You are absolutely right, and that was the analysis I did when I went that route. It is not just the cost of the cameras, but added cost of antennas and masts and such to build out the network. One of the big reasons I went that route was the time I was spending dealing with low end camera issues, collecting SD cards, and the large data gaps I had when cameras were down for one reason or another. The initial investment in money and time was high, but when I amortize the cost over the lifespan (especially if I count the time saved), they were a bargain for my application. I could never have collected the data set I have with the low end cams.
They are not a good fit for most simple scouting applications but I have not seen a better fit for mine. I can't believe BEC is still supporting them. I ended up buying a few used ones as backup. They are all still going strong, but they can't keep going indefinitely...can they?
Thanks,
Jack
They might keep going. I have been buying Brownings for five years and never had one quit that didnt go under water - knock on wood. Camera dependability has improved quite a bit over the past ten years - as has battery life, picture quality, and dependability.
As far as using cameras to make management decisions, I dont know what would be lost by using a setup with some of the more dependable $150 cameras. Picture quality, dependability, battery life, and options to shoot multiple bursts, time lapse, video, etc provide options not seen on many cameras ten years ago. Plus, the ability to afford more cameras to provide better coverage. I often now put two or three cameras on a two acre food plot and it is amazing the difference in deer that one camera may take compared to the others. The current crop of cameras doesnt leave you quite so weak kneed when you find someone else decided to take four of them home, shoot some of them, or flooding ruins four or five in one day. We have killed one mature buck in the last ten years that we did not have multiple pictures of - so I dont believe we are missing many of them.
Now, for strictly hunting purposes - I could see where receiving all your pictures from all your cameras before going on a hunt would help you decide which area to concentrate your efforts. And I do understand if you are a long drive away and very intermittent visitor to your deer woods - it would prevent trips just to check game cameras. I live on my property, and I am not one that believes staying out of the woods during the off season provides an advantage. I am in my woods doing something almost every day - duck hunting, trapping, hog hunting, coon hunting, dove and squirrel hunting, working food plots, and just riding around looking- and my bucks dont seem to relocate to other properties.
I do think if the cuddelink system could ever get the bugs worked out - it might be a good compromise between all of it. I am waiting a while longer to buy into that one, though.
...
You have to identify your needs. If your needs are static and fixed like Jack’s, you might select one type system. If your needs are all over the map - your camera selection might be all over the map.
I honestly dont think they are bad. For what it is worth though I have not ran them on wide open areas to test the flash range. Mine are currently on mineral sites and mock scrapes set at least 6 feet in the air and angled down. Have you done the firmware update and running lithium??What have your Trek night pictures like? Mine are a complete joke.
I honestly dont think they are bad. For what it is worth though I have not ran them on wide open areas to test the flash range. Mine are currently on mineral sites and mock scrapes set at least 6 feet in the air and angled down. Have you done the firmware update and running lithium??
BassPro flyer yesterday shows their trade in deals coming up. Also, that Spypoint mini-link has dropped to $119 ($99 with trade in). That is too cheap not to test one out for me. I normally get fewer than 100 pics per month per camera so it is free. Really cheap for a cellular. I wonder how low prices can go for these things....
I did the firmware update and put the camera out. I checked it this weekend and the pictures arent any different. The update mentioned it was for battery consumption reasons. This camera has been in a valley all year so it does get heavy/foggy air but the night pictures are still a complete joke.I honestly dont think they are bad. For what it is worth though I have not ran them on wide open areas to test the flash range. Mine are currently on mineral sites and mock scrapes set at least 6 feet in the air and angled down. Have you done the firmware update and running lithium??
That’s to bad. Might be worth getting ahold of them.I did the firmware update and put the camera out. I checked it this weekend and the pictures arent any different. The update mentioned it was for battery consumption reasons. This camera has been in a valley all year so it does get heavy/foggy air but the night pictures are still a complete joke.