Quick Answer: There is no widely sold, purpose-built “fake trail camera” — the products that turn up under that search are generic dummy CCTV cameras (WALI 2-packs run $35.99, styled as dome or bullet home-security cams) that look nothing like a trail camera on a tree trunk. The one seller that actually sells a trail-camera-shaped decoy is TrailCamPro, and it’s a used, inoperable real camera at roughly $20 rather than a manufactured prop, with stock that runs in and out. The setup TrailCamPro itself recommends — and the one that actually works — is to mount a cheap real camera as bait in an obvious spot while your good camera hides nearby and records whoever takes it.
Searching “fake trail camera” turns up two very different things, and neither is quite what the phrase implies. One is a shelf of generic dummy security cameras built for porches and garages — plastic domes and bullets with a blinking LED, sold in 2-packs by brands like WALI and Armo. The other is a single niche seller, TrailCamPro, moving used and broken real trail cameras specifically as decoys. Here’s why the generic option won’t fool anyone who’s targeting a trail camera specifically, and what to buy instead.
Fake camera options, by the numbers
- TrailCamPro sells its dummy camera as a used, inoperable real unit — its own product listing states the units “DO NOT work” and that “the camera pictured is not necessarily the camera we will send,” priced around $20 when in stock, with no tree strap included.
- A standard WALI dummy CCTV 2-pack runs $35.99 — styled as an indoor/outdoor dome camera with a flashing red LED, built for a house entrance, not a tree mount in the woods.
- TrailCamPro’s own instructions for using its dummy camera are explicit: “Put the camera in a somewhat obvious position, with a security trail camera watching the dummy camera from a hard-to-see spot. Catch thieves in the act.” That’s a decoy-and-witness setup, not a standalone deterrent.
- A real budget camera costs about the same as a dedicated fake one. The Meidase P60 runs roughly $45 on this site’s own cheap-camera rankings — close enough to a $20-$36 dummy that buying a genuine (if basic) camera to sacrifice is a reasonable trade for one that can also double as a backup unit if it never gets stolen.
The options compared
| Option | What it is | Looks like a trail camera? | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TrailCamPro Dummy Camera | Used, inoperable real trail camera | Yes — it is one | ~$20 (when in stock) | Bait for a hidden real camera |
| WALI Dummy CCTV Camera (2-pack) | Plastic dome/bullet fake security cam | No | $35.99 | Porches, garages, not tree mounts |
| Armo Fake Bullet Camera (2-pack) | Plastic bullet-style fake camera, red LED | No | ~$20-$30 | Same — home security look, not woods |
| Meidase P60 (real budget camera as decoy) | Actual working entry-level trail camera | Yes — it is one | ~$45 | Sacrificial bait that still functions if never stolen |
| CAMLOCKbox + Python cable (real deterrent) | Steel enclosure + cable lock for your real camera | N/A — protects, doesn't decoy | $35.99-$49.99 + $24.95 | Stopping theft outright, not baiting it |
1. TrailCamPro Dummy Camera — Closest to the Real Thing
TrailCamPro Used Dummy Trail Camera
- An actual retired trail camera body, not a manufactured prop — the only option on this list that genuinely looks like a trail camera because it is one.
- TrailCamPro's own listing warns the exact unit shipped varies and no tree strap is included, so budget for a mount separately.
- Intended use, per the seller: place it visibly, hide your real working camera nearby pointed at it, and let the real camera catch whoever takes the bait.
- Stock is inconsistent since it depends on used-camera trade-ins — check current availability before counting on it.
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2. A Real Budget Camera as Decoy — Best If TrailCamPro Is Out of Stock
Meidase P60 (or similar sub-$50 camera)
- Costs about the same as a dedicated dummy unit but still takes photos if it's never stolen — no wasted purchase either way.
- Mount it at an obvious, slightly-too-easy-to-spot height and angle; that's the whole point of a decoy.
- Pair with a hidden real camera watching the decoy, exactly as TrailCamPro recommends for its own dummy unit.
- See our cheap trail camera rankings for five more sub-$100 options if the P60 is out of stock.
3. Generic Dummy CCTV Camera — Skip for Trail Use
WALI / Armo Dummy Security Camera
- Built and marketed for porches, garages, and storefronts — the housing shape reads as a home-security camera, not a trail camera.
- Anyone specifically hunting for a trail camera to steal will likely spot the mismatch faster than they'd spot camouflage done well.
- Only worth considering if the goal is generic "someone's watching" signage rather than fooling a trail-camera-specific thief — a driveway or shed, not a tree stand.
- If home-security deterrence is the actual goal, see our best trail camera for home security guide for cameras built to double as both.
The bottom line
There’s no manufactured product that convincingly fakes a trail camera — the closest thing is TrailCamPro’s used, inoperable camera at around $20, and when that’s out of stock, your own cheapest real camera (like the Meidase P60, ~$45) does the same job while still being able to take pictures if the thief never shows up. Generic dummy CCTV cameras from WALI or Armo look like porch cameras, not tree-mounted trail cameras, and won’t hold up to scrutiny from anyone who’s specifically hunting for a trail camera to steal. The decoy approach only works as bait for a hidden real camera watching it — for actually stopping theft outright rather than just documenting it, pair your real camera with a steel case from our best trail camera security box guide, or read how to hide a trail camera for the concealment side of the same problem. If losing the camera itself matters less than losing its footage, our best trail camera GPS tracker guide covers cameras and add-ons that can help you find it again either way.