Mounts & Security · The rankings
Best trail camera tree mounts: fix the aim, not the tree
A strap points the camera wherever the trunk points. A mount with a ball or pivot head points it at the trail. Three HME holders ranked for aim control, hold and price, plus the thread size that makes them fit any camera.
By Mike M.Updated Spec-checked, not field-tested
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Quick picks
The rankings at a glance
| # | Product | Best for | Score | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  HME Trail Camera Holder Tree Mount A $15.99 screw-in tree mount with 360° rotation and 120° tilt on a standard 1/4-20 stud: the cheapest way to aim a camera at a trail instead of where the trunk points. | Best tree mount overallTree mount | 9.2 /10 | Check price · Amazon |
| 2 | HME Trail Camera Holder Strap-On A strap-mounted holder that attaches in under a minute with no screw in the tree, for public land and smooth-barked trunks. | Best for public land (no screw)Tree mount | 7.9 /10 | Check price · Amazon |
| 3 | HME Economy Trail Camera Holder The $11.99 screw-in holder with 360° rotation and 220° of vertical adjustment; the budget version of the Tree Mount. | Cheapest aimable mountTree mount | 8.5 /10 | Check price · Amazon |
#ad · Prices are set by Amazon and change often, so we don't print them. Scores are ours, built from published specs, verified plan prices and cited independent tests, not our own field measurements. Photos are illustrative stock. Tap a row for the full write-up.
Why a mount instead of the strap
The strap in the box holds the camera flat against the trunk. If the trunk leans, the camera leans; if the only tree is 30 degrees off the trail, the camera looks 30 degrees off the trail. People compensate with sticks wedged behind the camera, which fall out in a week. A mount with a pivot head separates the camera's aim from the tree's shape. That matters for the geometry the detection range guide describes (aim 30 to 45 degrees along the trail, tilt down slightly from height), and it's the cheapest improvement in picture count you can make. It also lets you use the tree that's in the right place instead of the tree that happens to be straight.
The three, side by side
| Evidence | HME Trail Camera Holder Tree Mount | HME Trail Camera Holder Strap-On | HME Economy Trail Camera Holder |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mount | Screws into most trees; camera head rotates a full 360° and tilts 120° | Strap-on; attaches in less than a minute; 'rock solid support' (maker claim) | Screws into any tree; 360° rotational and 220° vertical adjustment |
| Fits | 1/4-20 threaded stud, the standard on most trail cameras | 1/4-20 thread insert cameras | 1/4-20 thread insert cameras |
| Capacity | $15.99 list | $27.99 list | $11.99 list |
| Score | 9.2/10 | 7.9/10 | 8.5/10 |
The Tree Mount is the one to buy: HME's own page gives the numbers (360° rotation, 120° tilt), it's the sturdier of the two screw-ins, and at $15.99 it's cheap enough to leave on every tree you set so the camera goes back to the same aim next year. The Economy holder publishes more vertical travel (220°) for $4 less but is the lighter build; fine for a 6-AA Browning, marginal for a 16-AA Stealth Cam in a steel box. The Strap-On is the answer where you can't put a screw in a tree.
Screw-in vs strap-on
The 1/4-20 thread
Every HME holder on this page has a 1/4-20 threaded stud, which HME calls "the standard for most trail cameras." It's the same thread as a camera tripod. Most current cameras from Tactacam, Spypoint, Moultrie, Browning, Stealth Cam and Bushnell have the insert on the bottom of the housing; Moultrie ships an "Easy Aim Mount" with the Edge 3 Pro that uses it. If your camera is in a security box, the box needs the insert or the lag-bolt hole, not the camera; CAMLOCKbox boxes are designed to be lag-bolted or strapped rather than screwed onto a stud.
In detail
The picks, in full
Rank 1
Stock photoBest tree mount overall
HME Trail Camera Holder Tree Mount
A $15.99 screw-in tree mount with 360° rotation and 120° tilt on a standard 1/4-20 stud: the cheapest way to aim a camera at a trail instead of where the trunk points.
Spec sheetSpec-checked · not field-tested by us
| Category | Tree mount |
|---|---|
| Fits | 1/4-20 threaded stud, the standard on most trail cameras |
| Mount | Screws into most trees; camera head rotates a full 360° and tilts 120° |
| Capacity | $15.99 list |
How the 9.2 score breaks down
- Fit & compatibility (30%)
- 9
- Aim adjustability (25%)
- 10
- Stability & hold (25%)
- 8
- Value (20%)
- 10
What the spec sheet supports
- Full aim control on a crooked trunk
- Nothing to strap; one screw-in stud
- Cheap enough to leave on every tree
Where it falls short
- Screw-in mounts damage bark and aren't allowed on some public land
- No published load rating
Skip this if…
…you hunt public land with no-screw rules; use the Strap-On holder.
#ad · Price set by Amazon · Disclosure for the link to HME Trail Camera Holder Tree Mount
Rank 2
Stock photoBest for public land (no screw)
HME Trail Camera Holder Strap-On
A strap-mounted holder that attaches in under a minute with no screw in the tree, for public land and smooth-barked trunks.
Spec sheetSpec-checked · not field-tested by us
| Category | Tree mount |
|---|---|
| Fits | 1/4-20 thread insert cameras |
| Mount | Strap-on; attaches in less than a minute; 'rock solid support' (maker claim) |
| Capacity | $27.99 list |
How the 7.9 score breaks down
- Fit & compatibility (30%)
- 9
- Aim adjustability (25%)
- 8
- Stability & hold (25%)
- 7
- Value (20%)
- 7
What the spec sheet supports
- No tree damage; legal where screw-ins aren't
- Fast to move between sets
Where it falls short
- Straps loosen as bark compresses; recheck after a week
- Twice the price of the screw-in
Skip this if…
…the set is private ground and a screw-in is fine; save the money.
#ad · Price set by Amazon · Disclosure for the link to HME Trail Camera Holder Strap-On
Rank 3
Stock photoCheapest aimable mount
HME Economy Trail Camera Holder
The $11.99 screw-in holder with 360° rotation and 220° of vertical adjustment; the budget version of the Tree Mount.
Spec sheetSpec-checked · not field-tested by us
| Category | Tree mount |
|---|---|
| Fits | 1/4-20 thread insert cameras |
| Mount | Screws into any tree; 360° rotational and 220° vertical adjustment |
| Capacity | $11.99 list |
How the 8.5 score breaks down
- Fit & compatibility (30%)
- 9
- Aim adjustability (25%)
- 9
- Stability & hold (25%)
- 6
- Value (20%)
- 10
What the spec sheet supports
- More vertical travel than the Tree Mount
- Cheapest aimable mount HME sells
Where it falls short
- Lighter build than the Tree Mount
- Screw-in only
Skip this if…
…you're mounting a heavy 12- or 16-AA camera with a security box; buy the sturdier Tree Mount.
#ad · Price set by Amazon · Disclosure for the link to HME Economy Trail Camera Holder
Buyer's guide: mounts
Check the insert
Turn the camera over. If there's a threaded hole, any of these fits. If not (some budget cameras), the Strap-On's design is the fallback.
Pre-drill hardwoods
A screw-in stud goes into pine by hand; oak and hickory want a small pilot hole. Carry a cordless drill with a bit that matches the stud.
Snug the lock ring
Pivot heads loosen with temperature swings. Set the aim, tighten the ring, and recheck on the first visit.
Aim with the screen or the app
Cameras with a screen (Reveal Pro 3.0, Browning, Bushnell) or live aiming (Moultrie Live Aim, Tactacam live aiming) let you see the frame while you set the head. See how to set up a trail camera.
How we scored this
Cameras we claim to have field-tested: none we don't own
Plenty of sites say they hung every camera on this list in a tree for a season. We don't say that, and we say so on every page. What we do instead: read the maker's published trigger speed, flash type, battery configuration and detection range; verify each brand's plan tiers on its own plan page and compute the real monthly cost at one and four cameras; cite the independent shootouts (Trailcampro, Outdoor Life, Field & Stream, TechGearLab) as their measurements, never ours; and score every pick on a public rubric. Every figure links to where it came from.
Scores are editorial judgments from that documented research, not lab results. Commissions never set a score or decide a pick. The rubric and its weights are published.
Questions
Frequently asked
What is the best trail camera mount?
HME's screw-in Trail Camera Holder Tree Mount: 360° rotation, 120° tilt, standard 1/4-20 stud, $15.99. For public land where screws aren't allowed, HME's Strap-On holder.
Do trail camera mounts fit all cameras?
Any camera with a 1/4-20 threaded insert, which HME calls the standard for most trail cameras. Check the bottom of your camera.
Can I screw a mount into a tree on public land?
Often not; many public areas prohibit screws and nails in trees. Use a strap-on holder or a stake and check the local rules.
How do I mount a trail camera on a crooked tree?
With a pivot-head mount: screw the stud in, set the camera on the 1/4-20 thread, rotate and tilt the head to aim at the trail, tighten. The tree's lean stops mattering.
Keep reading
Related on Cam & Canopy
Receipts
Sources
- HME Products — mounts listing (checked 2026-09-21)
- HME Products — Trail Camera Holder Tree Mount product page (checked 2026-09-21)
- HME Products — Trail Camera Holder Strap-On product page (checked 2026-09-21)
- HME Products — Economy Trail Camera Holder product page (checked 2026-09-21)
- CAMLOCKbox — Tactacam Reveal X 3.0 Security Box product page (checked 2026-09-21)
- Moultrie — EDGE 3 PRO product page (checked 2026-09-21)
We don't claim to have field-tested these cameras and we don't pretend to. Specs come from the maker's own product pages (linked on every product), plan prices from the maker's plan page with an “as of” date, and independent measurements are attributed to whoever made them. Amazon prices change often, so we don't print them. Where a figure isn't published, we say so. Read the full method.