Browning trail camera and CS rant!

[Mudslinger]

I have 7 trail cameras from Browning that have worked flawlessly since I have had them out. This past year, the woodpeckers hammered my PIR lenses in 6 of the 7.

I contacted Browning and was told that the lenses were on backorder. Contacted them again around the end of August and was told again that 2 of the PIR lenses for 2 different model cameras they were still waiting on to come in. 4 of the camera models I have (all the same model) I was told they would not be getting any replacement PIR lenses due to the age of the cameras.

These cameras were in perfect working condition when the wood peckers did there thing on the PIR lense.

If this is the case, I am done with Browning. They list 25 different PIR lenses on their website with only 14 of them in stock, maybe!

Other camera mfgs may be the same but when you have a couple hundred bucks tied up in cameras and all of a sudden they are not going to sell you parts or fix them, in my book, not good.

Now, suggestions on what brand to go with that will not break the bank due to the possibility of woodpeckers hammering them again!

Rant over.

[sideways]

Bushnell trophy cam


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[duckmanep]

I am currently working with their CS on a camera that takes black night pics.... I have not been impressed so far either.

[cantexduck]

I have 22 Brownings. 7 are down with cracked lenses. The sun is what gets mine.

[tbgascorer]

Sun dry rots it a little and then a 12vdc slung piece of corn going 100mph will break it every time.

[gingib]

I love my brownings. Best non wireless cameras out there

[TheHammer]

I have had great luck with my strike forces. That said, they are cracking lenses left and right. There’s a design flaw somewhere. No way everyone is having the same exact issue from woodpeckers and roadrunners. I’ve had a lot of cameras over the years and never had a lens crack.

They are still my favorite camera other than the lens. I hope they get it fixed.

[hchntr]

I’ve had the same issues with mine. I’ve replaced several of the lenses and need to replace a few more, but they aren’t in stock.
I believe the sun is what gets to mine, I have since put covers over them that you can purchase on here from a fellow tbh’er.
With all this being said, I’ve had pretty good luck with their customer service. If it can’t be repaired, they will sell you a new camera at a discounted rate.


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[ballgame]

Woodpeckers are going to get any camera you put out there.

I had one get damaged and I bought Fresnel lens material from Snapshotsniper.com....cut it to fit. pretty easy fix IMO

My camera works great now, possibly better than it did with the stock pir lens.

Hard to get upset at a company when an animal damaged the product. International shipping etc is a mess right now. Lots of other sources for the lens material out there.

Build a shade cover for your trailcams or buy a t-shade from Gunnyart - It should help you with your woodpecker problem.

[jakeb03]

I have a few lenses for the browning strike forces I would part with. Only reason being, I can’t figure out how to replace them on my own lol.

I think I own 8 of them currently and the lenses are the only downfall, but most go 4-5 years before the lenses crack. That big yellow thing in the sky takes a toll on them.


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[gingib]

I have had great luck with my strike forces. That said, they are cracking lenses left and right. There’s a design flaw somewhere. No way everyone is having the same exact issue from woodpeckers and roadrunners. I’ve had a lot of cameras over the years and never had a lens crack.

They are still my favorite camera other than the lens. I hope they get it fixed.

I have had 3-4 of them for a few years on land all over. Never an issue

[TheHammer]

I have had 3-4 of them for a few years on land all over. Never an issue

I wish I could say the same because they are great cameras.

[Mudslinger]

When some say the sun is making them brittle, I have always pointed mine to the north so the sun does not hit them directly. 99.99% of mine have holes that start from the wood peckers and just get bigger.

[Casey]

I've had this happen as well but have no pics of woodpeckers. That's what makes me wonder about how they truly get damaged.

[Hobbs]

I have 12 browning strike force cameras and have had a few go down after 4 years of use. It's a cheap camera. $99 on sale all the time. So it costs $25 a year to run one if it dies after 4 years. I think I've got my moneys worth from it. It's not like it's a Reconyx.