Trad Talk Forums banner

I wont buy from Moultrie again.

Tags
buy moultrie
3K views 13 replies 3 participants last post by  Mike S 
#1 ·
Over the years I have bought several game cameras, usually they are Moultrie. Recently I went to set up one that had maybe been in the woods 5-6 times only to find that the LCD screen was toast. I use a homemade lockbox for my cameras so I knew it didnt get damaged or even wet. I looked online a bit and found that Moultrie has had some trouble over the years with their LCD screens failing. The info I found online showed that I could get a replacement from them for $15. I dont see why a customer should have to buy it when they admit they had a bad run of materials, however I figured $15 is a small price to pay to get the camera up and running. So, I called and ordered one, and then I'm informed the total would be $30 due to the additional $15 shipping charge. Not too happy considering the size/ weight of the screen but again, its cheaper than buying another new camera. I was told it would show up this past Monday so today I gave them a buzz to check on it. Apparently they are behind and the answer I was given was that it hasnt shipped,they don't know when it will ship, or when I will recieve it.

Its not about the money, because that will still be spent. Just not on any more Moultrie products.
 
#3 · (Edited)
Ken, I made some PVC feeders back in 2000-2001 that I figure will last my lifetime. When I moved and got a little property I hung one and the deer have a grand time with their handout lol.

The camera situation is aggravating. When I buy new cameras( upgraded stuff) I'll do some research first. It would be a different situation altogether if they acted like they gave a damn. Thankfully there are many other options out there. Maybe one will not have made in China stamped on it. That's where I'll start.
 
#4 ·
They "all" have issues and are made in china with exception to reconyx. I've heard good and bad about most company's, only good about reconyx. I personally have a hard time hanging $500 on a tree. I've made home brews with good success, but they also can have their issues. I'm currently using a primos blackout. It's the larger older model and I got it for like $60 on clearance at Wally World. Yes it has the "clank" you read about, but the video is really cool. Only complaint I have is the sensor is too good. I get deer at 40yds and unfortunately due to the blackout feature, can't see anything past 15yds after dark(lots of empty videos at night, not a problem during daylight).
I had gravity feeders that were chain activated. Deer bump the chain, more corn falls out. Seemed awesome, till turkeys and squirrels learned to work the chain. Dang squirrels would grab the chain and shake it. We would put 200lbs in a feeder and find it empty and knocked over in a week. No doubt the masked bandits had their fair share as small packs of them would be caught on camera nightly.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mike S
#5 ·
Just an update to close this thread. Moultrie finally sent me the LCD screen. In the camera the LCD screen is attached to another small board with 14 pins that actually go through the second board and are precision soldered. Then the second board attaches with a ribbon connector. No instructions in the box and obviously would require specialized tools to make the repair. All 14 pins would have to be heated at the same time to get rhe old one off and new one on in very tight space.Would have been an easy fix just to attach a ribbon connector and reassemble. It all went in the trash...

On to another company...
 
#6 ·
Bummer, maybe put it on ebay and one of the homebrew guys would pay a few bucks for it? Seems they would have told you the screen wasn't a plug n play. Bushnell and covert get pretty good reviews, with reconyx being the best.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mike S
#7 ·
Ken, I'll look into those. Anything will be better than sending Moultrie more cash. I took it apart ahead of time and made the mistake in assuming they would send the LCD and the small board as one component( since the average person could not make the repair) In talking to them on the phone a few times its clear they do not stress customer service at all. Its fine, cost me a few bucks to learn a valuable lesson. You can imagine the 5-6 hunting buddies of mine who will also look elsewhere when they upgrade or replace their cameras.
 
#8 ·
I've had 'decent' luck with Bushnells, but a) I use them winter and summer in New England and b) I don't expect more than 3 years from them. It's not a cheap hobby!
 
#9 · (Edited)
A few weeks ago I splurged my store points and bought a top-shelf Bushnell, with HD video capability. Stuck it in a spot I know bears use, threw a few apples down, and got some *nice* footage. Thought there was just one bear around 'til the last two clips. Wrong...

View attachment 28295
 
#11 ·
Mike, the heck of it is, this is about 80 yards from a well-traveled road, and a couple hundred yards from the club rifle range ;-) In the video following this one, the bear knocks the camera off the tree. (Has happened to me several times. This particular bear really doesn't like cameras!)
 
#12 ·
Where I grew up there is plenty of woods and farmland, but some really big "state land" deer are caught on camera and even killed on private property in what are considered residential areas. I assume its no different with bears. Where I live now( 20 mins away) I set up a stand out back for those very reasons. Granted we can't see a neighbor here but the critters I see are residential and they are pretty comfortable around the sights and sounds once they get used to it.

Last year we had a black bear about 5 miles from here on school grounds that created quite the stir after the pictures hit the papers. Folks in central and south Jersey just aren't used to them yet because the population isn't high down here and the sightings are rare. You are lucky to have them local Dana!
 
#13 ·
Mike, a friend of mine hunts in NJ and sees almost as many bears as deer. Big ones.

Here in MA the 2014 early bear season saw a new record set, over 200 taken. A few bruisers, too, according to my source. And we still have the late season to go.
 
#14 ·
Yep the northern part of the state has a healthy population with few hunting seasons taking place in the past 50 years . Where I live in the more southern part of the state you have a decent mix of Pineys ( lovingly referred to as ******** down south) and people with McMansions. Folks that grew up country, and folks that built a McMansion in the country have a different reaction when these particular large mammals show up in the back yard LOL. Personally I hope more bears make there way down here. They will thrive in the cranberries and blueberries and type of woods we have here and maybe one day I'll see a season for them locally. If not, I'm OK with just having them back in the area doing their thing. :highfive:
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top