Trail Cameras

[jennysmate]

I'm thinking of buying one to check the comings and goings in my wood.

I'm worried about thieves, so am loath to pay £170 for a trophy cam or similar, if a £80 will do. Has anyone got experience of these cheaper ones?

Also I see that you mount them at about 3ft, this would make it easy for theives. Could you mount it higher, say 12ft. and angle it down? I was thinking of putting it in a bird box, to disguise it. No point buying the secure cage and padlocks, if they bring a ladder, theyd bring bolt cutters aswell.

[ncrawshaw]

I bought one for £150 and, like many others, it has a camouflage effect casing. I'm sorry that you have trouble with theives, I haven't so far. However, they are fairly inconspicuous if you are not looking for them. I can't speak for the quality of the one you are looking at, mine is 8mp, which is good for daytime shots, adequate for night-time. Sometimes you can put it up for a week and nothing other than a squirrel is spotted, other times we get deer and foxes. My only niggle is that there is a noticeable time between detection and the photograph being taken. If something is running past it gets missed! You can mount it any height you like and angle it accordingly. The main thing to consider is the range of the infra red illumination at night-time.

[Max]

I recently purchased a trail camera after reading many reviews. I opted for the Bushnell Trophy Cam 119467c as I particularly wanted the blackflash option as it is meant to be undetectable. The night time videos are really not the best, even at 1080, and I have a feeling that those at 760 are probably better. The day time shots both stills and videos are O.K. In retrospect I think that I was expecting far to much from this camera. At least it enables us to see where the animals are at night. Regarding the 119467c I am not sure that it is worth paying the extra for a colour LCD display and the 1080 video and probably would have been just as happy with the 119466. The positioning of the camera is all important with regards to optimal distance from the animal and it is a matter of trial and error. The trophycam bracket is worth purchasing as it does allow you to angle the camera easily.

Good camera review sites are http://www.chasingame.com/ and http://www.trailcampro.com/

[happybonzo]

Before you site your camera it may be worth laying some sand down just to see if that bit of trail is used. I've found that what I thought would be the animal equivalent of the M1 wasn't used at all.

[davetb]

We have one and it's easy to disguise with ivy etc..Can be very difficult to find even when you know where they are. It would be useless for a thief after dark as the bank of red lights are visible from a long way away. A human could not fail to spot it. In daylight they are fantastic and discreet. We have spotted a few neighbours wandering around after we have left. They have just been having a general wander and enjoying the scenery and not causing any problems. I leave a military trailer with a NATO hitch in the woods, the camera is impossible to spot on the back of it, with trailer lights / reflectors etc. and it can be pointed, angled as you want. The trailer acts like a huge tripod. I have filmed myself a few times, without realising.

[jennysmate]

Thanks for the replies, back to e bay to get one.

[jennysmate]

Bought a nikko sterling camera as it was the cheapest I could find, £90. Initial tests at home seem good, lots of pics of my dog. Who'd have thought she got up so many times at night.

[Hobby]

Hiya jennysmate.

Would love to know how you get on with the camera once its been out in the field for a while.

I am also looking to purchase a trail camera but the reviews are a little mixed .

Hope your dog has a peaceful night !!

Enjoy.

[The Barrowers]

Hello Had some interesting video shots from the Bushnells £150 ish after hagling with the "Golf Shop" who are registered dealer. They stock binoculars for golf.

[treebloke]

My Bushnells turned up today so hopefully will be setting it tomorrow.