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.