Looking for any opinions/recommedations on trail cameras. Not much desire to spend a fortune, looking for a "beginers model" that is a quality piece for the money.

and also

Does anyone have the link to the website that descrides how to make your own trail camera?

Thanks
Toby

Be careful. I love my www.camtrakker.com for 450.00 dollars. I change 4 batteries about 3 to max of 4 times a year.

A guy bought a stealthcam from walmart for 150.00 dollars.

But 8 batteries only last 21 days. With what he tells me even less.

So figure this. Correct me if I am wrong 4 batteries 5 dollars. So 8 would be 10 dollar and 17 times a year changed.

150.00 dollars for camera.
170.00 dollars for batteries a year.

320.oo dollars



Host of The Missouri Sportsmen's Radio Show

www.mosportsmen.com

I would be careful some of those so called game camera will cost you almost as much in batteries. Like I always say you get what you pay for.

This is by far the best page on the net to learn and find out about which camera to get. http://www.jesseshuntingpage.com/

My self I would only buy another www.camtrakker.com if I was going to by one.

Host of The Missouri Sportsmen's Radio Show

www.mosportsmen.com

Horntagger is right, go to Jesse's and learn to build your own. I've build 5 digital game cameras now and they are great! They cost me around $250 each and I never have to pay for developing again. I've been building them like crazy for my buddies. If you want to stick with a 35mm they can tell you how to build one very cheap. Good luck!

--------------------------------------------
Hunting the Piney Woods of Deep East Texas.

trailtimer's photohunter ($250) is also very good on batteries. It's a simple model, very easy to use (i think most of them out there are easy to use).

I think I goofed on mine by wrapping the film too far into the camera when I put it in and it got snagged up. Since then it doesn't always take a picture when there's an event. Also, the ads say it's waterproof, that is a crock. I drain water out of mine just about every time I move it. Some of the connections are starting to get rusty.

Overall I'm very happy with it though. I've taken hundreds of pictures. I still can't believe the deer that pass through the property I hunt. I had no idea!!!

I've only had it out of the woods for one afternoon in a year and 4 months!!! Also, it takes pics all year round where I've heard some models have problems in really cold weather. I actually got more pictures in December and January then any other month.

I really wish it had a time AND date stamp. With the photohunter you can only have time or date. It'd be a nice feature.

I use the Trailtimer Photohunter. Its really easy to usea and takes really great pictures! Rackluster said he's had water in his. I've never had a drop, and its been in woods since mid July. Its really good on batteries. I still have the original ones I put in when bought it. I am going to change them this week because I don't want to miss any pictures. This is the best toy I've bought in 10 years! Its amazing what you learn about deer with this camera. I'm at about 200 pictures since mid July, its really fun!

Good Luck!

PRACTICE....PRACTICE....PRACTICE......SUCCESS!

You cant go wrong with the Non-Typical Deercam.. $235 bucks and they take as good or better pictures than anything out there... They have a beginners mode and advanced mode...so being user friendly is a great advantage... using a 9 volt battery mine last for 3-4 months long.... now figure cost per year with a 2 dollar battery! Plus with a two-year warranty, you cant go wrong with a Non-Typical Deercam!

Thanks, for the help guys.

I am actually doing a little research now tabulating what it will cost me to make my own. Not only trying to find a camera but also trying to decide which camera is the best quality as well as being easy to wire.

on the other hand..both the Photohunter and the Non-Typical did catch my eye as they are affordable and both got descent reviews on Jesse's website.

Thanks,
Toby

One thing I've never heard about home made trail cameras is how good they are on batteries. Anyone know?

That can be such a big expense. The photohunter is one 9volt for the motion sensor and 2 AA's for the camera (I use lithium). I think I've changed the batteries 4 times in 16 months.

Rackluster,

I have been researching Jesse's Hunting Pages (JHP) on how to build my own. I have noticed that most of the simple, straight forward setups are just as you explained, 1 9V for the sensor and 2 AA's for the camera and they last about 3 to 4 months. However, I'm no power or wiring expert, but from what I'm reading since these are custom units so are the power supplies. They are using everything you can think of from standard 6V & 9V batteries to rechargeable cordless drill and RC car batteries to 12V car batteries. One setup I saw actually had a recharging solar cell panel built in and he never changed his batteries. Not to mention these guys are always figuring out ways to reduce the power consumption on the sensors.

Toby