Cellular Game Cameras & Sim Cards

What is the preferred cellular game camera on this site and if someone can tell me what is the monthly sim card fee for the provider you use? We are thinking about buying some of these but don't even know where to start on this.

I got two extra camera with my wireless hog trap. I pay $25 month. Prepaid SIM card unlimited text messages. You don't need data. And I don't know about other cameras but I have to set it for 2 minutes in between pics because it has to take the pic and process it and then send it. Depending on cell signal that might take a minute. Otherwise you won't get any pics. U learned that after 2 months of very few pics. I've had mine for a few years now. Got them from Jager pro with the trap

What type of cameras do you have and who do you have the sim cards through?

Thanks,

I have the Covert brand right now and I have one of the Moultrie modem to attach to one of the Moultrie cams, on order right now. The cost for one of each of the Moultrie is about the same as the Covert but could be cheaper if you use only one modem and just move it from camera to camera. Personally I like the idea of using all cellular so for me the cost difference is almost null point. It would be about the same price for Moultrie's best camera and a modem as a Code Black cellular from Covert. I have not had any problems with the cellular from Covert. The images it sends me are compressed and my cameras are usually about 15-20 yards from my feeders so images come out pixelated. The camera takes a 12mb picture, compresses it down to less than 400k to send by email or to text. I recieve the pictures in less than two minutes and often right at one minute from the time the picture is taken. Pretty nice when your walking up to your stand in the monring to know what is there and whats going on almost in real time. If I retrieve the card I can get a better image. You can also look into the Spartan cameras. I haven't seen much difference in a buddies pics and the ones he gets from his Covert as well.

On the Covert, they supply the sim card. It cost me $25 for 3 months ATT 1 GB data per camera and I have two of them. I have not tried their new one with the App where your supposed to be able to download more pics and video and better quality, but I'm pretty happy with the Code Black that I have right now and for the cost difference to go up, I don't see a reason enough for me to change or upgrade.

I'm trying to get one up and working but having trouble getting a strong enough signal. Most of them are AT&T, so highly suggest you check and see if you can get consistent strong 3 bars of AT&T in the area you intend to install.

East had a really good set up at one time, I have almost 100% stopped using cameras...But still hanging on and attempting a few..

I've been wondering how to set up a camera that will email/text photos to me. What exactly do you have to do and buy?

Yes. The Moultrie is Verizon I think and Covert had ATT and Verizon.

I returned a SkyPoint camera today after using it in the field for a week. Although SkyPoint claims 11 megapixel, celluarly transmitted photos are compressed too much in my opinion. Below are side by side comparisons. Note the transmitted photo is compared to a photo I took of my computer screen with my iPhone.

The SkyPoint camera seemed to have an issue with humidity between the lens and the case. Several photos did not turn out at all. I've used a $60 Bushnell on the same tree for years without issues. That $60 Bushnell was made in 2013 and image quality was better on the Bushnell than SkyPoint's claimed 11 megapixel from the SD card.

I'm ordering a Spartan camera tomorrow. Will update with results.

Transmitted...


From SD



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From SD

We use this one. $350 for the Bushnell, $90 for solar panel and $10 a month for 1,500 pics. Can't have it going off all the time unless you want to pay more. We get 2 to 3 bars.

https://wirelesstrophycam.com

http://www.hcooutdoors.com/

The Verizon one connects to your cell plan for $5 a month. I'd say that has to be the cheapest. I have been running it for a couple months. Still on the first set of batteries with 1,200 pictures taken. Takes good pictures also, with good range.

I have a covert as well. It eats batteries so fast I had to build an external battery box with a solar panel. Pictures are decent on it. Doesn't seem to have the same range as the HCO GoCam. Also on the Covert something on their system has a bug I was getting half a picture and half static. I asked customer service about it. They told me I had to lower the megapixels from 12.0 to 5.0 for it to work properly.

I have the Stealthcam GXW's and they work awesome. Iphone app controls the cameras remotely and I can change every setting from my phone. $10 per month per camera through ATT for unlimited pics. The batteries last about 3 months or 3000-4000 pictures. I bought some extra batteries and just recharge them at the house and switch them out when I go to my property.

Sounds like more trouble than it's worth. I've thought long and hard about it, but with only two bars of signal at my spot it'd probably be a costly mistake.

How many bars are you getting with a cell phone?

Have you tried a signal booster for the camera?

I still have it running, 3-4 yrs old I would think

Its a discontinued HCO Outdoors and still works great, actually reminded me earlier the batteries were getting low and need to go change them tonight.

I have one bar and both of mine work fine.

Damn man you're gonna cost me some $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

What brand cameras? How long do the batteries last? Is there an app for viewing instead of text or emails?

Pretty interesting dialogue...with the time and cost of going to the lease, Arlington to San Angelo and back it might make sense to consider getting into this. So, what is the best and what would the out lay be to set up two cameras?

How exactly do I buy the plan through Verizon for the Moultrie Modem? I haven't been able to find the plan rates or where to buy the plan. I have a Moultrie camera, but before I buy the modem I need to understand how to buy the plan through Verizon.

It is so easy to buy and setup. https://wirelesstrophycam.com

That's the Bushnell. $350 for cam and $10 a month. We have 2 bars consistent and works fine on AT&T. We added a solar charger.

I have a HCO GoCam that is on Verizon and is running on close to 3 months on a set of batteries with around 1,300 pictures. It uses an app and you can also set it up to send email/txt.

The other is a Covert Code Black 12.0 AT&T. It only uses an app. And ran through a set of batteries in a couple of weeks. I added a battery box with a solar panel and I am able to get another month or so out of it now.

I personally dislike the app option only. I go out at night to shoot hogs quite a bit and a lot of times I don't have good enough service to open the app and view the pictures. Sitting on the couch at home the app is fine. The good thing with a txt message is when you receive the message you have the picture.

The Covert is $9.99 a month for 1,000 pictures or $34.99 for 3 months for 5,000 pictures.

On HCO, if you have Verizon you can add it to your cell plan for $5 a month. Which is about $5.30 after taxes. It uses some of your data. Mine took around 600 pictures last month and used 0.3MB of data.

That's interesting. Mine are Covert but I have mine set up to send only about 80 pictures a day with 4 min interval settings. I'm not worried about what's showing up at night at my feeders. If its nocturnal and only showing up at night, it does me no good, other than knowing that its around and at night time and I can't shoot it. If I can't get pics of it in the daytime its pretty much worthless to me. I move the cameras around from time to time to find out if something else is moving in a different place during the day.

The batteries on my Covert do go down rather quick. I would say 3 months is what I normally get. That's one thing I wish would last longer and I'm tempted to give a solar panel a try.

About the compression quality, The most I have been able to set mine to is 400kb. Thats a lot from a 12mp picture. But I'm not looking for detail in the pictures its sending to me by text or email. I'm looking just to know enough so that I can tell its the same animal I'm looking for and 400kb will do that. I only need to know if its worth pulling the card or not and the quality its sending tells me enough for now. The less traffic in and out of my hunting area, the better.

One of my spots gets only 1 bar and I have no problems getting the pictures. The text message is fine for me because I can go right to it when I see the alert. Very nice when walking up to the stand in the dark.

^^^^ Thanks to the two fellas ^^^

I'm assuming the pics uploaded to the app are the same (smaller compressed) images as the text or emails?

Curtis - which Covert do you have. I'm 99% sure the 2016 model doesn't txt/email anymore. If it can or does I need to get that turned on. And I would care less about night time pictures also if I wasn't trying to kill ever hog that comes through there.

The HCO you can also request the full size HD picture to be sent. Which is also a nice feature to get the photo without disturbing the area.


Titan- That is correct. the pics are basically thumbnails.

I have several of the 2015 models. I know the 2016 doesn't but if you research around, you can still find a few 2015.

I have an HCO Spartan camera set up on my oat field now. WOW, so much better than SkyPointe. The Spartan does have a lot of settings to configure and adjust but once you get it set up to your liking, the camera is awesome. Below are photos transmitted to my phone via text message from my Spartan camera.

Looks like a big difference between those 2 cameras!

Oh yes! I LOVE my Spartan. My only word of caution is my work productivity drastically drops when the camera starts sending photos each afternoon. I work in downtown FW on the 39th floor but I've got a front row seat to my oat field anytime I text the camera to send me a photo.

Here's a few more examples:

check out who your provider will be . At&t is droping their 2 g towers at the 1st of the year so make sure the camera you are going to buy is rated for a 3 or 4 g tower.

We've had little acorn and HCO. Vastly prefer the HCO. We sell them too if interested.

Check out snyperhuntingproducts.com.
Have ha mine since TTH Expo and happy.
Just released new 3G!!! Mine will be here in a couple days.
James, owner is awesome with customer service.
Tell him Jay sent you.
Have 1500 pics and have not lost any battery signal yet using Lithium 2 A x8.