Stolen Cameras / gear

[brianmtsinc]

After only being into this new hobby for about 1 month (and loving it) I was terribly disappointed to go to my trail cam the other day and find that someone had stolen my 2 gig card and batteries.  They tried to get the camera but could not remove it from the tree.   

The camera was placed about 200 yards from a road and was on a serious game trail.  In 2-3 weeks I had hundreds of shots of elk.   

My questions are:
1 - How many of you have had similar issues?
2 - What do you do to combat / minimize the risk?
3 - Would you still hunt this area, or move on to someplace else assuming this jerk will be back after seeing all of the pics?
4 - Would you put a camera back up in the area - different tree, out of sight, but same trail?

 I like to believe that most hunters are good people and that this was a rare happening.  I hope you all can confirm that.

[Jason]

best thing you can do is buy a Bear Safe box for you cam, most manufactures have bear boxes for there cams or you can build one or have one built for you, here is a pic of a custom bear box I make.

[JackOfAllTrades]

I'd get a Bear box, mount it secure, pointing at the same trail and nearly right at the spot it was before, go infra red and kill the flash. He'll be back. I'd also keep an eye out for new rigs parked near the intersection of that road and that trail.

-Steve

[westsideoutdoorsman]

That's unfortunate, sorry to hear about this happening again.  The vast majority of us are ethical ... always some bad apples though.  Definitley change up the location on the trail that you're camming, you shouldn't let this run you from your area, in my opinion. 

[bow4elk]

Sorry to hear...BUT...You can't put a camera along a heavy trail just off a road and not have it found and/or tampered with.  Too many *censored*es in the world.  You have to get them off the beaten path and still, lock them up tight with chains or cable locks, and most importantly, on large diameter trees.  Otherwise they can just cut the tree and slip off the whole rig at once.

[Slider]

That bites. Thats why I remove mine before Aug 1st!!!

[WonkyWapiti]

Welcome to my world Brian.  I had just bought a cuddeback 5.0 IR and had it up a week only to return to find it stolen last weekend.  I had it in a bear box with six inch lag bolts.  The ass**** snapped the lag bolts and got everything.   

[Crunchy]

some people have no morals.  really makes it tuff after spending hard earned money and time to put one up so a-hole decides to take it.

[bow4elk]

some people have no morals.  really makes it tuff after spending hard earned money and time to put one up so a-hole decides to take it.

It's OK Crunchy, you can use their by their full name - *censored*s!

[markts]

Put another cam watching the first one-they will be be back. My four cents Mark

[elkaholic]

Wonky... what a bunch of BS..... Sorry that happened to you guys.

[brianmtsinc]

Thanks for all of the advice.  I went back yesterday to check my other camera and sure enough, there were fresh people tracks walking "my trail".  I think he went back for the camera but I beat him to it!

I have now purchased bear boxes and will not put a camera within a 1/2 mile of any road.  My next purchases will be IR. 

I am going back to put a note up on that trail that says "I know who you are.  I know what you did.  I am looking for you!"  Maybe that will keep him out of the area!

[MLBowhunting]

thats lame man sorry to hear that, if they were true sportsmen they wouldnt mess with anyones stuff, just punks

[GoPlayOutside]

I feel bad for you man.  However, last year some D-bag with a trailcam called the game dept. on me for hunting out of season.  I was hunting a different species (legally) and he just wanted the 10 bonus points bad. 
Ever since I found out...I really want to try and find that guys trailcam and take a sledgehammer to it.

[Crunchy]

I hate to think what I woiuld do if I actually caught the guy(S) in the act.  I might have to get a shovel from the truck and dig a really deep hole.

[brianmtsinc]

I think I found out who stole my stuff.  I walked another 150 yards down this trail and found a salt lick under a tree stand. 
My buddies think we should cut the tree down. 
I am 95% sure he must be the culprit, but not 100% sure. 
What would you guys do?  I would hate Carma to come back and bite me in the ass, but if they guy did steal my stuff, cutting his tree down is mild to what I think he deserves!!!

[Caseyd]

So did you decide if your done with the area yet??

Cause if you are...dont cut his tree down. Scent up the area and make that *censored* waste his time sitting in the tree 

[BLKBEARKLR]

I think I found out who stole my stuff.  I walked another 150 yards down this trail and found a salt lick under a tree stand. 
My buddies think we should cut the tree down. 
I am 95% sure he must be the culprit, but not 100% sure. 
What would you guys do?  I would hate Carma to come back and bite me in the ass, but if they guy did steal my stuff, cutting his tree down is mild to what I think he deserves!!!

Ummm lets see, a salt lick, well defined trail that you set your cam up on?? Sounds like he has been in there for a while. I would actually talk to him and ask him. You may be mad because he took your camera he may be pissed because you set up pretty much on his lick. Not saying it is right and if he did take your stuff that would be totally wrong, but just something to think about. Sometimes confronting a person makes them do the right thing. Good Luck in getting your stuff back

[BK Dave]

I think I found out who stole my stuff.  I walked another 150 yards down this trail and found a salt lick under a tree stand. 
My buddies think we should cut the tree down. 
I am 95% sure he must be the culprit, but not 100% sure. 
What would you guys do?  I would hate Carma to come back and bite me in the ass, but if they guy did steal my stuff, cutting his tree down is mild to what I think he deserves!!!

I kinda agree with BBK!! I would be pretty heated if I had been sitting on some Elk or Dear, for a long time and then "bam" someone sticks a camera right in my lap!!!! I am pretty sure Most people would do just what he did?? I would like to say that I wouldn't, and I'm pretty sure I wouldn't! but I would do something to get my point across!!!like BARE ASS YOU!!

[brianb231]

I think there is alot of things he could of done besides STEAL your stuff!!!! Maybe......I dunno.......??  a note saying " hey! I am up the trail and will be hunting here opening day"! If you are gonna STEAL people stuff then prepare yourself for consequences! And he woulda taken the whole damn camera if he could of as well. Those type of people only learn their lessons the hard way.

My 2 

[Austrian Hunter]

I'd get a Bear box, mount it secure, pointing at the same trail and nearly right at the spot it was before, go infra red and kill the flash. He'll be back. I'd also keep an eye out for new rigs parked near the intersection of that road and that trail.

-Steve

 
Put a second cam pointing at the first one with no flash, Jack is right he will be back.  Get the SOB and than post his picture all over town and in stores. 

[fishcrazy]

I think you can buy cougar piss. I would try and talk to the guy. If don't come clean and you feel like he is guilty then spred it around his stand and all up and down the trail. take a nail and nail the empty bottle to his tree with a thank you note. Repeat a couple of times unless he gives it back. Then wish him luck.

Next season cut his tree down or sit in it before he can.


Kris

[scott63]

I think I'd go with the dual cam idea. If you can be absolutley sure this is the guy then you can take other action later. BTW I can send you a small bottle of the cougar urine if it comes to that..............Scott

[brianmtsinc]

I appreciate all of the input. 
As time goes by, I am less inclined to start "trouble".  I agree that he may very well have been there for years, and I will scout better before placing my next camera, BUT stealing is wrong.  I learned that when I was a little boy and my father made sure I would never do it again.   

I will be letting this issue go and leaving it to CARMA (and maybe some cougar piss    )

[Dipsnort]

Sucks that your stuff got stolen but I think it's dangerous to assume it was the guy who has the treestand--it could have been anyone.  We should never try to convict people without proof positive.  Just look at the OJ Simpson case.  We were all sure he was guilty but as it turned out he didn't do it at all.

[brianb231]

Hey Dipsnort,

You would'nt happen to have a treesatand over a mineral lick real close to where a guy put up a camera on your trail............and ended up somehow with an extra memory card, some batteries and a lick would you??

[BENCHLEG]

why can't we all just get along . some people are scum. any-one who puts forth the effort to put out the money and effort for a camera should should at least be given a f- u notice b-fore camera removal.

[Dipsnort]

Hey Dipsnort,

You would'nt happen to have a treesatand over a mineral lick real close to where a guy put up a camera on your trail............and ended up somehow with an extra memory card, some batteries and a lick would you??

You'd know if I found the camera because I would have dressed my family up in their best Sunday duds and gone back there for a few portraits.  That Yen Lui place charges too much for a "sitting fee" and I figure once the portraits got posted here under the title "WTF" I'd save the "proofs" on my computer and start printing them off.

[Gobble]

I think I found out who stole my stuff.  I walked another 150 yards down this trail and found a salt lick under a tree stand. 
My buddies think we should cut the tree down. 
I am 95% sure he must be the culprit, but not 100% sure. 
What would you guys do?  I would hate Carma to come back and bite me in the ass, but if they guy did steal my stuff, cutting his tree down is mild to what I think he deserves!!!

You could always take a crap IN the treestand if you suspect it was him , It would definately ruin his day 

[Lincoln4]

I think I found out who stole my stuff.  I walked another 150 yards down this trail and found a salt lick under a tree stand. 
My buddies think we should cut the tree down. 
I am 95% sure he must be the culprit, but not 100% sure. 
What would you guys do?  I would hate Carma to come back and bite me in the ass, but if they guy did steal my stuff, cutting his tree down is mild to what I think he deserves!!!

You could always take a crap IN the treestand if you suspect it was him , It would definately ruin his day 

Geez Gobble, I know this is Buckley, but must it always end that way?  Let's try thinking outside the box...