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Tired Of Broken Trail Cams.....

jboswell

jboswell

Member
Hello Folks,

I have finally had it with the junk China trail cams! I started bowhunting and running trail cams 3 years ago. I started with two cheap wildgame cameras, I added two SG550's the next year and a wildgame IR4 later the second year... well, long story short here I sit three years later and they are all dead. $700 in cameras and not one of them lasted 2 stinking years...

I am a month before season and need a camera so I can keep up with the deer... My plan is to get a Reconyx HC500 security package from trailcampro ordered this weekend so I can have it in the woods before I leave on vacation next weekend. If I can swing it I will add another HC500 (with the security package) later in the deer season as money allows.

So... on to my questions.
Does this sound like a good plan?
How about the HC600 vs the HC500? Is the black flash worth it?
Is the security package a good deal from trailcampro?
How do most folks fasten the security box to the tree (lag bolts or just the python cable)?
If you use the lag bolts how to you aim the camera (I usually prop mine up with a stick to aim it)?


Sorry for all the questions so quick, just very frustrated and ready to be done with the never ending cycle of buying trailcams only to have them fail in less than 2 years.
 
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I have had similar poor results with the cheap Chinese made cams, so I feel you there. Someone that is quite experienced with these devices has strongly recommended Reconyx cams as being good quality just lately. I don't have any personal experience with Reconyx, but I have heard good things about them.
 
Daver said:
I have had similar poor results with the cheap Chinese made cams, so I feel you there. Someone that is quite experienced with these devices has strongly recommended Reconyx cams as being good quality just lately. I don't have any personal experience with Reconyx, but I have heard good things about them.
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I have heard that the switch to Reconyx will solve the issues I have been experiencing.... I sure hope so... the wife is getting tired of hearing me whine about broken trailcams :D
 
The 600 is deff worth the extra $ imo. And as far as the lock box I have one but don't use it unless I put the cam in a spot that I think it has the possibility of getting stolen....
 
I have gone through the exact same thing with ALL my cams. Currently, I own zero cams. I basically gave away about 800$ worth of cams at a rummage sale this spring. Too dang frustrating to put up with. 200$ for a year or 2 of so-so results just wasnt worth it. I will keep my stink out out of the woods till Sept!
 
junk cams

tell ya what, i had a bunch of cuddebacks and sold them all this year for bushnell trophy cams! cuddebacks Customer service drove me away from cuddebacks! I run about 12 trophy cams now, i have had a couple go bad but they have a 2 yr warranty, anything goes wrong you send it in with 10$ and they send ya a new one (the bad cameras were bad right out of the box, have not had one go bad on me yet that worked from the start!). they take the best daytime pictures out of any camera i have seen! night is OK- sometimes a little blurry. I buy the Cabels 5.0 bushnell trophy cams, only sold at cabelas. right now there 120.00$ normally 180.00$ sometimes 150.00 ... man i have used these for 2 yrs and now have 12 - they blow away all the other under 200$ cams! batteries last forever and there small! and use AA that are also cheep! you get 4 for what you pay for a reconnyx! for $120.00 its a no brainer to me!! I would put the trophy cams picts up against any other cams daytime picts.. Just a little FYI.. im not knocking reconnyx at all! they do have a greaty cam! just not cheep!
 
If you buy a reconyx, you'll never regret it. I made the switch 3 years ago, and will only use reconyx now. I use the 600's and the old RC60's on scrapes where I don't want the bucks to notice any glow. I use the 500's everywhere else and really like them. The 500's take better night time pictures too.

From a reliability standpoint, reconyx cameras are aweseome. I bought 7 of them 3 years ago and they are all still working. I have 14 of them now and on average might send one per year back for a minor issue. If you do have to send one back, reconyx customer support is second to none.
 
dtr said:
If you buy a reconyx, you'll never regret it. I made the switch 3 years ago, and will only use reconyx now. I use the 600's and the old RC60's on scrapes where I don't want the bucks to notice any glow. I use the 500's everywhere else and really like them. The 500's take better night time pictures too.

From a reliability standpoint, reconyx cameras are aweseome. I bought 7 of them 3 years ago and they are all still working. I have 14 of them now and on average might send one per year back for a minor issue. If you do have to send one back, reconyx customer support is second to none.
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Wow... 14 of em! Thats a lot of Reconyx cams! I will probably start with the 500 and make the 600 my second one later this fall.
 
For the money you may want to check out some of the homebrew cams. I have built two and they're easy to operate.... bullet proof IMO. Camtrapper.com is a forum about them. Just wanted to share that option.
 
Reconyx is the only way to go. All my cuddebacks are broke, all but one moultrie is broke, 3 stealth cams quit working, and my hco uway takes a picture every 1-2 minutes even if there isnt any animals in the picture. I bought a reconyx earlier this summer and will never buy anything else.
 
I have been useing 6 reconyx cameras for the last 2 years and all work great still. One got all the glass broken last october by a buck. I just put packing tape over it and its still working great. Been outside since last october with the same tape. I do have to say though, my favorite and best night pictures are from my cuddeback flash cameras. Over the summer I had a cudde flash and a reconyx set on the same tree[because I thought the cuddeback was about to croak] set at 1 minute, and the majority of the cudde pics were clear and crisp while over half of the reconyx night pics were blurry. I love the reconyx cameras but I will always use the cuddeback flash cameras when I want great night photos despite the crappy service.
 
I dont think I could ever spend that much $$$ on one cam. I guess I have had good luck with cams. Have 2 i40s that still work except for the ir filter on the one I dropped.

As for the security boxes I screw them in some times just use a python cable some times. Im trying to make it so I can mount high and angle them down. Two I have on my homemade bracket and one I have on a ram mount. The ram mounts are pricey but nice.

I always use my security boxes don't want to risk it even with my cheap cameras. I also think they help in the life of the camera by protecting the camera from most of the elements. So I always get a security box for all my cams.

I bought 2 Moultrie m80s this year it has only been a couple months but so far I am pleased. But I guess we'll see if they will last.

My buddy had his WG taken this year and with luck I got it back. This was on private ground. I don't think there is a totally safe place to hang a camera in the timber.

Mobile Cooter
 
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I have been running the same three Moultrie walmart cheapies for 5 years and they are still great. The batteries usually don't make it two weeks if I'm getting a bunch of pictures but still..... I haven't had to buy a camera in 5 years! I had a squirrel chew the top corner off one of them so I put some duct tape on it two years ago and it still works fine also. Maybe I've just been lucky but I still like my $100 Moultries.
 
I have four Cuddebacks and I've taken tens of thousands of pics of bear and deer with them and never had ANY trouble at all. I can't comment on their customer service because I have never had to use it.
 
NON-TYP, I second that!!
basically, after your cuddy is out of its 1 year warranty, they will want 150.00 to fix your camera no matter what the problem is!! And thats not kidding! better sell it before it breaks down and buy something with a warranty...haha I still have a No Flash that quit on me and its worthless.:thrwrck:. why spend 150 to get it fixed when i can get a new trophy cam for 120??? Just more FYI..
 
Iowa1 said:
I have four Cuddebacks and I've taken tens of thousands of pics of bear and deer with them and never had ANY trouble at all. I can't comment on their customer service because I have never had to use it.
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You must have the older models of cuddies?? I have one from 7 years ago that has probibly taken 15 to 20 thousand pics and still takes the best pics of any I have, but the new cuddy capture IRs I got last year absolutely suck. Pics aren't that good, batteries don't last and they have both been tempermental with memory cards.
 
I will second the Bushnell comment. For $100 they are hard to beat. I have had one go bad (cam still works but can't swap through the menus). This just happened and Bushnell Customer Service is great, called them up and they have an open support claim for me. They told me to run all season if I want if it is still functioning and then send it in and they will get me a new one. This cam is 2 years old now and we are running 11 more without any issues. Great cams and a good price.

Kratz
 
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