A pictorial history of an addiction
 

Hey guys, we all got our start somewhere, right? Here is a pictorial history of my addiction. Who knew when my wife bought me my first camera 20 yrs ago, with just the intentionof scouting the deer woods, it would turn into this;A Full Blown ADDICTION!!

This ismy first unit. It consisted of a infrared transmitter and a receiver that you could place up to 90ft apart. The camera was seperate and didn't have to be placed right with the units. Ironically enough, the infrared units still work but I had a house fire about ten years ago and since then, the camera has never worked. I think I could still get a replacement camera for about $400.00. This unit is called the trailmaster, came from a company in Kansas that is still in business. Total price for camera and IR units, $450.00



This is my second unit, which my wife also bought for me at Christmas. A real piece of junk but amazingly enough, took pretty good pictures. Lasted about 5yrs and died. This is a moultrie game watcher, purchased at wally-world. Price, $100.00



This is the pointwhere the addiction really begin to take over. I started buying these units off of ebay. I ended up buying about four of them....I just couldn't stop! They are the camtrakker 35mm. Took great pictures but film and batteries only lasted about 1-2 weeks. Avg. usedprice paid $100.00 per unit. New price; $429.00



Here are my current "drugs of choice." Two Moultrie I-40s, Reconyx RC55. Moultries $219.00 each, Reconyx $550.00



Here is an ultrasound picture of the soon-to-be newest member of my family. Stealth cam I590. $98.00



Well, there's my story of addiction, now tell me yours!!

Blessings.....Pastorjim

RE: A pictorial history of an addiction
 

well I got a 35mm camera for my birthday about 3 yrs. ago but it didnt last long because of the price of film and batteries but then this past august i but my dad a stealtcamTL and it seems to be working good ill be checking it in a day or so but i plan on getting another camera in the not so far future assuming my funds will hold it up.

RE: A pictorial history of an addiction
 

Ultra-sound of the newby ~ you are a funny guy - LOL!

Good stuff PJ08!!!

Off Topic - There is a company in Indiana called BreenSpeed, they work on the new Mustang body style (+2005).
I might be driving my Mustang down there fall 2010 to get a "MakeOver" on the motor and maybe a hunt while I'm in the big state.
Trying to convince the wife I need an extra 200HP for the convertible and another deer hunt I have to pay for, ya-right!!!
If so, I'll have to look you up for a cup of coffee...

RE: A pictorial history of an addiction
 

Ed,

I'll look forward to that. Nothing like a couple of addicts getting together to share addictions. Where is this event in Indiana?

Blessings.....Pastorjim

RE: A pictorial history of an addiction
 

I also have an i-40 and i love the quality of the pics. The trigger time on mine is also very good.

I have also liked what i have seen and heard of the Stealth Cam, (90 foot flash range). For the price that is a can not beat. Pics seem fine too.

I am going to warn you that i have had a Stealth Cam and i was not satisfied, but that camera is a lot better then the one that i had.

RE: A pictorial history of an addiction
 

You got me thinking Jim. If I remember correctly my first trail camera was made by Trail Timer. I did a search on the internet and couldn't find a picture of it.

It was a platform that I put a 35mm camera on with another platform resting on top of the camera. A plunger button would push down the button on the camera to take a picture. I would duct tape the sides to try and keep the weather from the camera. It was quite the "rig job."

I have to see if its still laying around and take a picture of it. It worked awful and was a waste of money....but at the time it was the way to go.

RE: A pictorial history of an addiction
 

janesburg I remember those they were green and had wing nuts to hold the camera in place on the platform.
My first camera was a Buckshot 35 which I paid $400.00 for. Then like Jim I bought a Camtracker (top of the line back then) for $429.00, then I bought 3 cheap Stealthcam 35MM cams for like $20.00 a peice.
Next was my 1st digital cam which was a Moultrie D-40, then I purchased and I-40. My next 4 cams were Wildview VGA.'s for $35.00 each.
Then last year I bought a Cuddieback Capture for $170.00.
Then this past Dec. I bought 4 Wildview Extreme 4's for $26.00 each after the rebate.
Below is a pick of my Buckshot 35 it is a well built cam ( the thing is bear proof) and takes great pics just like it did the day I bought it. I have been actually recently thinking about trying to find a digital camera with similar dimensions as the Minolta 35 mm cam that came with it so I can turn into modified homebrew. Pike

RE: A pictorial history of an addiction
 

Pike...yep they had wing nuts. Its driving me nuts trying to find a picture of it.[:@]

RE: A pictorial history of an addiction
 

I remember it well!! At the time trail timer came out with it (it might have been the 1st. trail cam on the market) I was having fun putting my 5 trail timers with the string that just recorded the date and time of the 1st deer that
pulled the string out of the loop as it passed by. I use to put the string on the trail pretty high up so only bucks could set it off. Then they came out with their trail cam and I really wanted one of them but could not afford them at the time since I was still in college.

Jim I forgot to mention that this is a great topic!! Thanks for taking us down memory lane! Pike

RE: A pictorial history of an addiction
 

Pike,

Thanks alot. Sounds as if you have been addicted as long as I have. I wondered if anybody would mention the first trailtimer with the string. I had a buddy that rigged up a string to a wrist watch and when something came by, it would stop the watch at that time. Only trouble was, it only worked for one event. Actually, the very first unit I had took the best pictures overall but it was limited by the roll of film capacity and batteries. As I mentioned in my original post, I could get a replacement camera for that unit for around 400.00. Sometimes I'm tempted but that's just how us addicts are!

Blessings.....Pastorjim

RE: A pictorial history of an addiction
 

North Webster, IN ~ I believe this is the Warsaw area??

RE: A pictorial history of an addiction
 

Ed,

You are correct. That is about an1.5hr from where I live and about 20min from where I hunt.

Blessings.....Pastorjim

RE: A pictorial history of an addiction
 

I'm a 3rd year newbie to the trailcam addiction. My wife bought one for me as a birthday gift in late July of 07after I had done a lot ofresearch on what I thought wanted.Ended up being a homebrew with a P41 Sony cam. Had it out one week and after getting what I thought were a few pretty nice picsI asked what she planned on getting me for Xmas, since according to her, I'm always hard to buy for.Needless to say Christmas came in August for me that year,with another cam identical to the first.

At that point I thought I had all I needed, but not to be the case of course. I was hooked.Then winter came and I had too much time to think about how much activity I was missing with just two cams.After all, therewas a lot of area left yet to be covered. I was looking into attempting a build of my own when I stumbled upon an even better deal than I got on the first two. The guy had a pair for sale, and they happened to be the same as what I had, so I told him I would take one of them. When I told the wife of my good fortunein finding such a good deal, she insisted I contact him to see if the other was still available. It was, so that made 4. :D

Ok, I'm good to go. Can't possible justify any more cams and I'm entirely happy withthe 4I have. Well, to make a long story short, that was a year ago. Now the count is up to 7. No more, no way....however I have been seeing some pretty nice video's lately that guys are getting and it has gotten my attention more than it should.....nah, no way, no how.....

RE: A pictorial history of an addiction
 

Don,

Sure it's enough, Ha! You might be able toconvinceyour wife ofthat but you'll never be able tofool the rest of usaddicts.:D:D:D My fourth arrived today, I'll be setting them out this weekend.

Blessings.....Pastorjim

RE: A pictorial history of an addiction
 

Love it....awesome...

ps - you will love the Stealth cam...trust me!!!

RE: A pictorial history of an addiction
 

Pastorjim--I hope to someday have that many cameras..Very cool

RE: A pictorial history of an addiction
 

My first was a Cuddeback 35mm, dont remember the model. But anyways I had it set up in front of a big apple tree. I was always so excited to go and check it and then to get the pics developed. Then some worthless SOB decided to steal it. That was in 05/06. I decided to give the digital cams a try this past March and bought another Cuddeback. Decided on a Capture and never looked back, the digital camera is so easy to use that I purchased a second Capture within a month. I check my cams every day or my dad does while Im at work, we both really enjoy it.

RE: A pictorial history of an addiction
 

Good deal Pastorjim. Looking forward to seeing some more of your pics. We've had almost a week straight of rain since I last checked mine. Might not be much on the cams for me tomorrow.....

RE: A pictorial history of an addiction
 

I got my first camera for my 13th birthday in 2003. It was a Non-typical Deer Cam DC-100. It worked up until 2005.




In October of 2006,I bought a Cabelas edition Moultrie 4.1. That camera worked until mid-2008 and took over 4,000 pictures. I used it with the solar charger.




After that,I bought a Stealth Cam I450 in the Fall of 2007. It worked for less then a year.




I replaced that camera with a Stealth Cam I550 in the fall of 2008.




I went through two of those,and Stealth cam is nowsending me a I590.




I also turned in my old DC-100 on a Cuddeback Capture in March that i am very pleased with.




Overall, the 6 cameras that i have owned for the last 7years have taken over 5,000 pictures(that i have kept), the most of which weretaken in 2007 (2,800, with 1,100 being in September).

:DIm addicted

RE: A pictorial history of an addiction
 

Caleb,

Saying your addicted is probably a gross understatement.:D:D Thanks for responding to this post with all those great pictures.

Blessings.....Pastorjim