allows me to see what all is moving around on my property. By setting up on feeding areas, you have the opportunity to check cameras during the middle of the day when there is little activity there. This will provide little disruption to the habits of the animals being sought. For any setup, it is best to set up the camera so that it is about the height of the animals head. For deer this is about waist high, for turkeys it is about knee high, and for small critters a foot off the ground is best. Also, setting up a camera facing North or South is best. Facing a camera East or West allows the sun to cause the camera to take false images. This can happen anytime of year. Where legal, I also like to spread a little bit of food or scent in front of the camera to cause the animal to stop long enough for a good quality photo. This will help cut back on shots of only half of the animal. Slow response cameras are very bad for this. Even the best of the best will still occasionally capture only half of an animal. That is just part of the process and also why it is good to know that you have several hundred more images possible to make up for the couple of poor shots. I usually end up with roughly 10% bad pictures, 80% good pictures, and 10% great pictures. I feel this is not too bad when considering that I might be looking at 300-400 pictures at a time. Hopefully, this will help in setting up your cameras for optimal images.
HCO ScoutGuard Trail Cameras
HCO ScoutGuard website has a lot of interesting information on it. I come across a page of testimonials about the use of the cameras for use as surveillance tools, very cool. Go to their site to see the testimonials and to take a look at their other products as well. They carry an assortment of small digital video cameras for use in a variety of places. They look great for small, out-of-the-way spots.
Key Features
1.HCO-30 model features Mode LCD displays date, time, picture number, delay length, and battery status 2.HCO-50 and HCO-70 model features 2-inch TFT LCD displays capture mode, memory space and battery status 3.Motion triggered and adjustable PIR sensitivity 4.Auto-distinguish images. Color Images in daytime / Black & White Night Images 5.Stores pictures in SD/MMC card 6.Multi-shot of 1 / 3 pictures 7.Video length default is 30 seconds 8.Programmable from 10S to 990 S delay length between triggers 9."No Flash" Uses 40 Infrared Emitters to illuminate the coverage area 10.Water proof housing case 11.Date and time stamp on each picture 12.Rechargeable lithium-ion battery and charger included 13.Power jack for external DC-12V input 14.Bundled software
HCO-30 Specifications
Image sensor:CMOS 2 Mega Pixels sensorStill image:2048*1536（3MP）;1600*1200(2MP/IR version)Video resolution:320*240File format:JPG/AVIDisplay:Four-digital mode LCD External memory:SD/MMC card up to 2GBInternal memory:16MB built-in memoryExposure:Auto Low battery:Auto indicatorCard full display:AutoPlayback mode:Television or computer playTV-out:PAL/NTSCPIR distance:AdjustableOS:WINDOWS®98/98SE/ME/2000/XPPower supply:Rechargeable lithium-ion battery or 12V DC inputBattery charing time: 2-3 hoursAverage standby time: 1-2 month depending on weather condition and frequency of annimal's activityOperating temperature: -4 3/4 F to 122 3/4 degrees F Storage temperature: -22 3/4 F to 167 3/4 degrees F
Key Features
1.HCO-30 model features Mode LCD displays date, time, picture number, delay length, and battery status 2.HCO-50 and HCO-70 model features 2-inch TFT LCD displays capture mode, memory space and battery status 3.Motion triggered and adjustable PIR sensitivity 4.Auto-distinguish images. Color Images in daytime / Black & White Night Images 5.Stores pictures in SD/MMC card 6.Multi-shot of 1 / 3 pictures 7.Video length default is 30 seconds 8.Programmable from 10S to 990 S delay length between triggers 9."No Flash" Uses 40 Infrared Emitters to illuminate the coverage area 10.Water proof housing case 11.Date and time stamp on each picture 12.Rechargeable lithium-ion battery and charger included 13.Power jack for external DC-12V input 14.Bundled software
HCO-30 Specifications
Image sensor:CMOS 2 Mega Pixels sensorStill image:2048*1536（3MP）;1600*1200(2MP/IR version)Video resolution:320*240File format:JPG/AVIDisplay:Four-digital mode LCD External memory:SD/MMC card up to 2GBInternal memory:16MB built-in memoryExposure:Auto Low battery:Auto indicatorCard full display:AutoPlayback mode:Television or computer playTV-out:PAL/NTSCPIR distance:AdjustableOS:WINDOWS®98/98SE/ME/2000/XPPower supply:Rechargeable lithium-ion battery or 12V DC inputBattery charing time: 2-3 hoursAverage standby time: 1-2 month depending on weather condition and frequency of annimal's activityOperating temperature: -4 3/4 F to 122 3/4 degrees F Storage temperature: -22 3/4 F to 167 3/4 degrees F
Spypoint Trail Cameras
I found several new cameras from a company called SpyPoint. This company produces several models of trail cameras that might be of interest to some of our readers. They produce the FL-A, IR-A, IR-B, IR-C, and the PRO-X. All of the cameras seem to be built in a durable case and are camouflaged very well. I have never tried any of these models, so I cannot discuss the operations or quality of the units. If there are any readers who have tried any of these please send me an email and I will list your report here for others to see. Here is some of the information on the cameras from their website:
SPYPOINT FL-A4MP
Avalaible in July 2009
FL-A$159.99
(Interior)
FEATURES
4.0 Megapixels picture quality
Very compact (4,5” x 6,8” x 2,8”)
Removable internal camera for easier handling
Replace the Flash by optional infrared LED module
Video resolution: 640 x 480 AVI
Color pictures by day and night(black and white by night with optional infrared LED)
Date and time printed on each picture
32 MB built-in memory
External memory : SD or SDHD or MMC up to 8GB
Backlit LCD display
USB and TV-OUT ports (NTSC/PAL)
Adjustable detection sensitivity (5 to 45 ft)
12-volt auxiliary power jack
6 x 1.5 volt AA batteries (not included)
Low battery indicator
Kit includes: Strap, USB and video cables
User-friendly switch panel
SPYPOINT IR-A6MP
IR-A$249.99
(Interior)
Also availablein black
FEATURES
6.0 Megapixels picture quality
Infrared motion triggered
48 infrared LED night-time illumination
Video Resolution: 640 x 480 AVI
Color pictures by day, black and white by night
Date and time printed on each picture
32 MB built-in memory
External memory : SD or SDHD or MMC up to 8GB
Backlit LCD display
USB and TV-OUT ports (NTSC/PAL)
Adjustable detection sensitivity (5 to 45 ft)
12-volt auxiliary power jack
6 x 1.5 volt C batteries (not included)
Low battery indicator
Kit includes: Strap, USB and video cables
User-friendly switch panel
SPYPOINT IR-B7MP
IR-B$299.99
(Interior)
Also availablein black
SPYPOINT IR-C8MP
IR-C$399.99
(Interior)
Also availablein black
FEATURES
8.0 Megapixels picture quality
Infrared motion triggered
48 infrared LED night-time illumination
Video Resolution: 640 x 480 AVI
Color pictures by day, black and white by night
Date and time printed on each picture
2.4” built-in viewing screen
32 MB built-in memory
External memory : SD or SDHD or MMC up to 8GB
Backlit LCD display
USB and TV-OUT ports (NTSC/PAL)
Adjustable detection sensitivity (5 to 45 ft)
12-volt or solar panel auxiliary power jack
Rechargeable lithium or 6 x 1.5 volt C batteries
Low battery indicator
Kit includes: Strap, USB and video cables
SPYPOINT PRO-X 12MP
Avalaible in July 2009
PRO-X$479.99
(Interior)
Also availablein black
FEATURES
12.0 Megapixels picture quality
Very compact (4,5” x 6,8” x 2,8”)
3.0” built-in viewing screen
Removable internal camera for easier handling
46 infrared LED night-time illumination
Video resolution: 640 x 480 AVI
Color pictures by day, black and white by night
Date, time, temperature and moon phases printed
32 MB built-in memory
External memory : SD or SDHD or MMC up to 8GB
Sound recording
USB and TV-OUT ports (NTSC/PAL)
Adjustable detection sensitivity (5 to 45 ft)
12-volt and solar panel auxiliary power jacks
6 x 1.5 volt AA batteries (not included)
Can be powered by rechargeable AA batteries and alsorecharged by solar panel
Low battery indicator
Kit includes: Strap, USB and video cables
User-friendly switch panel
FEATURES
7.0 Megapixels picture quality
Infrared motion triggered
48 infrared LED night-time illumination
Video Resolution: 640 x 480 AVI
Color pictures by day, black and white by night
Date and time printed on each picture
32 MB built-in memory
External memory : SD or SDHD or MMC up to 8GB
Backlit LCD display
USB and TV-OUT ports (NTSC/PAL)
Adjustable detection sensitivity (5 to 45 ft)
12-volt and solar panel auxiliary power jack
Rechargeable lithium or 6 x 1.5 volt C batteries
Low battery indicator
Kit includes: Strap, USB and video cables
User-friendly switch panel
SPYPOINT FL-A4MP
Avalaible in July 2009
FL-A$159.99
(Interior)
FEATURES
4.0 Megapixels picture quality
Very compact (4,5” x 6,8” x 2,8”)
Removable internal camera for easier handling
Replace the Flash by optional infrared LED module
Video resolution: 640 x 480 AVI
Color pictures by day and night(black and white by night with optional infrared LED)
Date and time printed on each picture
32 MB built-in memory
External memory : SD or SDHD or MMC up to 8GB
Backlit LCD display
USB and TV-OUT ports (NTSC/PAL)
Adjustable detection sensitivity (5 to 45 ft)
12-volt auxiliary power jack
6 x 1.5 volt AA batteries (not included)
Low battery indicator
Kit includes: Strap, USB and video cables
User-friendly switch panel
SPYPOINT IR-A6MP
IR-A$249.99
(Interior)
Also availablein black
FEATURES
6.0 Megapixels picture quality
Infrared motion triggered
48 infrared LED night-time illumination
Video Resolution: 640 x 480 AVI
Color pictures by day, black and white by night
Date and time printed on each picture
32 MB built-in memory
External memory : SD or SDHD or MMC up to 8GB
Backlit LCD display
USB and TV-OUT ports (NTSC/PAL)
Adjustable detection sensitivity (5 to 45 ft)
12-volt auxiliary power jack
6 x 1.5 volt C batteries (not included)
Low battery indicator
Kit includes: Strap, USB and video cables
User-friendly switch panel
SPYPOINT IR-B7MP
IR-B$299.99
(Interior)
Also availablein black
SPYPOINT IR-C8MP
IR-C$399.99
(Interior)
Also availablein black
FEATURES
8.0 Megapixels picture quality
Infrared motion triggered
48 infrared LED night-time illumination
Video Resolution: 640 x 480 AVI
Color pictures by day, black and white by night
Date and time printed on each picture
2.4” built-in viewing screen
32 MB built-in memory
External memory : SD or SDHD or MMC up to 8GB
Backlit LCD display
USB and TV-OUT ports (NTSC/PAL)
Adjustable detection sensitivity (5 to 45 ft)
12-volt or solar panel auxiliary power jack
Rechargeable lithium or 6 x 1.5 volt C batteries
Low battery indicator
Kit includes: Strap, USB and video cables
SPYPOINT PRO-X 12MP
Avalaible in July 2009
PRO-X$479.99
(Interior)
Also availablein black
FEATURES
12.0 Megapixels picture quality
Very compact (4,5” x 6,8” x 2,8”)
3.0” built-in viewing screen
Removable internal camera for easier handling
46 infrared LED night-time illumination
Video resolution: 640 x 480 AVI
Color pictures by day, black and white by night
Date, time, temperature and moon phases printed
32 MB built-in memory
External memory : SD or SDHD or MMC up to 8GB
Sound recording
USB and TV-OUT ports (NTSC/PAL)
Adjustable detection sensitivity (5 to 45 ft)
12-volt and solar panel auxiliary power jacks
6 x 1.5 volt AA batteries (not included)
Can be powered by rechargeable AA batteries and alsorecharged by solar panel
Low battery indicator
Kit includes: Strap, USB and video cables
User-friendly switch panel
FEATURES
7.0 Megapixels picture quality
Infrared motion triggered
48 infrared LED night-time illumination
Video Resolution: 640 x 480 AVI
Color pictures by day, black and white by night
Date and time printed on each picture
32 MB built-in memory
External memory : SD or SDHD or MMC up to 8GB
Backlit LCD display
USB and TV-OUT ports (NTSC/PAL)
Adjustable detection sensitivity (5 to 45 ft)
12-volt and solar panel auxiliary power jack
Rechargeable lithium or 6 x 1.5 volt C batteries
Low battery indicator
Kit includes: Strap, USB and video cables
User-friendly switch panel
Saturday, March 21, 2009
I was recently scanning the Cabela’s web site and was amazed at the total number of trail cameras they carry. I thought it might be of interest to you to take a look at what all they carry along with a little info about their top picks.
Cuddeback® Capture Scouting Cameras High-resolution Cuddeback® Capture Cameras can capture photos of even the most wily game, day or night, and are as simple to operate as an alarm clock.
· The Cuddeback Capture may be the easiest to use digital scouting camera ever made. You'll learn to operate the Capture in less than a minute. The Capture features a 40-ft. flash range to produce color images both day and night. Plus, you get 3.0-megapixel image quality during the day and 1.3-megapixel images at night.
· The Cuddeback Capture IR gets color pictures during the day and black-and-white infrared pictures at night – without a loss of image quality. You get 5.0-megapixel images, during the day and 1.3-megapixel at night, and more than 1,000 images per single set of four D batteries.
$199.99
· 4.0 megapixels
· Invisible infrared 72-LED flash
· 32MB of internal memory, expandable up to a 4GB SD card
· Images stamped with date, time, temperature and moon phase
· Compatible with Moultrie Game Power Pack
Additional Info
•
Compare Trail Cameras
•
Buyer's Guide
•
Game Camera Tips
An invisible infrared flash provides clear, detailed, high-resolution nighttime images, without the game-spooking effects of a standard white flash. The flash provides a full 45 ft. of illumination. Each image is automatically stamped with the time, date, temperature and moon phase so you can maintain accurate scouting reports. Three settings let you determine image resolution. With 32MB of internal memory, it will hold an assortment of images. For additional storage, the Game Spy 4.0 IR also will accept up to a 4GB SD card (sold separately). Laser Aim allows you to monitor and test the targeted picture area to ensure your camera is taking pictures of the exact area you are scouting. Six D- batteries provide up to 150 days of battery life (not included). Compatible with Moultrie Game Camera Power Pack (sold below). Auto flash turns off in bright sunlight and automatically activates in low light or after dark. Other features include upgradeable software and a one-second delay.
On Sale $199.99
· 5.0 Megapixels
· Invisible IR 72-LED flash
· 32MB internal memory
· Images display time, date, temp. and moon phase
· Compatible with the Moultrie Game Camera Power Pack
Additional Info
•
Compare Trail Cameras
•
Buyer's Guide
The 5.0 Outfitter IR is the first camera from Cabela's with an infrared flash to capture perfect high-resolution images without spooking game. The 72 infrared LEDs will illuminate out to 45 feet and has an auto-flash mode that automatically activates in low-light conditions or at night. The 5.0 megapixel camera takes crisp, detailed images with as quick as a one-second delay. You can use the Laser Aim to test and make sure the camera is properly aimed where you want it to take pictures. Images can be saved in three resolution settings to the 32MB internal memory or up to 4GB on a removable SD card(sold separately). Images are stamped with the date, time, temperature and moon phase so you can keep detailed scouting records. Six D batteries provide up to 150 days of battery life. Compatible with the Moultrie Game Camera Power Pack(sold separately). Software is upgradeable.
$229.99
Cuddeback® Capture Scouting Cameras High-resolution Cuddeback® Capture Cameras can capture photos of even the most wily game, day or night, and are as simple to operate as an alarm clock.
· The Cuddeback Capture may be the easiest to use digital scouting camera ever made. You'll learn to operate the Capture in less than a minute. The Capture features a 40-ft. flash range to produce color images both day and night. Plus, you get 3.0-megapixel image quality during the day and 1.3-megapixel images at night.
· The Cuddeback Capture IR gets color pictures during the day and black-and-white infrared pictures at night – without a loss of image quality. You get 5.0-megapixel images, during the day and 1.3-megapixel at night, and more than 1,000 images per single set of four D batteries.
$199.99
· 4.0 megapixels
· Invisible infrared 72-LED flash
· 32MB of internal memory, expandable up to a 4GB SD card
· Images stamped with date, time, temperature and moon phase
· Compatible with Moultrie Game Power Pack
Additional Info
•
Compare Trail Cameras
•
Buyer's Guide
•
Game Camera Tips
An invisible infrared flash provides clear, detailed, high-resolution nighttime images, without the game-spooking effects of a standard white flash. The flash provides a full 45 ft. of illumination. Each image is automatically stamped with the time, date, temperature and moon phase so you can maintain accurate scouting reports. Three settings let you determine image resolution. With 32MB of internal memory, it will hold an assortment of images. For additional storage, the Game Spy 4.0 IR also will accept up to a 4GB SD card (sold separately). Laser Aim allows you to monitor and test the targeted picture area to ensure your camera is taking pictures of the exact area you are scouting. Six D- batteries provide up to 150 days of battery life (not included). Compatible with Moultrie Game Camera Power Pack (sold below). Auto flash turns off in bright sunlight and automatically activates in low light or after dark. Other features include upgradeable software and a one-second delay.
On Sale $199.99
· 5.0 Megapixels
· Invisible IR 72-LED flash
· 32MB internal memory
· Images display time, date, temp. and moon phase
· Compatible with the Moultrie Game Camera Power Pack
Additional Info
•
Compare Trail Cameras
•
Buyer's Guide
The 5.0 Outfitter IR is the first camera from Cabela's with an infrared flash to capture perfect high-resolution images without spooking game. The 72 infrared LEDs will illuminate out to 45 feet and has an auto-flash mode that automatically activates in low-light conditions or at night. The 5.0 megapixel camera takes crisp, detailed images with as quick as a one-second delay. You can use the Laser Aim to test and make sure the camera is properly aimed where you want it to take pictures. Images can be saved in three resolution settings to the 32MB internal memory or up to 4GB on a removable SD card(sold separately). Images are stamped with the date, time, temperature and moon phase so you can keep detailed scouting records. Six D batteries provide up to 150 days of battery life. Compatible with the Moultrie Game Camera Power Pack(sold separately). Software is upgradeable.
$229.99
Trail camera web sites
Searching the internet, I have come across many great websites over the years. I thought I might list a few of them here for you to look at.
http://www.huntingnet.com/
http://www.bbotrailcams.com/default.asp
http://www.hunting-fishing-gear.com
Bushnell Cameras
Cuddeback Cameras (Non Typical)
DLC Cameras
GamePlan Gear (bow video recorder)
GobbleCam Cameras
HCO HuntingCamOnline Cameras
Kolpin Wildlife Eye
Leaf River Cameras
Moultrie Cameras
Penn's Woods Cameras
PixController Cameras
Predator Cameras
Recon Cameras
Reconyx Cameras
Roscoby Cameras
HCO Scout Guard Cameras
SmartScouter Cameras
Spypoint Cameras
StealthCam Cameras
Timber Eye Cameras
TrailMac Cameras
Wildview Cameras
WingScapes Cameras
http://trailcam.com
http://www.biggamehunt.net
http://www.whitetaildeer-management-and-hunting.com
http://www.cabelas.com
http://trailcamerareviews.com
http://www.northamericanwhitetail.com
http://www.trailhunting.com
These are only a few of the sites I have been to and would recommend. As you can see I spend a lot of time at Chasingame.com. I like this site quite a bit and have used their resources to visit other sites, that is why most of these are linked back through the Chasingame website.
http://www.huntingnet.com/
http://www.bbotrailcams.com/default.asp
http://www.hunting-fishing-gear.com
Bushnell Cameras
Cuddeback Cameras (Non Typical)
DLC Cameras
GamePlan Gear (bow video recorder)
GobbleCam Cameras
HCO HuntingCamOnline Cameras
Kolpin Wildlife Eye
Leaf River Cameras
Moultrie Cameras
Penn's Woods Cameras
PixController Cameras
Predator Cameras
Recon Cameras
Reconyx Cameras
Roscoby Cameras
HCO Scout Guard Cameras
SmartScouter Cameras
Spypoint Cameras
StealthCam Cameras
Timber Eye Cameras
TrailMac Cameras
Wildview Cameras
WingScapes Cameras
http://trailcam.com
http://www.biggamehunt.net
http://www.whitetaildeer-management-and-hunting.com
http://www.cabelas.com
http://trailcamerareviews.com
http://www.northamericanwhitetail.com
http://www.trailhunting.com
These are only a few of the sites I have been to and would recommend. As you can see I spend a lot of time at Chasingame.com. I like this site quite a bit and have used their resources to visit other sites, that is why most of these are linked back through the Chasingame website.
New Spypoint Video Camera
I recently came across this new digital video camera. It is called the SpyPoint SC-Z9. It is a small camera that comes with several mounting possibilities. Here is some information from SpyPoint’s website:
SPYPOINT SC-Z9
Avalaible in July 2009
SC-Z9$159.99
Also availablein black
FEATURES
Video resolution: 640 x 480 AVI
Waterproof down to 30 ft.
Shock resistant
Sound recording
Mini SD card memory recording (not included)
USB and TV-OUT ports (NTSC/PAL)
2 x AA batteries (not included)
Kit includes: USB and video cables, 4 mountingbrackets (scope, bow, helmet, forehead mount)
User friendly
Being this is a new product and will not be out until July of this year, then I must wait for a few months before I can test it out. For the price, it is one of the cheapest digital video cameras out there. It looks as though it would work pretty slick. I cannot wait to try it out this fall in the deer stand. Being as I love to still-hunt and stalk, I can see this being great for that.
SPYPOINT SC-Z9
Avalaible in July 2009
SC-Z9$159.99
Also availablein black
FEATURES
Video resolution: 640 x 480 AVI
Waterproof down to 30 ft.
Shock resistant
Sound recording
Mini SD card memory recording (not included)
USB and TV-OUT ports (NTSC/PAL)
2 x AA batteries (not included)
Kit includes: USB and video cables, 4 mountingbrackets (scope, bow, helmet, forehead mount)
User friendly
Being this is a new product and will not be out until July of this year, then I must wait for a few months before I can test it out. For the price, it is one of the cheapest digital video cameras out there. It looks as though it would work pretty slick. I cannot wait to try it out this fall in the deer stand. Being as I love to still-hunt and stalk, I can see this being great for that.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Flash considerations
Trail camera flash is a big consideration when purchasing a new trail camera. The old style of white flash has been around for a long time and is a proven and dependable system. However, the newer infrared flash systems are becoming more popular and should only improve over time. I came across a great article on trailcameras.net about choosing the right flash and how to properly set up a camera to get the most out of your flash system. It is very informative and I encourage you to go and check out the rest of their site as well. Listed below is a copy of their article:
The flash of a scouting camera is one of the most important things to consider when purchasing a deer camera. The obvious reason for this is the fact that the subject of your pictures moves most frequently after sun down. The flash must be strong enough to cover the subject area but not so strong that it whites out the entire picture. A starting point would be to research the "effective flash range" as proclaimed by the manufacturer.
If you plan on using the trail camera on the edge of an agriculture field then you would prefer a longer effective range than 15 feet. Conversely, if you are placing the game camera over a bait pile in a small field of planted pines then the 15 foot range could be all that is needed. One reason for this is the solid background of trees behind your bait pile will control and reflect the flash and make for a better picture. The very distant tree line on the agriculture field setting will require a much stronger flash. Whether you set up on the field or in the pines you will need to be sure to clear out the area between the camera and where you expect the deer to be. One reason is because if the camera is set out during periods of high temperatures then the movement of a small bush in front of the scouting camera could trigger false pictures. The main reason is that the bush or limb will cause “flash back” during night time shots. This is caused by the reflection of the flash off of the object. It will result in a very hot spot on the trail camera photograph that may be bright enough to wash out the picture. An example of this can be seen in a picture that was submitted by TrailCameras.net member Bella183. There is a dead limb that is stealing the flash from the picture. Cutting down that limb would make a big difference in the quality of the nighttime pictures.
The flash of a scouting camera is one of the most important things to consider when purchasing a deer camera. The obvious reason for this is the fact that the subject of your pictures moves most frequently after sun down. The flash must be strong enough to cover the subject area but not so strong that it whites out the entire picture. A starting point would be to research the "effective flash range" as proclaimed by the manufacturer.
If you plan on using the trail camera on the edge of an agriculture field then you would prefer a longer effective range than 15 feet. Conversely, if you are placing the game camera over a bait pile in a small field of planted pines then the 15 foot range could be all that is needed. One reason for this is the solid background of trees behind your bait pile will control and reflect the flash and make for a better picture. The very distant tree line on the agriculture field setting will require a much stronger flash. Whether you set up on the field or in the pines you will need to be sure to clear out the area between the camera and where you expect the deer to be. One reason is because if the camera is set out during periods of high temperatures then the movement of a small bush in front of the scouting camera could trigger false pictures. The main reason is that the bush or limb will cause “flash back” during night time shots. This is caused by the reflection of the flash off of the object. It will result in a very hot spot on the trail camera photograph that may be bright enough to wash out the picture. An example of this can be seen in a picture that was submitted by TrailCameras.net member Bella183. There is a dead limb that is stealing the flash from the picture. Cutting down that limb would make a big difference in the quality of the nighttime pictures.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Covert I and II trail cameras
I just found an interesting new trail camera. It is called the Covert (I & II). This camera appears to be only about the size of your hand. I can see that it would be great for a lot of low profile places. It would be very easy to hide this one where others can not find it. It rune off of 8AA batteries and requires an SD card. Both are exactly what I look for in a camera. I highly recommend for you to go to their website at http://www.coueswhitetail.com/bookstore/trail_cameras.htm
Their site is set up very nice and seems to be well thought out in terms of ease of use. I am excited to try out one of their cameras and plan on doing so as soon as possible. Being the time of year it is, I will probably wait until summer before purchasing one. This way I will have the opportunity to try it out within the 60 day return policy if it does not perform well. They currently have two models, the Covert I and the Covert II.
Here is some info from their website on the Covert I-
DLC Covert I
This is a 5 MP trail camera. It is very small and fits in your hand. The remote control is used to control the settings on the camera (it connects with a wire to the camera). You can also connect it to a TV or USB port to see your photos. Or just remove the SD card and put it in your computer to retrieve photos.
This camera uses infrared for nighttime photos rather than a regular flash. So nighttime photos/video are black and white. Daytime photos/videos are in color.
This camera requires an SD card to operate. It has no internal memory to store images. SD card not included, but can be purchased below. 8 AA batteries are also required, but not included.
Size : 5.5 X 3.25 X 2 inches
Features: 1. Ultra compact size, well designed (5-1/2x3-1/4x2 inches) 2. Real 5 Mega Pixels CMOS sensor, NO interpolation, high quality picture 3. Color daytime pictures, infrared nighttime pictures 4. Capture multiple images(1-3) after each trigger or Movies(0-60 Seconds) 5. Low power consumption, extreme durable and convenient with (4) or (8) AA batteries 6. Quick trigger time(1.2 Seconds) 7. Innovative remote control, easy to operate 8. Great for both hunting and security use
Technical Specifications for the DLC Covert I:
Type: Digital
Image Sensor Micron 5MP CMOS Color
Pixel Size 2560x1920
Lens F=3.0; FOV=55°; Auto IR-Cut-Remove (at night)
IR-Flash 33'
Memory Supporting SD-card from 8MB to 2GB
Picture Size 5MP = 2560x1920 : 3MP = 2048x1536
Video Size 640x480: 16fps; 320x240: 20fps
Motion Sensor PIR with 3 sensitivity levels: High/Normal/Low
Operation Day/night
Response Time 1.2 sec
Camera Delays 0sec. - 60min. programmable
Video Length 1-60 sec. programmable
Power Supply 8xAA recommended. 4xAA as emergency power
Stand-by Current < 0.3mA (<7mAh/day)
Power Consumption 200mA; (+400mA when IR-LED lighted)
User Interface Wired remote control with LCD display and keypad
Interface TV out (NTSC); USB; SD card holder; 6V DC external power
Strap for attachment to tree, etc; Cable lock slot
Operation Temperature -20 - 45°C (Storage temperature: -20 - 70°C)
Operation Humidity 5% - 85%
Protection IP54
1 Year Manufacturer Warranty thru DLC
All warranty is processed in the USA, your warranty camera will be replaced or repaired in the USA.
Here is some info on the Covert II fro their website also-
DLC Covert II Assasin
Specifications:
Type: Digital
Image Sensor Micron 5MP CMOS Color
Pixel Size 2560x1920
Lens F=3.0; FOV=65°; Auto IR-Cut-Remove (at night)
IR-Flash 40' 65° coverage
Memory Supporting SD-card from 8MB to 2GB (2GB Card Included)
Picture Size 5MP = 2560x1920 : 3MP = 2048x1536
Video Size 640x480: 16fps; 320x240: 20fps
Motion Sensor PIR with 3 sensitivity levels: High/Normal/Low
Operation Day/night
Response Time 1.2 sec
Camera Delays 0sec. - 60min. programmable
Video Length 1-60 sec. programmable
Power Supply 8xAA recommended. 4xAA as emergency power
Stand-by Current < 0.3mA (<7mAh/day)
Power Consumption 200mA; (+400mA when IR-LED lighted)
User Interface Wired remote control with LCD display and keypad
Interface TV out (NTSC); USB; SD card holder; 6V DC external power
Strap for attachment
Operation Temperature -20 - 45°C (Storage temperature: -20 - 70°C)
Operation Humidity 5% - 85%
Protection IP54
Camo Front opening case, Gasket sealed
Bottom threaded for Tripod mount
Lens Hood - Built-in
1 Year Manufacturer Warranty thru DLC
All warranty is processed in the USA, your warranty camera will be replaced or repaired in the USA.
Their site is set up very nice and seems to be well thought out in terms of ease of use. I am excited to try out one of their cameras and plan on doing so as soon as possible. Being the time of year it is, I will probably wait until summer before purchasing one. This way I will have the opportunity to try it out within the 60 day return policy if it does not perform well. They currently have two models, the Covert I and the Covert II.
Here is some info from their website on the Covert I-
DLC Covert I
This is a 5 MP trail camera. It is very small and fits in your hand. The remote control is used to control the settings on the camera (it connects with a wire to the camera). You can also connect it to a TV or USB port to see your photos. Or just remove the SD card and put it in your computer to retrieve photos.
This camera uses infrared for nighttime photos rather than a regular flash. So nighttime photos/video are black and white. Daytime photos/videos are in color.
This camera requires an SD card to operate. It has no internal memory to store images. SD card not included, but can be purchased below. 8 AA batteries are also required, but not included.
Size : 5.5 X 3.25 X 2 inches
Features: 1. Ultra compact size, well designed (5-1/2x3-1/4x2 inches) 2. Real 5 Mega Pixels CMOS sensor, NO interpolation, high quality picture 3. Color daytime pictures, infrared nighttime pictures 4. Capture multiple images(1-3) after each trigger or Movies(0-60 Seconds) 5. Low power consumption, extreme durable and convenient with (4) or (8) AA batteries 6. Quick trigger time(1.2 Seconds) 7. Innovative remote control, easy to operate 8. Great for both hunting and security use
Technical Specifications for the DLC Covert I:
Type: Digital
Image Sensor Micron 5MP CMOS Color
Pixel Size 2560x1920
Lens F=3.0; FOV=55°; Auto IR-Cut-Remove (at night)
IR-Flash 33'
Memory Supporting SD-card from 8MB to 2GB
Picture Size 5MP = 2560x1920 : 3MP = 2048x1536
Video Size 640x480: 16fps; 320x240: 20fps
Motion Sensor PIR with 3 sensitivity levels: High/Normal/Low
Operation Day/night
Response Time 1.2 sec
Camera Delays 0sec. - 60min. programmable
Video Length 1-60 sec. programmable
Power Supply 8xAA recommended. 4xAA as emergency power
Stand-by Current < 0.3mA (<7mAh/day)
Power Consumption 200mA; (+400mA when IR-LED lighted)
User Interface Wired remote control with LCD display and keypad
Interface TV out (NTSC); USB; SD card holder; 6V DC external power
Strap for attachment to tree, etc; Cable lock slot
Operation Temperature -20 - 45°C (Storage temperature: -20 - 70°C)
Operation Humidity 5% - 85%
Protection IP54
1 Year Manufacturer Warranty thru DLC
All warranty is processed in the USA, your warranty camera will be replaced or repaired in the USA.
Here is some info on the Covert II fro their website also-
DLC Covert II Assasin
Specifications:
Type: Digital
Image Sensor Micron 5MP CMOS Color
Pixel Size 2560x1920
Lens F=3.0; FOV=65°; Auto IR-Cut-Remove (at night)
IR-Flash 40' 65° coverage
Memory Supporting SD-card from 8MB to 2GB (2GB Card Included)
Picture Size 5MP = 2560x1920 : 3MP = 2048x1536
Video Size 640x480: 16fps; 320x240: 20fps
Motion Sensor PIR with 3 sensitivity levels: High/Normal/Low
Operation Day/night
Response Time 1.2 sec
Camera Delays 0sec. - 60min. programmable
Video Length 1-60 sec. programmable
Power Supply 8xAA recommended. 4xAA as emergency power
Stand-by Current < 0.3mA (<7mAh/day)
Power Consumption 200mA; (+400mA when IR-LED lighted)
User Interface Wired remote control with LCD display and keypad
Interface TV out (NTSC); USB; SD card holder; 6V DC external power
Strap for attachment
Operation Temperature -20 - 45°C (Storage temperature: -20 - 70°C)
Operation Humidity 5% - 85%
Protection IP54
Camo Front opening case, Gasket sealed
Bottom threaded for Tripod mount
Lens Hood - Built-in
1 Year Manufacturer Warranty thru DLC
All warranty is processed in the USA, your warranty camera will be replaced or repaired in the USA.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Smart Scouter Trail Cameras
The SmartScouter system is a all-new way to capture images of wildlife. All you need is an internet connection or cell phone to view the images from your favorite hunting spots, almost instantly. The SmartScouter is a 1.3-megapixel scouting camera capable of sending digital images just like a cell phone. This is how it works: set up the SmartScouter just like you would a regular scouting camera. It will detect game movement and snap a photo. The image is sent wirelessly through the cellular network to smartscouter.com. You can then retrieve images and manage the camera from your computer or cell phone. It will send pictures to your computer or cell phone within 40 seconds. Convenience is just one of SmartScouter's many advantages. It saves you time and money by eliminating travel expenses to and from camera locations. You won't have to disrupt your hunting area, eliminating the chance of spooking away game before the start of the season. You get instant picture viewing in real time for the most accurate scouting information. This means you'll know where to hunt tomorrow based on today's game movement. The SmartScouter can also be used as a normal scouting camera in areas without cellular coverage. It has a built-in compact flash card slot which allows you to use the camera in areas with no cellular coverage. The infrared monitoring flash system allows you to set the camera next to your stand location for precise scouting without the fear of spooking game with a white flash. The 50 infrared bulbs illuminate out to 60 feet. Three smart Passive Infrared Sensor settings (high, medium and low) detect different temperatures, while allowing the camera to sleep and conserve energy. The system is capable of taking pictures at specific times, and image resolutions can be set at high or low settings. Retail price for this camera is $599.99.
Trail Pod Products
Trail-Pod is the “Trail Camera Mounting Solution”. The Trail Pod system is a great way to place your camera in any position or place you can imagine. No trees? No problem. The set up is basically a flat plate mounted onto a portable tripod that allows placement virtually anywhere. It uses a universal trail camera mounting plate that will accept virtually any camera with use of the included stretch cords. The tripod comes in either flat Army green or camouflage. It has a heavy-duty ball bearing head (on select models) to adjust the camera top any angle. Adjustable tripod legs will adjust to most any angle of ground. The specially-designed feet use 9” stakes to anchor the tripod to the ground. It comes in a standard, deluxe, and deluxe camo model. The standard model does not have the adjustable ball-bearing head and retails for $39.99. The deluxe model contains the ball-bearing head and retails for $59.99. The deluxe camo has the ball-bearing head and is painted in a camo finish to help it blend in with the surroundings. The deluxe camo retails for $79.99.
Trail-Pod also offers a new tree mount. This set up contains the same universal mounting plate as the tri-pod model but has a screw-in or strap-on mount with it. Also containing the ball-bearing head, this allows for precise positioning on a multitude of trees. Both models retail for $49.99.
I have not used either of these products personally. I am anxious to try them out soon because they look like they would be excellent for a lot of situations. If any of you have tried these products, feel free to email me your thoughts and opinions. You can contact me at wildlifecams@gmail.com .
Trail-Pod also offers a new tree mount. This set up contains the same universal mounting plate as the tri-pod model but has a screw-in or strap-on mount with it. Also containing the ball-bearing head, this allows for precise positioning on a multitude of trees. Both models retail for $49.99.
I have not used either of these products personally. I am anxious to try them out soon because they look like they would be excellent for a lot of situations. If any of you have tried these products, feel free to email me your thoughts and opinions. You can contact me at wildlifecams@gmail.com .
New type of digital action camera
Stealth Cam, makers of many models of trail cams has recently come out with a new type of digital camera. The Epic camera is a new breed of digital camera. Like other digital cameras, it too operates on batteries and records images on a digital memory card. Unlike other cameras, Epic is less than three inches in length and weighs only 2.5 ounces. This small size allows it to be used like never before. It comes in either a black “action series” or a camouflaged combo kit. The unit can be mounted in a multitude of ways. It can be mounted using a bar mount, clip mount, strap mount, suction cup mount, or tree screw. There is even a waterproof housing so it can be operated underwater. It can be used as still camera or a movie camera. It offers up to 200 minutes of AVI video with a 4GB SD card. It takes up to 30 frames per second with a resolution of 640x480 video and continuous audio. It operates on 2 AAA batteries and comes with a USB cable for easy download to your computer. Easily uploadable to your favorite internet sites such as You Tube and Face Book. This new way of capturing events will bring about a whole new perspective on sports. People are using these to record hunting activities, snow skiing, wake boarding, kayaking, four-wheeling, and many other outrageous activities. Retail is about $169.99, but can be found less online. This is a neat new item and I cannot wait to try it out.
Trail Camera Technical Terms Defined
Trail camera use is steadily increasing. With that increased use are more and more people who do not understand exactly what all of the technical lingo means. So, here I am going to try and define as much of the current vocabulary as I can.
PIR (Passive Infrared)Security Sensor device that senses motion like a typical motion detector. PIR Requires Infrared Energy and Motion to trip a sensor.
IR FlashLED Night Vision flash. The camera produces a burst of Infrared Energy which is invisible to the human eye. It is especially useful for night photos when a visible flash is undesirable such as in high pressure hunting areas.
Camera FlashA xenon Flash used for night photography. It is typically oversized to achieve greater flash range for hitting game out further.
EventAny time that the PIR senses motion it counts it as an event. Events are recorded to a memory card in a text file. Events are recorded continuously during operation and can be erased when needed. Not all cameras place this in a text file; some simply record it on the camera’s screen.
ImageAn image is a digital picture recorded on the memory Card when motion is sensed. Images are taken at the desired delay between images. Some types of cameras allow for a series of images to be taken at any one given trigger time.
Trigger Time
Trigger time is the time delay from when an object comes into the PIR range and the triggering of the camera.
Image DelayDelay between images taken by the camera. This is set by the user, based on wildlife activity in area. All cameras have different settings based on make and model.
Battery LifeTime the camera will function in the field. Battery life is dependent on temperature, number of images taken, and number of flashes during that time. Cold weather and night time flash photos reduce battery life the most.
PIR (Passive Infrared)Security Sensor device that senses motion like a typical motion detector. PIR Requires Infrared Energy and Motion to trip a sensor.
IR FlashLED Night Vision flash. The camera produces a burst of Infrared Energy which is invisible to the human eye. It is especially useful for night photos when a visible flash is undesirable such as in high pressure hunting areas.
Camera FlashA xenon Flash used for night photography. It is typically oversized to achieve greater flash range for hitting game out further.
EventAny time that the PIR senses motion it counts it as an event. Events are recorded to a memory card in a text file. Events are recorded continuously during operation and can be erased when needed. Not all cameras place this in a text file; some simply record it on the camera’s screen.
ImageAn image is a digital picture recorded on the memory Card when motion is sensed. Images are taken at the desired delay between images. Some types of cameras allow for a series of images to be taken at any one given trigger time.
Trigger Time
Trigger time is the time delay from when an object comes into the PIR range and the triggering of the camera.
Image DelayDelay between images taken by the camera. This is set by the user, based on wildlife activity in area. All cameras have different settings based on make and model.
Battery LifeTime the camera will function in the field. Battery life is dependent on temperature, number of images taken, and number of flashes during that time. Cold weather and night time flash photos reduce battery life the most.
Profile: Bushnell
Bushnell is a leader in optics manufacturing and they have used their skills and knowledge to produce a line of trail cameras. Bushnell currently offers three models, the Trail Sentry, Trail Scout, and Trail Scout Pro.
The Trail Sentry comes in three models, model 11-9305, model 11-9204, and model 11-9204B. Model 11-9305 is a 5.0 MP camera that has an infrared flash operates on 4 D batteries. It offers one of the quickest trigger times on the market and long battery life (30 days normal, 180 days solar). It accepts up to a 2GB SD card and has a moon phase/time/date stamp for each image. It retails for $233.96. Model 11-9204 is a 4.0 megapixel flash camera and operates on 4 D batteries. It too has a quick trigger time and has a 30 day battery life. It does not allow the use of a solar panel like the 11-9305 model. It will accept up to a 2GB SD card and has a moon/time/date stamp. By removing the infrared flash, Bushnell was able to offer this camera for $125.96. Model 11-9204B is a birding version of the 11-9204 model. With this camera the user can use the camera for up close pictures with its 15” close focus lens.
The Trail Scout allows for the selection of 2.0, 3.0, or 5.0 megapixel operation. It is a white flash camera with a 30’ flash range. It is operated with a series of easy-to-use toggle switches. It operates on 4 D batteries and is solar panel compatible. It comes with its own padlock, cable, and tree bracket. You have the option of taking still images or short video clips. It accepts a 2GB SD card and has a low-battery indicator. This is a very good quality camera that offers a lot for the consumer.
The Trail Scout Pro is Bushnell’s top of the line camera. It allows for the selection of 3.0, 5.0, or 7.0 megapixel operation. It can be operated with either a standard flash or infrared and has a flash range of 30’. It also operates on 4 D batteries and has a low battery indicator. It comes with a tree mount, cable, and padlock and is solar panel compatible. It comes in either brown or camo finish and has the Bushnell game call technology built in. This feature allows the camera to make a series of animal calls to attract the animal in for a close snapshot.
Bushnell is constantly working on new and better products. Their ability to make quality cameras is increasing all the time. Like any other brand of camera, the retail prices given by the manufacturer can oftentimes be lessened through a little bit of research.
The Trail Sentry comes in three models, model 11-9305, model 11-9204, and model 11-9204B. Model 11-9305 is a 5.0 MP camera that has an infrared flash operates on 4 D batteries. It offers one of the quickest trigger times on the market and long battery life (30 days normal, 180 days solar). It accepts up to a 2GB SD card and has a moon phase/time/date stamp for each image. It retails for $233.96. Model 11-9204 is a 4.0 megapixel flash camera and operates on 4 D batteries. It too has a quick trigger time and has a 30 day battery life. It does not allow the use of a solar panel like the 11-9305 model. It will accept up to a 2GB SD card and has a moon/time/date stamp. By removing the infrared flash, Bushnell was able to offer this camera for $125.96. Model 11-9204B is a birding version of the 11-9204 model. With this camera the user can use the camera for up close pictures with its 15” close focus lens.
The Trail Scout allows for the selection of 2.0, 3.0, or 5.0 megapixel operation. It is a white flash camera with a 30’ flash range. It is operated with a series of easy-to-use toggle switches. It operates on 4 D batteries and is solar panel compatible. It comes with its own padlock, cable, and tree bracket. You have the option of taking still images or short video clips. It accepts a 2GB SD card and has a low-battery indicator. This is a very good quality camera that offers a lot for the consumer.
The Trail Scout Pro is Bushnell’s top of the line camera. It allows for the selection of 3.0, 5.0, or 7.0 megapixel operation. It can be operated with either a standard flash or infrared and has a flash range of 30’. It also operates on 4 D batteries and has a low battery indicator. It comes with a tree mount, cable, and padlock and is solar panel compatible. It comes in either brown or camo finish and has the Bushnell game call technology built in. This feature allows the camera to make a series of animal calls to attract the animal in for a close snapshot.
Bushnell is constantly working on new and better products. Their ability to make quality cameras is increasing all the time. Like any other brand of camera, the retail prices given by the manufacturer can oftentimes be lessened through a little bit of research.
Profile: Moultrie Accessories
Moultrie’s’ product line also includes several accessories such as the Power Panel, Security Box, Tree Mount, Tripod, Camera Activator, and Picture Viewer. These items are designed for use with most of the Moultrie product line.
The Power Panel is a 12 volt solar panel designed to keep your batteries charged and running for longer periods of time. It retails for $89.99.
The Security Box is an 18 ga. steel enclosure designed to protect your camera from theft or animal damage. It retails for $59.99.
The Tree Mount allows for easy mounting to virtually any shape or size of tree. It adjusts to almost any position giving you the ultimate in adaptability. It retails for $59.99.
The Tripod allows for easy camera set up when there are not any trees available. A good place to use this is in a food plot. It retails for $69.99.
The Camera Activator allows for remote camera activation on certain Moultrie Models. It retails for $24.99.
The Picture Viewer allows you to view your pictures anywhere at any time. It comes in its own plastic case and retails for $54.99.
As with most things, a little searching on the internet and you can find prices much less than the listed retail prices given.
The Power Panel is a 12 volt solar panel designed to keep your batteries charged and running for longer periods of time. It retails for $89.99.
The Security Box is an 18 ga. steel enclosure designed to protect your camera from theft or animal damage. It retails for $59.99.
The Tree Mount allows for easy mounting to virtually any shape or size of tree. It adjusts to almost any position giving you the ultimate in adaptability. It retails for $59.99.
The Tripod allows for easy camera set up when there are not any trees available. A good place to use this is in a food plot. It retails for $69.99.
The Camera Activator allows for remote camera activation on certain Moultrie Models. It retails for $24.99.
The Picture Viewer allows you to view your pictures anywhere at any time. It comes in its own plastic case and retails for $54.99.
As with most things, a little searching on the internet and you can find prices much less than the listed retail prices given.
Profile: Moultrie
Moultrie cameras have been around for quite some time now. Like all of the companies, technology was not so great at the beginning. I had tried a couple of the first Moultrie cameras and was not too pleased with them. However, they have really stepped up the development of newer models. Moultrie now offers several models in the Game Spy line for every budget and application. Their models now include the Game Spy Infrared I40 and I60 and the Game Spy Flash D40 and M40.
The Infrared I40 is a 4.0 megapixel camera with a 50 ft infrared flash that does not spook wildlife, a 150 day battery life, and offers temperature, moon phase, time, date, and camera ID on every image. The I40 retails for $215.99 and accepts up to a 4GB SD card and runs off of 4 D batteries.
The Infrared I60 is a 6.0 megapixel camera with a 50 ft infrared flash, a 150 day battery life, and also offers the same image data as the I40. The I60 retails for $319.99 and accepts up to a 4GB SD card and runs on 6 D (Yes, I said 6) batteries.
The Flash D40 is a 4.0 megapixel camera with a 45 ft flash, a 60 day battery life, and offers time and date on every image. The D40 retails for $119.99 and accepts a 4GB SD card and it also runs off of 6 D batteries.
The Flash M40 is also a 4.0 megapixel camera with a 50 ft flash, a 150 day battery life, and time and date stamp. The M40 also offers temperature and moon phase on each image. The M40 retails for $169.99 and accepts a 4GB SD card and it runs off of 6 D batteries also.
The Infrared I40 is a 4.0 megapixel camera with a 50 ft infrared flash that does not spook wildlife, a 150 day battery life, and offers temperature, moon phase, time, date, and camera ID on every image. The I40 retails for $215.99 and accepts up to a 4GB SD card and runs off of 4 D batteries.
The Infrared I60 is a 6.0 megapixel camera with a 50 ft infrared flash, a 150 day battery life, and also offers the same image data as the I40. The I60 retails for $319.99 and accepts up to a 4GB SD card and runs on 6 D (Yes, I said 6) batteries.
The Flash D40 is a 4.0 megapixel camera with a 45 ft flash, a 60 day battery life, and offers time and date on every image. The D40 retails for $119.99 and accepts a 4GB SD card and it also runs off of 6 D batteries.
The Flash M40 is also a 4.0 megapixel camera with a 50 ft flash, a 150 day battery life, and time and date stamp. The M40 also offers temperature and moon phase on each image. The M40 retails for $169.99 and accepts a 4GB SD card and it runs off of 6 D batteries also.
Trail cameras for Security Surveillance
I have found that trail cameras are a great way of keeping an eye on your hunting property while you are away. By placing cameras high up in a tree or a power pole, you can remotely observe if someone is trespassing on your property. A good place to place a camera is on a pole overlooking the front door of your cabin or gate onto the property. Another good place to use one is on highly used trails during the shedding period of January to March. This way you might be able to catch shed hunters on your property. I have actually caught turkey hunters trespassing in the spring. Most people who are on your property without permission are paranoid for fear of getting caught. This paranoia causes people to overlook most cameras hanging on trees because they are focused more on human forms. Since we live a good distance from our property, my wife and I rely on the trail cameras to keep us up to date on what or who is on our property. A more recent advance in technology is the new cell phone trail cameras. These work on the principle of capturing pictures on a cell phone installed within the trail camera body and then sending them to your personal cell phone or computer. This process is usually done within seconds of the actual picture being captured. This allows you to have immediate up to date information of your property. I have not currently tried this set up yet because of the high cost. I do believe it would be of benefit for certain circumstances. If you have not yet tried using your camera for security detail than give it a try this year. It is a good way of keeping your cameras up and running during the normal off season of deer and turkey.
Camera Debate
Having used several brands of cameras over the years, I have come up with my own favorites based on my experiences. However, I realize that my observations will differ from many others. I would like to here from the rest of you about your own good and bad experiences with cameras. What brands do you have the best luck with? Which ones have proven to be lemons? Do you prefer certain types of cameras (such as flash vs. no flash). Are there any types or brands of batteries that you have had much luck with? I know that I have only used a sample of what all is available and I would like to know your opinion of what you think makes a great camera set up. Please email me your own observations and opinions to wildlifecams@gmail.com . I will post your responses in a future post. Hopefully, this will give readers a broader base of trail cam user experiences and allow them to make better decisions as to what will work best for them.
Wildlife Cam Central Photo Contest ?
After reviewing the reactions of people towards the recent photo contest I entered, I started thinking if visitors to this site would be interested in a contest here. I would like to possibly offer some type of award to the winner in a few different categories. With this being a new site, I would feel it best to have a longer time frame for entry inclusion. This would allow more people to find this site and have a chance to compete. All entries would be posted on a post for the general public to offer their opinions as to which is best. Everyone could simply email their best pics to me for posting. If this sounds like something that you would be interested in then just shoot me an email at wildlifecams@gmail.com I would also appreciate any feedback or comments as to what you might recommend for categories. I also would like to know if people would rather enter for free and simply receive recognition or would people be willing to pay a small entry fee for the chance at a quality prize (a new trail cam for example).
Trail Camera Photo Contests
This weekend I entered some of my better and more unique pictures in a trail camera contest at the Illinois Deer and Turkey Classic. This was something new for me and I was curious as to how well I would do against other trail camera fanatics. Using the pictures for a contest was a different twist on the many uses for your trail camera. I found it a good way of allowing thousands of people to see what I get to see every time I check my trail cams. One day I stood around the display of contest entries and just watched peoples reactions to the pictures. I was not too shocked to see that most people made it a point to take a look at the entries. Most also took the time to discuss some of the more interesting ones. It was good to see the amount if interest shown there. Hopefully, the experience will drive several more people to purchase trail cameras and join in on the fun and excitement they are missing out on. As for the results of the competition, well I faired decent and received several ribbons for my efforts. One thing to keep in mind is that it is a good idea to review the different categories of the contest and then choose a couple of eligible pictures for each. This will up your chances of placing. As stated earlier, contest entry can provide a new and unique twist on how to capitalize upon your trail camera efforts.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Profile: Cuddeback
Cuddeback cameras have come a long way since their inception. I tried an earlier model without much success. However, their newest models, the Capture and Capture IR are some of the best out there. Cuddeback now has five models available for the outdoorsman. The Capture is a 3.0 megapixel camera with a fifty foot flash. It has a trigger speed of less than 1/3 of a second. It can take up to 2000 pictures per battery set. It has delay settings from 30 seconds to 30 minutes and requires an SD card (my favorite). It retails for $199.99 and there is an infrared version available for $249.99. The main difference is that the infrared only has a range of 25 ft. The all-new rotary switch makes this camera the easiest to use. The previous series contained the Excite, Expert, and NoFlash models. These are acceptable models but I do not think they are nearly as good as the new Captures. However, the Excite is a 2.0 megapixel and the Expert is a 3.0 megapixel, while the NoFlash has a 3.0 during daylight and 1.3 at night. Their flash ranges are from 40 to 60 feet. Their battery saving system is not as good as the Capture. They have a delay of 1 minute to 1 hour. My biggest drawbacks involved the degree of difficulty of set-up. Also. They require a CompactFlash card which is not as convenient as an SD. The Excite retails for $249.99, the Expert runs about $349.00, and the NoFlash is about $399.99.
Set-up Tips
Getting good quality pictures from your trail camera can be frustrating. I have learned many lessons through trial and error. The most important thing to remember is that most cameras do not function properly if they are facing into the sun (East or West). I always try to set up my cams facing either North or South or a variation of the two. Another thing to remember is that most cameras are not fast enough to snap a picture of an animal if the camera is perpendicular to a trail. Instead, face the camera at an angle so that it captures more of the trail at one time. I always look for high use areas for set up. This equals more pictures total which in turn equates to more good photos. For big game, you cannot go wrong on a feeding area or a main trail leading to a feeding area. Also, in the fall a community scrape is an excellent place to set up. For creatures other than deer or turkeys, I set up in likely areas that I have stumbled across during hunting or trapping season. Setting up over a small bayou or swampy area is excellent for waterfowl or water-loving mammals. Setting up near rocky outcroppings or caves can provide good bobcat or coyote pictures. The edge of a cornfield is good for small mammals such as raccoons, skunks, or possums. For small mammals or near water, I like to set up about ten to twelve inches above the ground. For larger game I like about forty inches. During the winter months, placing a camera facing South also allows for more direct sunlight which will keep the batteries warmer and lasting longer.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Turkey Scouting
Trail cameras are also a great way to find that secret strutting are for a big old longbeard. I use a similar method as I do for scouting out an individual buck. However, I need to speed things up a bit since the spring season is so short. I start out initially placing cameras on the perimeter of several foodplots (turkeys seem to prefer the clover ones best). I will then use the information garnered to focus in on a general direction of travel for the longbeard. I will head off in the woods, following the contour of the land looking for any flat stretches of ground. These areas can be on a ridge top, in the bottoms by a creek, or even paralleling a hillside. These areas are usually several yards wide and at least thirty-forty yards long (old logging roads are ideal). This is the type of area a wiley old bird will seek out after experiencing any amount of pressure. I will place a camera on several likely areas and monitor them for several weeks prior to season. Before being pressured, a bird is likely to only visit the area occasionally. But later in the season, he will move there on a daily basis. By knowing which areas he prefers, you can be there and set up when he comes strutting along.
Using your trail camera to scout out your next big buck
Trail cameras are great for locating and patterning an individual buck. The method I use is to start off in late July. By this time most of the larger bucks will have grown enough antler to be able to distinguish them from other bucks. I will place at least one camera over each major foodplot. These cameras are simply placed over the whole foodplot, not over any specific trail. I will use these to determine which areas an individual buck is using most of the time. I will then place more cameras over the one or two areas preferred by the buck. These cameras will then be centered in the middle or on the edges facing in different directions. This will clue me in as to which direction he is coming from (first picture of the night) and which way he is leaving (last picture of the night). Once the entry and exit areas are determined, I will place cameras on the major trails in those areas. Sometimes this is not even on the food source, but instead is several yards back into the cover. I usually like to go back and place cameras overlooking the intersection of trails. By this time I will have narrowed down the buck’s preferred trails into and out of the area. By continuing to move cameras further into the woods and down the trails, I will eventually hit upon his bedding area. At this time, I will only place my cameras up once near the bedding area and leave them for a couple of weeks. I will go in and remove them and then not disturb that are again until a rainy or windy day comes along so that I can place a stand close by and leave it until season opens. This method can take some time but will lead to the most desired travel paths of a specific buck. By hunting your stand as early in the season as possible, you just might catch that big buck with his guard down. As the rut nears, these trails will become less reliable. However, if he has not been spooked he should return to the same area during late season to recoup from the rut.
Trail Camera Safety
With the increase of trail camera use comes the need to safely secure the unit to help prevent theft. Most trail cameras today come with some sort of securing the unit to a tree or other object. Unfortunately most of the time the method is not enough to deter theft. Usually the camera can be bolted to a tree or attached with bungee cords and then padlocked. A padlock can easily be cut or even broke off of the unit if it simply locks onto the plastic housing. The most secure way of attaching the camera is by use of a cable lock. One such model that I have had considerable success with is the Python cable lock made by Masterlock. This cable is designed to tighten when tampered with and there is no shackle to cut. Another method is to buy a metal box that is made for many models of cameras and then use a cable lock to secure it to a tree. The metal box will help prevent damage to the memory card if the thief is intent on destroying evidence of themselves. This setup comes in handy when using your camera for surveillance. Although it does not provide for the best triggering, using a ladder and placing the camera out of arms reach and angled towards the ground, will deter most thieves. If a person is serious about stealing a camera, there is nothing made that will completely stop them. However, with a few precautions, a person can help deter the majority of criminals.
Share your photos
Trail cameras provide such a new and unique perspective to the outdoor world. With them, we get to enjoy snapshots or video of things that we normally would never get to experience. I have learned so much about the deer, turkeys, and other wildlife on our property thanks to the images provided by my cameras. I have caught deer fighting (both bucks and does), turkeys dusting, coyotes wandering, bobcats hunting, grey foxes sneaking, and raccoons being nosey. I have caught birds in flight, birds on roost, and birds feeding. Trail camera pictures tell us a lot about how wildlife acts when they are undisturbed by humans. They fill us in on what happens when we are not there. I love seeing new pictures and never get bored with viewing them. I enjoy hearing others’ own observations and experiences with their trail cameras. I have posted several of my own pictures on this blog and I invite others to do the same. Simply email them to me at wildlifecams@gmail.com . Please, also give me a little rundown on the details of the pictures so I can share with the rest of the readers. I will post all pictures and some selected stories here on this blog.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Interesting uses for your camera
After years of trail camera use, I am beginning to use my cameras for other uses than just for deer and turkey pictures. I have found it interesting to hang road kill carcasses in a tree or tied to a log and see what will come around. I have had many coyotes, foxes, and bobcats show up in front of the camera, along with raccoons, opossums, and skunks. However, I never would have guessed that I would see deer coming up and smelling the carcasses or even to see a flock of turkeys coming over to investigate. These were not some fluke of nature, either. I have seen it several times over the years. I have also seen some awesome pictures of ducks and geese sitting on their nests or swimming in a pond. By placing a camera close to water level back in a swamp or cattail marsh, one can expect to get pictures of those ducks or even a beaver or muskrat swimming around. In the summer down time of the deer world, it can be interesting to place a camera near a bird nest in a tree or near your house. Some cameras are capable of recording video footage also. Watching a mother bird feed her young from a few mere inches away is pretty cool. I also like to set up my cameras in video mode along a gobblers strutting are. I have gotten some wonderful footage of turkeys strutting and gobbling on camera. It seems that every year I seem to find a new use, or is it reason, for continuing my camera use year round. One new use I plan on trying this year is to place cameras in trees overlooking the gates onto our farm. By doing this in February, I can see if anybody is trespassing and also hopefully see if they come back out with a handful of sheds. I am sure this could hold up in court as evidence if you are having trouble with poachers or trespassers. As always, the uses for trail cameras seems endless.
Battery and Memory Card Simplification
As I have said in other posts, I like to keep my whole camera system as simple as possible. By keeping as many cameras running on the same battery type/size and the same memory card, I can be efficient and keep costs down as well. I have a personal preference for the AA operated cameras and the SD cards. As long as I can obtain rechargeable batteries then I am happy. When you are running several cameras at once, the cost of replacing batteries every two to three weeks is high. This is why I like to run rechargeable batteries. I also like the cameras that allow you to add a solar panel also. This allows me to keep a camera up and running longer. During the busy season (Aug-Jan), I will usually be getting about 1500 pictures every two weeks on my cameras. This computes out to around three to four hundred per camera every two weeks. I purchase two memory cards for each camera and I keep one large memory card as a master storage. My basic schedule of events is to check my cameras every two weeks and remove and charge the batteries over night. I replace the memory cards with new ones and take the full ones home. Once home, I download all the cards onto a file on the computer. I then sort through and delete any unwanted pictures. I then transfer the remaining pictures to the large master storage card. When I get around 500 good pictures, I will then go to Wal-Mart and have a CD burned for about $2.50. This I keep in a folder for future references and as a permanent copy. I will print of several of the best pictures and sort them by individual deer into a photo album. I keep the pictures divided by each year. It is amazing to see how individual bucks grow from year to year. It is also nice to be able to have a life documentary of a buck if you are lucky enough to harvest it. This is pretty much how I operate and keep thousands of pictures neat and organized.
Since most of my cameras are placed on our property @ four hours from home, I do not have the luxury of checking them every couple of days. Because of this, I need a durable, fool proof system to keep things running smoothly. I have come to rely on the method of using rechargeable batteries, solar panels, and common memory cards throughout my arsenal of cameras.
Since most of my cameras are placed on our property @ four hours from home, I do not have the luxury of checking them every couple of days. Because of this, I need a durable, fool proof system to keep things running smoothly. I have come to rely on the method of using rechargeable batteries, solar panels, and common memory cards throughout my arsenal of cameras.
Favorite Trail cameras
My all-time favorite trail camera is an older Penn’s Woods Digital Scout 03 camera. The company had trouble with the Minolta camera used in this setup and I have only one working model out of three I bought. Minolta refunded my money for the other ones since the camera itself could not be fixed. However, the one good unit I have has served me faithfully for 5 years now, taking @500 pictures/month and @4000-5000 pictures/year. This camera runs off of four AA’s in the unit and 2 AA’s for the camera and takes up to a 2GB SD card. By using 2500 mAh Energizer rechargeable batteries, I have found this to be the slickest, most economical setup out there, taking between three and four hundred pictures per charge. I also have a newer version, the Digital Scout 06. This setup has a Sony camera that takes two AA’s and a 9-volt for the unit itself. I like this one too, except the camera needs a Memory Stick Pro for operation. I personally like to keep my whole fleet of cameras simple by using SD chips. Oh Well! I would highly recommend their newest version, the Digital Scout 07. It is basically the same as the 06, except it has 7 mega pixels instead of 6. These are the same cameras offered through Pixcontroller, and can be bought through either place. However, the Penn’s Woods one comes with an included Masterlock Python cable lock. I have found this to be the best way to secure your investment. A new camera that I like very well is the new Cuddeback Capture. This camera is far superior than their previous models, and it is cheaper also. I tried their Expert model and it ate up batteries worse than any other camera I have tried. I spoke with a regional rep and he said that they had been having a lot of trouble with short battery life. I believe they must have it fixed because I am getting over 400 pictures per set of batteries. The one shortfall of these cameras is that they take 4 D batteries and that gets expensive. I have tried the Energizer D rechargeable batteries with very little luck. I am still looking for the ultimate D rechargeable. Also, the new Capture takes an SD card instead of a Compact flash like the older models. I have tried several of the Moultrie cameras and have had ok luck with the Cabela’s Outfitter model. This camera is slow to trigger but it is very reliable when it gets cold out and you have the option of attaching a solar panel to keep the 6-volt lantern battery fully charged. I would recommend this as a great introductory model for someone who does not want to spend a lot of money. So there you have my favorite camera picks. I know there are many more makes and models out there (many which I have tried), but to keep it short and sweet, this is my list of favorites.
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