Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Posted

With today being opening day for turkey season, I'm sure this post won't be the most popular, but I'm looking for your opinions on the best cell cam you have had experience with. I hunt over an hour away with usually a 2 mile hike in and I'd like to take a different approach this year using trail/cell cams a little more than in the past. Everything I've read online has varying reviews/opinions but ideally I'd like to hang the camera high in the tree so a good range and picture quality would be ideal. I am leaning towards getting a solar panel for it, as well so I don't have to swap out batteries often. Any other recommendations are welcome and encouraged.

Thanks and good luck to everyone that are out today!

Posted (edited)

Are you baiting? This will have a lot to do with longevity of your batteries . Anyway I use Covert and never had any problems. Pictures are clear, even pictures coming through your cell phone, the cam has many great features like remote control of your camera. This means any settings can be changed on your phone without any trips to the cam. It takes 12 Aa batteries and they last at least 2 months, even Over busy mineral sight. I bought rechargeable batteries, have been using them for over a year, and they work well and cheap. Number one thing you need to check is the strength of you cell signal where you intend place the camera. Is ATT good in your area or is it Verizon? Makes no difference what your cell phone is on, you can use ATT or Verizon cam but you need good signal to avoid headaches

Edited by Lunatic
Posted
6 minutes ago, Lunatic said:

Are you baiting? This will have a lot to do with longevity of your batteries . Anyway I use Covert and never had any problems. Pictures are clear, even pictures coming through your cell phone, the cam has many great features like remote control of your camera. This means any settings can be changed on your phone without any trips to the cam. It takes 12 Aa batteries and they last at least 2 months, even Over busy mineral sight. I bought rechargeable batteries, have been using them for over a year, and they work well and cheap. Number one thing you need to check is the strength of you cell signal where you intend place the camera. Is ATT good in your area or is it Verizon? Makes no difference what your cell phone is on, you can use ATT or Verizon cam but you need good signal to avoid headaches

No - I don't bait. I have Verizon and usually I have good service in that area with my cell phone so I was leaning towards Verizon just to play it safe. Which Covert do you run, if you don't mind me asking? Thanks for the help!

Posted (edited)
11 minutes ago, VFL said:

No - I don't bait. I have Verizon and usually I have good service in that area with my cell phone so I was leaning towards Verizon just to play it safe. Which Covert do you run, if you don't mind me asking? Thanks for the help!

Code Black LTE 

I don’t bait as well and the batteries last a very long time. No need for solar panel unless you don’t intend going for several months. 

Edited by Lunatic
Posted
4 minutes ago, Lunatic said:

Code Black LTE 

I don’t bait as well and the batteries last a very long time. No need for solar panel unless you don’t intend going for several months. 

Got it - good to know about the solar panel. Thanks again! 

Posted

Moultrie Mobile 

XV 6000. 

Zero issues past year, excellent customer service when I did call. 

Can pay for images sent by the month without a contract.

I only use lithium batteries for best results. 

Posted

I have 7 Spartan cams love them cost me 5 dollars each a month on my Verizon account for unlimited plus 3 dollars a month for Spartans premium service for unlimited pictures to my phone

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

"Don't forget that you're First Marines! Not all the Communists in hell can overrun you!" - Chesty Puller
 

Posted

Thanks for all the input. Has anyone ever used the tactacam reveal? Just trying to figure out why they are significantly cheaper than the one's previously mentioned unless it's a "you get what you pay for" deal. They seem to have pretty good reviews..

Posted (edited)

Depends on what you want to spend

The cheapest way is the Spypoint Cell-Link which is a modem that connects to your conventional trail camera and it sends pictures to your phone, you can find it from $50 to $60, it works as I have one, but Spypoint's customer service isn't good.

Another way to go is with the new Moultrie Delta which should be out any day now, it will sell for $99.00, as well as the Tactacam Reveal if you can find it also the Reveal X will be out soon as well, I plan on buying the Moultrie Delta

If money isn't a issue then you can choose between the Spartan, Covert, Ridgetec, Reconyx, or the Browning Defender Pro Scout

Best thing to do is goto the area you will put your camera out and see how many bars you have on your cell phone.....This will give you a idea what service to get with the camera, but cell cameras get better reception then phones due to the external antenna

No matter the brand, don't have it set up to send you pictures each time it takes a picture you will drain the batteries quickly as it uses them to take a picture and then connect to the cell phone tower, have it set up to send in clusters or at a certain time

I did alot of research before my purchase and it came down to two cameras, the Spartan Ghost and the Ridgetec Dual. I spoke to Mike from herd360.com (thank you Mattg1500) who is very knowledgeable about cell cams. He broke down why he would give the edge to Ridgetec:

Slightly smaller in size

Slightly better pictures

Much better videos

Designer of Spartan is the designer, & Co-Owner of Ridgetec

Customer service for both are excellent 

Battery life is slightly better (last year batteries lasted 7 months for me Lithiums)

Trigger speed is better

 

Ridgetec comes with two SIM Cards, one Verizon and one AT&T therefore you will NOT be locked into one cell company...So if you use the camera with a Verizon SIM Card and then decide to move the camera somewhere else and Verizon service isn't good, then you just replace the SIM card with the AT&T SIM Card

I ended up purchasing a Ridgetec Dual from https://www.herd360.com/ use coupon code winter16 for discount

I do recommend to purchase a lock box for the camera you pick out, it protects it from the elements and when bolted or screwed to the tree with python cable lock will help keep criminals from stealing your property 

Edited by BHC
Posted
14 hours ago, BHC said:

 

No matter the brand, don't have it set up to send you pictures each time it takes a picture you will drain the batteries quickly as it uses them to take a picture and then connect to the cell phone tower, have it set up to send in clusters or at a certain time

 

Not true with Covert, pictures come in as they are taken and no issues with batteries. in fact Covert has no option to send pics in batches 

Posted
15 hours ago, BHC said:

Depends on what you want to spend

The cheapest way is the Spypoint Cell-Link which is a modem that connects to your conventional trail camera and it sends pictures to your phone, you can find it from $50 to $60, it works as I have one, but Spypoint's customer service isn't good.

Another way to go is with the new Moultrie Delta which should be out any day now, it will sell for $99.00, as well as the Tactacam Reveal if you can find it also the Reveal X will be out soon as well, I plan on buying the Moultrie Delta

If money isn't a issue then you can choose between the Spartan, Covert, Ridgetec, Reconyx, or the Browning Defender Pro Scout

Best thing to do is goto the area you will put your camera out and see how many bars you have on your cell phone.....This will give you a idea what service to get with the camera, but cell cameras get better reception then phones due to the external antenna

No matter the brand, don't have it set up to send you pictures each time it takes a picture you will drain the batteries quickly as it uses them to take a picture and then connect to the cell phone tower, have it set up to send in clusters or at a certain time

I did alot of research before my purchase and it came down to two cameras, the Spartan Ghost and the Ridgetec Dual. I spoke to Mike from herd360.com (thank you Mattg1500) who is very knowledgeable about cell cams. He broke down why he would give the edge to Ridgetec:

Slightly smaller in size

Slightly better pictures

Much better videos

Designer of Spartan is the designer, & Co-Owner of Ridgetec

Customer service for both are excellent 

Battery life is slightly better (last year batteries lasted 7 months for me Lithiums)

Trigger speed is better

 

Ridgetec comes with two SIM Cards, one Verizon and one AT&T therefore you will NOT be locked into one cell company...So if you use the camera with a Verizon SIM Card and then decide to move the camera somewhere else and Verizon service isn't good, then you just replace the SIM card with the AT&T SIM Card

I ended up purchasing a Ridgetec Dual from https://www.herd360.com/ use coupon code winter16 for discount

I do recommend to purchase a lock box for the camera you pick out, it protects it from the elements and when bolted or screwed to the tree with python cable lock will help keep criminals from stealing your property 

Huge thank you for the info! I will definitely look into the Ridgetec Dual, now.

One last question considering you mentioned the lock box/theft - do you hang yours higher up in the tree? If so, how are the pictures/range from up there?

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...