This story was originally published in May 2023.
Ordinarily, when my phone rings and I see a number that I don’t recognize, I’ll let it go to voicemail. Recently, I received a call from Battle Lake, Minnesota.
I hardly know anyone in The Land of 10,000 Lakes, certainly nobody who would be calling me, but that didn’t stop me from answering.
A man named Chris identified himself as a customer service representative for Tactacam, a company that produces an impressive line of trail cameras. He was checking in as part of a customer outreach program to see how I liked my Tactacam Reveal Pro-X.
Having used and enjoyed my Tactacam for several months, I was more than willing to chat, and I also agreed to do a survey after the call. That’s when he dropped the bomb on me.
“I noticed in reviewing your camera settings that your motion sensitivity is turned off,” said Chris, who good-naturedly explained the ramifications — no motion sensor, no photos.
“No wonder I haven’t gotten any photos since I moved my camera to a new spot,” I said.
I had been hoping to pattern the movements of the turkeys that frequent a piece of land in Newburgh where I have permission to hunt. But I hadn’t had a single photo or video of any wildlife since moving the camera about two weeks earlier.
I didn’t remember turning off motion sensitivity, but I obviously did.
Chris said that as part of Tactacam’s outreach and troubleshooting, representatives can review owners’ camera settings. They can provide tips that hopefully will increase the number or quality of photos or videos.
The company obviously wanted my camera to work properly so it could do its job. If needed, it also can access a customer’s 10 most recent photos to help resolve any aiming issues.
“We want everybody to really get their most out of their camera,” Chris said.
Who knows how long it would have taken me to figure out that the camera wasn’t set up correctly. I receive twice-daily check-in photos that are taken and sent automatically at predetermined times, but I might have simply assumed that I chose a horrible spot where no wildlife was passing by.
I finally captured a photo of deer at 6:02 a.m. Tuesday, proving that the settings problem had been resolved. The jury is still out on the location.
The whole experience has made me a huge fan of Tactacam and of its commitment to customer service. The Reveal Pro-X takes great photos and videos, even at night. And you can access those photos on your cell phone within minutes of them being captured, provided that you place your camera in a spot where you can get decent cell reception.
Using the app, you can change all of the camera settings remotely from your cell phone. I corrected my motion sensitivity blunder within seconds of ending my call with Chris. It didn’t require me to get in the car and drive 20 minutes to Newburgh to put my hands on the camera.
Based on his evaluation, Chris also made a few more suggestions about ways that I might improve the quality of the images I receive and save on battery life by tweaking a few settings.
“The quality of your setup and activation experience is something we strive to make perfect,” Chris said.
To top it all off, after our chat Tactacam provided a diagram showing the app and a detailed overview of all the camera’s features, settings and battery recommendations.
It’s not often that I walk away after making a purchase inspired by how impressive both the product and the company are. I never thought I would ever deal with Tactacam again, but I was pleasantly surprised to hear from them.
Folks who purchase their cameras should feel confident that the company is looking out for their best interests.
It was enjoyable speaking with Chris, a North Carolinian who, I discovered, also has a passion for hunting and fishing. He also has an awesome southern accent.
I suggested to him that his voice made me feel as though my mistake could have made me the brunt of a Bill Engvall joke. The Texas-born comedian also has a bit of twang, albeit a much different one than Chris, and features a trademark line when referring to stupid things people do.
It would have been totally understandable if Chris, after informing me of my situation, had simply said, “Here’s your sign.”
