Missing trail camera?

[smithkl42]

I went out this morning to check a couple of my trail cameras, and was disappointed that the first I checked had malfunctioned, and hadn't captured anything.

I was hoping for better luck with my second, but when I approached, it was clearly missing from the tree. This was near an area where I'd had a trail camera stolen before, so I was kinda pissed. The camera was cheap, but you never like having that happen, right?

But I remembered some of the discussions here about bears stealing cameras, so I decided to look around, just to see if maybe one of the bears whose scat I'd been seeing all over the place had gotten curious. And not far away, I found it, lying under some brush.

Turns out it wasn't a bear, but rather a surprisingly persistent bull elk. He figured out how to get the straps in his teeth, and over a couple of days kept pulling until he got it completely off the tree.

I re-hung the camera, this time quite a bit higher.

I haven't heard of elk messing with cameras in quite that way. Anybody else have similar experiences?

[KB88]

I’ve had a bull turn my camera 90deg on a small sapling. There was a trail paralleling the creek and once it was moved moved I only ever had pics of that same bull crossing the creek once or twice a week to get to the trail

Of the 7 or 8 different bulls only the one was ever fascinated enough to ALWAYS mess with the camera

[Dan-o]

Funny video and a cool share.

Thanks for sharing.

[Griiz]

I drove 7 hours round trip and hiked 15 miles to get a camera yesterday only to find bear claw marks on the tree and a slightly bent metal hanger with bear hair on it and no camera. Looked around and couldn’t find it. Dang

[WapitiTalk1]

Ha, dang thief. Glad you were able to crack the case.

[NOCK NOCK]

I really do believe that this scenario is what happens to most "stolen" cameras. I came across someone's cam yesterday, a big one, 2' off the ground and only a strap around the tree, beggin to be destroyed by an elk or bear at that level.

Yes Elk love to mess with cams.

[warthog]

moose too !   

[luckyman]

I have found a few after missing for a year or more. Twice they were still on the tree 50 yards where I could have swore I had it.

[elkrack]

That bull in the video is just a little shy he doesn’t like his pictures taken in public

[ridgefire]

I had elk that managed to open the camera and knock all the batteries out. They also spun it around the tree as well. Lots of pictures of tongues and eyeballs when that happens.

[Skyvalhunter]

 Very cool

[RockChuck]

Wow that is a great video of a “stolen camera” glad you got evidence 

What is it that makes them mess with them? The sound of the shudder or the smell?

[elkrack]

I believe it’s the scent left by your hands. Especially if your handling bait and then touching your camera. Can’t tell you how many times I’ve told myself get your camera set then do bait but I always second guess my self and make sure camera is set to the right mode before I leave. I get LOTS of elk and bear tongues