Are you looking for a good Game Trail Camera and don’t know how much to spend, if it’s worth the price, and what qualities to look for? Mwoutdoors is here to help and has done the work for you. Each year we trial several cameras on our property, looking for the best and most cost effective. Things we look for are; high quality pictures/videos, long battery life, moisture penetration issues (imagery quality fails within three years), trigger speed, dawn & dusk picture quality, and field of vision. Here we have listed our top five Game Trail Cameras for 2020.
Qualities we look for
Image Resolution: 10 MP for scouting and 20 MP+ for best imagery
Trigger Speed: The lower the Field of Vision the faster Trigger Speed you will want. We have found cameras with 0.2s to 0.3s offer rapid picture succession and better imaging capturing. However 0.7s to 0.9s is fine for scouting cameras with a wider field of vision.
Long Range: Infrared flash and motion detection, 60ft+.
After Dark Imagery: Night Vision, NoGlow infrared LEDs. Pictures need to be clear even during dusk and dawn transitions
Battery efficiency: We do not like swapping out batteries two or three times a year, so we need good battery efficiency.
Field of Vision: The wider the field of vision the larger area your camera can cover. A larger field of vision will also improve the ratio of sharp and clear pictures to blurry pictures. Here we consider cost and terrain (woods & fields).
#1 BlazeVideo Game Trail Camera Review
20MP Photo 1920x1080P Full HD H.264 MP4 Video Hunting Wildlife Cams Time Lapse Night Vision No Glow Motion Activated Waterproof Password Protected 0.5S Trigger 2.4″ LCD.
Clear pictures, longer battery life and users-friendly: You won’t go wrong with this camera; it’s easy to set up, operate, and use. Pictures are clear, sharp, and as good of quality as we have seen (Night and Day). Battery life is also a plus and with this Camera you’ll be saving on batteries.
Recommendation
We rated this our number one camera as it performs well in the woods and on the field. It’s easy to set up and operate and has good battery life. Even though the Field of Vision is only 70° PIR, its trigger speed is fast enough to capture your image and the 20MP & 1080p gives you a great picture/video. 5 Pack for $335.99
#2 Browning Strike Force HD PRO X Game Trail Camera Review
20MP with 32GB Memory Card and J-TECH iPhone/iPad/Android USB Memory Card Reader
This camera gives you both quality imagery and videos, with 20MP imagery and HD 1600 x 900p videos. It has a 0.2 second trigger speed with a 1.5” color viewing screen and includes 32 GB memory card. For ease of transferring images and video there is a J-TECH iPhone/Android USB Card Reader (Lightning, USB-C, Micro USB)
Recommendation
This is a great camera with high quality pictures and video, so it was tough not to make it our number one choice. However we decided the cost and a one year warranty versus the wide view and higher quality imagery/video made it number two. $159.99
#3 Bushnell 30MP Core DS Low-Glow Game Trail Camera Review
This Camera comes with 30MP still imagery, HD 1920 x 1080p Video, and a 38° field of view. The camera comes in Camo and has a 32GB SD Card + 8 AA Batteries. Other than its small field of view it takes great pictures and videos with a motion detection up to 100’. The 32GB Transcend Memory Card is waterproof and shockproof, and works in temperatures of -13 to 185°F
Recommendation
We rated this our number three Game Trail Camera since the trigger speed is very fast (0.3s), it has high quality Pictures/Video, and good battery life. The biggest drawback is the narrow field of vision at 38°PIR. $199.99
#4 RECONYX HyperFire 2 HF2X Game Trail Camera Review
Gen3 3MP 720p Day & Night Outdoor Covert IR Camera, 150′ Night Vision, OD Green, 1080p Widescreen
This camera gives you a lot of great options including HD Images & Videos, and when they say you get what you pay for, you get more including a five year warranty. Most cameras start to get moisture in them after two to three years and the picture quality goes, but in this case you have a better sealed camera with the warranty to back it. Other Opts (Photo Burst, Geo Tag GPS Coordinate setting, Low Light Perf, Advance Blur Reduction). Note; 720P HD video with audio (Not it’s strong point and only 10 second clips). Operating Temperature Range is -20° to 120° Fahrenheit (-29 to +50 °C)
Recommendation
Here is number four. We start off with an impressive trigger speed of 0.2S, a Vision Range over 100’, a battery life up to 2 years, and a 5 year warranty. However the 42° PIR Field of Vision is narrow with only 3MP for picture quality and 720 HD video. $399.99
#5 Campark Game Trail Camera Review
Waterproof 16MP 1080P Game Hunting Scouting Cam with 3 Infrared Sensors for Wildlife Monitoring with 120°Detecting Range Motion Activated Night Vision 2.4” LCD
This is a great camera for areas with extreme weather and with the three PIRs it’s very sensitive to movement, which makes it even a better camera for the field edges. The fast trigger speed, wide field of view, 16MP images, and 1080P Video Resolution produces great images and video, even during nighttime hours.
Recommendation
This camera could easily swap places with number 2 or 3 and the cost fits well for most Whitetail Hunters. The Field of Vision is impressive with 120° PIR, Battery life up to 2 years, 16MP for clear images, 1080p for sharp videos, and a trigger speed of 0.3 seconds. We are hard pressed to find a negative on this camera and will see how it holds up throughout the year. At $84.98 this camera is a must to try.
