The Best Trail Cameras for Capturing Wildlife in Action

Buying Guide

Hunters can spend hours sitting in the woods, waiting for game to pass by. In some cases, they may not even know the best hunting ground, especially if they’re newer to the sport. One way to avoid spending hours in wait is to use a trail camera to monitor the habits of your prey so that you can then prepare to show up when you’re most likely to get results.

As trail cameras have become more accessible to the average hunter, they’ve grown to be a very popular tool. In fact, you’ll rarely meet an avid hunter who doesn’t own at least one. You may even find that you’re more excited about the pictures you’re capturing on a daily basis than the activity of hunting itself. By the time you get around to your next hunt, you’ll already be all too familiar with the spot you’ve chosen.

In addition to their value in stalking prey, though, trail cameras have become an affordable type of security camera. They’re designed to be easily mounted while also remaining fairly inconspicuous in colors like black, gray and camouflage. If you plan to use your camera this way, look for a trail camera that specializes in capturing video in night mode and, if you want it, you’ll need to make sure it records audio.

Whether you’re waiting to capture intruders on your property or you’re using a trail cam for its original purpose, that invisibility is important. Some cameras use infrared lights or flashes to capture images at night, which could be an issue if you’re trying to keep it quiet that a camera is there. This is especially concerning if you’ve left it in the woods year-round since someone could come along and steal it.

For extra security, though, you can buy a locking cable that will hold your camera in place. Although this won’t guarantee it can’t be stolen, it will act as a theft deterrent. There’s also the fact that your camera will capture photo and/or video of anyone who tries to steal it. That may also keep a thief away out of fear that the images might be streaming to an external source.

You should also consider battery life while you’re shopping for a trail camera. Even if it’s only occasionally capturing images, you’ll be surprised how quickly your camera’s batteries need to be replaced. Some promise longer battery life than others, so look for this if it’s an important feature.

How the images are captured is important as well. Many trail cameras operate in motion-sensor mode, only activating when something or someone comes into focus. With trail cameras, you’ll also have the option of time-lapse mode to gather images over a period even when no activity is present. Some cameras can even capture motion-detected shots while the time-lapse mode is in place.

Lastly, there’s the issue of video. Some cameras shoot higher-quality video than others, even offering 1080P HD resolution. However, you may not find that this level of quality is essential. One feature that might be worth considering, though, is whether your camera captures audio along with the video it gathers. You’ll also be limited in the amount of video footage you can shoot, giving you only seconds before it cuts off.

• One differentiating factor when you’re considering trail cameras is motion-sensor capability. Some cameras will capture movement as far as 80 feet away, ensuring you never miss anything.
• Some cameras also have a time-lapse mode, which captures images over a predetermined period of time even if there’s no activity. Look for a model that lets you choose from intervals between one minute to an hour during a timeframe you choose. You could also go with a camera that continues to capture motion-detected shots even while in time-lapse mode.
• It would be nice if you could set up your trail camera at the start of hunting season and leave it there throughout. Unfortunately, trail cameras can burn through batteries at a surprising rate. Some promise true one-year battery life, while others use six AA batteries, which means you’ll probably find you’re changing them more often than you’d prefer. You can save on battery life by adjusting your trail camera’s settings.
• You won’t be shooting only still images using your trail camera. The clearer the video, the better you’ll be able to monitor your prey.
• You’ll also need to check into the time limits on your trail camera’s video. Some cameras can shoot between 5 to 60 seconds of video, depending on how you program them, while others can capture up to two minutes of video.
• When prey does wander into the camera’s range, it’s important that reaction time be as quick as possible. Look for a camera that has the fastest trigger speed, which is around 0.3 seconds.
• The very nature of trail cameras means they’ll be exposed to weather conditions 24 hours a day. That includes rain, snow, sleet and even extreme storms, depending on the part of the country where you live and hunt. Look for a camera that has a housing that is IP66 waterproof and that is also drop resistant. Many of the trail cameras you’ll find will be waterproof, but make sure to check before buying. Also be aware that even if it’s waterproof, there will still be the occasional raindrop or dirt particle that will obscure your view.
• Although you probably aren’t going for the cover of “National Geographic,” it still makes your life easier if the images are clear. Many cameras offer 12 MP images, putting them on par with the photos you’d get from other consumer cameras on the market.
• Since your image capturing won’t be limited to daytime, you’ll need to make sure the trail camera you choose can shoot decent images at night. Some cameras will provide brightly colored images during the daytime hours, switching to black and white once the sun sets. Other cameras use infrared LED flash technology at night, which can call attention to your camera if you’re hoping to remain incognito.
• Capturing photos and videos means nothing if you can’t properly save them. You can add storage to certain cameras that is compatible with memory cards of up to 512GB.
• If you’re standing next to the camera and spot something, you’ll be able to play it back in some case. Consider a camera that has a 2.4-inch LCD screen that allows you to look at the photos and video you’ve captured.
• Whether you’re technically savvy or not, you probably don’t want to waste time setting up and managing your camera. There are cameras that have quite a bit of a learning curve.
• Mounting a trail camera is a big part of owning one. Many trail cameras have a fairly straight mounting procedure involving a strap. However, since you’re likely leaving it out there unattended, you may want to consider investing in a lock for it.
• The smaller the camera, the more likely it is to remain inconspicuous to other hunters who come along throughout the year.
• Price can be another big differentiator. Trail cameras tend to be fairly affordable.