game camera gurus

[budrow]

alright guys - believe it or not i've never really gotten into running games cams but fixing to start. here's what i'd like to know from the experts:

1)should i buy store cameras and roll with them and replace batteries as needed?

2)should i rig up the home-made jobs with 12volt solar/battery power set ups or 6 volt set ups - (not sure of the particulars)?

3)or should i take some of the commericial cameras and rig up to solar panels/batteries, etc?

I currently have a moultrie (something? cant remember), and then also have a leaf river infrared camera. i've never really got these going b/c i don't want to mess with batteries and wonder if they're working, etc al the time.

I sort of relate this to the whole feeder apparatus scenario - many of us started with 5 gallon buckets, pipe feeders, and so on. then went to 6volt battery/timer slinger. then after tired of battery issues or corn clogs graduated to solar stuff, then to 12volt systems, and so on. I now build my own corn slingers with blower motors, quality timers and 12 volt panels/batteries, varmint cages, etc for dependable feeders. so what i'm asking the experienced folks is what direction do i need to head for the cameras just to get a good dependable system set up from the get go and avoid the similar feeder slinger evolution type scenario? any help feed back greatly appreciated from you guys. thanks.!

[TexMax]

I run truthcams. The regular d batteries last for months.

[bhops014]

Bushnell Trophy Cam with lithium batteries

[rtp]

Bushnell Trophy Cam with lithium batteries

^^^^this^^^^^

Great performance and havent changed the batteries yet and Im over 20,000 pics on the first set of batteries. I have 16 of these cameras. I have been replacing all my other junk with these. Amazon has them for <$150 now. Was looking today and thinking of buy a couple of more.

[Snakelover]

Battery life is a lot better these days. Recently got a Bushnell that takes 12 AA batteries and is supposed to go up to a year with lithiums. I take that claim with a grain of salt, but if it just lasts half that, I will be happy.

[Mayhem]

Primos truth cam

[TUCO]

To answer the man's question;

1)should i buy store cameras and roll with them and replace batteries as needed? YES...ENERGIZERS

2)should i rig up the home-made jobs with 12volt solar/battery power set ups or 6 volt set ups - (not sure of the particulars)? NO

Stick with the white flash cams;the flash doesn't bother them;as for the IR no flash, no haul ***........well that is a bunch of deer poop.

Check out "chasin game" on the web.....They have very in-depth reviews on all the cams;including hooking up external battery sources.....

[BigThicketBoy]

Store bought. Academy had the moultri I 55 for $85 use the academy brand batteries. I put one of these w said batteries in September, have 200-300 pics every week, when I checked the cam this weekend still had 51% battery life left. I have3 of these cams and have had No problems with them here's a few pics

[Osceola]

Bushnell Trophy Cam with lithium batteries

A great camera with long long long battery life.

[miket]

To answer the man's question;

1)should i buy store cameras and roll with them and replace batteries as needed? YES...ENERGIZERS

2)should i rig up the home-made jobs with 12volt solar/battery power set ups or 6 volt set ups - (not sure of the particulars)? NO

Stick with the white flash cams;the flash doesn't bother them;as for the IR no flash, no haul ***........well that is a bunch of deer poop.

Check out "chasin game" on the web.....They have very in-depth reviews on all the cams;including hooking up external battery sources.....

Gotta disagree with the "white flash" statement. Some deer dont mind it. Others do. At my junction lease they dont seem to mind. Here in Grimes county, they do. I have sat and watched as the flash went off and the deer spook. Sometimes they come back cautiously, sometimes they dont. Got it on video, too. Get IR if you dont want to risk it. I wont buy anything other than IR.

[TexasII]

Battery life is a lot better these days. Recently got a Bushnell that takes 12 AA batteries and is supposed to go up to a year with lithiums. I take that claim with a grain of salt, but if it just lasts half that, I will be happy.

X2

[Coach W]

Moultrie power panel. For the Moultrie. One panel has been out in the woods for over three years now... Never replaced the Batteries.

Stealth cam EAT batteries.... Stay away, if you don't have a 12 volt battery and solar charger.

Bushnell TCs are great. Set of 8 batteries last 6 months. I'm going to solar chargers on all three of mine as soon as I figure out what exactly I need to do so.

Yes definitely get the external batteries, or spend 50-75 bucks a month just on batteries. The solar panels and batteries pay for themselves the first time you go to Walmart to replace the Ds or AAs or Cs...

If any body knows what it takes to set up the Bushnell TCs with solar chargers and external batteries, that would be helpful.

[swampdonkey]

Moultrie m-80 hands down. Getem cheap right now. Take up to 16gb card and IR flash is the best. Last about 3 months on 8 cheap AA batteries.

[dustoffer]

I ran 3 cuddeback captures for 3 yrs, and this summer 2 crapped out on me. 3rd one got water in the case last rain and the display is messed up, but it is still taking pics, so I'll keep on using it. Traded one of the bad ones for an Attack which lasted less than 24 hours, took it back and swapped for a Moultrie M-80 with same results--less than 24 hours, then got a Primos 60, and another, and another. So far, acceptable battery life and good daytime pics. The IR flash is crap--and the camera makes a sound before it takes the IR pic and the deer heads are usually moving making for blurred antlers. Ran the cuddes on a homemade battery pack w/panel and no problem, but so far haven't made the transition to external battery pack for the Primos as battery life is OK. My next camera is going to be one of the home-built jobbies w/white flash and an external battery pack.

[Cuz]

D55. Regular C batteries. Take couple thousand pics on a set.