Camera thiefs

[eastfork]

What percentage of hunters are camera thiefs? I mean, who else is out in the woods scouting....why would some one wanna be such a d-bag. I'm thinking we have more d-bag hunters out there than we think.  What makes one just decide that all of a sudden he needs your camera? 

[Old Dog]

    I'm sure there are a few bad apple out there, but I think we should give most hunters the benefit of the doubt.  There are a lot of berry pickers in the woods this time of year as well. 

[smithkl42]

My theory - which will certainly be proved wrong someday - is that it's usually difficult enough to get to my trail cameras (and tree stands, etc.) that only folks with a certain minimum of character and discipline are going to be close enough to spot 'em. I'm going to lose money on that bet someday, but so far I like living in denial :-).

[wa_archer]

I have had good luck so far, knock on wood.  I have had not only hunters/scouting but the random mushroom or berry picker on mine plus a couple other guys i still cant figure out why or what they were doing in one spot.  so far no one has messed with mine.  I know i have found plenty in the woods, I normally just give a wave as i go by. 

Here is the other question; If you find a camera in an area your scouting and its not locked do you take a peak at what they have on the card?

Honestly myself as long as they don't mess with it and just check the card and leave it set up i don't really care.  Would rather that then f with it by taping the lens or sensor over or worse.

[pianoman9701]

I think a large majority of hunters are honest and wouldn't steal a cam. However, I'm not sure I believe the same is true about envirowhackos in the woods. It's quite possible that some of the people stealing cams are animal rights nuts out looking for them on purpose.

[eastfork]

Not buying it that greenies are off trail mashing through swamps and salmon berries looking for cams....I'm pretty sure its other hunters.

[pianoman9701]

It might be but it's not a bunch of hunters. The number who would steal from other hunters is very small in the grand scheme.

[b0bbyg]

I am not overly worried about hunters, I know there are going to be some bad ones but overall not thinking they are my issue.

Its the people that are doing something illegal I am more worried about, garbage dumping, pot growing, harvesting without a license etc... 

Been lucky so far have never had a camera taken or messed with.

[Bango skank]

About a week ago i came across a camo bushnell cam strapped to a tree at waist level in ferry county.  Wasnt secured at all, just the strap it came with.  Kinda asking to be stolen, set up like that.    Down low, zero security measures, on a major game trail.  Curious to see if i get a pic of me waving at the cam posted in the people on cam thread here.

[NOCK NOCK]

Here is what I don't get. This is a cam I came across, pretty close to a road, very popular area, 4' high, and just webbing strap around a tree. This is just asking for a critter to tear it down, or, to be stolen.
My guess is that the majority of "stolen" cams were set up like this one. In fact, I would be willing to bet that this particular one will end up as described above.


PS; I hope it does not get jacked cause I left a pretty funny pic/vid for the guy. 

[eastfork]

Here is what I don't get. This is a cam I came across, pretty close to a road, very popular area, 4' high, and just webbing strap around a tree. This is just asking for a critter to tear it down, or, to be stolen.
My guess is that the majority of "stolen" cams were set up like this one. In fact, I would be willing to bet that this particular one will end up as described above.


PS; I hope it does not get jacked cause I left a pretty funny pic/vid for the guy. 

Ok, to further proof my point, secured or not, it still maybe stolen. But even if it's just strapped to tree, why steal it? Just because it's not bolted to tree it's free to steal? That my point.  I think there are more hunters that will just grab it and run then we think. And bolted to a tree don't stop a thief either. So, do you gamble on losing a trail cam, or a trail cam with box and lock......

[Stein]

Not buying it that greenies are off trail mashing through swamps and salmon berries looking for cams....I'm pretty sure its other hunters.

Yep, most non-hunters stick to the trails or berry bushes very close to trails.  Just look at the pictures of people caught on cams, probably better than 90% are hunters.

[eastfork]

I wonder how many members that troll on here have snuck a camera out of the woods.......would be interesting to know.....

[eastfork]

Not buying it that greenies are off trail mashing through swamps and salmon berries looking for cams....I'm pretty sure its other hunters.

Yep, most non-hunters stick to the trails or berry bushes very close to trails.  Just look at the pictures of people caught on cams, probably better than 90% are hunters.

Yup. Totally agree. Pisses me off that the ones your suppose to so call respect and support are the ones stabbing us in the back. Total d bags

[b0bbyg]

Seems like you have an axe to grind with the hunting community.  Have you lost a lot of cameras? just trying to understand why you feel this way.  Should I be more worried than I am?

I have seen a few but never messed with them, also never had mine taken and never seen people on mine either.