Cellular Trail Cams For Dummies?

[HuntinDawg89]

I've never had a cellular trail camera but would like a couple for this season. I don't even know where to start looking to educate myself on them. From comments I've read it sounds like you pay fees to your carrier but also to the manufacturer, is that right? Is there a good place to research them?

 

[XIronheadX]

Just search cellular in this trail cam section. There's been lots covered the last couple of years. Most you just purchase a plan from the company that made the camera. They will run on different networks, so that part isn't important that you use your own carrier personally, but rather it's the best signal for the area its used in from tower strength.

Spartan has it where if you are a Verizon unlimited customer, you can add a Spartan Verizon model to your own unlimited cell plan if you have one. It will cost $5 and a few cents tax on a Verizon bill. And you then purchase monthly credit to control it through the app per camera. A credit is monthly use as cheap as $3 if you purchase 12 months at once. Basically $8 total for unlimited pics and videos. Ridgetec is suppose to be getting theirs with the same capability.

Then there's the cost factor of the units. The cheaper brands you may only get small resolution pics, or higher priced plans with no video or hi res capability on some. And a few more headaches of reliability. What works best for you may be related to how you want to use the camera with functionality, or purpose.

It's best to find all the info you can to read up on it before deciding. Trailcampro is a good website that reviews cellular cameras.

I've never had a cellular trail camera but would like a couple for this season. I don't even know where to start looking to educate myself on them. From comments I've read it sounds like you pay fees to your carrier but also to the manufacturer, is that right? Is there a good place to research them?

 

[Milkman]

I’m a newbie to cellular as well. Just got started this year. I have Cuddelink system. I pay $16.05 a month to them and set up free a Gmail account for the pics to come to.
I am 162 days on my first batteries.

 

[kmckinnie]

I’m a newbie to cellular as well. Just got started this year. I have Cuddelink system. I pay $16.05 a month to them and set up free a Gmail account for the pics to come to.
I am 162 days on my first batteries.

You like it. ?

 

[Milkman]

You like it. ?

I do like it. But I need to experiment with it and change settings and stuff to learn more. I need to get some other cameras to add to it. I think I can add about 15 additional Cuddelink cameras to it. But I ain’t a rich cross country trucker.
I look forward to those emails every day.

 

[kmckinnie]

I do like it. But I need to experiment with it and change settings and stuff to learn more. I need to get some other cameras to add to it. I think I can add about 15 additional Cuddelink cameras to it. But I ain’t a rich cross country trucker.
I look forward to those emails every day.

The rich cross country trucker looks at them out the windows. ?
5 big bucks the evening before and 3 this afternoon.
We have a 10pt and a looks like 6pt that are the same size. They will stare at the house then hit the feeder. Then eat the peas.
Oldest granddaughter is ready. ?

 

[XIronheadX]

I learned my lesson with cameras. I bought my son a few trail cameras. He was reading the cards through his Iphone and I may see 4 or 5 pics out of 2000. lol. Wasn't too good of a deal for me. . I had to go cellular so I could see some pics. Now it's my evening addiction. I'll turn that sucker on time lapse before my 6pm check in and watch deer pics come rolling in. Request some videos. I'm about to get another.

 

[shdw633]

If I was just getting into cell cameras I would consider the Spypoint cell link. That way I can use my existing cameras to try it out and they give you 100 pics free every month. That way I have little going out to start out with. They also have plans you can buy monthly, quarterly or yearly to fit your budget. I know there has been issues noted with Spypoint but again, for someone just getting into cell cameras I think the Cell link is a good idea especially for under $60.

 

[mcduck]

I started with some of the cheaper price point cellular cams two years ago. They are ok to start off with but quickly get aggravating when they don't work. This year I purchased a Spartan Ghost cam and wow what a difference so far. Arlo GO is a good option but limited on battery life and can be added to your phone bill also.

 

[whitter]

My choice is with the #1 trail camera in reviews and that was the Ridgetec. Some have been out over a year with no visits. Both ATT and Verison selection built in. Local Georgia support. Fast trigger time and great pictures and videos and all functions can be done remotely without having to visit and area and leave contaminating scent and such. Top notch security boxes available for those remote areas with Python cable ports built in.

 

[Buford_Dawg]

I am a newbie to it as well, but purchased a couple of the cheap Spypoints last fall. Both have worked great and I intend on buying several more this fall when they go back on sale for 99.00. Hopefully they last a few years, at some point I may buy another brand, but right now the Spypoint is working well for me and it is cheap.

 

[wildcats]

I am a newbie to it as well, but purchased a couple of the cheap Spypoints last fall. Both have worked great and I intend on buying several more this fall when they go back on sale for 99.00. Hopefully they last a few years, at some point I may buy another brand, but right now the Spypoint is working well for me and it is cheap.

Academy Sports has these for $99 currently
SPYPOINT Link-Micro-LTE 10.0 MP Cellular Trail Camera

 

[HuntinDawg89]

Academy Sports has these for $99 currently
SPYPOINT Link-Micro-LTE 10.0 MP Cellular Trail Camera

Yeah, I ONLY run black flash cameras.

I wound up buying a Browning Defender Wireless. Going to put it in the woods tomorrow and put out some corn just to guarantee some activity to test the camera and to start getting an idea of the deer on this property. I've never hunted this property before and only walked it once and that was several years ago. I walked it in spring and found some old rubs, but who knows? The property is too far away to scout regularly or even check trail cameras regularly, so that's why I wanted the cellular trail cam. The plan is to hopefully find a stand of white oaks and put it in a likely spot. When I start getting pics in the fall then I'll know that the acorns are dropping and it is time to go hunt. That's the best I'm going to be able to do on this little property so far from home.

 

[Davexx1]

It is always a good idea to test a new camera at home before putting it in the woods. That gives you an opportunity to know if it is working properly and helps you to learn how to set it up, change settings, receive pictures, etc.

Good luck with the new camera. Let us know how you like it.

Dave

 

[HuntinDawg89]

It is always a good idea to test a new camera at home before putting it in the woods. That gives you an opportunity to know if it is working properly and helps you to learn how to set it up, change settings, receive pictures, etc.

Good luck with the new camera. Let us know how you like it.

Dave

Will definitely test before I leave home.

 

[bfriendly]

Have some fun with it dawg! But rather than putting out corn, Maybe put out a mineral site. All these guys Seem to talk about having them on all their properties and using them to “inventory “ the herd......that statement says a bunch to me.
I put salt on that old stump in my back yard and they are beating it up pretty good! Plus it will be there Long after a bag of corn has been eaten by crows, raccoons and squirrels etc.... I quit putting out corn in my backyard a long time ago!!

 

[sportsman94]

If you bought the Browning Defender 940 it is a Bluetooth camera, not cellular. I have two of them, and you have to get within 40-50 feet of them to be able to check them. Would hate for you to put them out and be waiting on pictures to come to your phone forever! I have had mine out for two weeks in areas that deer travel frequently and for some reason have only gotten one video. Maybe they just haven't come through recently, but who knows.

 

[HuntinDawg89]

If you bought the Browning Defender 940 it is a Bluetooth camera, not cellular. I have two of them, and you have to get within 40-50 feet of them to be able to check them. Would hate for you to put them out and be waiting on pictures to come to your phone forever! I have had mine out for two weeks in areas that deer travel frequently and for some reason have only gotten one video. Maybe they just haven't come through recently, but who knows.

This one is cellular. I put it out Saturday afternoon. Got pics to the app that night. No pics on Sunday, more pics tonight. It is doing some odd things, but it is working.