yea they look great but like you said waaaaay too much $$ to buy and maintain.
right now i use 7 cameras and have another on the way. Your first thought about being in and out was the same i had. But what i found is, I know the woods i hunt so stomping around isn't necessary to find out what and how many are in there, using the camera. I set it on a known trail and check it once a week during the off season. during the season I check the close ones every time I'm in there. If I'm seeing activity I'll hunt there, if not I go to where the activity is good. This i learn from the cameras. the method I use has allowed me to pass on smaller deer because I know what is in the woods. Like last year there were 6 bucks and 6 does in this one piece. 2 of the does were shooters and there was a big 9, along with a smaller 8, a couple basket 7ishs, 2 forks, and a spike. this info you can't get from tracks and would require hours upon hours of time in the woods to learn. Woodsman ship is still the most important thing in order to kill a deer. cameras are just eyes in the woods when you aren't there. it tells you times of movement, directions, count and sexes. great tools. and i would recommend the covert II check them out on line.