Trail cam theft

[Buckhunter]

So how in the world do you all deal with trail cam thiefs? Im sure I know who but not positive. Im thinking about just calling the piece of sh$t and telling him point blank that I want what is mine back. He just got told he could no longer go accross the land we hunt to get to his timber and all of a sudden our camaras come up missing after no trouble with that for like 5 years, Im so pissed right now but just asking for ideas on how to handle this.

 

[maher2215]

Call Him first if no cooperation call DNR

 

[LYON]

Buy a cheapo cam and set another at a high elevation pointing at it. When he steals the cheapo you'll get him on the other. Calling the DNR with an "I think its this guy" will probably get you nowhere.

 

[g2tine]

Buy a cheapo cam and set another at a high elevation pointing at it. When he steals the cheapo you'll get him on the other. Calling the DNR with an "I think its this guy" will probably get you nowhere.

This is exactly how I caught a guy taking my cameras and stands.. works great just hide the camera well

 

[gansomn]

Be sure you know how took it before ya go and blow up. I thought one of my stands was stolen and had a pretty good idea who would have done it because he and I are the only ones who hunt around there. I went to his house beat on the door and no answer so I left him a note (bad bad note) and never seen him around. Then during the shed season my brother called me and said "remember your stand that was stolen" its still in the tree! If I walked about another 50 yrds I would have seen it, those trees looked the same :thrwrck:. Anyway just a thought. But if it was him......take the price of the camera out of his ass .

 

[Elitebowhunter]

Be sure you know how took it before ya go and blow up. I thought one of my stands was stolen and had a pretty good idea who would have done it because he and I are the only ones who hunt around there. I went to his house beat on the door and no answer so I left him a note (bad bad note) and never seen him around. Then during the shed season my brother called me and said "remember your stand that was stolen" its still in the tree! If I walked about another 50 yrds I would have seen it, those trees looked the same :thrwrck:. Anyway just a thought. But if it was him......take the price of the camera out of his ass .

That's embarrassing

 

[Sligh1]

So you drop by a (nice nice note) to make up for the other one or a heck of an apology in person? Ouch. Good lesson though!

YEP- like above, hands down, TAKE YOUR TIME & get some little cams and put em up really high. Those who don't take the effort to get a reliable cam with big SD card & lithium batteries & get em hung & hidden- the folks who won't take the time never have their troubles stopped. Do it, get em out there!!! I take climbing stix, get the cams about 12' off the ground or even more. I use little camo cams & if they are brown, I glue bark on outside & I lightly brush in the strap & put a little brush behind cams. I put several on obviously trails people would take (say after a gate or on 2 track) & I also do a couple dummy cams. I even put a cam before the dummy cam JUST IN CASE someone saw my hidden cam (which they haven't yet). So- probably talking 5 cams in my method & 1 hour to set them all up. My headaches are gone. Buddies that won't take the time to do this, I've seen them beat their heads against the wall for years now because all they do is "hope it stops" and it never does until you nail the idiots. Nip it in the butt now, well before Nov, etc. Get the dude on cam & then take it from there. Not a lot of work BUT it is some & anything good or beneficial takes a little work & effort. Good luck!

***I use a 16gb SD card with Lithiums AND I put a 5 minute delay just in case of branches triggering cam- won't fill it. And, with 5 mins, it's enough time to get an entrance & exit of a person. 60 secs just isn't needed. I do a double burst on pics too. Or- this year I got the Covert Special Ops, code black- emails pics to your phone, pretty easy, reliable and the cost is do-able now.

 

[Buckhunter]

Thanks everyone. I have not done anything yet but I think I will try the hidden camara trick. I am planning on calling the DNR just so they know about it. I think this could be an all out war with this guy before seasons end.

 

[NWBuck]

Does he have another way into his land? If he's land locked, there's got to be an easement into it from some way, so be careful...

NWBuck

 

[Buckhunter]

He owns to the west of me. He tried leasing from the landowner where we hunt and was told no, the next time we checked camaras 2 were gone.

 

[Daver]

I would go easy until you are SURE who took the cams. Although I sense your suspicions are probably right, you just never know for sure. Maybe some kid ran his ATV across the ground and saw the cams, etc. Who knows...

But, I would report the theft to local LE for sure. I had a similar situation a couple of years ago and the local deputy did speak with the person we thought was behind the deal and it never happened again, so hopefully that cured it going forward.

 

[iowabucks]

Good luck on catching him. I lost one too this past weekend and thinking about doing the dummy camera thing.

 

[hillrunner]

So you drop by a (nice nice note) to make up for the other one or a heck of an apology in person? Ouch. Good lesson though!

YEP- like above, hands down, TAKE YOUR TIME & get some little cams and put em up really high. Those who don't take the effort to get a reliable cam with big SD card & lithium batteries & get em hung & hidden- the folks who won't take the time never have their troubles stopped. Do it, get em out there!!! I take climbing stix, get the cams about 12' off the ground or even more. I use little camo cams & if they are brown, I glue bark on outside & I lightly brush in the strap & put a little brush behind cams. I put several on obviously trails people would take (say after a gate or on 2 track) & I also do a couple dummy cams. I even put a cam before the dummy cam JUST IN CASE someone saw my hidden cam (which they haven't yet). So- probably talking 5 cams in my method & 1 hour to set them all up. My headaches are gone. Buddies that won't take the time to do this, I've seen them beat their heads against the wall for years now because all they do is "hope it stops" and it never does until you nail the idiots. Nip it in the butt now, well before Nov, etc. Get the dude on cam & then take it from there. Not a lot of work BUT it is some & anything good or beneficial takes a little work & effort. Good luck!

***I use a 16gb SD card with Lithiums AND I put a 5 minute delay just in case of branches triggering cam- won't fill it. And, with 5 mins, it's enough time to get an entrance & exit of a person. 60 secs just isn't needed. I do a double burst on pics too. Or- this year I got the Covert Special Ops, code black- emails pics to your phone, pretty easy, reliable and the cost is do-able now.

Have you caught anyone with this? If so, were you able to prosecute?

 

[MO-APE]

There was an article not long ago in Quality Whitetails (QDMA) where a guy caught a trespasser on cam and was able to prosecute. In this case he was able to capture the trespassers truck & license plate and was reimbursed for property damage (trees, etc.).

I do think you would have a water tight prosecution case if you caught someone removing a dummy cam. If you can't, then publicly humiliate them by posting pics on every outdoor Internet forum you can find. Also, post pics all over town asking for identification of a THIEF.

 

[iowabucks]

Have you caught anyone with this? If so, were you able to prosecute?

I was about to ask the same question. I am about to setup a dummy cam in hopes of catching a theif myself here in the next week or so. Knowing all the ins and outs or what precisely to do do get a conviction would be great info.

 

[bckhnt1]

Don't call the DNR they only deal with "animal theft" I have been down that road. Youneed to make an offical report with the local officers and give them as much info. Always record your serial numbers and supply those as well.

 

[Sligh1]

Have you caught anyone with this? If so, were you able to prosecute?

Oh ya!
I had this on a buddy's farm that I had permission on that was sick of this crap. It took me a little effort & time and once I went thru an hour of figuring it out- I'd never go without them. It's such a piece of mind not having to worry about your own land or whatever when you're away. The cameras "do the worrying for you" - so you can enjoy the ground & not have the stresses of poaching, theft & trespassing.
I let Sheriff handle it & prosecuted. It's so cut & dry with photos. And FYI- I'd personally look into: Bushnell trophy cams (with camo or glue bark on outside of brown ones), Covert MP6's or Covert Special Ops- Code Black emailing cam. All are pretty little & you can hide em really nice. Lithiums & biggest SD card they can take & you're in business! Problems are "close to solved" at that point if you take your time & do this stuff. If you read all this and still choose to do nothing, that's your choice, the problems won't go away & I don't feel as bad for ya! :grin: Go get em!