While in the woods, the mosquitoes had a feast on me.  We had a really wet Spring and they must have been on a breeding frenzy, because I was covered up.  I typically don't like to use bug sprays when I head into the woods to hunt or hang cameras.  I'd prefer not to foul my camera locations with the smell of Deep Woods Off, and I learned real quick that I could use a good bug suit.

To make matters a bit worse, I got into a mess of chiggers.  I'll take a mosquito bite over a chigger bite any day.  I got chewed up so bad that I think I would crawl out of my skin if I could at this point.  So this post will be a bit brief so I can get to the drug store to pick up some Chigerid.

My mission was accomplished, even though I carry a few battle scars from it.  I got a Cuddeback Capture, a Wildgame Innovations X6C, a Bushnell Trophy Cam, and my new cheap little Tasco 3MP digital game cameras all hung.  I'll hopefully have some new pictures and videos available soon.  You will be able to see them all on my Scouting Cameras YouTube Channel.

Until next time, watch out for those biting bugs and I hope you capture some good images of that big buck you'll be chasing this fall!

• The molded security hole through the chassis that accepts a Python lock for theft prevention.
• The ability to do photos and video, and support an 8 GB memory card.
• The 40 foot infrared night range.
• A 1.5 second trigger speed.

#2 - Wildgame Innovations X6C
The Wildgame Innovations X6C infrared digital scouting camera was a close second to the Truth Cam 35.  This is another trail camera that I have personally tested, and still have in the woods.  The consumers have rated this game camera a 3.5 out of 5 stars.  I am definitely impressed by the clarity and sharpness of the infrared images, but that quality does tend to fade a bit as the batteries weaken.  You will get approximately 4 weeks on 8 x AA batteries.  The menu system for configuring this trail cam is easy to use, which is a major plus.  As of today, the X6C can be picked up for just over $100.00.

A few of the features that really attract me to the Wildgame Innovations X6C are:

• 6 megapixel resolution.
• Great camouflage design on the camera housing.
• 40 foot infrared flash and sensor range.
• The ability to capture images and videos and the support for up to an 8 GB memory card.
• Very helpful Wildgame Innovations support staff.  I spoke to them a couple of times and they always left me satisfied.

#3 - Stealth Cam Unit
The Unit is the first of the small form factor game cameras offered by Stealth Cam.  The STC-U840IR measures just 6" x 4" x 3".  Stealth Cam really stepped up their game with the Unit by adding some cutting edge features.  It captures both pictures and videos, but the 640 x 480 digital videos also record the surrounding audio.  This infrared digital game camera will accept up to a 16 GB memory card, which is good because it allows you to record videos of up to 3 minutes in length.  With a 4 out of 5 star rating, and a price tag under $120.00, it is time to give Stealth Cam another look.
A few of the features of this infrared digital game camera that make it stand out are:

• 8 megapixel resolution.
• 640 x 480 digital videos with audio, from 10 seconds to 3 minutes in length.
• Burst mode for 1 - 9 images in succession.
• 2X or 4X digital zoom.
• Infrared for night time images and videos.

#4 - Moultrie Gamespy I-40
I was a little surprised to see the Moultrie Gamespy I-40 sitting in the #4 position.  Surprised because I would have expected to see the new M-80 and M-100 models beating it.  This 3.5 out of 5 star rated infrared game camera is under $120.00, which is approximately $100.00 off of the retail price.  The I-40 has gained a reputation for being a solid performer.  The 150 day battery life makes it an economical camera to operate.
A few features to take note of on this scouting camera are:

• A 40 foot infrared flash range.
• The ability to capture images and videos, during the daytime or night.
• 150 day battery life.

#5 - Wildgame Innovations IR4
Wildgame Innovations also captured the number 5 spot with their IR4, 4.0 megapixel infrared digital game camera.  I have been intending to pick this camera up for a personal test, but have not gotten around to it yet.  I have a few too many tests in the pipeline currently.  Seeing this camera show up in the top 5 best sellers will definitely make me re-evaluate my test schedule though.  The IR4 has an average customer rating of 3.5 out of 5 stars, and a current price of under $75.00, both of which I am sure has helped to drive this scouting camera's popularity.

A look at the specs shows the following features to take note of:

• It is a 4 megapixel game camera.
• It captures images and videos in 30 second lengths.
• Takes up to an 8 GB memory card.
• A 40 foot flash and sensor range.
• Has a super simple setup, with 3 fixed settings for easy operation.
• A 4 week battery life from 4 x C cell batteries.

I've seen a lot of action on many of the newer game cameras for 2011 and expect to see them moving into some of the top 5 spots next month.  There have been a lot of new releases from game camera manufacturers this year, which is a trend that we expect to continue seeing.

New for 2009, the Stealth Cam Nomad IR digital game camera is yet another great offering from the popular game camera manufacturer that is loaded with features.  This infrared digital game camera, model I530IRx2, is capable of taking photographs and capturing video in the daytime or at night.  Best of all, this game camera is infrared, which means there is no flash at night that will spook your game.

It can give you high quality VGA video, and will record video clips any where from 5 to 90 seconds in length.  The Nomad has 32 MB of built-in RAM, but accepts standard SDRAM memory cards of up to 2 GB in size, so storing lots of images and videos will not be a problem.  We recommend that you have multiple SDRAM cards.  They are inexpensive, and you can just quickly swap out your memory cards when checking your camera, and view the images and videos from your home PC.
The Nomad IR will capture images in high quality mode of up to 5 megapixel resolution, and will capture images by day and night.  The image quality is sharp, and all images are stamped with the date and time, as well as temperature and moon phase.

For still images, you have the option of 5MP, 3MP, and 1.3MP resolutions.  The daytime images are in color, and night time images are black and white.  The burst mode setting can be defined to take between 1 to 9 image upon each activation of the PIR.  And the PIR can detect game out to 30 feet.  Its 27 infrared emitters give the Nomad clear images and video out to 30 feet in pure darkness.

You will like the new icon-based programming, and ease of use.

The Nomad IR is powered by six standard C cell batteries, but it also accepts the optional 12 volt power supply for extended operation in the field.  A mounting strap is included, but we recommend adding a cable-lock, or pad lock with a security cable for protection from theft.  A USB cable is also included in the box, for hooking the camera up to your PC.

We like the new camo design over the drab green or black colors seen on previous stealth cam models.  So if you are in the market for a new game camera, give the Stealth Cam Nomad IR a closer look.  It is sure to please.

See the Best prices on Stealth Cam Nomad IR

There is currently one Smart Scouter trail camera located in Maryland, but he has plans to deploy a small fleet of cellular cameras across the country. The Smart Scouter Trail Camera has a built-in cellular modem, which will send out email131913191319s containing recently captured images as attachments. Their custom scripts take the attached images from the email131913191319s every hour, and automatically post them to the Real-Time gallery.

Not only am I impressed by the concept of the real-time gallery, but I'm also impressed by the quality of some of the bucks that I have seen in the gallery. You can see the gallery for yourself at the following link: Real-Time Trail Camera Pictures. Bookmark it, and visit it daily to see the new pictures. I give it two thumbs up!

Take a look at some of the unique images that Steve gave me permission to post.

I have a serious addiction to game cameras, but  I never seem buy the same camera twice.  Even if I love a game camera, I tend to fight the urge to buy another one of those in favor of trying something different.  I love testing new digital game cameras, because I like seeing the different features and methods of operation for the different models.

This wouldn't be such a problem, if there weren't great new digital cameras hitting the market from each manufacturer every year.  I'm definitely interested in the new Moultrie I45 and I65.  I am very interested in the Moultrie Game Spy Game Management System.  The innovation in cellular game camera technology is just a taste of what the future will bring.

This fall, we will see the StealthCam Prowler HD htting the market. With the integration of high definition, H.264 video compression, and the ability to record full audio, we should see some stunning video being shared.

It looked as if a worker in the area had seen my feeder back there.  I had an older Stealth Cam back there pointing right at the feeder.  It was pretty concealed, and wasn't detected.  I have a lock and cable on it, so I'm not that conerned about it walking off.

I had several images of this guy looking at my feeder and messing with it.  I realized that had my game camera not been locked, it very well could have been lost that day.

Game camera manufacturers today are packing some nice technlogy into their cams.  That technology comes with a price.  You wouldn't leave a few $100 bills taped to a tree in the woods.  Why would you leave a several hundred dollar game camera in the woods unsecured.  So do yourself a favor, and secure your game camera.

I personally love the Python adjustable locking cables by Master Lock.  These things are 6 feet long, and 3/8" thick.  They are tough and weather resistant, and vinyl coated.  They add excellent security, and peace of mind.

I love this time of year, because the deer seem to reach a new comfort zone.  They feel more protected in wooded areas with lots of foliage to conceal their presence.  Much more comfortable than when the woods was wide open and you could see long distances.  These more relaxed deer tend to linger longer, and I always end up with a lot more pictures of deer and other game animals.

On the downside, most bucks have dropped their racks.  You may still see an occasional buck that is slow to drop, but the excitement factor of hoping to see the big rack is gone.  I start awaiting the first signs of antler growth, and look forward to watching the development of those racks into what hopefully becomes that shooter buck.

So this is a great time of the year to get your mineral blocks out to help that antler growth.