Game Camera Recommendations

[HankB]

Does anyone have a recommendation for a game camera that will trigger at a reasonable distance for small animals like raccoons, possums, squirrels, and such? Night picture capability is a must. Bluetooth (so I can check the images on my tablet or phone) would be nice, but not essential.

[cordex]

Check out the Spypoint models.  They are cellular cameras with built-in SIM cards.  You get 100 free photos a month and if you want more than that you can buy a plan.

They have adjustable sensitivity, but I know they'll trigger for squirrels, raccoons, possums, and birds because I have had to sort out a lot of junk from those.

Mount position matters a lot if you're trying to detect small animals.

[Ben]

Yeah, the cellular ones are super handy. I'm using Stealthcams, just because I got a good deal on the first one at Costco. I do find moist all gamecams a little glitchy, and I have like four different brands. I 95% of the time just use photo vs video, so it might have something to do with it, but there are a lot of times when I know something is out there, but the camera doesn't go off until whatever it is leaves the field of view. I have a Stealthcam setup on my driveway where I run laps, and I will often see that it doesn't capture the image when I run by it until I'm out of the field of view.

I also recommend going solar. I have the Stealthcam solar battery packs (which will work with multiple brand cameras), and they just run and run. Otherwise you go through a lot of AA batteries.

One of my best cameras is one with built-in solar - some Amazon Chinese brand (non-cellular) that I got for like $70, and is the best of my cameras for capturing stuff. They don't seem to make it (or at least that model) anymore though.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B2HYVDVS

EDIT: Oh, regarding "small animals", all my cameras capture rockchucks, skunks, coons, pheasant, even quail.

[RocketMan]

I do find moist all gamecams a little glitchy, and I have like four different brands.

If you don't let your games cams get moist, they probably won't glitch.

[Ben]

If you don't let your games cams get moist, they probably won't glitch.

Ha ha - actually it turns out "moist" is a glitch too. I will often have condensation on the lens on early morning images which looks like heavy fog, and you can only make out outlines of the game. 

[bedlamite]

After having a couple stolen, I started getting the cheap $30 Tasco cameras from Mal-Wart. Better pics than I expected and they trigger pretty easy.