A Closer Look at Moultrie’s Edge Solar Trail Camera

I call myself a hunter, but there are plenty of other titles or roles I have in life — parent, significant other, both boss and employee, coach, etc. The list probably doesn’t end there, but you get the point, I have many things pulling at my time. Though I probably still spend more days in the woods than most, the years of spending hundreds of hours in the woods each season for both land prep and time behind the bow or gun in hopes of filling tags are long gone.  

While there is no replacing sweat equity before seasons are in, technological advances in hunting equipment — such as game cameras from companies like Moultrie — can maximize opportunities on those days that I am able to hit the woods for hunting. Additionally, as a lover of all things outdoors, seeing photos and videos of animals in their natural environments is the next best thing to being out there with them.  

Recently, I got to test out a new fall offering from the folks at Moultrie: the Edge Solar Cellular Trail Camera in Mossy Oak Bottomland.  

Loaded with features and coming in at an MSRP of $149.99, I was eager to deploy it to a spot that — due to time and commitment responsibilities, as well as the land’s remote nature — I rarely get to visit. 

Straight out of the package, this camera comes with the following to get you started: 

• Camera with integrated solar panel 

• Rechargeable battery (needs to be charged before deploying the camera, charging cord not included) 

• Heavy-duty strap for hanging the camera  

• Easy aim mounting bracket, since not all trees grow like telephone poles 

• And a small envelope containing setup instructions and Moultrie stickers, but I am probably not reading those, anyway. 

Now just based on looks alone, the Mossy Oak finish on the camera is probably more for the enjoyment of the hunter versus camera concealment, as the overall size of the device is quite large. Standing at approximately 11 inches tall and nearly five inches wide — with the solar panel atop the camera noticeably larger than other solar-integrated cameras I have seen on the market — it’ll surely catch the eyes of other hunters, should you mount this on public land or other hunting properties where you aren’t the only one in the woods.  

Luckily, from my experiences, deer and turkey don’t seem to change their behavior either way based on the modern trail camera’s single color or camo finish, textured front panels or other unique designs.  

As mentioned above, before setting up, you’ll want to ensure you fully charge the included battery before placing it in the Moultrie camera, as I did. But once you do so, Moultrie advertises nearly endless battery life as long as the solar panel can get adequate light each day. Moultrie makes it easy to aim the solar panel toward portions of the sky or openings in the forest canopy that will deliver the most direct sunlight, thanks to swivel-locking points for both horizontal and vertical adjustments. 

Though you’ll need to download the app and create an account or create an account through the website, getting the camera set up for field deployment was relatively easy thanks to the QR code on the inside of the front panel to access the game camera’s controls. Simply pick the pricing plan that fits your needs best. For instance, if you are running a few cameras like me (three or more), think about the Pro Series plan. This plan offers unlimited photos on all cameras, and the first camera is $34.99 for a monthly plan/ $276 for the annual plan, and each additional camera is $8. Though it costs more for a year if you select the monthly plan, it might be best if you only want to know activity during seasons and cancel the plan once seasons close. But if you want to pattern wildlife all year long, the annual plan may be the better option (note, that all Moultrie cameras require a data plan to use them in the field). 

While still in the Mobile or web app, additional options can be selected specifically for the camera to adjust for the following: 

• Photo or video mode are the choices. Photos are 40mp resolution and videos are taken in full HD. Note that if you select the video mode, a photo is uploaded, and the video has to be requested. 

• Single or multi-shot modes that include trigger or burst. Burst mode is a series of photos between two and 10 that are taken with each initial detection. Trigger mode is the camera taking a specified number of photos between two and 10 as long as the motion continues to be detected before defaulting back to the detection delay settings. 

• Upload frequency can be set for immediate or every three, 6, 12 or 24 hours. 

• PIR (passive infrared) sensitivity can be adjusted to the highest to garner the farthest distances of detection or low settings to reduce false triggers. 

• Photo or video detection delay settings allow the user to adjust the time period requirements needed between photo or video collection. Moultrie cameras offer a wide range of timings, from 0 seconds all the way up to 30 minutes.  

Once I had my ideal setting preferences complete (or it can be run with defaults straight out of the box), all that was left to do was select the option in the app to “deploy camera” and find a game trail, stream crossing, food source or other ideal place to hang it. With connections with all four major U.S. networks — boasting that the cameras will auto-connect to whichever network provides the strongest signal — hopefully the pictures should start rolling in.  

While the Moultrie app is your gateway to your camera images, Moultrie also boasts that the app can be used for game activity, mapping, weather, GPS location (this camera does not have auto-GPS like other Moultrie cameras or competitor products) and more. Check out the full app and features. 

I hung this camera on a remote chunk of public land only accessible by boat that I visit maybe once or twice each fall (check your state regulations before hanging a camera on public land to make sure it is legal). And, without giving too much away to the location hunting spot, it is in an area that has harsh weather swings and conditions that typically lead to shorter life of items left out for extended periods.  

Though being out in the woods for about a month, the camera battery and solar panel tandem power sources seemed to do really well, only dropping in charge percentage from 100 to the mid 90s. And signal strength seemed to stay strong enough to transfer images, though I know my personal cell phone with its plan from the company whose name rhymes with horizon struggles in the area.  

While there is no true replacement for woodsmanship, gauging patterns of movement is a great way to increase chances for a harvest. 

With more than a month’s time left this season to see how it fairs in the elements, this new camera does seem ideal for monitoring those places that I don’t get to visit but a handful of times a year.  

So if you are like me and want to make the most of your days in the field, or just simply want to enjoy photos or videos of deer, turkey and other animals, visit www.moultrie.com to learn more about the Edge Solar and the other offerings from Moultrie.