I have had a total of zero problems with my Browning’s.
But, I do a few things to make sure my cameras work well for me.
1.) I only use lithium batteries. Alkaline batteries lose voltage throughout their discharge cycle, and MANY camera brands have sensor problems with lower voltage. Lithium’s maintain a high voltage until they crap out.
2.) I re-format EVERY card in the camera that will be using it, EVERY time I swap cards.
3.) when a camera gets removed from the field, I treat it like film equipment... brush the dust out of every nook and cranny, lubricate all rubber parts so they don’t degrade, toss them in a bag with some silica moisture removers for a couple days.
4.) I treat them like any other electronic.... gingerly. They aren’t allowed to bang around in the back of the truck, I don’t just drop my pack when they are in it, and I don’t toss them onto the shelf when I get home. I treat them just like a DSLR camera, assuming I can and will break them.
I feel like numbers 1 and 2 have had BY FAR the biggest impact on trail camera use for me. The lithium batteries can often times completely eliminate problems with failures to take a picture. And, formatting cards in the camera before I walk away keeps me from having pictures or videos that won’t download properly. I often have rats, mice, chickadees, and house wrens trigger my Browning Dark Ops cameras at 10+ yards, so I HIGHLY doubt I miss deer.
....................................................................................All climbing methods, platforms, saddle designs, and/or use of materials possibly mentioned in the post above are not peer reviewed for safety, and should only be used as an example of my own method. Do your own research and testing before becoming confident in any DIY solution to support your life.
-IkemanTx