| Spypoint camera tips and tricks In addition to last week’s prompt to get your trail cameras out and about, the following are a few more tips I have learned over the years when specifically dealing with Spypoint Link cameras from a technical perspective. These are easily one of the most popular cellular cameras on the market sheerly because of price point. Simply put, hunters struggle getting Spypoint cameras to function properly. It can be super frustrating at times, to the point where many just throw in the towel and say they are trash. Trust me, I have been there as well. The reviews across the board on Spypoint cameras are so mixed it is insanity. I would be willing to bet the one-star ratings are coming from hunters who are impatient and not at all tech savvy. As a group we have been running around 30 Spypoint cellular cameras for the last few seasons, so I have learned a thing or two over the years when dealing with them. Tip #1: For starters, get yourself an exceptionally tech savvy buddy! All joking aside, our hunting group has one guy that is absolutely incredible when it comes to stuff like this and has helped the cause immensely over the years, without him we would be lost. What this means to you is even if you have to consult with a non-hunter or a younger person whom you know is spot on with up-to-date electronics, just reach out and ask for help. The technical baseline of these cameras really has nothing to do with hunting whatsoever, get help anywhere you can. Something that seems impossible to you may be a walk in the park to a different person. Tip #2: Always, and I mean always, use clean, formatted micro SD cards. Do not attempt to install a card that has been in any other device whatsoever without properly formatting it first. You really need a laptop or desktop to properly perform this task as well. This is not something that can be accomplished with a smartphone. Perhaps the best option for hunters who do not have access to either is to just buy brand new micro SD cards and start there. Once installed leave that particular card in the camera for its entire lifetime, do not swap it between cameras and certainly not into any other brand of camera. Tip #3: The cameras (especially the cheapest ones) need to have software updates installed every so often. Again, this is not something that can be done with a phone. The update needs to be ripped from the Spypoint website via a laptop or desktop computer. Only download the update onto a clean formatted SD card. Once you have successfully ripped the update onto a card all it takes is installing this particular card in the camera, turning it on and letting it do what it needs to do. After the update is complete, replace the original card with prior taken images back into the camera. That is it. Ok here’s the catch. This will only work for a single use. Do not attempt to install the update onto more than one camera prior to reformatting the SD card and re-downloading the update from the website onto said card. I know, this is super annoying. I do not know why this is, but I am telling you it is the way it is. It took a lot of trial and error and experience of being absolutely baffled to figure this one out. Bottom line if you are heading into the woods to update three cameras, by golly you best have three individual cards all with their own update ripped onto them. Tip #4: Get yourself a laptop. The bottom line is most cellular cameras really need the backup of a real computer to take advantage of all they have to offer and to function properly. Not to mention file storage and access is so much easier than on a phone. Tip #5: Buy into the Insider’s Club. This single move will ultimately save you so much money in the long run. It is $100 up front; but that is for a yearly service package of 250 photos per camera per month. If running four or more cameras this is a no-brainer move. If you do happen to go through more than 250 photos in a month, you may purchase more at a discounted rate per individual camera. There is no cutoff to how many cameras may be added to the Insider’s Club Plan; currently I think we are at 31. There are other features that show up upon purchasing this plan like longterm cloud storage of photos within the app, etc. Perhaps the best part of the plan is that it is a one-and-done purchase. I highly suggest this. Tip #6: Batteries. Do not waste your money on Lithium. While they are a little better, they do not even come close to warranting the approximate four-times-the- price-point investment. You will probably get about 25% more life out of a camera; at approximately a 400% cost increase; the math just doesn’t work out and your wallet suffers for no real improvement. Hopefully these tips can keep you from wanting to rip your hair out when dealing with Spypoint cameras this upcoming season. PISRTOL PERMIT CLASS TO BE HELD 2A Firearms Training Center LLC will be holding a NYS pistol permit training class on Saturday July 22, and Sunday, July 23, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Caroga Fish and Game Club, located at 107 Hilley Rd. Caroga, NY 12032 The course is an 18-hour training course which meets the new requirements set forth by New York State Concealed Carry Improvement Act. The cost is $200 per person. To sign up or to inquire about more information, contact Darren Smith by phone at (518) 921-9162 or by email 2afirearmscourse@gmail.com. GREENBUSH BASS TOURNAMENT RESULTS A total of 47 boats competed in the Greenbush Tournament Trail on Lake Champlain on Saturday, July 8. Contestants departed from the Ticonderoga lauch site. Results are as follows: 1st place honors and a purse of $1,170 went to Gary Longley of South Londonderry, VT, and Duke Maguire of Bridgewater, VT, with a combined weight of 26.24 pounds. This team also laid claim to the Lunker prize and an additional $470 with a 6.33 pound fish! 2nd place, and a purse of $800 went to Joe Burchill and Tim Dube of Nashua, NH, with a combined weight of 23.83 pounds. 3rd place, and a purse of $480 went to Frank Maher and Dylan Crea of Pittsfield, MA, with a combined weight of 23.05 pounds. 4th place, and a purse of $430 went to Andy Daubert of Ballston Spa and Tom Kail of Burnt Hills and with a combined weight of 22.75 pounds. 5th place, and a purse of $380 went to Eric Miller of Clifton Park and Al Calvert of Argyle with a combined weight of 22.56 pounds. 6th place, and a purse of $290 went to Luke Musto of Lake George and Joe Teffer of Fort Edward with a combined weight of 22.55 pounds.
Jerrod Vila RAMBLIN’ OUTDOORS
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