5 Best Trail Cameras for Hunting (Ranked & Reviews)
1. Bushnell Trophy Cam HD Aggressor (20MP Low Glow)
The Aggressor line of Trail cameras has been extremely popular with hunters and wildlife enthusiasts for many years. The 20MP Low Glow version continues that trend. What makes these cams great? A quality housing design and picture quality that ranges from good to outstanding. The Aggressor runs on 8 AA batteries and SD cards up to 32GB. According to TCP, you can expect a battery life up to 8 months on Lithium batteries.
Let’s talk images. The sensor is 20MP, but it’s interpolated, so much closer to 12 or 10MP. If you have a camera location with good ambient lighting, you can expect images rich in colors and depth of focus. On overcast days the camera struggles to match that high level. Night images are acceptable, perhaps due to an average IR flash output. You should see comparable results in video mode.
2. Bushnell Trophy Cam HD Aggressor (14MP No Glow)
This Trophy Cam was released a year or two ago, which is why it has a lower 14MP rating. You can still get this camera most places online, and it’s still a good buy. It has the same case design as the 20MP models, but with a deep brown color (Amazon) or tree bark camo (Cabela’s.
In some ways, this older model is better than the newer Aggressor. The images seem to be consistently brighter and clearer, and night photos have less blur. Trail Cam Pro also says the setup menus are superior on the older Bushnell Aggressors.
14MP images are plenty large enough for good detail, and the detection circuit is typical Bushnell quality. You can expect a fast 0.2-second trigger to go along with the detection range. Unlike newer Aggressors, you can program the videos for 5 to 60-second lengths. The battery life is good, ranging from 3-8 months depending on your settings.
3. Moultrie A-35 14MP
The A-35 is the top model in the A series of cameras. The A class cams are value prices, with the MSRP of this model just over the $100 mark. It features the all new slim case design used on all the A and M class cameras. The case has a nice Smokescreen camo skin and measures just 3.5 x 5.5 x 2.5 inches.
This is an upgraded version of the A-30. For the money, you get an upgraded 14MP image sensor and 32 low glow LEDs for a boost in IR flash output. The rest of the specs are solid for a camera of this price. The detection range of 60 feet is good, with a 0.7-second trigger. The flash range of 80 feet is adequate to illuminate targets.
4. Browning Recon Force Extreme FHD – Best for Videos
The Recon Force Extreme FHD is new for 2018. FHD stands for Full HD, and it continues the Browning tradition of quality images and reliable performance. This is a 20MP red glow trail camera that has improved in many aspects over previous Force Recon cameras. Day images have gotten better and the night flash illuminates the full frame.
If videos are your thing, you need to try the Browning Force Recon Extreme FHD. The videos are only 20 seconds long, but the quality is outstanding. Videos are sharp and colorful, with little blurring, while the audio is better than years past. Check out some videos from the field in the playlist below.
5. Moultrie M-40i – Best Night Pictures
The M-40i is an excellent no glow camera, and the top model in the M series. It boasts the best pictures and video of any Moultrie camera for the year. The trigger speed is an excellent 0.3 seconds and is easy on batteries. Using 8 lithium AA batteries, hunters can expect up to a 9-month life in the picture only mode.
The M-40i takes 16MP images and 1920×1080 HD videos in 10-second clips. The detection range performance is very good, reaching upwards of 90 feet. When an animal is detected, the quick shutter speed is an asset, as is the 1 second recovery time.
The M-40i was cited by Trail Cam Pro as having best in class night pictures and videos. The clips are relatively blur-free thanks to the Motion Freeze setting. There are occasional whiteouts when the subject gets closer to the camera, but overall the night pics have great depth and illumination. Check out these clips below.
The Aggressor line of Trail cameras has been extremely popular with hunters and wildlife enthusiasts for many years. The 20MP Low Glow version continues that trend. What makes these cams great? A quality housing design and picture quality that ranges from good to outstanding. The Aggressor runs on 8 AA batteries and SD cards up to 32GB. According to TCP, you can expect a battery life up to 8 months on Lithium batteries.
Let’s talk images. The sensor is 20MP, but it’s interpolated, so much closer to 12 or 10MP. If you have a camera location with good ambient lighting, you can expect images rich in colors and depth of focus. On overcast days the camera struggles to match that high level. Night images are acceptable, perhaps due to an average IR flash output. You should see comparable results in video mode.
2. Bushnell Trophy Cam HD Aggressor (14MP No Glow)
This Trophy Cam was released a year or two ago, which is why it has a lower 14MP rating. You can still get this camera most places online, and it’s still a good buy. It has the same case design as the 20MP models, but with a deep brown color (Amazon) or tree bark camo (Cabela’s.
In some ways, this older model is better than the newer Aggressor. The images seem to be consistently brighter and clearer, and night photos have less blur. Trail Cam Pro also says the setup menus are superior on the older Bushnell Aggressors.
14MP images are plenty large enough for good detail, and the detection circuit is typical Bushnell quality. You can expect a fast 0.2-second trigger to go along with the detection range. Unlike newer Aggressors, you can program the videos for 5 to 60-second lengths. The battery life is good, ranging from 3-8 months depending on your settings.
3. Moultrie A-35 14MP
The A-35 is the top model in the A series of cameras. The A class cams are value prices, with the MSRP of this model just over the $100 mark. It features the all new slim case design used on all the A and M class cameras. The case has a nice Smokescreen camo skin and measures just 3.5 x 5.5 x 2.5 inches.
This is an upgraded version of the A-30. For the money, you get an upgraded 14MP image sensor and 32 low glow LEDs for a boost in IR flash output. The rest of the specs are solid for a camera of this price. The detection range of 60 feet is good, with a 0.7-second trigger. The flash range of 80 feet is adequate to illuminate targets.
4. Browning Recon Force Extreme FHD – Best for Videos
The Recon Force Extreme FHD is new for 2018. FHD stands for Full HD, and it continues the Browning tradition of quality images and reliable performance. This is a 20MP red glow trail camera that has improved in many aspects over previous Force Recon cameras. Day images have gotten better and the night flash illuminates the full frame.
If videos are your thing, you need to try the Browning Force Recon Extreme FHD. The videos are only 20 seconds long, but the quality is outstanding. Videos are sharp and colorful, with little blurring, while the audio is better than years past. Check out some videos from the field in the playlist below.
5. Moultrie M-40i – Best Night Pictures
The M-40i is an excellent no glow camera, and the top model in the M series. It boasts the best pictures and video of any Moultrie camera for the year. The trigger speed is an excellent 0.3 seconds and is easy on batteries. Using 8 lithium AA batteries, hunters can expect up to a 9-month life in the picture only mode.
The M-40i takes 16MP images and 1920×1080 HD videos in 10-second clips. The detection range performance is very good, reaching upwards of 90 feet. When an animal is detected, the quick shutter speed is an asset, as is the 1 second recovery time.
The M-40i was cited by Trail Cam Pro as having best in class night pictures and videos. The clips are relatively blur-free thanks to the Motion Freeze setting. There are occasional whiteouts when the subject gets closer to the camera, but overall the night pics have great depth and illumination. Check out these clips below.
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