Best Trail Cameras

Review & Comparison, Last Update March 19, 2024
If you plan a weekend in the wildlife and want to take pictures of animals without scaring them off, or you need some gear to monitor game from a remote location, we'd like to offer you our selection of 5 best trail cameras that can fit for these and many more purposes. ...Read more ...Read less
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BEST 2024
PROS
CONS
OUR VERDICT
RESOLUTION
VIDEO
NIGHT VISION FLASH / RANGE
TRIGGER SPEED
DETECTION ZONE
MEMORY
POWER
WARRANTY
 
PROS

This camera is equipped with the patented BOG® Dominion™ system, the latest operating system, and a 3" full color screen with an extremely easy-to-use interface.

CONS

The instructions are not informative enough.

OUR VERDICT

You will definitely go unnoticed with the BOG Clandestine invisible game camera. The functionality provides 5 shooting modes, including shooting video in FHD quality with automatic flash control. This device also records barometric pressure and temperature, date and time.

detailed parameters
RESOLUTION

18 MP (22 MP available)

VIDEO

1600 x 900

NIGHT VISION FLASH / RANGE

Infrared lights / 100'

TRIGGER SPEED

0.22 sec

DETECTION ZONE

80'

MEMORY

SD-card slot (supports up to 32 GB)

POWER

6 x AA batteries (not included)

WARRANTY

1 year limited

PROS

The range of the LEDs is as much as 120 ft. There is a choice of IR settings for use at night. If the batteries are low, you can use the backup power supply by connecting the camera's 12V power jack to it.

CONS

The battery compartment is difficult to open.

OUR VERDICT

Browning ‎BTC5PXD is a multifunctional hunting camera with a high detection range and two cams - one for the day and one for the night. The downloadable Browning Buck Watch Time-Lapse Viewer software enhances your camera experience.

detailed parameters
RESOLUTION

24 MP

VIDEO

1920 x 1080

NIGHT VISION FLASH / RANGE

Adjustable infrared LED flash / 120'

TRIGGER SPEED

0.15 sec

DETECTION ZONE

80'

MEMORY

SD-card slot (16 GB included)

POWER

6 x AA batteries (not included)

12V power jack for optional external power supply

WARRANTY

1 year limited

PROS

The camera can recognize and capture animals 100 feet away from it. The one-second recovery delay will let you take more pictures in a reduced timespan. The auto-expose feature will eliminate whiteouts.

CONS

The maximum available video resolution is not very high.

OUR VERDICT

The Bushnell Trophy Cam 119837C enables all-season scouting, effortless hunting, and various monitoring ventures that have nothing to do with chasing game. Though the camera requires the same 8 AA batteries to operate, these batteries should last around 12 months.

detailed parameters
RESOLUTION

16 MP

VIDEO

1280 x 720

NIGHT VISION FLASH / RANGE

Low-glow LEDs

TRIGGER SPEED

0.3 sec

DETECTION ZONE

100'

MEMORY

SD card slot (supports up to 32 GB)

POWER

8 x AA batteries (not included)

WARRANTY

1 year limited

PROS

This camera has a lightning trigger speed of 0.1 sec. It records high quality video with sound. The footage can be compressed in H.264 MP4 format to reduce the file size and share it with friends faster.

CONS

The latches on the case are low-grade and fragile.

OUR VERDICT

GardePro A3 is a high resolution hunting camera with ultra clear night vision. This model is equipped with a color 2.4'' display and a comfortable keyboard. It works in three modes (photo, video, photo + video), and also allows you to manually set the hours of operation.

detailed parameters
RESOLUTION

24 MP

VIDEO

1920 x 1080

NIGHT VISION FLASH / RANGE

940nm No GLow (Black) Infrared LEDs / 100'

TRIGGER SPEED

0.1 sec

DETECTION ZONE

82'

MEMORY

SD-card slot (supports up to 128 GB)

POWER

8 x AA batteries (not included)

WARRANTY

Replacement warranty against defects

PROS

The time-lapse photography feature will enable convenient periodic wildlife monitoring. You can set any operation time and have this device recording only during that time.

CONS

The tree strap is a little awkward.

OUR VERDICT

Despite its affordable price tag and newbie disposition, the Meidase Trail Camera is nothing to scoff at. Its specs are considerable, the controls are intuitive, and the features that this camera is packing are not always present even in much more expensive models.

detailed parameters
RESOLUTION

16 MP

VIDEO

1920 x 1080 

NIGHT VISION FLASH / RANGE

36 infrared lights / 65'

TRIGGER SPEED

0.2 sec

DETECTION ZONE

65'

MEMORY

SD card slot (supports up to 32 GB)

POWER

8 x AA batteries (not included)

WARRANTY

1 year

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BOG ‎1116327

High Quality Trail Cam

Want to catch animals on video without scaring them off? Get prepped for some unique vids with the invisible BOG game camera. It blends with the environment like a camouflage pro and supports HD video, delivering upscale picture quality.

This powerful trail camera leaves you fully satisfied with the 1600x900 HD videos and photos. Ideal for the wildlife vloggers, hikers, or land managers, it also offers an invisible flash with a 100 ft. range, and 80 ft. detection. The nighttime photos are of excellent quality, so you can buy this cam to track the pawed intruders on your property.

Need to place the camera in the forest? Absolutely no problem. You can mount it on the nearest tree horizontally or vertically – and use an incredible, tree bark styled case to conceal it from the keen animals’ eyes. Even a human will be hard-pressed to spot it from the distance.

When you need to review the vids, simply take the camera out of the case and start watching. The convenient 3″ TFT display is fine for viewing on the go, so you don’t need to pack any other device. However, if you prefer it this way, there’s a micro USB cord to connect the camera.

Review of BOG ‎1116327 Clandestine Invisible Flash 18MP Game Camera

Gives You Lots of Content

BOG is your true friend in terms of usability. This trail camera boasts the patented removable BOG Dominion menu system and a user-focused operating system with icons. You can pick the best settings for your shooting needs without racking your brains over the menus. The only downside here is that the manufacturer’s instructions are not exactly crystal clear.

In case you need a really long video session, BOG supports the SD memory cards up to 512 GB. (You’ll need to buy them separately, though.) There are also such internal modes as Multi-Shot (takes 1 to 8 images) and Hybrid (shoots pictures, then videos). Note that this camera is on the sensitive site and can sometimes overreact to such things as tall grass stirring, for instance.

On the bonus side, the cam reports the date/time, temperature, atmospheric pressure, and even moon phases. You may not need it, but it’s always there for you.

Now to the battery capacity that can give you up to 23,000 images if you’re using the 6 AA Lithium battery pack. Overall, the battery life of this camera is nothing short of impressive.

As evident, the BOG trail cam is what makes animal tracking easy as a breeze.

BOG ‎1116327 Clandestine Invisible Flash 18MP Game Camera in the use

Additional Info

    Manufacturer

Last updated price $0.00
Stock In stock
ASIN B083CDR6YG

 

Browning ‎BTC5PXD_K14

Tracking Day & Night

Want to hunt or track animals in style? Enter the Browning multifunctional hunting camera. With the camouflage design and dual lenses, it’s powerful, convenient, and shoots videos/photos in Full HD.

Let’s tackle the image quality of this camera first. Hunters, vloggers, or house owners will find the HD picture more than pleasing, as it’s large, clear, and helps you understand what’s happening on the record. Yes, the nighttime media may be a bit grainy, but that only matters if you’re a true perfectionist (or a movie pro). Otherwise, your pics and vids will be crispy and easily readable.

As for the dual camera lenses, Browning offers a) daytime and b) nighttime options. The daytime camera is custom-tuned, producing large and focused images when the sun is bright. The second camera is best suited for shooting after dark. Ideal if you’re planning to use Browning as a security or animal monitoring cam.

Another pro of this model is the invisible infrared flash. A wandering animal – or a trespassing criminal – will not be able to detect the camera, so it will remain hidden at all times.

Review of Browning ‎BTC5PXD_K14 Strike Force Pro XD Hunting Camera

A Hidden Treasure

Speaking about the camouflage, this camera ups the game with its protective case. Made to resemble the tree texture, it easily conceals the cam while protecting it against the elements. As for the wildlife, they’ll hardly notice it at all. A very nice touch if you’re hunting or simply want to document the animals in their natural habitat.

Browning includes a 16 GB SanDisk memory card in the box. While it’s not much, you’ll be able to take 6,100+ pictures or, alternatively, 240 minutes of video recording at 9 Mbps. No problem with putting the card inside the cam – or moving it over to a compatible device. Also, the handy write-protect program safeguards your media from being deleted by accident.

But that’s not all; you can download the Buck Watch Time-Lapse viewer software to enhance camera features.

The Browning cam is wireless and operates with batteries. However, you may find it hard to open the compartment to change or extract them. You can also connect a backup supply with the help of a 12V power jack.

All in all, this action-ready invisible camera lives up to the expectations of hunters, nature vloggers, and land owners.

Browning ‎BTC5PXD_K14 Strike Force Pro XD Hunting Camera in the use

Additional Info

User Manual     Manufacturer

Last updated price $0.00
Stock In stock
ASIN B07CJLPP3P

 

Bushnell Trophy Cam (119837C)

Detecting Movement 100 Feet Away

Hunting cameras are almost always sporting badass-looking profiles, appearing less like rudimentary cameras that cost around ~150 bucks and more like something that has been stolen from some sci-fi set. Even so, with the standard raised so high, the Bushnell Trophy Cam 119837C easily takes the cake, with its outline almost indistinguishable from military-grade weaponry, the kind that the government does not even disclose to the general population. Sure, we're talking about subjective matters here, no one's claiming otherwise, but most will find this device looking, at the very least, interesting, we can give you that much.

Of course, trail cameras cannot survive banking on aesthetics alone, they're not any different from standard cameras on this front. No, cameras are about specs first and foremost, hence the model's megapixel value pushing 16 MP, letting you capture detailed pictures that will not look blocky even when displayed on a huge screen.

Having said that, where the maximum video resolution is concerned, the product drops the ball, at least to some extent. While most above-average game cameras can record Full HD (1920 x 1080p) footage, this model caps at HD (1280 x 720p), which is a little disappointing considering that HD does not quite cut it these days.

But, looking at the camera's detection range, we can forgive the sacrifice. Stretching the range 100 feet, this device makes its direct competition look like children since these cameras are normally capping at around 65 feet.

Review of Bushnell Trophy Cam (119837C) Trophy Cam Trail Camera

Adjustable Trigger Interval

Though advertised as a trophy/game camera before anything else, this is one versatile device. With its data stamp feature, you can capture the time, date, temperature, moon phase, and the GPS coordinates on each image, enabling efficient wildlife monitoring. Aside from that, you will also have the auto-exposure feature at your disposal, enabling improved light detection that removes whiteout. Fighting alongside this feature is the adjustable trigger interval that you can set anywhere between 1 second and 60 minutes, capturing the perfect shot when necessary and taking an occasional picture when the needs are less specific.

Everything else about this product stacks up about average, not excluding the SD card slot accepting <32-gigabyte cards and the low-glow LEDs illuminating the animals at night without spooking them.

To give you the gist, the Bushnell Trophy Cam 119837C will enable even the most experienced hunters to elevate their hunting game. But those who are not interested in hunting will probably find this camera pretty useful too.

Bushnell Trophy Cam (119837C) Trophy Cam Trail Camera in the use

Additional Info

User Manual     Manufacturer

Last updated price $107.99
Stock In stock
ASIN B06XQMBZ65

 

GardePro A3

The Nighttime Clarity

Track animals at night as if it were a bright day. The GardePro trail camera boasts an advanced night vision technology and 1080p video/photo quality.

If you’re used to grainy and blurry nighttime recordings, forget about them once and for all. The vision distance and clarity of this cam is far better than in many competitive models. Why is this so important? If you’re hunting after hours or protecting your property, bad quality media will hardly be of any help.

Know everything that happens around at night with GardePro; from small animals lurking around your backyard, to human perpetrators (possibly). You can even use this cam to safeguard your car if it’s parked in the street.

How does GardePro achieve this? It features the Sony Starvis CMOS image sensor coupled with the invisible IR technology. They are supported by premium grade optics with a very large aperture and a unique image tuning algorithm. The bottom line: this cam is not detectable at night and shoots quality media. Mystery bloggers, start taking notes.

The maximum range of night vision is 100 ft. for GardePro.

Review of GardePro A3 Trail Camera 24MP

Fast, Versatile, Convenient

This camera can record videos at 1080p 30 fps Full HD and doesn’t exclude audio. With that in mind, the videos are H.264 MP4 encoded, which means smaller file size (usually around 1 Mb). Unlike other trail cameras, you can download and share the vids faster – and use almost any player to watch them.

The camera is fully sensitive to movement and reaches the mind-blowing 0.1s trigger speed, as well as 0.5s recovery time. This, and the 3 sensitivity levels, makes it a real trail powerhouse. You can also choose from 3 recording modes (photo, video, both) and set operation hours.

Need the cam to stay hidden on a hunting trip or during nature vlogging? GardePro comes with a khaki protective case that can easily blend with the environment. Note, however, that the latches are rather fragile.

When you buy GardePro, you get a 2.4″ high resolution screen for comfortable playback and the buttons that resemble your TV remote control. The maximum SD card storage is 128 GB, which is fairly impressive. The device requires 8 AA batteries that will go on forever (almost).

Summing up, the GardePro trail camera is your daytime and nighttime champion for hunting, vlogging, or security purposes.

GardePro A3 Trail Camera 24MP in the use
Last updated price $0.00
Stock In stock
ASIN B07YTRR837

 

Meidase P60

Entry-Level Nagivation

Aside from specs, game cameras are usually primarily about making the device as rugged and durable as possible without making the construction bulky and heavy. More often than not, these cameras are sacrificing controls, letting you manage the settings only via some smart device connected to the camera through its Bluetooth or WiFi module. This is not the case with Meidase Trail Camera though.

No, unlike its competition, this model comes equipped with a practical 2.4-inch LCD screen and a keypad that looks like TV remotes. Featuring these two, along with the intuitive and straightforward UI, the camera enables easy programming and comfortable use, letting you playback shots and footage without connecting the camera to any third-party gadget first and downloading the pictures/footage.

But, as much as we appreciate its entry-level navigation that lets even complete newbies get started using this device within 1-2 minutes, all cameras start with the specs first. Without the right tech ensuring decent specs, these devices are not worth anything. In this case, the right tech refers to the advanced optical lens CMOS image sensors, taking 16-megapixel photos and recording Full HD (1920 x 1080p) footage. Between these two, the model offers above-average picture clarity and keeps the footage crisp and detailed, more than most hunters need, to be honest, but we're not complaining since these specs are not inflating the price. No, coming at around 50 bucks, this camera will not allow you to complain about its price-performance ratio.

Review of Meidase P60 Trail Camera 32 MP

Time-Lapse Photography

Mirroring more expensive models, this camera comes adopting 36 high-performance infrared lights, reaching 940 nanometers and, with the lights' no-glow operation, making the game visible at night without scaring them off. But, even assuming that something scared them off, we would not be concerning ourselves with that, not with the model's 0.2-second trigger speed capturing animals right away, basically eliminating the delay that always plagues game cameras.

Pivoting towards the camera's features, using the above-mentioned controls and the LCD screen, this device enables periodic animal monitoring with the time-lapse feature and lets you program the operation time. With the second, you can have the camera only recording from 8 PM to 5 AM, accommodating nighttime scouting without necessarily draining the batteries.

In closing, even though the product costs almost nothing, the Meidase Trail Camera does not mess around, offering easy and convenient controls, solid specs, and even packing features that mid-range and high-end models are sometimes missing.

Meidase P60 Trail Camera 32 MP in the use
Last updated price $0.00
Stock In stock
ASIN B09LCXJ92F

 

Infographics

Comparison of Trail Cameras

What Is a Trail Camera?

A trail camera is a type of remote camera used mainly by hunters for taking pictures or video in areas with limited access, at different angles or where a man generally cannot be. A hunter can hang a trail camera on a tree to be able to surveille wild aminals from a remote location in the wildlife and configure it to send notifications via camera software automatically when a motion is detected. Trail cameras are usually enclosed in camouflage security boxes so that they could be seen neither by animal nor other hunters. Trail cameras aren't limited to use for hunting only and can be successfully employed for many other purposes too. Today remote cameras are widely used in sports photography, for selfies, and in the wildlife.

Setting off for a game hunting, you shouldn’t neglect wearing a protection outfit. So we suggest you also check out our best picks of shooting glasses - part of protective outwear, designed to protect your eyes from small particles of dust and fine debris as well as sharpening the visual acuity in dim lighting conditions.

What Features to Compare

Since a trail camera is first and foremost a camera, the first thing to consider when purchasing one doesn't necessarily differ from your regular photographic equipment. Naturally, we're talking about the number of megapixels that the camera boasts and the resolution that the aforementioned megapixels allow the camera to support. As it is with any other camera, there's virtually no downside to having more megapixels and a higher resolution since these specifications will allow you to receive clearer images. However, try not to go overboard since a higher resolution also means that the video and images are going to take more space on the camera's internal memory or SD card and you don't really need twenty megapixels to capture your game.

The second thing to pay attention to when choosing a trail camera would have to be camera's night vision capabilities. Since a large part of the surveillance process generally tends to happen during the night, you need to make sure that the night vision technologies that your device boasts, be it infrared illuminations system or LED lights, is enough to have a clear picture long after the sun set down.

You also absolutely should not disregard the kind of battery life that the model you're looking for is capable of outputting. Since trail cameras are often left in the wilderness for a long time, the kind of device that isn't capable of lasting for days without undergoing a battery change will be a liability at best and a useless piece of overpriced technology at worst.

The last but not least thing to look out for when choosing a proper trail camera is the kind of trigger speed it is equipped with. Unless the name isn't self-explanatory enough, trigger speed is the amount of time it takes for your device to capture an image. Since the majority of your game tends to move around rather fast, your camera will prove inefficient at taking a picture of it if the device doesn't boast a fast trigger speed.

Fun Hunting Facts

The Alpha Dog Advantage

African hunting dogs are peculiar creatures, aren't they? Aside from the unique patterns that make every dog of the pack easier to spot and their powerful bite, the most interesting thing about them is their unique (to canines) social hierarchy. There's quite a lot to it and we definitely recommend reading up on it if that sounds like something that could pique your interest. But, as far as we're concerned, the most fascinating part of their social structure is their voting system. That's right, African hunting dogs (often referred to as African wild dogs) vote. Among other things, they vote to decide whether the pack should go on a hunt or not. That said, they could definitely use a slightly more democratic approach to their voting system. See, the most influential members of the pack (alpha dogs, if you will) need no more than 3 votes to decide the pack's course of action. The lesser members of their little society won't be heard until they garner at least 10 votes, which is just a little bit unfair if you ask us.

The Mightiest of the Bears

Aside from being the mascot to a few dozen schools, grizzly bears usually aren't as fond of the human population as the universities, colleges, and high schools throughout the USA would have to you believe. In fact, they're so respected and feared by the Native American population that no tribe would even consider hunting a grizzly bear without a company of somewhere between 5 and 10 seasoned warriors. On top of that, the hunt would include the same preparations and ceremonials as the intertribal warfare of the time.

Not Bad, Wouldn't You Say?

People like to think that modern-day hunters kill innocent animals for no good reasons and provide no benefit to our planet as we no longer need to hunt to provide for our families. But, more often than not, that couldn't be further from the truth. Sure, some hunters aren't the best of people. But the majority are far less destructive than you'd think. Let's talk about the black rhino, for example. In 2014, Namibian representatives have been able to raise over $350k by auctioning off the right to hunt one endangered black rhino. Doesn't sound like a particularly inspiring story, does it? But wait, there's more to it. The rhino in question was far past the breeding age and actually detrimental to the rest of his herd. The money that was raised was later used to protect a number of endangered animals and even increase the black rhino population.

Hunters are Responsible

It isn't just about the animals and the game. At the end of the day, on average, hunters tend to be far more responsible than those who don't hunt. Because they have to. Among dozens of other reasons and examples, you cannot renew your hunting license in the state of Texas if you do not pay the child support that you owe.

Not PETA Again

We all know that the members of PETA aren't the saints they pretend to be. For example, a couple of their members wrecked into a deer after attending an anti-hunting campaign. Did they take the blame or pay any reparations? Nope. These enterprising gentlemen sued the New Jersey Game Department because, supposedly, it wasn't their own inadequacies but the department's deer management program that lead to this incident. Yeah, that's PETA for you.

FAQ:

Q: I have heard about game cameras. Is there a difference between a game camera and a trail camera?
A: No, these are just two different names for the same type of product that people use interchangeably. These types of cameras are essentially created with the sole purpose of assisting you in capturing the target’s picture and location; which can often present quite a challenge when it comes to determining it in the wilderness. The vast majority of this models generally have a detection field somewhere around 50 feet or higher. After you're done installing it and the whole thing is set up, these devices are capable of sensing movement and will activate the trigger in order to collect useful data for hunting without your presence or involvement.

Q: What things should I keep in mind when it comes to a trail camera?
A: There quite a lot of different things and aspects that you should keep in mind and consider before and after buying a trail camera. The majority of modern trail cameras are capable of supporting night shots. An LED mounted camera can take color pictures in the night but the problem is that their bright white flash can often scare away the animal, not to mention the fact that it can also blind you for a few seconds for a good measure. If one of the most important things to you is the ability to avoid attracting any kind of attention, you should consider a model with Infrared invisible flash. Of course, these types of models have their drawbacks too and IR flash will only support black and white pictures in the night. Just like with any other camera, the clarity of the image will mostly depend on the highest possible resolution the camera is capable of delivering but contrary to the majority of regular cameras, the resolution does not make that big of a difference if you're looking to capture images during the night.

Q: What is trigger time?
A: Trigger time is the time that a camera requires in order to capture the image. This is the most important feature of a trail camera if you have to capture a moving target, which is unlikely to provide you with more than a fraction of seconds. The fastest known trigger speed found in trail cameras is somewhere around 0.14 seconds but anything below an entire second can be acceptable depending on your situation and requirements. The problem with a slow trigger speed is that it will inevitably spoil the picture unless you're trying to capture a target that is standing still. Some models come equipped with multiple shot options, which enable more than 1 picture to be taken at a time. This kind of structure guarantees that at least one of the pictures taken will present an acceptable level of quality.

Q: Is the image quality the same during the night?
A: No, there's a noticeable difference between the day and night shots. That difference will entirely depend upon the functionality and features of the trail camera. The incandescent or LED mounted cameras are capable of taking clearer and colored pictures during the night which is an option that infrared cameras are lacking. But when compared to the day pictures taken by an IR or incandescent camera, the latter one delivers a considerably inferior level of clarity and the colors are far less vivid.

Sources:

1. Derrek Sigler A Trail Camera Buyer’s Guide, OUTDOORHUB. October 10, 2013.

2. Guide To Choosing A Game/Trail Camera, eBay. October 2, 2013.

3. Pet Lefemine 10 Trail Camera Tips, Bowsite.com.

4. Hunting, FWS.

5. Outdoor Recreational Activities, USA.gov.

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