Trail cameras are used in a wide variety of applications. However, most of us want them to act as an extra set of eyes in the woods when we’re not able to be there. With that in mind, I like my scouting cameras to cover as large an area as possible, snap photos as fast as they can, and take as many pictures as they can. In essence, I want my cameras to come as close to replacing me in the woods as possible. In order to do that a trail camera must perform well in all of the three of the categories below:

1. Trigger Speed

Trigger speed is defined as the amount of time that elapses between when a camera first detects motion until it captures a photo of what caused that motion. Trigger speeds vary from a lethargic 6 seconds to a lighting fast 1/10th of a second. In order to be effective, a camera should have a trigger speed of no more than 1 second. Trigger speeds in the mid one-second range are acceptable when they are paired with a wide detection zone trail camera reviews.

2. Detection Zone

A trail camera’s detection zone is the area in which when movement is detected triggers the camera to take a picture. Detection zones vary from short and wide to long and skinny and everything in between. Although you don’t hear much about this in manufacturer’s advertising, it is the #1 determinant in how many pictures you capture. After all, no matter how fast your trail camera, it really doesn’t matter if an animal never enters your camera’s detection zone.

3. Recovery time

Recovery time is defined as the minimum amount of time required for a second triggered picture. This should not be confused with the burst mode found on many models where 1 triggering event sets off a series of pictures regardless of whether anything is still in front of the camera. Recovery times vary anywhere from as little as 1/2 second to the industry standard of a full 60 seconds. Being limited to only 1 picture every 60 seconds produces some serious gaps in your scouting capabilities. Just imagine the common scenario of a buck chasing a doe. The doe triggers the camera and if the buck passes in the next 60 seconds, he does so undetected.

So when shopping for your next trail camera look for a model with a wide detection zone, fast trigger & fast recovery time. These key performance features will make or break your next scouting adventure.