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Add me to the list struck by Thieves

9

98XJRC

Member
Joined
Sep 30, 2021
Messages
99
Location
SC PA
I hunt public land close to home. I’ve had a cell camera out on this property for 14 months continuously. Until today I had only had 1 other person on camera. I try to hunt the areas that others won’t due to the effort it takes to get to it. Granted it’s not difficult, just more work than what most hunters are willing to put out for.

Anyways today my cell camera exploded with 75 pics within a single upload. Unfortunately that upload was nothing but an assclown messing with the camera and very obviously trying to get the Python lock off it. I only had one picture of half his face to go off of unfortunately. I had 2 other cameras in the area but neither where locked up as the lock would cost as much as I paid for each camera. The remainder of the day I was fuming anticipating at a minimum one of my standard cams being gone.

After work I swung through and made the hike back to retrieve my cameras and pull them out as I had already filled my buck tag for the year. First spot and my 1 standard camera is gone. Pissed but figured it would have been. Next spot is my cell cam and it’s no where to be seen. I was able to confirm I was in the right location by the photos I had prior and I was 100% standing at the tree it should have been on and it’s gone. At this point I’m fuming and absolutely disgusted. I continue down another 20-30 yards to my 3rd location and that camera was still there. Honestly I would have initially rather had the 2 standard cams stolen and my cell cam still there, however at this point I’m pissed just because I no longer have the photos and the data that they provided.

My 3rd camera provided a wealth of information though and confirmed that I located a major trail and also showed the crossings from the main buck trail crossing over the doe trail. It also confirmed some real quality bucks and a couple I wasn’t aware of prior. Next season should have a few hammers if these guys continue to grow. 68C89DBC-E5A7-4EF0-B8AE-958F371AF7F5.jpeg
 
I haven’t had too much trouble but I did have a cheap Walmart camera stolen off of fort Bragg about 3 seasons ago. I had it strapped to a fence and locked with a cable. About 50 yards up the trail I had a cell cam. Cell cam took a pic of a dude with a backpack walking in and out (he didn’t look to be a hunter) and then my cam was gone.

Cheapo camera I’d have rather he left a note in the camera asking for 20 bucks and I probably would’ve given it to him just to get my pictures off the cam.

A buddy of mine hunted nearby and there was a dude that would pull his SD cards and leave them on top of his cameras. Pretty sure he was deleting any good pictures.

Hunting the same fence line further up that season I was in a camping chair on the ground. I finished my morning hunt and wanted to do a little scouting/hunting so I packed up the chair and left it close to where I access. I have a cell cam on that stretch as well. I’m deep in the woods doing my thing and the cell cam pings, there’s a guy running down the trail and when I come back I find that he stole my very expensive camping chair.

The last couple years I’ve been mostly using cell cams with no locks but I usually stick them at least a climbing stick high. Most people don’t see them and if they do they’ll have to work to get it. It’s worked out well for me until this year.

Had a cell camera on some public here in NY up high but haven’t really been in there since rifle kicked off. It hadn’t taken pictures in a while so when I finally went to pull it, the door was wide open and somebody had stolen my micro SD card. They had to climb to get it and my guess is the only reason they didn’t steal the camera is they were worried it had GPS tracking.

Dude could have at least turned the camera off and closed the door so it didn’t get all wet inside.

I come across peoples cameras/ stands all the time and I never lay a hand on them. Except for once….

I was scouting a spot to hunt a couple years ago on Ft Bragg. I find that a hunter had been in there and laid claim to the area with two ladder stands and a couple cameras. As I’m looking around I notice there is corn everywhere (no baiting allowed on Bragg). I had a card reader with me so I pulled the card the to see what was on it.

Much to my surprise were several clear pictures of the person right in front of the camera pouring out corn from a small bucket


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Might be worth reporting. LEOs can get info from cell carriers (geo-fence I think?) that tells them all subscribers in a certain area at a certain time. Thieves are notoriously dumb about covering their electronic tracks.
 
sorry to hear. I was hoping for a twist that the assclown was that deer in the pic.

I run my cameras on public also. I rarely get a person on them and when I do they are rarely looking at my camera. I use python locks and also set them one stick high. I 3d print wedges that help me aim the camera down.
 
I,ve never run cameras but I would think a small "jail cell" type cage could be welded up, much like a suet feeder, to keep low lifes from fooling w/camera or card. Screw it to a tree and put cam inside, except for public.
 
I put my cameras one stick high, I’m shocked by the amount of people that walk by and don’t notice them. Also I don’t use a strap. Straps are usually what I notice first when I’m photobombing trail cameras. I use super thin cord, the stuff I use is camo, and is about the size of the white innards of 550 cord.
 
sureshotscott said:
Might be worth reporting. LEOs can get info from cell carriers (geo-fence I think?) that tells them all subscribers in a certain area at a certain time. Thieves are notoriously dumb about covering their electronic tracks.
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The criminal justice system is also notoriously lazy about arresting and prosecuting people who steal $100 cell cameras
 
I'll be letting the game commission know about it, however the likelihood of any resolution to it is nill. I've essentially wrote them off at this point. I've mounted them high before, however the area's I had them at it wasn't possible due to the brush. 8' high during the early season and all I'd be seeing are leaves moving. I may consider an actual box next time with a steel cable and padlock vs the python lock.
 
I'd guess that when you see all the heinous crap people do to each other on a daily basis it's hard for LEO's to get too fired up about petty theft. Not saying it's right, but in the grand scheme of things it's going to be pretty far down the list for cops and prosecutors.
 
I lost a camera this year. Some tool took the card and smashed the camera. Why can't some people leave other people's things alone.
 
NMSbowhunter said:
I'd guess that when you see all the heinous crap people do to each other on a daily basis it's hard for LEO's to get too fired up about petty theft. Not saying it's right, but in the grand scheme of things it's going to be pretty far down the list for cops and prosecutors.
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You're not wrong.

But when I had a CC misused for an online purchase (I think it got jacked at a local mexican place) and was able to get the delivery address from the vendor, I reported to local PD. Surprisingly, a detective made the drive to the address (20 miles) and confronted the individual. No charges were ever filed, but I was impressed with the efforts for $140 of fraudulent charges.
 
A lot of scum on public land. Sad but true. Sorry you got ripped off. Have had it done multiple times. It sucks when low life's steal what you worked hard for.
 
I hung a ladder stand for my nephew to hunt out of for the gun season and on the last night of the season I went to sit in it and some @$$ stole the bottom ladder of my ladder stand. Just the one section. Seriously dude. I did have it locked at the top but why would someone take one section of a ladder stand?
If it was to ruin my day. Mission accomplished.
But jokes on them. It got me looking into being mobile and at saddle hunting and that led me to this site and the welth of knowledge on itScreenshot_20221207-201120_Gallery.jpg
 
Dsabhunt said:
I hung a ladder stand for my nephew to hunt out of for the gun season and on the last night of the season I went to sit in it and some @$$ stole the bottom ladder of my ladder stand. Just the one section. Seriously dude. I did have it locked at the top but why would someone take one section of a ladder stand?
If it was to ruin my day. Mission accomplished.
But jokes on them. It got me looking into being mobile and at saddle hunting and that led me to this site and the welth of knowledge on itView attachment 77718
Click to expand...
Ah. So THIS is @DanO's business strategy!
 
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