What's decent cheap trail camera?

Discuss deer hunting tactics, Deer behavior. Post your Hunting Stories, Pictures, and Questions/Answers.
  • Advertisement

HB Store


User avatar
DEERSLAYER
Super Moderator
Posts: 8352
Joined: Sun Mar 14, 2010 3:22 pm
Location: Western L.P. of MI
Contact:
Status: Offline

What's decent cheap trail camera?

Unread postby DEERSLAYER » Sat Jun 19, 2021 3:31 pm

My parents want me to pic out an inexpensive trail camera for their neighbors like the cheap ($30) Primos Easy Cam I gave them because I "know all that stuff". What they don't realize is I spend hours & hours researching when I'm in the market for something & I'm trying to cut way back on all the research I do so I'm hoping some of you can steer me in the right direction.

The market seems to be flooded with cheap cams the last few years & I'm sure some are good & many are not. I haven't stayed up on them. I read some of the reviews on the Meidase Game Trail Camera's like the P20 & S3 before deciding I better just come here and see what some of your favorite cheap (~$50-$60?) cams are or bad ones to avoid.

Any suggestions?


You cannot invade mainland America. There would be a rifle behind every blade of grass.
Isoroku Yamamoto, Japanese Admiral
User avatar
Dewey
Moderator
Posts: 36722
Joined: Thu Mar 11, 2010 7:57 pm
Location: Wisconsin
Status: Offline

Re: What's decent cheap trail camera?

Unread postby Dewey » Sat Jun 19, 2021 3:57 pm

I watch for refurbished Brownings. I bought a few in that price range and they are excellent plus come with a one year warranty. Hard to find though. Easily the best cam for your money. You get what you pay for with super cheap cams.
User avatar
john1984
Posts: 4708
Joined: Mon Aug 01, 2011 8:08 am
Location: Wisconsin
Status: Offline

Re: What's decent cheap trail camera?

Unread postby john1984 » Sat Jun 19, 2021 3:59 pm

User avatar
PAbowhunter10
Posts: 287
Joined: Wed Aug 21, 2019 9:11 am
Location: Edinboro PA
Status: Offline

Re: What's decent cheap trail camera?

Unread postby PAbowhunter10 » Sat Jun 19, 2021 4:02 pm

Primos Proof Gen 2
Can find them for 50-60 bucks a camera. I have ran several now and have never had any issues. Takes good pictures and is simplistic, but with that being said it doesn’t have all the bells and whistles that most new cameras have today. It is a little trigger sensitive too so get a big memory card.
As for ones to avoid, some of the cheap stealth cameras and wild game innovations cameras are real junk. Either are poorly made or flat out don’t work out of the box.
User avatar
Ghost Hunter
Posts: 4891
Joined: Fri Nov 02, 2012 10:00 am
Location: South Arkansas
Status: Offline

Re: What's decent cheap trail camera?

Unread postby Ghost Hunter » Sat Jun 19, 2021 4:09 pm



Without doubt.
I'm reason they call it hunting and not shooting.
RatMe
Posts: 194
Joined: Fri Apr 21, 2017 5:51 am
Location: Maine
Status: Offline

Re: What's decent cheap trail camera?

Unread postby RatMe » Sat Jun 19, 2021 10:26 pm

I’ve moved to the tascos recently. I’ve had one bad experience out of ten cams or so.

I used to run the older “A” series Moultries and they were work horses for me 5-6 years with some.

Regardless of the cam, I try to treat them like they are electronics. Im overboard but it has helped. When I put 3 or 4 in my pack I wrap them in shirts or stuff them in old stretched out wool socks, I use grease on all the gaskets, and I use some type of silicone caulk on the creases and permanent connections. No science behind this just what I do.

I’m interested to see how many years I can get out of a tasco. The one that failed went “pink tint”. I’ve other cams do this before and not sure how to combat it.

The real question is will tasco “go good” when you purchase that $4 damage plan. Anyone done this? Lost cause I’d assume?
User avatar
Horizontal Hunter
500 Club
Posts: 2936
Joined: Thu Jul 31, 2014 1:08 pm
Location: Western Massachusetts
Status: Offline

Re: What's decent cheap trail camera?

Unread postby Horizontal Hunter » Sat Jun 19, 2021 11:44 pm

RatMe wrote:I’ve moved to the tascos recently. I’ve had one bad experience out of ten cams or so.

I used to run the older “A” series Moultries and they were work horses for me 5-6 years with some.

Regardless of the cam, I try to treat them like they are electronics. Im overboard but it has helped. When I put 3 or 4 in my pack I wrap them in shirts or stuff them in old stretched out wool socks, I use grease on all the gaskets, and I use some type of silicone caulk on the creases and permanent connections. No science behind this just what I do.

I’m interested to see how many years I can get out of a tasco. The one that failed went “pink tint”. I’ve other cams do this before and not sure how to combat it.

The real question is will tasco “go good” when you purchase that $4 damage plan. Anyone done this? Lost cause I’d assume?


I use the Tasco as well. Hard to beat at $28.88 from Wally World. They get scarce as hunting season approaches.

Bob



https://www.walmart.com/ip/Tasco-8MP-Tan-Trail-Camera-Low-Glow/55614224

Image

Image

Image
Vegetarian: vejiˈte(ə)rēən/noun: old Indian word for lousy hunter. :o

Excalibur Exocet, GT Laser II, 2" Bhoning Blazers 125g NAP Spitfire
User avatar
john1984
Posts: 4708
Joined: Mon Aug 01, 2011 8:08 am
Location: Wisconsin
Status: Offline

Re: What's decent cheap trail camera?

Unread postby john1984 » Sat Jun 19, 2021 11:51 pm

Some of the 29$ tascos have the time stamp ALOT smaller now . That's a negative in my view
User avatar
Horizontal Hunter
500 Club
Posts: 2936
Joined: Thu Jul 31, 2014 1:08 pm
Location: Western Massachusetts
Status: Offline

Re: What's decent cheap trail camera?

Unread postby Horizontal Hunter » Sun Jun 20, 2021 12:00 am

john1984 wrote:Some of the 29$ tascos have the time stamp ALOT smaller now . That's a negative in my view


This particular camera was purchased early this year. I wouldn’t want the date time stamp any smaller either.

It’s a good camera for the price and when one disappears I’m more aggravated about the lost pictures than the camera and home made mount.

I also like that it takes 8 AA batteries so it is easy to find some lithium batteries for the winter.

Bob

https://www.deerassociation.com/build-diy-trail-camera-mount/
Vegetarian: vejiˈte(ə)rēən/noun: old Indian word for lousy hunter. :o

Excalibur Exocet, GT Laser II, 2" Bhoning Blazers 125g NAP Spitfire
User avatar
peteherbst
Posts: 460
Joined: Fri Jul 13, 2018 6:04 am
Location: Southern WI
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: What's decent cheap trail camera?

Unread postby peteherbst » Sun Jun 20, 2021 12:05 am

I use a few Tascos and they work well but I believe they miss a lot. You can find $35 wild game innovations that work really well, but that’s a sale price. Moultree has a refurbished list that you can get on and buy those cheap as well.

FB marketplace is a good place to look for used cams as well. If looking new only but a little nicer, Camofire.com on Tuesdays has the deals.

Good luck!
“You have to pay your dues”
Ol Split ( ) Toes
500 Club
Posts: 675
Joined: Fri Aug 26, 2016 3:10 am
Status: Offline

Re: What's decent cheap trail camera?

Unread postby Ol Split ( ) Toes » Sun Jun 20, 2021 12:15 am

A cheap tasco also proves that beavers eat more than just wood they like salt licks too... :lol:
User avatar
Horizontal Hunter
500 Club
Posts: 2936
Joined: Thu Jul 31, 2014 1:08 pm
Location: Western Massachusetts
Status: Offline

Re: What's decent cheap trail camera?

Unread postby Horizontal Hunter » Sun Jun 20, 2021 12:36 am

peteherbst wrote:I use a few Tascos and they work well but I believe they miss a lot. You can find $35 wild game innovations that work really well, but that’s a sale price. Moultree has a refurbished list that you can get on and buy those cheap as well.

FB marketplace is a good place to look for used cams as well. If looking new only but a little nicer, Camofire.com on Tuesdays has the deals.

Good luck!


I haven’t noticed that. There isn’t a lot of blanks and it captures about the same pictures in that spot as my Bushnell does. I usually set my cams to take three pictures each time it is triggered.


Ol Split ( ) Toes wrote:A cheap tasco also proves that beavers eat more than just wood they like salt licks too... :lol:


Apparently they really like apples. He ate those 4 apples in one sitting before he left.

Bob
Vegetarian: vejiˈte(ə)rēən/noun: old Indian word for lousy hunter. :o

Excalibur Exocet, GT Laser II, 2" Bhoning Blazers 125g NAP Spitfire
Ol Split ( ) Toes
500 Club
Posts: 675
Joined: Fri Aug 26, 2016 3:10 am
Status: Offline

Re: What's decent cheap trail camera?

Unread postby Ol Split ( ) Toes » Sun Jun 20, 2021 12:45 am

Horizontal Hunter wrote:
peteherbst wrote:I use a few Tascos and they work well but I believe they miss a lot. You can find $35 wild game innovations that work really well, but that’s a sale price. Moultree has a refurbished list that you can get on and buy those cheap as well.

FB marketplace is a good place to look for used cams as well. If looking new only but a little nicer, Camofire.com on Tuesdays has the deals.

Good luck!


I haven’t noticed that. There isn’t a lot of blanks and it captures about the same pictures in that spot as my Bushnell does. I usually set my cams to take three pictures each time it is triggered.


Ol Split ( ) Toes wrote:A cheap tasco also proves that beavers eat more than just wood they like salt licks too... :lol:


Apparently they really like apples. He ate those 4 apples in one sitting before he left.

Bob

I was trying to figure out what those were.
KRONIIK
500 Club
Posts: 2576
Joined: Tue May 17, 2016 11:09 am
Status: Offline

Re: What's decent cheap trail camera?

Unread postby KRONIIK » Sun Jun 20, 2021 12:47 am

Horizontal Hunter wrote:
peteherbst wrote:I use a few Tascos and they work well but I believe they miss a lot. You can find $35 wild game innovations that work really well, but that’s a sale price. Moultree has a refurbished list that you can get on and buy those cheap as well.

FB marketplace is a good place to look for used cams as well. If looking new only but a little nicer, Camofire.com on Tuesdays has the deals.

Good luck!


I haven’t noticed that. There isn’t a lot of blanks and it captures about the same pictures in that spot as my Bushnell does. I usually set my cams to take three pictures each time it is triggered.


Ol Split ( ) Toes wrote:A cheap tasco also proves that beavers eat more than just wood they like salt licks too... :lol:


Apparently they really like apples. He ate those 4 apples in one sitting before he left.

Bob

Both beavers and porcupines are notorious salt-cravers; they'll chew up sweat-stained axe handles just for the perspiration salt.

And I'm not surprised to learn that beavers like apples too.
When I was a kid I caught a few muskrats using apples for bait in 110 Connibears.
User avatar
Horizontal Hunter
500 Club
Posts: 2936
Joined: Thu Jul 31, 2014 1:08 pm
Location: Western Massachusetts
Status: Offline

Re: What's decent cheap trail camera?

Unread postby Horizontal Hunter » Sun Jun 20, 2021 2:02 am

KRONIIK wrote:Both beavers and porcupines are notorious salt-cravers; they'll chew up sweat-stained axe handles just for the perspiration salt.

And I'm not surprised to learn that beavers like apples too.
When I was a kid I caught a few muskrats using apples for bait in 110 Connibears.


I used to be surprised at what I saw at the mineral block. Over the years I have seen everything on the mineral blocks.

I was surprised by the apples but when I thought about it it made sense as they love fruit wood. I’m still surprised that he ate all four in one sitting

Bob
Vegetarian: vejiˈte(ə)rēən/noun: old Indian word for lousy hunter. :o

Excalibur Exocet, GT Laser II, 2" Bhoning Blazers 125g NAP Spitfire


  • Advertisement

Return to “Deer Hunting”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Luv2BowHunt and 73 guests