Trail cam stolen east of Kelowna

[4pointer91]

Well it finally happened to me, been using cameras for years. Placed my Bushnell Bone Collector 8MP Sat morning in what I thought was a remote area that is walk in only in a 8-14 location. When I went to look at it yesterday (2 days later) it was gone, no sign of it being from bear activity. My hunch is he saw me putting it up or he knows the area well enough to know the migration entry points far from quad access. All I can say is that he must require the camera more than I do, perhaps one day he will put what he did not buy back where he found it ...yah I know an honest thief. I've seen lots of cameras in the bush over the years and I have no problem with them nor have I ever felt the need to steal another hunters belongings, but that's me and I know others on this site have differing opinions. I'm always willing to help another hunter so this kinda bothers me, anyways that's my rant, I know it's been discussed at length on this site before. I will ensure it doesn't happen again!

[Sofa King]

that sucks.

every time I walk in to check my cams, I half-expect them to be missing.
that's the risk we take with leaving things unattended out in the bushes.
so far I have always been relieved to find them still there.
thought the lkast one was messed with by someone, until I checked the pics and saw it was a bear.
he even undid one of the clasps, I figured someone opened it to view the card and forgot to close it properly.

[Brian011]

That sucks, you most likely won't see your cam again but there is a chance. A few years ago I had a camera stolen, I walked by the area about 6 months later and someone had put my camera back up, was turned off and all the pictures were deleted but at least they put it back. Also had a different cam stolen and put up and left about 100-200 yards away, I found it the following year while I was hiking through the area, my old card was still in it and whoever set it up had never came back to check it. I hate when stuff gets tampered with or stolen, I'm the same as Sofa King, I too half expect a couple of my cams to get stolen, I just hope the don't.

[4pointer91]

Sometimes other hunters will remove cameras because they don't want someone else in THEIR area.
In this case I've been hunting the area for 25 years so they'll just have to share!

[300H&H]

That sucks to hear that.
What I also hate is the probability it may have been another hunter who took it.

[Mikey Rafiki]

How did they deal with the lock? I've heard bolt cutters used or even trees cut down.

[Sofa King]

yup.
doesn't even really matter if it's in a lockbox and ten locks on it.
cutting the tree down is so easy and it's gone if someone really wants it.

[Andrewh]

Money making opportunity for those with a little creativity...

Incorporate a little GPS signal device into the trailcam and patent it. Would make 9/10 people purchase your camera over another brand if it was somewhat trackable, plus would act as a great theft deterrent.

thoughts?

[caddisguy]

Money making opportunity for those with a little creativity...

Incorporate a little GPS signal device into the trailcam and patent it. Would make 9/10 people purchase your camera over another brand if it was somewhat trackable, plus would act as a great theft deterrent.

thoughts?

Should be pretty easy to add to a celluar trailcam... non-celluar cams would be a bit tricky though.

When I lost one (99% sure bear) I wished it had some kind of alarm I could trigger with a remote. I'm certain the cam is within 100M but it's just so dang thick. Batteries are long dead by now too.

[Barracuda]

unfortunately that's one of the risks when you leave valuable items on public crown land (even private land sometimes) and yes welded up lock boxes lag bolted to the tree help the opportunist stay honest but at the end of the day if a person wants to remove it they cut down the tree . make it an offence to tamper with a trail cam but then how would you catch them ?? Bait Cam (:


ps : for the would be trail cam tamperers or thieves remember that trail cams are also used by Trappers , CO ,wildlife studies ,and other agencies for many reasons

[4pointer91]

Money making opportunity for those with a little creativity...

Incorporate a little GPS signal device into the trailcam and patent it. Would make 9/10 people purchase your camera over another brand if it was somewhat trackable, plus would act as a great theft deterrent.

thoughts?

I work as an electronics designer and have often thought about this, the GPS signal however requires a medium like a cell network, they have this in the states and it is expensive. At the very least you could have password protected trail cams so they cannot be accessed or operated by anyone other than the original owner. A motion sensor with alarm may also be a deterrent. Placing a tag on the camera indicating it was for an ungulate study may or may not help.

[Daybreak]

Not sure how you people are concealing your cams but if they don't see it they won't steal it. If you go to a craft store like Micheals you can buy little squeeze bottles of paint in every shade under the sun. $0.99 each. I have an assortment and I always paint the camera and attach strap/hardware to try to match the surroundings. It makes a substantial difference in visibility. If you break up the square outline it does not stand out nearly as much. Just don't paint the lense...Doohhh.

[Glenny]

Put a little label on it saying 1 of 3. Good luck.

[Jelvis]

Maybe you went to the wrong tree could a been over 25 yards I don't know did you have proof it was that tree you put it on?
Jelly ( Mystery ) man

[Wentrot]

Should be pretty easy to add to a celluar trailcam... non-celluar cams would be a bit tricky though.

When I lost one (99% sure bear) I wished it had some kind of alarm I could trigger with a remote. I'm certain the cam is within 100M but it's just so dang thick. Batteries are long dead by now too.

For trying to locate a camera in a small area use one of those key finder alarms.


Obviously to late for that idea now tho lol

[RomanianTHUNDER]

It's unfortunate that people do this and don't respect the other outdoorsmen. We had a camera stolen on private property that really surprised me.

[4pointer91]

Maybe you went to the wrong tree could a been over 25 yards I don't know did you have proof it was that tree you put it on?
Jelly ( Mystery ) man

Had the GPS co-ordinates, double triple checked ...not just the tree but what it overlooked.

[Jelvis]

How close are coordinates to the actual camera spot? Within what distance is it accurate or just about?

[4pointer91]

How close are coordinates to the actual camera spot? Within what distance is it accurate or just about?

3 meters I believe, I have sat by that spot several times.

[Jelvis]

oh ok if yah know the exact spot, you dint use nails or screws into the tree?

[Bugle M In]

How close are coordinates to the actual camera spot? Within what distance is it accurate or just about?

those gps's are pretty accurate!....
Quite often only 2 to 3 yards out...at most, after you go back, say a year to 10 years later...they do work well.

Sorry to hear about the cam....
That has always been a big reason why I don't buy one.
I live in the LM, and to leave a cam up all year, doesn't appeal to me.
Hearing that yours was checked only 2 days previous, makes me think that I won't be buying one.
But, yes, a security code or a hidden internal tracker when the unit is powered up would be a good selling feature for sure.

[Sofa King]

shoulda put a cam on an opposing tree to keep an eye on the other cam.
then another one on another tree watching that cam.
and so on and so on and so on.
someone who stumbles upon would be overwhelmed by the plethora of surveillance and run away...................or feel like it was Christmas time and get to lootin'.