Abandoned game cams

[Taco280AI]

If you leave it and walk away don't cry if it gets messed with.

Does the same apply for your base camp, spike camp, or truck parked at the trailhead.....??

Yes, they do get messed with.

And you're okay with that apparently. You must be the one doing the stealing. Must be luck to find all these free things everywhere. Oh lucky me, a free trail cam. Lucky me, a free truck. Your name is fitting

[idaho guy]

I have a camera in the Gifford Pinchot I haven’t seen since I think 2015. I’m assuming it’s still there. It’s in a really secure lockbox. I’m also assuming it’s probably ruined because the batteries leaked or something. I would not appreciate someone checking my pics and batteries, even though they won’t get in my lock box. You didn’t do the work to put it there. You didn’t pay for it. You should just leave it alone.

So you have a camera, presumably strapped to a tree somewhere, which you haven't checked on for 3+ years, that may or may not be leaking it's battery contents, and you still consider it your property?  Personally I think that sounds more like littering. What is the point of even having it out there if you aren't using it or checking on it? 

Seriously? Yeah it his property! He knows where it is and he spent his hard earned money on it. Littering? Doubt it has caused any harm to the environment. Bottom line, don’t mess with someone’s cam. A lot of time and money is involved with many cams. I had a cam jacked last year and it was a very sickening experience. Scum of the earth in my opinion if you take someone’s cam. Month or 5 years not yours to touch

I never said anything about touching them. I said that in my opinion it is littering. I am also of the opinion that if you pack it in you should pack it out. I just can't see the justification for leaving cameras or other equipment unattended long-term on public land.

It’s not littering. Unless you never retrieve it ever then maybe see your point

[bigtex]

"Abandoned" cameras is always a controversial subject. Realistically, for public lands it comes down to the land agency's regulations.

WDFW and DNR do not have regs for their lands.

BLM does not have a nationwide regulation.

USFS prohibits people abandoning property on USFS lands but does not define the timeframe as to when property becomes abandoned.

For US Fish and Wildlife lands property (including cameras) left unattended for over 72 hours is considered to be "abandoned property" and can be removed by USFWS employees.

For National Park Service, Army Corps of Engineers, and US Bureau of Reclamation lands (including those areas you can hunt) property left unattended for over 24 hours is considered to be "abandoned property" and can be removed by employees.

[Skyvalhunter]

It very well my be a controversial but I don't very much that it is a problem or common occurrence. At least I haven't witnessed an abundance of them out there

[Brad Harshman]

I have a camera in the Gifford Pinchot I haven’t seen since I think 2015. I’m assuming it’s still there. It’s in a really secure lockbox. I’m also assuming it’s probably ruined because the batteries leaked or something. I would not appreciate someone checking my pics and batteries, even though they won’t get in my lock box. You didn’t do the work to put it there. You didn’t pay for it. You should just leave it alone.

With all due respect, you should consider cleaning up your junk. 

[luckyman]

If you leave it and walk away don't cry if it gets messed with.

Does the same apply for your base camp, spike camp, or truck parked at the trailhead.....??

Yes, they do get messed with.

And you're okay with that apparently. You must be the one doing the stealing. Must be luck to find all these free things everywhere. Oh lucky me, a free trail cam. Lucky me, a free truck. Your name is fitting

You are really out of touch with reality.

[Blacktail Sniper]

I have a camera in the Gifford Pinchot I haven’t seen since I think 2015. I’m assuming it’s still there. It’s in a really secure lockbox. I’m also assuming it’s probably ruined because the batteries leaked or something. I would not appreciate someone checking my pics and batteries, even though they won’t get in my lock box. You didn’t do the work to put it there. You didn’t pay for it. You should just leave it alone.

With all due respect, you should consider cleaning up your junk.

 

[Taco280AI]

If you leave it and walk away don't cry if it gets messed with.

Does the same apply for your base camp, spike camp, or truck parked at the trailhead.....??

Yes, they do get messed with.

And you're okay with that apparently. You must be the one doing the stealing. Must be luck to find all these free things everywhere. Oh lucky me, a free trail cam. Lucky me, a free truck. Your name is fitting

You are really out of touch with reality.

Yet these are your words, "If you leave it and walk away don't cry if it gets messed with."
Spoken like a true thief

[Atroxus]

I have a camera in the Gifford Pinchot I haven’t seen since I think 2015. I’m assuming it’s still there. It’s in a really secure lockbox. I’m also assuming it’s probably ruined because the batteries leaked or something. I would not appreciate someone checking my pics and batteries, even though they won’t get in my lock box. You didn’t do the work to put it there. You didn’t pay for it. You should just leave it alone.

So you have a camera, presumably strapped to a tree somewhere, which you haven't checked on for 3+ years, that may or may not be leaking it's battery contents, and you still consider it your property?  Personally I think that sounds more like littering. What is the point of even having it out there if you aren't using it or checking on it? 

Seriously? Yeah it his property! He knows where it is and he spent his hard earned money on it. Littering? Doubt it has caused any harm to the environment. Bottom line, don’t mess with someone’s cam. A lot of time and money is involved with many cams. I had a cam jacked last year and it was a very sickening experience. Scum of the earth in my opinion if you take someone’s cam. Month or 5 years not yours to touch

I never said anything about touching them. I said that in my opinion it is littering. I am also of the opinion that if you pack it in you should pack it out. I just can't see the justification for leaving cameras or other equipment unattended long-term on public land.

It’s not littering. Unless you never retrieve it ever then maybe see your point

So by that logic, I can just dump my garbage in the woods as long as I plan to go back for it some day. 

[idaho guy]

I have a camera in the Gifford Pinchot I haven’t seen since I think 2015. I’m assuming it’s still there. It’s in a really secure lockbox. I’m also assuming it’s probably ruined because the batteries leaked or something. I would not appreciate someone checking my pics and batteries, even though they won’t get in my lock box. You didn’t do the work to put it there. You didn’t pay for it. You should just leave it alone.

So you have a camera, presumably strapped to a tree somewhere, which you haven't checked on for 3+ years, that may or may not be leaking it's battery contents, and you still consider it your property?  Personally I think that sounds more like littering. What is the point of even having it out there if you aren't using it or checking on it? 

Seriously? Yeah it his property! He knows where it is and he spent his hard earned money on it. Littering? Doubt it has caused any harm to the environment. Bottom line, don’t mess with someone’s cam. A lot of time and money is involved with many cams. I had a cam jacked last year and it was a very sickening experience. Scum of the earth in my opinion if you take someone’s cam. Month or 5 years not yours to touch

I never said anything about touching them. I said that in my opinion it is littering. I am also of the opinion that if you pack it in you should pack it out. I just can't see the justification for leaving cameras or other equipment unattended long-term on public land.

It’s not littering. Unless you never retrieve it ever then maybe see your point

So by that logic, I can just dump my garbage in the woods as long as I plan to go back for it some day. 


Totally different trail cam is there for a reason and with intent of absolutely retrieving not Even close to garbage but I guess we will disagree on this one  nitpicking each other over this kind of stuff is why we end up with so many needless regulations carefull or your state will have even more confusing regulations to deal with

[Magnum_Willys]

Cam mfg's Should market cams with just the lens, flash and small battery pack in a camo cigarette sized box and the chip, screen and interface in a box that can be buried or hidden and connected to lens via bluetooth.    Thieves mite still find the camera but wouldn't find the data.   

[luckyman]

If you leave it and walk away don't cry if it gets messed with.

Does the same apply for your base camp, spike camp, or truck parked at the trailhead.....??

Yes, they do get messed with.

And you're okay with that apparently. You must be the one doing the stealing. Must be luck to find all these free things everywhere. Oh lucky me, a free trail cam. Lucky me, a free truck. Your name is fitting

You are really out of touch with reality.

Yet these are your words, "If you leave it and walk away don't cry if it gets messed with."
Spoken like a true thief

Dude, you can call me a thief all you want. Anyone that knows me knows different. If you want to take the risk of placing a camera on you a tree, then do it. You can't  blame anyone but yourself if you let it get tampered with. Lock it ,hide it what ever you have to do. If people are coming through and you don't pull your cams someone else will. If you cant afford the loss why would you gamble with it. Me, I run 5-10 cams year around for 16 years now. The first couple were jacked. No biggy Learn from it.

[jtrammell]

I tihnk we can all agree that the fact we have to talk about this, is sad. Outdoorsmen shouldnt have to worry about fellow outdoorsmen stealing their stuff. But...we do.

Some of the arguments I hate is "if it's on public land then it's abandoned. Well...roads are "public" land. Should you park on the road is your vehicle fair game? I know that's a bit of an extreme, but it's using some of the "logic" here.

As someone that caught two thieves in the action (see video below), I can tell you it's sickening.

People can in FACT be charged for theft of a camera.

[Machias]

I just had my first one stolen, in a metal box with a python lock.  Doesn't look like it took them long at all.  Bark wasn't even damaged. 

[grundy53]

If you leave it and walk away don't cry if it gets messed with.

Does the same apply for your base camp, spike camp, or truck parked at the trailhead.....??

Yes, they do get messed with.

And you're okay with that apparently. You must be the one doing the stealing. Must be luck to find all these free things everywhere. Oh lucky me, a free trail cam. Lucky me, a free truck. Your name is fitting

You are really out of touch with reality.

Yet these are your words, "If you leave it and walk away don't cry if it gets messed with."
Spoken like a true thief

Dude, you can call me a thief all you want. Anyone that knows me knows different. If you want to take the risk of placing a camera on you a tree, then do it. You can't  blame anyone but yourself if you let it get tampered with. Lock it ,hide it what ever you have to do. If people are coming through and you don't pull your cams someone else will. If you cant afford the loss why would you gamble with it. Me, I run 5-10 cams year around for 16 years now. The first couple were jacked. No biggy Learn from it.

Actually, you can blame whoever took it. They are culls.

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