do tents get stolen as often as it sounds?

[huntinhick]

before I finally decided on the tent issue I have to ask is it really as bad as it sounds?  do you have to worry that someone is going to take your tent while you are in the woods?  or if you have to run to town to pick up something?  I see a couple posts a year about it and I was wondering if it is just the area they are at or if this is a common issue?  I would be hard pressed to replace 1500-3000 dollars of wall tent and supplies if someone uses it to support their meth habit.  I don't plan on leaving it set up for the entire season or setting it up and leaving it before season just when I am out and using it.

thanks
carl

[rtspring]

Mine was 1700.00 and if it got stolen I would be one mad dude.  I don't think where I hunt that it would happen much but the fact is it would only take once.. 

[Miles]

I was worried about it last year, but we left ours set up and ran to town for a night mid-week with no problems.  I have thought about getting that video recording game cam type thing from Cabelas that takes a still image every few seconds and compresses it in to a video over the course of the whole day.  If I put that up in camp I would at least have a picture of everyone that "visited" camp.   They only take images during daylight hours if I'm not mistaken, but it's some type of insurance at least.  Plus you don't have to worry about the trail cam being out of range to take a photo.  This gets everything.

[seaduckhunter]

We left the wall tent up and went home for a few days and had no problem.  This was during elk season.   I see tents that get put up a week before the season to get there spot and no one messes with them.   Not saying it doesnt happen.

[Bean Counter]

I suspect a lot of tent attacks are out of jealousy and butt hurt feelings. Ie, you "took" someone's camping spot on public land at an established site.

However, there's also something to be said for *censored*es who make a new campsite, in the middle of the road, to block access to other sites or tresspass onto private land without authorization... 

[piledup]

I think you should be fine unless you have problems with the other hunters in your area.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

Used to do it all the time, Never had a problem.
Then one year somebody came and messed with my stuff, only took a few items, but pissed me off. 
So I stretched a hammock between 2 trees, stuffed all my hunting clothes into one outfit and placed the "dummy"
put out a couple solar lights (the kind that come on at dark) one inside tent.
made it look "lived in, you know a couple arrows in a target, socks hanging on a line,etc.
no problems...

[dreamingbig]

Don't forget that the forest service doesn't like unattended tents.  The length of stay clock is ticking whether you are there or not.

[Skyvalhunter]

Forest Service doesn't like alot of things!!

[Heredoggydoggy]

A few years ago I kept seeing a collapsed tent along an access road while scouting in 113.  Finally figured it was abandoned and stopped to check it out.  When I lifted a flap, I found out why it was abandoned--Eau de Skunk!  2 legged critters aren't the only ones to worry about.  They probably left food in the tent while they were gone, and surprised the culprit.
 

[TheHunt]

Not to give up too much information.  But for a reasonable price you can buy small form factor GPS tracking equipment and put that into your equipment or tent.  You get back to camp see your stuff gone.  Then turn on the tracker which has a Google Earth overlay.  And bang your tracker shows up.  Get in your rig and as soon as you get into cell range call 911.  Give them the location and say I am looking for your support but if you are too busy no worries I will take care of it myself.   

[Skyvalhunter]

where would one get these small form factor GPS's at?

[TheHunt]

Do a google search on satellite tracking equipment or GPS tracking equipment.  Then look for the smallest one possible with a handheld tracker.

Do not get one that requires cell coverage. 

[time2hunt]

As the economy goes down the low lifes will come out  There were a few tents stolen last year and the main culprits were the meth heads looking for a quick buck for there fix.

[unluckyjohn]

We left the wall tent up and went home for a few days and had no problem.  This was during elk season.   I see tents that get put up a week before the season to get there spot and no one messes with them.   Not saying it doesnt happen.

No problem for you, no thought for the next guy either. I can see a day, but days.