Scouting Trail Camera Review - HCO ScoutGuard SG550 Infrared Digital Game Cam

This is one handy little game camera. At just about one pound with batteries and with its small size, it easily slips into a cargo pocket for carrying. It takes nice photos and videos, and has many features that can be custom-programmed to fit your needs.

All in all, this is my favorite game camera. I have a big black Moultrie, which works pretty well, but it's big and heavy - and doesn't have infrared - and doesn't have as many features. I still use both cameras, but the ScoutGuard SG550 is my favorite.

The HCO ScoutGuard SG550 infrared (IR) digital scouting trail camera is a good little camera for scouting. I've been using mine off and on for a couple of years now, and finally feel I've used it enough to write a review.

This camera has seen some service in a National Forest, where it got some video of a bear (walking up to the camera and then man-handling it), but it's seen the most use on my little deer lease in south Georgia, where it's proven to be good and reliable.

This little cam slips easily into a cargo pocket, and comes with a wired remote control unit, which is used for programming. It also comes with a good manual, which make programming a lot easier. It beats the heck out of the tiny pamphlets that some manufacturers call manuals.

You can set the photo & video resolution, delay time between triggerings, sensitivity (use high sensitivity during higher temperatures), use it with or without a time stamp on the photos, and even set it to only run during certain times of day.

It takes standard AA batteries - eight of 'em. You can run it off four in a pinch, but it's not recommended. Battery life has been very good - I've run it for a couple of months now without a low battery warning, and those batteries sat in the camera for a few months before I put the camera out.

Retrieving pictures is easy - slide off the bottom cover to access the battery cover, switch, remote port, and SD card slot. (Don't lose the cover - it's small and not attached, and doesn't fit tightly. I use a wire twister off a loaf of bread through the little holes to keep the cover on when it's closed. A small twig will serve the same purpose.)

I simply remove the bottom cover, turn the camera off, and remove the SD card. Pop the card into my laptop PC, copy the photos to my hard drive, and put the card back in the camera.

You could just as easily swap the SD card for a fresh one and be on your way, but I like the instant gratification of viewing the pictures while I'm out there. It also helps me decide whether to leave the camera or move it while I'm there.

The camera straps to a tree using a black nylon strap with a buckle. You have to thread the strap through the buckle each time, but that doesn't bother me. The strap travels a lot better than bungees, and stays attached to the camera during transport.

I like the fast trigger time of the SG550. In using Wildview and Moultrie cameras, I've gotten "blank" photos (without any critters) caused by the delay between triggering and picture-taking - whatever triggered the shutter had already moved out of view. With the SG550, I get very few blanks.

All in all, I like this camera a lot. Its compact size makes it easy to tote and set up even on small trees, and makes it less conspicuous - so it's less likely to be spotted by someone wandering through the woods. I have no complaints about its videos and photos, and I love its programmability. Perhaps best of all is its fast trigger time.

- Russ Chastain

Disclosure: A review sample was provided by the manufacturer. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.