Best Winter Trail Camera?

[knightcc]

Hi Everyone

I have quite a few whitetails yarded up behind our farm and I know there is a couple big boys that made it through the season with them. I haven't used trail cameras before so I am looking for some advice. Can anyone recommend a camera that would perform half decent in the cold winter months? I have put out a couple big round bales of alfalfa hay but any other tips in terms of using or positioning cameras would be helpful as well.

Thanks

[Ron.C]

I think the battery may play more of a factor then the camera. My Moultries "cheap cameras" are made for 6 D cells. I soldered in a pos/neg wire, ran it to an external 12v batt and the cameras last upwards of a month on one battery. I also used some of my wifes "fleece trimmings" from her sewing room to wrap the battery when in the field. Cold does effect this, but you have to start with good batteries

[snareman1234]

I have a bushnell trophy cam 5.0mp

not cheap at 250, but, batteries I put in last spring and it has been out since and has taken hundreds of photos aswell, and battery is still half full.

its been out at -16, no problems,

[UWAY Outdoors Canada]

I agree with Ron about the batteries playing a big roll in cameras. Also, you need to look at the standby current....the camera should have a low standby current to last long during the cold.

Energizer makes Lithium AA that are rated from -20 to -30C. They can get a little pricey.... I just bought a few 4 battery packs for $9.95 a pack this week at Walmart ($2.50 per battery).

NiMH batteries also do quite well in the cold, however this depends a bit on the manufacturer and mAh rating of the battery. We have had best luck with AccuEvolution 4500 mAh Low Discharge NiMH and Tenergy 5000 mAh NiMH rechargable batteries. Again, they are a little pricey, but they last forever and can recharge many times (~$6 per battery in USA online).

Attached are 3 pictures I pulled off the cameras this week....they are starting to drop antler here.

http://www.trailnsecuritycameras.ca/cold_1.jpg
http://www.trailnsecuritycameras.ca/cold_2.jpg
http://www.trailnsecuritycameras.ca/cold_3.jpg

[killer]

Whenever i can get back up to my cameras i will post and tell you how well it works .The first time we have put them out , it snowed and has not gone away .We are going to try tomorrow , am excited to see pics as there was a lot of sign where they are total wintering grounds. Fingers crossed for tomorrow.

[gon_fishn]

I got a wildview and set it up 6 days ago,went back today and it has no life in it,It was cold -30,so will have to see if any pics show up, lots of tracks around cam in fresh snow?don't recommend this cam yet,will have to play arond somemore.

[ThinAir]

I think the newer ones that take the AA batteries are great. I've got the Bushnell Trophy cam and have had the batt's running for a couple months now....no problems.

I had a couple older ones with D's and they were pretty much useless in colder weather.

[Mountain Hunter]

I agree with Ron about the batteries playing a big roll in cameras. Also, you need to look at the standby current....the camera should have a low standby current to last long during the cold.

Energizer makes Lithium AA that are rated from -20 to -30C. They can get a little pricey.... I just bought a few 4 battery packs for $9.95 a pack this week at Walmart ($2.50 per battery).

NiMH batteries also do quite well in the cold, however this depends a bit on the manufacturer and mAh rating of the battery. We have had best luck with AccuEvolution 4500 mAh Low Discharge NiMH and Tenergy 5000 mAh NiMH rechargable batteries. Again, they are a little pricey, but they last forever and can recharge many times (~$6 per battery in USA online).




I appreciate your view and opinion on the batteries.

I have also used some decent batteries, Panasonic 3000mAh, and also believe using decent NiMH makes a huge difference in performance.

I use a few old Moultrie I40, and a couple old Reconyx cams and they both work well in the winter between the varying temps of +5 C to -30C in the winter for about 2 months before needing battery replacement.