Trail Cameras For Bowhunters

November 16, 2010 By Lon E. Lauber

Whether scouting whitetails in the back woodlot, spotting muleys across canyons, or recording bowhunting memories, you'll find the right Trail Cameras here.

By Lon E. Lauber

IN THE PLAY HARD, work hard world we call bowhunting, keep one simple thought in mind: If you can't see 'em you can't kill 'em! And to see them you need technical glass to get the job done. Let's look at some trail cameras that will help you find, see, and kill more game -- and record more bowhunting memories.

Day 6 Outdoors
The unique PlotWatcher ($219), a time-lapse HD video camera, does not rely on motion or heat sensors to record activity. Rather, it captures 68-degree, wide-angle jpeg still images at either 5 or 10-second intervals, regardless of whether animals are present. The GameFinder video player software (included) threads the images into a video file for easy viewing in forward, reverse, and various replay speeds. Or, for detailed study, you can scroll through the video frame by frame. You can even speed up the review process by using the MotionSearch feature to skip to the next frame that shows motion. The GameFinder software also allows you to easily build and share HD video clips and images with others. For this old-school bowhunter, simple operation is key, and with just one dial the PlotWatcher qualifies. Simply rotate the button to select the time-lapse interval, plug in a USB-style thumb drive, and turn the unit on. With just four AA batteries, the camera records more than 84 hours of daylight time-lapse video. CONTACT: Day 6 Outdoors, (706) 256-2578, www.day6outdoors.com

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Bushnell
Bushnell's Trophy Cam ($275-$345) fits in the palm of your hand, runs off of four or eight AA batteries, and will continue to take photos for up to a year on the same set of lithium AA batteries. For 2010, the Trophy Cam line includes the following new features: 32 Infrared Night Vision LEDs; 3MP, 5MP, or 8MP resolution settings; use of SD Cards up to 16GB; video resolution of 720x480; and acceptance of a python-style security lock system. Trigger speed is 1 second -- with image intervals from 0 seconds to 1 hour -- and you can record in one to three-shot bursts, and video from 1-60 seconds. The small size of this camera makes it a winner for monitoring water sources and wallows on backcountry elk hunts. It's also ideal for keeping size and weight to a minimum when you're flying to hunting destinations.

CONTACT: Bushnell, 1-800-423-3537, www.bushnell.com

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Stealth Cam
Stealth Cam's new Prowler HD ($299) has it all. With 1280x720 HD digital video with full audio; 1.3MP, 3MP, and 8MP still images programmable in one to nine-shot bursts; 54 infrared emitters with a 40' nighttime range; video clips adjustable between 5 and 300 seconds; and date/time/temperature/moon phase settings, you can set it up just about any way you want. The Prowler accepts up to 16GB SD cards, and it has a jack for attachment to Stealth Cam's 12V external battery kit, a great option considering that nothing is more frustrating than coming back to a hunting site, tingling with anticipation to see trail cam images, only to find out the batteries died! This option eliminates that frustration.

CONTACT: Stealth Cam, 1-877-269-8490, www.stealthcam.net

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Cuddeback
As a professional photographer, I must be able to view and organize my images instantly, and that's one reason I like Cuddeback's new Cuddeview X2 ($120) image viewer. You can carry this palm-sized image viewer with you to multiple camera locations. Once on site, you can view images, zoom in to inspect details like antler tines, pan, delete, check the date/time, and transfer images to a second SD card. The antiglare viewing screen produces clear images. The second SD card slot is really handy for copying images from the source card to a destination card, which you can then take home for uploading images to your computer while leaving the other card in the camera. The Cuddeview X2 runs on AA batteries. You can use the Cuddeview X2 to view images taken on most other digital trail cameras, too -- another winning feature.

CONTACT: Cuddeback/Non Typical, Inc., (920) 347-3810, www.cuddeback.com

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Primos
Primos has entered the scouting camera arena this year with the Truth Cam ($120-$280). All four cameras in this line capture digital photos and video and share other similar features: 1.5-second trigger speed (.3 second when not in Sleep Mode), external LCD window, date/time/temp/moon phase stamping, and acceptance of SD cards up to 8GB. The Truth Cam 35 has 35 Infrared LEDs, 40' extended night range with 46 LEDs, and 3MP daytime/1.3MP nighttime image resolution. The Truth Cam 46 has 46 Infrared LEDs, 50' night range, and 5MP daytime/3.1MP nighttime (adjustable). The Truth Cam 60 has 60 LEDs, a 60' night range, and 7MP daytime/5MP nighttime (adjustable). Lastly, the Truth Cam X has 62 LEDs, a 65' night range, 7MP daytime/5MP nighttime (adjustable), and a Multi-Shot option (1, 3, 5, 7, and 9-shot bursts).

CONTACT: Primos Hunting Calls, 1-800-523-2395, www.primos.com

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