Digital Camera advice

[eagle24]

I would like to have a better digital camera for taking pics while I'm hunting.  I would like to spend less than $500, under $400 would be better.  Is there anything in that price range that will do a decent job?  Mainly, I want to be able to snap pics of deer, turkey, or whatever at 75 yards and in.  Not interested in making magazine cover photos of deer at 50 yards, but I would like to be able to see the deer in the picture.  Don't know if there are compacts that will do what I want or am I going to have to pony up more $$$ and by a Digital SLR and lense(s)?  As you can see, I don't know much about photography.

Oh, almost forgot.  I will not own a Nikon ANYTHING!  Customer service at their company saw to it that I am no longer a customer.

[Bill Turner]

I'm currently looking at the Kodak Easy Share 712IS with a 12 power zoom and 7.1 mg. Retails for about $299. It is black and known to be easy to use. My wife loves her Kodak Easy share. The Kodak 612 was highly rated by consumer reports but did not have the IS feature.

[Wengerd Bowyer]

I've played around with a Canon PowerShot S3 IS, and was really impressed it takes good pictures. Here's a link with all the information.

 http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Canon/canon_s3is.asp

[dad3*3]

A Canon S3 IS would be great for what you want.  The Image Stabilization would prove handy.  Also look for a Canon Pro1.  Great optics and a up to a 200mm optical lens but no Image Stabilization.  

If you want to go one step better, look for a Canon G7.  It is small, has Image Stabilization and you can set the ISO at 800 and still have very clean pictures.  It also has ISO 1600 if you are facing really dark conditions and just wanted to show your buddies that that big one really does exist.

Good luck.