The Best Trail Cameras for Amazing Wildlife Footage

Capture Rare Wildlife Footage 24 Hours a Day

One of the great things about the outdoors is the amazing scenery and wildlife that you can take in. We love nothing more than being a part of this wildlife and really immerse ourselves in it. That is where the trail and game camera comes into play – it is basically a heavy duty camera that can be left unattended in the wild, and it will take images and videos of the wildlife as they wander past or come into the range of the camera. Thanks to these cameras, you can now view these animals in their natural habitats, and even use the footage to effectively track and hunt them. There are other uses for a trail and game camera of course – they can be used for general surveillance, or they can just be a bit of fun for someone. There are many different trail cameras to pick from, and so here is a brief overview of 9 of the best, as rated by actual users.

Best Trail Cameras| Reviews of Top Rated Products

Picture	Model	Trigger Speed	Price	Our Rating
	Browning Strike Force Sub Micro 10MP Game Camera	0.67 seconds	$$	4.96
	Moultrie Game Spy A-5 Gen 2 Low Glow 5.0 MP Camera	1.5 seconds max	$$$	4.95
	Amcrest ATC-1201 12MP Digital Game Cam Trail Camera with Integrated 2" LCD Screen	0.7 seconds	$$	4.95
	Bushnell 6MP Trophy Cam Essential Trail Camera with Night Vision	0.7 seconds	$$	4.94
	Stealth Cam IR STC-G30 Game Camera	0.8 seconds	$$	4.94
	Amcrest ATC-801 720P HD Game and Trail Hunting Camera	0.5 seconds	$$	4.92
	Crenova Game and Trail Hunting Camera	0.7 seconds	$$$	4.92
	Moultrie Game Spy M-880 Gen 2 8.0 MP Camera	1 second max	$$	4.91
	Bushnell 14MP Trophy Cam HD Aggressor No Glow Trail Camera	1 second max	$$	4.90

Browning Strike Force Sub Micro 10MP Game Camera

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One of the most popular and highly rated game and trail cameras is the Browning Strike Force Sub Micro Game Camera. It has a massive 10 megapixels and records videos in high definition up to 2 minutes in length – so you know that it will not miss any piece of exciting action. It has a super fast trigger time of only .67 seconds, so nothing will be missed and has inbuilt Browning Buck Watch software allowing you to easily view the footage as a time-lapse. The best action often occurs at night, and this is the perfect camera for capturing the nocturnal activity – it has a night mode and an infrared flash range of over 100 feet. The best part about this game camera is that it looks like the real deal – the camouflage casing is authentic and tough and will perform outstandingly in any weather or conditions. Uses AA batteries which give it a long battery life so you can be assured that the camera will not go flat just before something exciting happens.

Moultrie Game Spy A-5 Gen 2 Low Glow 5.0 MP Camera

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If you are looking for a basic and simple no-frills game camera, then the Moultrie Game Spy A-5 Gen 2 Low Glow Camera is best for you. It is only 5 megapixels, however this is more than enough to capture some quality footage, and is often all you need. It offers very good value for money and is a perfect camera for someone who is just starting out. This is the second generation Moultrie Game camera, and they have updated and improved many aspects of their best-selling previous model – it is more reliable and easier to use than ever. It has an improved camera trigger speed of under 1.5 seconds, and with an impressive 40-foot detection range and infrared sensor, nothing will be missed. It also has 2.5 times more memory than the previous models, and an extremely impressive battery life of 16,000 images. You will get everything and more that you would expect from a good game camera, and with its rugged design, will be a reliable companion no matter what you use it for.

Amcrest ATC-1201 12MP Digital Game Cam Trail Camera

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If you are after a game and trail camera that really offers you more for less, then the Amcrest 12MP Digital Game Cam Trail Camera was made for you. Priced at under $100, you will not find a better value camera – it has a staggering 12 megapixels so will take the clearest photos imaginable. It also has an added feature that you did not realize you needed – a 2-inch color LCD screen. Once you use a game camera with a screen you will wonder how you ever lived without it. Now you don’t have to wait until you get the camera back home and plugged into your PC to view the footage. And it only uses 4 batteries yet houses 8 – an ingenious design meaning you literally get double the battery life without having to change batteries. The specs are very impressive – high definition video capture, 65ft long night vision range and three adjustable levels of motion sensing detection – so you can set it to suit your current surroundings and conditions. Comes with a standard 1 year US warranty for peace of mind.

Bushnell 6MP Trophy Cam Essential Trail Camera with Night Vision

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For a game and trail camera that can really withstand the toughest of conditions, you cannot go past the Bushnell 6MP Trophy Cam Essential Trail Camera with Night Vision. It was made to withstand the real wilderness – it is completely waterproof and can withstand the winter snow – so you can feel confident leaving it out in the open for days on end. The battery life is excellent lasting up to 12 months on a single set of batteries. It also includes an inbuilt geo-tag so you do not have to worry about trying to keep track of exactly where you shot each image or video – it does all the hard work for you. Just simply set it up and it is good to go. It has a 6-megapixel camera and will take quality high resolution color images by day, and then will automatically switch to black and white for night-time image capture.

Stealth Cam G30 Triad Armed 8mp Trail Camera

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For over 15 years, Stealth Cam have been an industry leader in the game and trail camera industry, and now you can get your hands on their most popular product – the Stealth Cam G30 Triad Armed 8mp Trail Camera. It is perfect for groups and clubs as it can be purchased in bulk for a discounted price. It is also one of the most secure cameras with an option for it to be password protected. So no passing people can view or steal your data without your permission. The reason it is an industry leader is the fact that this camera is so good at capturing quality images during the hardest times of the day, such as low-light, pre-dawn and late evening. It also has an innovative blur reduction technology which means that no matter how fast your target is moving, it will be clearly captured on the 8 megapixel, high definition camera. There are three modes which makes it a perfect scouting camera – a still mode to take single photos, a time-lapse mode and HD continuous recording.

Amcrest ATC-801 720P HD Game and Trail Hunting Camera

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If you think that a high end game and trail camera with an LCD screen is out of your reach, then think again with the Amcrest 8MP HD Game and Trail Hunting Camera. Amcrest are really the innovators in the game camera industry, and now you can have a smaller version of their best selling camera. It still has the LCD screen which means you are able to view the footage wherever you want, and the handy cover of the screen means that it will not get damaged or dirty during use. It has a quality 8-megapixel camera and with a night vision mode with capture up to 65 feet, it can be used in all conditions year-round at any time of the day or night. Additional features that you come to expect in a quality Amcrest camera are present including multi-shot options, a delay timer and 4 different record length settings (ranging from 10 seconds to 90 seconds). Comes with the renowned 1 year Amcrest warranty for peace of mind.

Crenova Game and Trail Hunting Camera

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An affordable yet top of the line game and trail camera, the Crenova Game and Trail Hunting Camera was made to be used in the harshest of climates, and is the only camera that you will need for all your hunting, sport and gaming needs. Has a massive 12-megapixel camera, which is the highest in its class, and includes a massive 2.4-inch LCD screen for playback and viewing when it suits. The camera is everything you will need and more, with a large 120-degree wide angle, meaning that it will not miss a thing. This camera is multipurpose – popular for use as a scouting and game camera, however it is also often used as a surveillance camera in a private house or backyard. When purchased it comes with all the accessories you could need, including a tree mount strap for use outside, and a wall mount for both inside and outside use. There is an additional option to imprint the images with not only the date and time, but the temperature, location and even moon phase – this can be an invaluable tool for documenting patterns.

Moultrie Game Spy M-880 Gen 2 8.0 MP Camera

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If your number one goal is to catch an animal (or even a human) in action, then trigger speed is going to be your number one concern. With a trigger speed of under one second, the Moultrie Game Spy Gen 2 8.0 MP Camera is one of the best action game cameras that you can find. The camera itself is also of very high quality with high definition video capture and an 8-megapixel camera. It is very sensitive and accurate so is perfect for use outdoors – the casing even camouflages with a tree trunk! It has a 50-foot detection range and a 100-foot flash, so even the fastest running animal will be captured. This game camera was made for the outdoors – it was built tough and built to last. The casing is extra rugged and protects the most important parts of the camera – the lens and IR filter. So no matter the weather, you will be able to let your Moultrie Game Spy camera do its work.

Bushnell Trophy Cam HD Aggressor No Glow Trail Camera

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To cap our review of the best trail cameras is the Bushnell Trophy Cam HD Aggressor No Glow Trail Camera. It is top of the line and you will not find another trail and game camera that meets the specifications like this one does. Most other cameras will brag at having a shutter speed of around a second – the Bushnell Trophy cam has an impressive trigger speed of only 0.2 seconds – which is 5 times more responsive. An unbeatable 14 megapixels means that the photos it takes will look like they were taken from a professional photographer, and the HD video recording with 1920×1080 pixels could not be any crisper and clearer. There are 48 no glow LEDs with an anti-reflection cover. So if you are looking for a truly top of the line and professional trail and game camera, then this is it.

Trail Cameras Buying Guide

If you want to invest in a trail and game camera, then you will have a particular reason or goal in mind. Whether be it to survey the goings on in your suburban backyard (for example to catch a thieving raccoon or find out if someone is sneaking into your yard after dark), or to track and capture images of wild animals in the wilderness. No matter what you want your camera for, there are some things that you need to consider before purchasing – you need to make sure that the trail camera that you purchase best suits your needs and does not have any unnecessary features.

Megapixels

One way of determining the quality of trail cameras is by looking at how many megapixels it has. Of course keep in mind that this is not a completely foolproof method of determining how good the photos will end up – an extremely high amount of megapixels will be effectively useless if the camera in question is made poorly and has a very low quality camera lens.

So you really need to look at the entire specifications of the camera, and the best bet is to look at real world images that the same model has taken to see for yourself what the quality is like. The best place to find this information is on forums and product website. The general rule, however, is to get the most megapixels that you can afford.

Durability

This may seem obvious – clearly a more durable camera is preferred. However, you may be surprised to learn that not all trail and game cameras are completely waterproof. So if you want to use it for surveillance inside the house or under a veranda, then you will be fine with a standard and non-waterproof camera. However, if you are tracking wild game, then chances are you will be leaving your camera out for days on end attached to a tree – you will, thus, need to invest in trail cameras that can withstand extreme heat and cold, water and even survive the nose of a curious deer.

Video options

Chances are that you will need your trail cameras to produce more than just still images – you will be after videos. There are different video settings that come with different cameras. Some trail cameras will have standard video recordings where you can set the recording length-for example, you may set it to record in 20 second or 30 second intervals. Generally, you will not want it to film for too long at one time, as generally the action is quick, especially when shooting wildlife.

One difference is the trail cameras offering time lapse. These can make for a very interesting video – it will be one very long video which is sped up to make a days’ worth of video last for a couple of minutes. This is a feature that will not appeal to everyone, but if it does, make sure you read the specifications to find out what options you will have.

What flash types does the trail camera offer?

Trail cameras are not so different from standard cameras in the way that they will have a flash so that they can be used to take images and video at night. Chances are that if you use a trail camera, you will be looking at capturing as much of the action as possible. You wouldn’t want to miss out on any of the details once the sun sets. So what are the different types of flash and what are the benefits of each? What is best for you will depend on what you plan to capture as well as the quality of images that you want.

Your new game camera will have one of two main types of flash- infrared and white glow. The difference is obvious – infrared will result in a black and white image, and a white glow flash will emit a bright flash thereby creating a color image. There are also two types of infrared flash – no-glow and red glow. The main difference here being that no glow uses black LED’s so is essentially invisible – the animal will have no idea that anything has happened. And red glow literally has small red LEDs which glow, and while this can result in a clearer image and larger range, it can sometimes attract the attention of the animals. Taking a photo with white glow is exactly like using a powerful flash camera. An extremely bright flash will light up the entire area and the photo will look like it was taken during the day. The major disadvantage is that it will likely terrify the game and cause any animals in the area to bolt.

What is the trigger speed of the trail camera?

The trigger speeds as well as the recovery times are the other key differentiating factors that you need to keep in mind when shopping for trail cameras. Basically, the trigger speed indicates how long it takes the camera to turn on and capture an image or video. These cameras generally sit on standby and are triggered by movement, so it will take some time (up to a few seconds) for it to jump into action. The shorter the trigger speed the more likely that you will be able to capture a fast moving animal. Of course, this may not necessarily be that important for you – if you are using the camera to capture a very large area where the animals tend to hang around, it will not matter if it takes 3 seconds to start capturing the images. A short trigger speed is considered to be anything under a second, and a slower speed can be up to 3 seconds.

Camera recovery is also related yet slightly different to trigger speeds– it refers to the time it takes for the camera to recover between photos. For example, a very good quality camera will have a camera recovery speed of only 1 second – so it will effectively take one picture every second. Others will be closer to one picture every 20 seconds or more. Again this depends on what images you wish to capture and how much you are willing to spend.

What information can be captured on the images?

You may notice that some trail and game cameras will mention geo-tagging, which you may know to mean that the image or video is stamped with the location that it was taken. This can be very useful especially if you like to move your game camera around a lot, so you can know exactly where a particular shot was taken.

Other information that can be stamped on some of the better game cameras include date and time, the weather, the temperature, the location of the moon and even the barometric pressure. Some game cameras will have no tagging at all, some will have only location geo-tagging and some will offer all of the possible information you could want. If you are wanting to establish patterns then getting a game camera that stores as much information as possible will really assist – this way you will know that particular activities only occur at a particular time, at a particular temperature range or in a certain location.

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