I'm So Mad Right Now

[Antlershed]

I decided to take my lunch break today and check my new trail camera since it is pretty close to the house. I'm walking down the trail and all of a sudden I get this crappy feeling. Apparently, somebody found my new Capture IR and felt they needed it more than me.  I have owned this camera all of 9 days, and I just checked it on Thanksgiving. It was in the bear box bolted to the tree and the box was padlocked.

Here's the weird part...I had two piles of apples set out for the elk, and one pile was almost completely gone, there was a ton of elk tracks surrounding my apples, and I did not see any other boot tracks coming in the same way I did. I did hear the neighbors back there the other day pounding on something metal, but I assumed they were pounding fence posts into the ground because they were also back there burning brush. I would like to think it wasn't them who stole it, but I'm going to call all the neighbors and just ask if they saw anybody back there. All I want is the camera back. $260 worth of stuff that was basically brand new still.

[Black Plague]

oh man!!! sorry to hear that...hope you get it all figured out. that really stinks

[bowsandhose]

 

[boneaddict]

Thats wrong.  Peole can't keep their grubby little hands off of what isn't theirs.  I hope one of your neighbors steps up and says something.

[Track-er]

Sorry for the loss.I lost mine a couple of weeks ago. It's a sick feeling when you look at the tree where you had it and there's nothing there.


                                Mike

[rougheye]

You guys should start putting up another camera to take pics of your trailcam to catch the bastads   

[Black Plague]

yeah, but then with your current luck you'd lose'm both...

[Antlershed]

I had to look at the tree probably 5 times to make sure I wasn't seeing things. Another part I forgot to add, I can't see any marks on the tree where it was pryed off, but maybe I wouldn't be able to. Unless they cut the lock and then just unscrewed it.

What would you guys do....call all the neighbors and not accuse them, but just ask if they have seen anybody in the area? Or, the other thing I thought of is making a flyer and putting it in everyones mailbox along the road just stating that I just want it back and they can drop it off without being seen? I don't really want to accuse my neighbors, because there is always the chance that it wasn't one of them.

[bucklucky]

 

[boneaddict]

You are breaking the law about putting a flyer in their box.  Be careful if you have a *censored*ty neighbor.  I would call and ask.  I would especially have something figued out to say to the neighbor that you suspect back there.

[MAVsled]

major bummer!

i'm on my second game cam, a Scoutguard 550SG. Like it a lot in just 2 weeks, best unit and easiest to use I have owned or observed.

also purchased an all steel, welded security box, with bolt-padlock system AND a cable lock system. The box screws into place with unaccessible lag bolts when the camera is secured in the unit.
Reviews on this product mentioned thieves would need a chainsaw to steal this one...by cutting the tree down.

sorry to hear of your loss.

[Hoytstaffshooter83]

I hunt 99% private land so that is what I would do next time, your asking for that to happen as sad as that is in a public or "known" private area, also you wont get it back, who steals things then confesses? NO ONE... sad to hear but a very real and common thing these days......

[Antlershed]

You are breaking the law about putting a flyer in their box.  Be careful if you have a *censored*ty neighbor.  I would call and ask.  I would especially have something figued out to say to the neighbor that you suspect back there.

Didn't realize that. I guess I will just stick to making the phone calls.

[Antlershed]

I hunt 99% private land so that is what I would do next time, your asking for that to happen as sad as that is in a public or "known" private area, also you wont get it back, who steals things then confesses? NO ONE... sad to hear but a very real and common thing these days......

I don't think I was asking to get it stolen by double locking it to a freaking tree!!! I'm more hoping that if they realize who's it is, they might be inclined to return it anonymously...

Thanks for your kind words though! 

[HardCorpsHuntr]

Sorry to hear the news of the theft.

You need a trail camera on the trail camera.

[Hoytstaffshooter83]

I always get nervous with anything expensive being in the woods, I dont know where your cam was but it seems  like its a somewhat high volume area, therfore IMO asking for some jack ass to see it and do what it takes to steal it, as you found out... no amount of protection will be enough for some ass who really wants what you have.. that, sadly is the way it is for most things. I really want to put some of mine up at the new ranch I am hunting, but im leary because I know *censored*s tresspass and I think it might end up in the same boat as yours.. sad to hear though.. hope you get it back.....

[Backstraps]

That really sucks Brent! I hope you can get it back!

[MuleySniper]

Man thats too bad. It seems like there is an epidemic of trail camera thieves.
MS

[Antlershed]

I talked to the neighbor and asked him if he had been behind the house lately, and he told me he was there on saturday. I told him that I had the camera stolen and his words didn't seem very sincere   I can't prove anything, but I don't really trust him either after talking to him.

[ICEMAN]

Run a criminal history on the dude so you know who you are dealing with.

[Antlershed]

He works with my dad's girlfriend....I guess all I can really do is hope that if it was him, and now he knows it is mine, he might find a way to return it.

[Black Ghost]

Man that sucks, sorry man!

[Hacksaw]

Man that sucks. A buddy of mine had the same thing happen to him this year not far from your neck of the woods.  Pretty sure we knew which neighbor took it, but can't do much about it without proof. Sure would be cool to figure out a way to make a fake setup so it looks like you hung a new camera and see if anyone shows up for a five-finger discount. Good luck. By the way - Powder Keg? (taco tuesday)

[fc2038]

  I hate that crap

[Bones]

Antlershed,  I am really sorry to hear about you losing your camera. There are some really low class people in this world. I have never had one of my cameras stolen, but my pictures are stolen sometimes. My cougar pictures are all over the internet thanks to one of the members here. I can't understand why anyone would want to post and e-mail others pictures. Too lazy to get their own I guess.A guy like that is the same kind that would steal your camera. Well, I know who he is because he e-mailed my pictures to two of my friends. But he will NEVER see another one of my pictures.
  Good luck, I hope you get your camera back

[Triplebrow]

My cougar pictures are all over the internet thanks to one of the members here.

Do you mean a member here actually stole your pictures from your camera, or they took pictures that you posted here and sent them to others?

[billythekidrock]

Antlershed,  I am really sorry to hear about you losing your camera. There are some really low class people in this world. I have never had one of my cameras stolen, but my pictures are stolen sometimes. My cougar pictures are all over the internet thanks to one of the members here. I can't understand why anyone would want to post and e-mail others pictures. Too lazy to get their own I guess.A guy like that is the same kind that would steal your camera. Well, I know who he is because he e-mailed my pictures to two of my friends. But he will NEVER see another one of my pictures.
  Good luck, I hope you get your camera back

Are those the same pics that showed up on iFish?
http://www.ifish.net/board/showthread.php?p=2284202#post2284202

I saw those the other day and the poster stated they were from WA and a homemade cam.

[Triplebrow]

Why would you be complaining about your pictures being all over the internet if you are the one that initially put them there?

[rasbo]

I feel your pain but it seems nothing is sacred on the internet.You dont have to look anyone in the eye when your talking to them.Alot of comments on this site Im sure wouldnt be said to someones face,in an actual conversation.And many like me would,in fact on this site I would say most would theres a  number of good folks on here.hang in there brother

[Bones]

  I am not complaining, I just don't know why anyone would want to post someone else's pictures. I know I would never do that. Two members from this forum contacted me in PM's and asked if they could save my pictures for their own personal use. I don't care if the pictures are used that way. It is just strange that every where you go, you see your pictures. It won't happen again because you will not see any more of my pictures on here.
Bones

[Antlershed]

By the way - Powder Keg? (taco tuesday)

Yep 

[WOODS]

Ive had my camera stolen also. My solution: More cameras. I put cameras out to photo game.....and cameras to photo cameras. My spare camera is up high in a near by tree. The next time they steal the ground camera I go to the police with the tree cam. Photos dont lie.

[Triplebrow]

  I am not complaining, I just don't know why anyone would want to post someone else's pictures. I know I would never do that. Two members from this forum contacted me in PM's and asked if they could save my pictures for their own personal use. I don't care if the pictures are used that way. It is just strange that every where you go, you see your pictures. It won't happen again because you will not see any more of my pictures on here.
Bones

That really is too bad that you feel this way, and you have some truly awesome trail cam photos.  When you post pictures on the internet, it goes from being your private pictures to being public.  Really you should have known that.  Look at all the photos passed around on this hunting site alone where no one actually knows the story behind it or if it is photoshopped, etc....

[Black Ghost]

And it is kinda a compliment, if someone thought so highly of your photos to want to share them with others!  It would be one thing to show them off, and lie that I took the photos myself.   

[Charlie]

That sucks Bones! You need to do what you feel is best but I will miss your pictures if they are not posted any longer.

[billythekidrock]

My cougar pictures are all over the internet thanks to one of the members here. I can't understand why anyone would want to post and e-mail others pictures.

Sometimes people like to share great images or stories.
I would take that as a compliment.

[Charlie]

Antlershed any new developments?   

[Antlershed]

Antlershed any new developments?   

Nope, I was going to head back into the area this weekend to look for signs of somebody prying the camera off the tree, but I don't know that it would help my case at all, so I went hunting instead. I still need to go follow the game trail and see exactly who's field it comes out in.

[Clipboard guy]

Set your next camera in the very same spot and fill it with c-4...
They won't do that again.

[Charlie]

Set your next camera in the very same spot and fill it with c-4...
They won't do that again.

That is a great idea!! Oh by the way, he had his camera stolen. Can he borrow one of yours for a day or two?   

[Antlershed]

Set your next camera in the very same spot and fill it with c-4...
They won't do that again.

That is a great idea!! Oh by the way, he had his camera stolen. Can he borrow one of yours for a day or two?   

I've got two more, but they will be sitting inside until the end of hunting season. It sucks that I can't trust to leave them out anymore.

[snipekillr]

  Thats terrible what are people thinking..

[Hermit]

I've seen a couple trail cams while hunting......... It NEVER occured to me people would steal them. What kind of scum would do something like that? Amazing.

[heavy hauler]

i have seen trail cams, and tree stands while out hunting.obviously we are sharing the woods with other people. it just sucks we have to worry about this stuff from fellow "hunters".  i havent had any trail cams stolen yet but  i have had a archery target and a tree stand stolen.that feeling sucks. good luck getting yours back.  just a idea , you might look on craigs list for your cam.

[Antlershed]

I've been checking CL and ebay, but nothing yet.

[albinodeerguy]

Nothing a #330 Conibear won't take care of. It is a kill trap for beaver, unfortunately it won't kill the loser that stole your camera (just break his leg bone). Two people together, can't release the springs so if your anchor is secure, it will hold him there until you return the next day. If nothing else, I'll bet you get some great pictures on your trail camera.
Me? Crazy? No. I'm like the millions of other people who've been ripped off. Just sick and tired of it.  

[Titan-1]

How is your relationship with your neighbors? Just ask them if they found it and let them know it's yours. Let them know that you herd them back there. On another note,,, An idea for your next cam.  I have several cameras that I use in one area do to the fact that I have gotten several different pic's of different animals with in 30 yards of each other. On my trail cam's I write, "there are several trail cameras in this area, if you found this one your picture has been taken at least 3 or more times by other cameras, thank you for leaving it here unharmed, if not I will be handing the police your photo soon." Even if you don't have as many cameras as I do, that kind of note usually will put the fear of getting caught into a thief's mind and hopefully they will leave it alone. Just a thought.... Hope you get your camera back!!!

[BENCHLEG]

that plan will work if used. nice job Titan-1 thanks J

[jeepasaurusrex]

I wrote "This radio active sensing device contains harmful and fatal doses of radiation! Any sudden movements can cause immediate release of bio-chemical agents"