Help me choose a trail cam

[Okanagan]

Someone suggested I pick up a trail cam for my grandson to set up on the log where the cougar walked.  Good idea!

I know so little about trail cams that I can't understand the sales descriptions.  And I am not going to spend much at this stage of this grampa project.  WING Supply sent me an ad today with Trail cam sales featured.  Which would you pick of the three listed below, or do you know of a better one for the price?  I'm gonna wince to spend $75.  They were a hot link to WING when I copied them but apparently do not paste in that way.  Any counsel appreciated, but I'm a tightwad on this one.

I would like color non-flash pics in daytime, and non-flash infrared at night.  I don't even know if these listed have those features and don't know enough to figure that out by reading descriptions of them.  Too many people close by to have the thing flash.

Moultrie Game Spy D-50 5MP Trail Camera - Clearance $66.66

Stealth Cam Sniper IR 5MP Digital Scouting Camera - Clearance $79.95

Wildview Infrared Xtreme 5MP Digital Scouting Camera - Clearance $79.95

[HaMeR]

Here's the one I have. It takes very nice pics & real good videos. They make a a bigger mega-pixel one now that uses a larger SD card. this one will only use a 2GB SD card.
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Wildgame-Innovations-20-Megapixel-Camera-with-Strobe-Flash/751991.uts?Ntk=AllProducts&searchPath=%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch%2F%3FN%3D%26No%3D40%26Ntk%3DAllProducts%26Ntt%3Dtrail%2Bcams%26Ntx%3Dmode%252Bmatchall%26WTz_l%3DHeader%253BSearch-All%2BProducts%26WTz_stype%3DSP%26form_state%3DsearchForm%26search%3Dtrail%2Bcams&Ntt=trail+cams&WTz_l=Header;Search-All Products

[Tikaani]

Ok, I tend to by cheap when it comes to trail cams, for fear of someone coming along and helping themselves to my stuff but mainly bears.  Cubs seem to be the worse, if they can't eat, play with it or $hit on it they will tear it apart.  I have a cheap Stealth Cam and it has been very good to me, it has held up to the weather and other abuse and the pictures are clear enough.  Just my 2cents.

John

[KySongDog]

Here is a site that has lots of trail cam reviews that may help you decide.

  http://www.chasingame.com/index.php?id=2

[iahntr]

Moultrie Game Spy D-50 5MP Trail Camera - Clearance $66.66 this one is a flash camera, and not IR.
Stealth Cam Sniper IR 5MP Digital Scouting Camera - Clearance $79.95 this one has a pretty slow trigger speed, which means a lotta pics with nothin in em.
Wildview Infrared Xtreme 5MP Digital Scouting Camera - Clearance $79.95 these can be a little more unreliable and have a lotta white out pics.
so out of those choices I'd probably choose this one - http://www.wingsupply.com/shop/Scripts/prodViewSKU.asp?SKU=WGIIR4 
The thing with these cheaper IR cameras the night time picture range isn't quite as good, and usually these ones that take 4 c cell batteries don't last as long as some of the ones that take the 4-8 AA batteries. So if ya want "all the goodies" ya usually have to pay for em,  but like John mentioned too, in a lot of cases it's hard to stick a couple hundred bucks out on a tree. That's a good site that Semp put up there too, a lotta good info from tests they've done on all the different cameras. The camera I put up there (which I do not have first hand experience with, just was in the $ range and from the place you posted) is from the same company HaMer put up, just the IR model and 4 mp instead of 2mp.

[Okanagan]

Thank you for all the good info!  As usual, folks here know a lot I don't.

Semp, that's a great site for reviews. 

Iahntr, thanks for the link to the 4 mp call.  That one gets a good review on the tester site Semp linked.  I need to talk to my son but I think I'll order that one today for my grandsons to put up and see what's around their place.

Thank you!!!

[iahntr]

Cool. Hope it works out for ya !

[HaMeR]

They make the WIldGame cameras in 6 & 8 MP too. But they are $150 & $180.

[Okanagan]

Thank you, all.  Checked on a few more but ordered the one iahntr linked.   It is Hamer's rig bumped up to 4mp.

We should get a lot of coon pics on that log, some coyotes, a few bobcats and hopefully a cougar.  We should get some blacktail deer walking past as well.

The trail cam should be a good link to stay in touch with the grandsons.  They live four hours from me, so they can send pics.

[HaMeR]

Cool!! I'm glad you found one. My SIL bought mine for me last year & he went & bought the 4MP this year. I'm gonna drop a bug in his ear about an upgrade. 

Oh yeah. Check out the video on it when you set it up. Video on mine doesn't have a time/date stamp but they are very good videos if you're interested in that. And get a 2nd SD card so you can swap em out & leave quickly.

good thing the edit function still works 

[FinsnFur]

They make metal lock boxes too that you padlock to the tree with your camera inside to prevent your camera from being stolen or molested by an animal.

[pitw]

  Just a warning here  ,  expect no sympathy from me when the threads about stolen camera's start rolling in .

[Okanagan]

  Just a warning here  ,  expect no sympathy from me when the threads about stolen camera's start rolling in .

You got a deal!  No sympathy expected!   

We will test the trail cam in the back yard and if there is any detectable sound or light flash, we won't put it out on the log.  It is too close to joggers and people on the paved trail, though it would be deeply out of sight.   The log is on private land, behind a tight barb wire fence, but the main thief deterrant is the THICK, stickery brush that is wet most of the time.  NOBODY walks through the woods off a trail around there except hunters and people with a working purpose.

This thing should be a fun toy. 

[pitw]

  Out here where I am people are putting them every where and the forum's are full of people crying cause they get stolen.  I took one myself from my private land and left a note for the person telling them where to pick it up, nobody showed .  I detest the idea of being under surveillance on my outdoor adventures and especially on my own land.  Wouldn't be a lot of fun finding your pic on the net with your pants down now would it.

[5 SHOTS]

  Wouldn't be a lot of fun finding your pic on the net with your pants down now would it.

Thanks a LOT Barry,    now I need to start wearing a disguise. 

[nailbender]

 How about an update? Kinda shopping myself,, Lotta  new stuff coming out since this post was fresh.

[Carolina Coyote]

The new Bushnell HD has been doing a good job for me and Bushnell has been very good to stand behind their product to replace if you have a problem with them, they use 8 AA batteries and last for year . From time to time you can find them on sale for around $150.00 . CC

[nailbender]

 I'm thinking of cheaper models. Too many trespassers on the property to leave expensive cameras around.