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Black flash infrared trail cameras

32K views 58 replies 24 participants last post by  445 supermag 
#1 ·
I'm thinking about getting a new trail camera. I was just wondering if anyone has tried the new type of infrared black flash? It's suppose to be undetectable by whitetails, because it doesn't give off a red glow like all other infrared cameras. I noticed Moultrie has one out for $170.00 called the M80 BLX, which has decent reviews.
 
#5 ·
I think the black LED would help a bit. I use video mode on mine and it's very obvious that the deer know the camera is there. Usually it doesn't matter. But I do have a video of a buck that goes from facing the camera to completely out of sight in about 3 seconds.

Hiding from people is a good thing. But mostly people are not out after dark.

Personally I wouldn't pay more than about $20 extra for black LED.
 
#6 ·
Think twice ... about how much you spend on a camera that may get stolen. If you're buying a $180.00 camera a good way to look at is "you're strapping 9 twenty dollar bills to a tree in the woods." :smile: As to IR and black flash ... white flash seems to have a noticeable effect on deer; IR as Gary said "they know is there" but I suspect it may be as much the noise the shutter makes as the infrared. Black flash, I couldn't tell you ... but personally, I wouldn't spend a lot of extra money for it.
 
#10 ·
There ain't ... much you're going to "hide" out in the woods. :smile: Besides, there's a big difference between breaking down and hauling out a treestand and grabbing a small and expensive piece of electronics. The treestand might be asking to be stolen, the other is screaming it.
 
#11 ·
I have had my fair share of stands and blinds stolen. I have been bow hunting for over 30years. A good friend had her camera stolen last year. As well as a feeder. Guys if your going to run a camera at a feeding station put it up in the air. I have used my climber to put up my cameras or stood on top of my rhino. Or put them low on the ground under a log. Don't just strap them to a tree with no locks or even try to hide them. And don't put them on a tree that they can just cut down. At least make them go home for tools.

Now if that was 12'up or peeking out at ground level.
Here's another view

The metal lock box is lagged to the tree. Plus the shank of the lock has a nut on it you cant get bolt cutters in there to use them.
And the thing is this might not even be the real camera. It might be high in a tree guarding.
Like my blind here i am going hunting turkey season.

The camera is very well hid and up in a tree and locked plus its black flash.
 
#14 ·
I got a Moultrie Game Spy M-80xt. It's got a real fast trigger. I had a problem with a visitor in the yard stealing things. I put this up and got my thief. I also got license plate number and nice pics of him coming and going. I did notice even moving cars going by it caught. Most times it got 1/2 or more of a 25 mph vehicle going by. I have a Cudebak and this is as fast or better than it. Battery life is great too. I would buy another. They make this model in a black IR too. Mine has red. I have not used it on a deer but they notice the camera even in day so I think the noise is doing it more than the IR.

Trespasser / thief has a big surprise coming. :thumbs_up
 
#15 ·
Bird the IR shutter will alert a deer. Some cameras are quieter than others. If you add that click, they look then get the red flash in there eyes it will spook some deer. A real eye opener is video i have had bucks bolt as soon as they see it. And a yote will bolt every time if they look at the camera. They cant see the cast of the light but they can see the red blob on the camera. But black flash just isn't there they will act normal. And trespassers can't see it either. I like the Bushnell119466 because it has video+sound now its not true black flash. In a pitch black room you can see very very dim lights if you look right at the flash. And that's only at just a few feet like 3 feet.
Here watch this yote. First thing i want to point out. The camera got this yote coming in the frame. No pop up yote you like the ones that's just there. The camera never caught them before there center frame or leaving.
But the big thing watch what he does when he crosses my track. Now he is on full alert ready to bail. Now from what i have see happen if that had been a red blob camera that yote would have been gone. Same with a deer. But as you can see he has no idea he is being filmed.

Guys i don't have a dime in it. But if you wan't to know whats going on and not take a chance on spooking game. Buy a pretty good camera and black flash is a must its worth the extra.
But I'm not saying burn what you got. You can buy Black flash extenders for like $100 that will turn your red flash to black. Or when you must replace your cameras i would buy black flash.
 
#18 ·
I have a black flash Reconyx and the only deer that seem to react to the camera are the ones that are extremely close 5 to 10 feet or less. I pretty sure it's the faint tic of the shutter that makes them aware of the cameras location. I have triggered the cam myself standing beside it and to my old ears it is barely audible. To the deer it might seem like a finger snap though. Due to the high cost of it I only use it on Canadian bear hunts or in my backyard.
My regular IR cameras get stared at all the time by deer facing them when the shutter trips.
 
#19 ·
I put the dark window tinting film (limousine tint) on my IR leds and it does help as far as not spooking deer, I also try to place the cams at least 6 to 7 ft up the tree, out of the deer's line of sight..When I use my flash cams (home brews) I place those at least 9 to 10 feet up and I think that also helps..JMO..

Mike
 
#55 ·
Ive got a couple m80s and while looking at a m80 black flash it appears to have black film over the lense that covers the led bulbs. Is that all there is to make it "black flash"? I was thinking about just buying some tint as well and covering it. Does it make the pictures darker?
 
#22 ·
Window tinting sorry been there done that don't work. Placing your cameras higher works as long as its out of there normal line of sight. But that cuts back on your sensing range some so keep that in mind.Here's the deal if you can see it the deer can see it. The old wife's tail they can't see red is false. Now there's low glow red led there not bad.
The only way to make a red blob invisible is run it day only. Or do what i did and buy these.http://www.uwayoutdoors.com/product_info.php?products_id=47
 
#24 ·
I like the idea of the black flash. However, every time I look at reviews of all these cameras - there's problems. Not waterproof, lousy daytime pictures, batteries don't last more than a few weeks, blurry pictures, wouldn't take a picture, shutter too slow etc. I'd like to find a black flash (or any flash LOL) trail camera that's affordable and makes the owner happy. Can it be done?
 
#26 ·
I run a Bushnell 466 with Uway extended flash, both ran off there own 6 volt 12amp battery, it works really good, I only need to recharge about every 4 months and im running 45 sec. videos that average around 300 vids. a week.
 
#30 ·
Really have a problem with people stealing cameras and stands......happy we don't worry about that down here........Gary
 
#34 ·
I'm just running threw posting as i find them'





Sorry that's all i have my old lap top died and i lost a bunch of pics.
I will go check my cameras in the AM maybe we will get lucky.
All yea check me out i'm in the first pic hunting LOL
 
#36 ·
Sorry here's 2 black flash Here is the doe coming in to the frame.

I wanted to show you this so you could see how well this camera lights up the woods.
And how quickly it woke up and took the first pic.
Heres the 3rd pic of the same deer as she moved threw

As you can see if the deer's not moving very fast you don't get blur.You can see a little blur back leg.
I had the camera set on a 3 shot burst. There was a pic between 1 &3 and 2 more after pic 3 as she walked off. And one with nothing she had moved out of frame.
 
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