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BSK

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So how many new trail-cams are you going to buy this year?

For personal use, I think I'm in the market for two new black-flash cams and at least one more black-flash flash extender.
 
I bought 2 of the demo Bushnell Trophy Cams from Natchez, but I had one exactly like those "borrowed" this spring. I'm only one up from last year.
 
As bad as I want a few new black flash cams, I know I do not need any more cams than I have now. Last year I found that I could not efficiently run all of my seven cameras and have time to scout and hunt as much as I like, so I'll continue to pass on any new purchases until some of my older cams bite the dust.
 
Andy,

I too run 7 cameras on my property for 6 months out of the year. Visiting them almost weekly is a chore, but honestly, I think I get more fun out of running the cams and analyzing the pictures than I do the actual hunting!
 
BSK said:
....but honestly, I think I get more fun out of running the cams and analyzing the pictures than I do the actual hunting!
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I'll have to say that some years I do as well. In fact, what I have found is that I typically either excel at one or the other each fall, but never both. In essence, I either hunt hard and have good success while neglecting my cams, or I bust my tail running/checking/repositioning cams while my quest to gather/sort through thousands of pictures takes a toll on my effectiveness of hunting. With that being said, I have learned to enjoy and learn from both scenarios. I must say that running trail cameras has taught me more about deer, in particular mature bucks, than any other hunter, book, magazine or hunting forum.
 
Andy S. said:
Last year I found that I could not efficiently run all of my seven cameras and have time to scout and hunt as much as I like . . . .
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I have found similarly over the past few years, particularly 2 and 3 years ago when I acquired several new cams that not only didn't work as advertised, but simply didn't work. Very frustrating to repeatedly return cams under warranty, only to get replacements back that are DOA, or only work a few weeks. So a couple years ago I really backed off on trail cam use so I could focus more on traditional scouting methods and actual hunting.

When the cams work like they're supposed to, when they're easy & quick to service in the field, all is well. But I've been extremely disappointed in the reliability of nearly everything I've tried "new" over the past 5 years that was made in China.

Have gained a new appreciation for "just go hunt and enjoy yourself".

To answer the original question, I doubt I purchase any new cams this year, and for certain will not be spending any more money on Chinese junk. Ironically, I still have two very old Leaf River cams that work, a couple homebrews still working, and a few newer blackflash models that work SOME of the time.

Whenever I do purchase any new cams, they will be true black flash models. But right now I have little faith in any particular brand.
 
Akurn said:
BSK,
What 6 months do you run your cameras?
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Because of my reasons for running trail-cams--to inventory and track the number and identity of individual bucks using my property--I only run cams when bucks are identifiable by their unique antler characteristics, which obviously requires fully-formed antlers. Hence I run cameras from August 1st through the end of January.
 
BuckNrut said:
Probably none unless Reconyx comes out with their new cams this year.
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That's kinda what I've been waiting on. They are long overdue in updating their image quality to something better than 3.1 mp. Just hope they don't start making them in China!

In the interim, I'm just DONE wasting my time and being frustrated with cams that don't work as advertised and/or don't last long and/or get repeatedly replaced under warranty with units no better.
 
I've got 6 moultrie black flash coming. Found a deal on them through a friend for 129.99 so we got 6. I hope I don't regret it but I'm sure I will... I'll be running about 15 cameras from August through March.
 
I had 4,sold them all,but I think im going to have just 1 trail cam from now on,and just focus on moveing it alot,that way the deer won't pattern me to 1 minderal site.
 
BSK said:
Visiting them almost weekly is a chore, but honestly, I think I get more fun out of running the cams and analyzing the pictures than I do the actual hunting!
Click to expand...

I'm glad I'm not the only one! I love hunting and seeing a big mature buck can't be beat, but trail cameras provide excitement more often. It starts with opening it up to see how many pictures you got. Then you get to carry them home and click the "next" button lol I almost get the shakes when a big buck pops up!
 
Master Chief said:
BSK said:
Visiting them almost weekly is a chore, but honestly, I think I get more fun out of running the cams and analyzing the pictures than I do the actual hunting!
Click to expand...

I'm glad I'm not the only one! I love hunting and seeing a big mature buck can't be beat, but trail cameras provide excitement more often. It starts with opening it up to see how many pictures you got. Then you get to carry them home and click the "next" button lol I almost get the shakes when a big buck pops up!
Click to expand...

To me, getting that big mature buck on cam is almost as good as killing him. Almost! :)
 
I just saw an add somewhere displaying the new Reconyx that looks like the Chinese made cams and has an 8 or 10 megapixel imager. But they were still $600. I just can't say the Reconyx quality is worth an extra $400.
 

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