These Expert-Recommended Trail Cams Help You Spot Wildlife Wherever You Place Them (2024)

This trail camera doesn’t come from a name brand, but I have used it for hunting and scouting and found it to be reliable and affordable enough to buy several. It also has specs that are beyond those offered by most traditional trail camera brands, including 4K video and crisp 48MP images.

The trigger speed and resolution of the photos have improved since the last time I featured this camera. Trigger speed is about as fast as you can get at a maximum of 0.3 seconds, and I have captured several images of animals on a full sprint past the camera. The internal LCD viewing screen is good enough to be able to review images and zoom in on details, which is a big help in setting up your camera, and can save you the hassle of swapping memory cards.

While there are cheaper trail cams available, many don’t have the image quality of this camera—and I’ve found that I value the clarity of the images enough to pay a small premium. There’s no cellular capability here, but that avoids the recurring costs of a data plan.

With Wi-Fi connectivity, you can use your phone to view images and avoid messing with tiny SD cards in the field. The Amazon listing often features discounts and coupons, making it a great camera for less than $100.

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If you’re trying to deploy a fleet of cameras, the cost can add up quickly. I once met an out-of-state hunter who had more than 50 cameras placed in the area he was planning to hunt for elk in Colorado.

At that volume, even a $5 difference in price is a big deal. Still, even the cheapest trail cameras offer what you need to scout effectively, and the compact WOSPORTS unit gets the job done.

The megapixels are low here at 16, and the images won’t be wall art anytime soon, but they’re plenty detailed for identifying game animals. Likewise, the 1.1-second trigger speed lags behind pricier options, but it won’t affect most images unless animals are passing through at a sprint. The tiny form factor is a plus here as well, especially if you’re carting a dozen of them into your hunting zone in a backpack.

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Many trail cameras feel like versions of the same thing, even when they’re from different brands. The BOG Blood Moon camera has several unique features that set it apart from the herd, including a removable viewing dock, optional rechargeable battery pack, and lots of image metadata such as moon phases and barometric pressure.

The pull-out 3-inch viewing dock is the most obvious difference from run-of-the-mill cameras. While this might seem gimmicky if you’ve never used a game camera, it means you can view your camera’s images without taking the camera down. The large screen size means you can evaluate the images in the field without needing a special reader or phone connection.

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Bushnell packed all the latest trail camera features into this new-for-fall 2023 camera that pairs with the brand's highly rated app for a feature-rich experience, all controlled and viewed from your smartphone.

The most important addition is instant image delivery, which is probably the biggest advance in top-of-the-line trail cameras for this hunting season.

While you can preserve some battery life and batch your images by choosing a lower upload frequency, immediate imagery delivery is exciting and the Bushnell Cellucore Live takes it a step further, allowing you (assuming a sufficiently robust data connection) the ability to live stream the camera to the app on your phone for up to 2 minutes.

The camera uses the increasingly common dual-SIM card setup, so the camera automatically connects to the best available network. (Many cameras still come with either an AT&T- or Verizon-specific SIM which forces you to determine which network works best where you’ll place the camera before you buy. Not always an easy task.)

Because trail cameras, in my experience, may have quality control issues, the 2-year warranty is a bonus as well, especially given the cost. If you’re sick of needing a separate app for every connected product you own, Bushnell touts OnX Hunt integration which allows you to view photos and camera location directly in OnX. If you’re an OnX user, this is a perk that streamlines the amount of time you have to spend staring at your phone when you’re trying to scout or hunt.

The downside to this feature-rich camera is cost. The initial investment is steep and you can get most, though not all, of the features and specs from cheaper options. The data plans from Bushnell are also a tad more expensive than most of its competitors so running a fleet of these cameras can be a pricey endeavor over time.

If you like the concept but can't stomach the price tag, the only budget option I’ve found in this category is from a lesser known overseas brand Camojojo. Its Trace camera retails for a lot less than the Bushnell but is extremely similar in terms of features including live stream options and instant delivery.

The photo and video quality is comparable as well, but the one downside is the app, which had a few annoying bugs compared to the Bushnell app, which mostly functioned without issue. Still, at nearly a third of the price, the Camojojo is worth a look.

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Moultrie Mobile won me over and got me to start using cellular cameras by making the experience simple and relatively affordable. The brand's Edge camera was new for last season and improved upon its solid Delta Base cellular camera by shrinking the form factor significantly and swapping in a robust, flip-up antenna for the easy-to-break or -lose screw-in antenna.

The data plans are reasonable and I’ve usually opted for the plan that is 1,000 images for $10 per month, though I’ve noticed the plans are usually discounted in the lead-up to hunting season. The brand also have an unlimited plan for $16.99.

Paired with the low upfront cost of the camera and the fact that you can cancel/pause your subscriptions at any time, it becomes easier to justify the cost of running a few cell-connected camera for your hunting seasons.

The 33-megapixel images and 720p video don’t look like much on paper, but the image previews on the app are clear enough to browse easily and the HD images (available for download to minimize bandwidth usage) look better than the specs would suggest.

Overall, Moultrie wins by simplifying what has traditionally been a frustrating experience known for hardware and app glitches. The first time I set up this camera, it took me less than 5 minutes—and that was to to set up the camera, download the app, purchase a plan, and start receiving images. Anyone who has used other cellular cameras will know it’s not usually that straightforward.

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Bluetooth and/or WiFi connectivity is becoming more common in trail cameras and can be more convenient than pulling SD cards or reviewing images on a small digital screen inside the trail camera. It makes sense— Your $1,000 smartphone screen is going to be clearer than any trail cam display.

I have used this trail camera from GardePro and found it most useful close to home, where we often set up yard cameras to see who is coming through at night and causing trouble. Often I can simply cue up the app from inside the house or on the deck, wake up the camera via low-power Bluetooth that's always on, then connect via WiFi to download any new pictures (usually in a couple minutes at most). All without ever touching the camera or SD cards.

For cameras I place farther afield (say, in my hunting zones), I don’t often use the wireless connectivity even if the camera has it. There are several steps to connecting and downloading to the phone, which all take time. Plus, every trail camera app I’ve ever used has had quirks.

In the field, I’d rather swap memory cards or even download manually to my phone using a USB card reader. That said, this feature is a huge convenience if you hate messing with cards or have trouble reviewing images on small screens. I found that the WiFi antenna on this Garde model allows for fast transfer speeds and connects from distances over 50 feet.

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This update to Moultrie Mobile’s excellent Edge Cellular Trail Camera featured above (as Best Cellular) adds 2023’s hottest feature: instant image transmission.

Most cellular cameras upload images to the network (and hence your phone) at regular intervals, usually hourly or every 3- or 6 hours. The Edge Pro can upload an image as soon as it registers in the camera, but it still manages reasonable battery life by only checking in with the network when it has something to share.

There’s also an optional solar panel add-on (about $75) that can help extend battery life. The camera also features some small but noticeable improvements to image quality, bumping the video to 1080p from 720p and inching the megapixels up to 36 from 33.

Some states don’t allow you to use cellular cameras during the hunting season, but if you can, getting real-time images can be a real advantage, delivering timely intel while you’re in the field. (These practices may have implications for fair chase, however, so keep in mind the ethical implications of how you use trail cameras, especially if you’re hoping to land an animal that scores in the record books, as some practices can disqualify your animal.)

Even if you’re just using the Edge Pro during preseason, there’s an excitement factor of getting images right after they’re taken, connecting you to your hunting spot in real time no matter where you are. And while these cameras are targeted to hunters, this real-time functionality makes them practical as a security camera option as well.

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This budget option from GardePro delivers high-quality images for half the cost of cameras from better-known brands. While it may be a lower-cost camera, it still takes 48-megapixel images, records 1296p HD video, and uses a Sony image sensor.

The trigger on the motion detection is also quite fast at 0.1 seconds, so animals on the move won’t speed past before the camera wakes up. The video isn’t as good as the 4K from our top overall pick above, but the photos are some of the best I’ve seen from trail cameras.

The internal 2.4-inch LCD allows you to easily browse menus, set up your camera, and review images without removing cards or having to connect a phone or computer. The Garde also has a convenient Operation Hours feature if you prefer to set it only to capture images at certain times of day or night. It’s also a fairly light camera at 1.17 pounds, so it’s not a bear if you need to take it farther afield in a pack.

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Are there states where trail cams are illegal or where there are some restrictions?

Most states have some sort of regulation with the use of trail cameras, especially when used on public land and as they relate to hunting activities. Arizona, where game animals tend to congregate around limited water sources, banned trail cameras for hunting statewide in 2021. Colorado, where I live, has few restrictions on trail camera use before your hunting season begins, but limits employing them while you’re actively hunting.

Using trail cameras on your own private property doesn’t usually involve too many restrictions, but be sure to check the regulations from your state’s wildlife management organization to confirm, as private land practices can still be regulated through the hunting codes since wildlife are considered a shared public resource.

Can I also use a trail camera as a home security camera…for my backyard?

There are so many options for security cameras dedicated to home use, and because of that, most of the time it makes more sense to just buy a security camera from a brand that specializes in that application, such as Ring or Google Nest.

These products generally have superior apps and software to hunt-focused trail cameras. Since they're designed for home use, they effortlessly connect to your home wifi network, don’t require a data subscription, and will have features trail cameras won’t such as two-way communication.

That said, if you already own trail cameras and don’t need specific features, most trail cameras can serve a security purpose. The best trail cameras to employ for security are the newer “live” trail cameras that transmit imagery instantly via cell networks and notify you on your phone when the camera has been triggered.

Another option is WiFi-enabled trail cameras that can connect to your phone without a cellular network to transmit images. However these cameras don’t usually transmit if you’re not within range of the camera (i.e. at home), so they’re limited to general monitoring rather than real-time notification when you’re away.