A Hunters Review of the Super Scouter Trail, Hunting and Wildlife Camera

As the age old maxim goes, “knowledge is power”. For a hunter, knowing where and when your prey is most likely to be, can mean the difference between success and failure. Sometimes, 'luck' will be a factor, but more often than not, it is surveillance that reaps the greatest rewards.

If we look to nature, we see that the most successful predators are able to gain their prize with the minimum of calories expended. How? A big part is knowing the habits of their quarry and placing themselves in the right position at the right time. This has long been my objective, and so far, like all of natures carnivores, it has meant keeping my eyes and ears open as I wander my hunting grounds and being sensitive to the changes in the habits of the quarry around me. In this way, I have built a picture (albeit approximate until now) of their locations and tendencies.

But there is a limit. I only have one pair of eyes and ears. I can only be in one place at any one time. I also need to sleep.

But what if I could change that?

What if I had an extra set of eyes? Imagine if those ears could be placed, camouflaged in a location where my prey is known to frequent. Consider the possibilities if those instruments of observation need never rest!

Subscribers to my YouTube channel, visitors to my blog, and members of the forums I contribute to will know I live what could be termed a 'simple' life. But living 'simply' does not necessarily dictate 'primitively'. The renunciation of modern aids is not an obligatory requisite. We live in a technological age, our ancestors very quickly grasped the potential, and benefited from, the advances of the inventions of their era. So I have done the same.

What is this device that satisfies the aforementioned desire? What piece of magic could possibly grant me such incredible powers?

I believe it is the Super Scouter Trail Camera 2.0C model from Global Egrow (stores.ebay.co.uk/globalegrowinc).

I came across this product after doing a fair amount of research into remote cameras suited to my purpose. I noted the features of the branded examples and set about finding one with all those benefits but minus the inflated price tag.

At just £109.99 versus the £245.40 of the branded equivalent, I believe I was successful. But my triumph was two fold, not only had I found a product that was over half the price, the features were not just equal, they were in cases superior!

The Super Scouter has a 12 mega pixel camera over 8 mega pixel,

Both record 720 HD video 1-60 seconds,

Both with colour TFT screens.

Both have expandable SD slot upto 32GB.

Both have IR LED's with a range over 50 feet.

Both claim battery lives of over 6 months.

With the seller having a UK distribution operation, I had the product in my hands within 24 hours of ordering. I got in touch with the seller to enquire about the differences in models and features as well as to express my thanks. I had an equally prompt response. I could certainly see now how they had acquired their 99.5% positive feedback! Impressive indeed.

Neatly packaged in a sturdy box with an adjustable mounting strap, USB and AV cable, I very quickly had the Super Scouter Camera out and gave the well written and worded English instruction manual the usual 'male' scrutiny. As suspected, it was very simple to configure and operate as anyone who has owned a digital camera will quickly see. Insertion of batteries is a simple procedure, a handy loop assists in lifting the panel that opens out and allows for 4-8 AA batteries, dependant on how long you wish to run the unit.

I was most taken with the effective camouflage pattern printed on the very solid feeling shell. The unit opens and closes via two clasps that compress a rubber seal which ensures the internals are kept dry and protected.

Can you tell where it is yet?

The rear of the camera has moulded, toothed grips that do a very good job of providing a positive contact to the bark of the host tree and keep the camera exactly where positioned. When elevation has required adjusting, the sliding of a stick under one of the grips works nicely. 

The use of the black adjustable strap is not your only option for mounting however, with a discreet thread mount (standard camera size) located on its underside, the camera can be mounted on a conventional tripod where trees are scarce, or even on a flexible mount up in the branches.

Outlets are covered with rubber plugs to maintain water tightness.

Hunting is not the only application for this product of course. For a man living in the woods, security is a consideration. Thoughtfully moulded into the main body is a receptacle that allows for a lock to be installed, deterring unauthorised access and theft. Set to video function with audio, I can rest easy knowing my sentinel is watching over my belongings and home. For a landowner or gamekeeper, posting these look outs discreetly on the borders of your property could pay dividends in many ways. It is worthy of note that the upgraded 2.0CM model has a GPRS function and allows the insertion of a SIM card which, in turn, means images and videos can be immediately sent via MMS and uploaded to the web by email. Poachers beware!

The unit is fully programmable to suit your application. A timer can be set to give time lapse results, photo interval (time between shots) can be set, burst mode (1-3 pictures), video duration (1-60 secs), quality can be adjusted to 5, 8 or 12 Mega pixels, date, time and temperature can be stamped on the photographs, you can even add a 6v solar panel/power supply or plug in an external microphone if desired.

A very useful feature has been the 2.4 inch colour TFT screen which has enabled me to preview photographs and footage in the field prior to downloading. 

 

In all, this product has proven itself to be a genuine asset and aid in delivering intelligence on the activity of the species that share my environment. A bonus has been the images captured of animals that have proved most elusive (not just prey, but other predators!). 

The thief responsible for the disappearance of two of my chickens?

The time stamps enable me to see when creatures are most active and this, in conjunction with noting the location the unit was in, is rapidly resulting in an accurate and detailed map. Consequently my hunting forays are set to be far more productive with the most efficient and effective use of my time thanks to this camera. I will certainly be grateful in the winter months!

Thankfully, you do not need to be a master of tracking, just have the ability to see the trails on the ground and identify a good vantage point to mount and place the camera. I have found the best results have been gained when the setup was angled with the subjects approaching thus providing maximum exposure to the lens.

If you find yourself in the market for such an item, I strongly recommend you purchase The Super Scouter Trail Camera and buy it from Global Egrow Inc, a seller who has proven themselves to be reliable, trustworthy and most helpful and co-operative. The camera's versatility is a quality that means this will earn its keep in very little time at all. Like me, you'll quickly wonder how your ever managed without it!

The Super Scouter Trail Camera