Trail Camera stolen!

[MichaelB]

So last night I went to check my trail cam and change out the card and lo and behold it was gone! Very dissapointed right now as I was really looking forward to seeing what had moved through as I hadn't been able to check it in over 2 weeks since i put it up.

Here's a question for you guys: My trail Camera was in such a remote spot that it's unlikely that hikers would be going through. There is no scenery and no trail other than a game trail. A mountain bike could never be around there. So, I'm guessing that another hunter would have to be the one to take it. There are multiple rubs in the area so I could understand how a hunter could stop while passing through and my camera was pointing at an area where ther are 3 or 4 good rubs.

Knowing that another hunter may have busted my spot (I'd never seen anyone near there before but only hunted it late last year), do I risk putting up another camera? Do you think this is a one time thing or would someone come back? The problem is even though I have seen a lot of sign I have not seen a deer there nor do I know if the ones rubbin' are of any size (hence the camera!)

So I turn to the wise men and women of the forum for guidance.

What should I do?

Michael
p.s. If YOU the reader know of the where abouts of the Squamish blacktail camera (it has my name and number in it). You can keep it, just give me the card please!

[shawnwells]

lock that baby up to the tree at least...sorry about your loss...those assholes give the rest of us a bad name...got 2 cameras out myself right now and i worry about someone finding them too...did u look around to see if a bear tore it down? last time i was out to check em i thought mine was gone until i realized i was looking at the wrong tree..ha ha felt like a dipshit

[CanuckShooter]

Put another camera in the same place and carefully hide another one to take pictures of the first one.....then when it gets stolen again you'll know who the culprit is and you can act accordingly....just a suggestion.:-D

[shawnwells]

ahh i like it canuck shooter...its genius

[Jelvis]

It sounds like someone drove by, saw you at your vehicle when and where you parked and said ah ah that sucker is carrying something, so I'll mark the spot, and go in where this dumbass is going after he's gone. Then went in and in the dark saw a flash and said thar it is. Took the expensive rig off the tree and said, I'm gettin out before this lah oozer comes back, and now I can take it to Jake the snake and get some ----s for it.
If you put something out and park your car in the same spot it gets obvious, what is that bonehead doing there .. bing bang boom! The perp might have had something going on there also? Use imagination here wink.
Jelly Sherlock .. Part of the experience .. lots on here have lost their stuff by not securing things.
Do you remember someone driving by where you parked? That would be where I would start to in wess tee gate.

[MichaelB]

Jelly I think you called me a looser, a sucker, a bonehead and a dumbass all in one post! 3 of those 4 are correct so I'll let it slide!:-D

My truck is a long walk from where the camera is. I'd be hard pressed to think that it would be an easy find even if I told you the spot.

[Jelvis]

Mantracker would nail your sorry butt to a tree in an hour, lol.

[MichaelB]

I searched also for over an hour hoping that they stuck it to another tree just to mess with me. So I'm guessing that I'd have found it if I was barking up the wrong tree.

[MichaelB]

Mantracker has never tracked a ninja before. Don't let my beard and rugged mature looks fool you Jel! My sig is decieving!

[Jelvis]

Good thing the camera was a cheapy model lol next time now that you learned you can get a real one lol.

[sparkymacker]

Jelly seems to know a lot about the missing camera....just sayin':mrgreen:

[mark]

Just an idea for T-cam guys..... I put a note inside my camera, reads something to this effect.

Hi, I see youve found my camera.... this cam has an encrypted password and is useless without it!
Please do not steal or destroy it! If you have a problem with this camera here, my name is Mark and my number is ***-****
I will remove it at your request, or be happy to email you some pics of the game in OUR hunting spot!
See you on the trail!

I have pics of many hunters and it hasnt been stolen in over 3 years!
Some have opened it and read the note, no-one has phoned!

[Jelvis]

What the only camera I ever had is the one I just got from the second hand store two days ago. I can't afford a new one so this one is good enough, some guy must have needed money at the pawn shop.
Jel .. It was a cheaper model and the guy who had it scraped his name off, what a -------- so it looked like crap so the pawn guy practically gave it away. lol.

[wildprotien]

Seems alot of you guys are getting your trail cams stolen in remote areas.
I think you are being watched by other cams in the area that don't want you there.
How else could a person find your cam in a remote area if you have it hidden well enough out of clear sight.

[pete_k]

Your next one should have the infrared flash.
I put my cam's on the ground and away from trails and camo them up
with twigs and brush so no straight edges are showing.

Limits how much action I get, but nothing got stolen yet.

I like Mark's idea too.

[MichaelB]

What the only camera I ever had is the one I just got from the second hand store two days ago. I can't afford a new one so this one is good enough, some guy must have needed money at the pawn shop.
Jel .. It was a cheaper model and the guy who had it scraped his name off, what a -------- so it looked like crap so the pawn guy practically gave it away. lol.


Haha Jel, Cheapo or not, $200 is $200. But the card info.....that's priceless.

[MichaelB]

Just an idea for T-cam guys..... I put a note inside my camera, reads something to this effect.

Hi, I see youve found my camera.... this cam has an encrypted password and is useless without it!
Please do not steal or destroy it! If you have a problem with this camera here, my name is Mark and my number is ***-****
I will remove it at your request, or be happy to email you some pics of the game in OUR hunting spot!
See you on the trail!

I have pics of many hunters and it hasnt been stolen in over 3 years!
Some have opened it and read the note, no-one has phoned!

Great idea Mark. I will try that. Now if I find cameras in the Okanagan I will HAVE TO open them to see if your note is present. That way I can get some trophy muleys if I just hunt around them!:mrgreen:


"to be great one must mimic greatness"
-probably Nelson Mandela

[Jelvis]

Well this camera I got at the pawnshop yesterday had a card in it and I was curious so I checked it out, I don't know where this lady or guy had it hangin before he pawned it off but wowzerz, I couldn't believe my eyes, a massive monster record size buck was on the photo's looked like a blacktail buck with a boone and crocket rack. I sent a photo in today to verify it with B&C they are excited about the photo I e-mailed and said put the card under lock and key for now.
Jel .. who ever had this camera I got at a basement bargain in the pawnshop so cheap it was a steal at that price, and now with this valuable card with the B&C buck on it, it's priceless. I'll keep you up to date I'm waiting for a representative from world records to show.

[BlacktailStalker]

I assume you know its not a bear so wont ask...
I have lost two now, I can relate. It sucks but its part of the game.
I am certain salal pickers got one of mine... I wont hang one near salal again.
So what I am saying is, learn from your mistakes, no don't hang another in the same spot.
Good luck.

[tristanmac]

Maybe leave a note saying, "there is another camera that has already got a picture of you, for your own good id leave the camera alone". Might scare the next guy away?

[Jelvis]

Leave a note on the tree saying, Please don't take my camera stealing is wrong and one of the ten commandments says. " Thou shalt not steal." thank you.
.... and please come to church this sunday.
JP .. PS and it's also against the law too thanks again .. lol ..

[MichaelB]

Leave a note on the tree saying, Please don't take my camera stealing is wrong and one of the ten commandments says. " Thou shalt not steal." thank you.
.... and please come to church this sunday.
JP .. PS and it's also against the law too thanks again ..


Unfortunately the fear of God holds less grip on people than it used to. The fear of SARS, Swine flu, anthrax, and Canada Revenue Agency is what gets people now. My new note:

Dear theif:
As you opened this camera you have contracted something deadly. Yes I have placed a form of influenza that is wrapped in anthrax like an armour in this very camera. (Picture a virus riding a bacteria into battle). yes my friend, you are ****ed! It will kill you within the week. However, I have spent the last 8 years developing an antidote for this. Place the camera back where you found it and call 555-5555. One of our agents MichaelB will take care of you and place you in contact with the vaccine we have called "knuckles".

Sincerely,

Canada Revenue Agency

[shadow1982]

before someone else says it... much be the damn immigrants... lol

sorry for your loss man, but good idea mark... worth a shot

[MichaelB]

before someone else says it... much be the damn immigrants... lol

sorry for your loss man, but good idea mark... worth a shot


Hey! My parents are immigrants! Haha but they're too old to climb in the mountains. So I can't blame them for this. I will however continue to blame them for my lack of self esteem, and my inability to show love.

[Rob]

Like someone suggested, perhaps you are being watched by another camera in the area.

[870]

set up another camera and set a few leg hold traps and snares at human neck hight around it.

good luck.

[ve7iuq]

Well this camera I got at the pawnshop yesterday had a card in it and I was curious so I checked it out, I don't know where this lady or guy had it hangin before he pawned it off but wowzerz, I couldn't believe my eyes, a massive monster record size buck was on the photo's looked like a blacktail buck with a boone and crocket rack. I sent a photo in today to verify it with B&C they are excited about the photo I e-mailed and said put the card under lock and key for now.
Jel .. who ever had this camera I got at a basement bargain in the pawnshop so cheap it was a steal at that price, and now with this valuable card with the B&C buck on it, it's priceless. I'll keep you up to date I'm waiting for a representative from world records to show.

Jell, that's the tallest story you've ever told! And that's saying something.

[Shooter]

Put another camera in the same place and carefully hide another one to take pictures of the first one.....then when it gets stolen again you'll know who the culprit is and you can act accordingly....just a suggestion.:-D


What if they steal the one that is watching the other one??? Huh? Huh? Or grab em both...lol If you were gonna do that I would mount the seconf cam up high in a tree looking down on the first.

[dave_fras]

i was actually out checking mine last night and i ran into a guy parked on the side of the road... he was asking if i had a trail camera on the side hill haha.. he said a buddy of his found one up there the day before!... its a huge piss off tho.. cuz i had a blind and everything up there!... but at least he didnt take it!

[mark]

Leave a note on the tree saying, Please don't take my camera stealing is wrong and one of the ten commandments says. " Thou shalt not steal." thank you.
.... and please come to church this sunday.
JP .. PS and it's also against the law too thanks again .. lol ..

No-one gives a rats ass about those things Jel, if I read a note like that, Id be more inclined to steal it! :twisted:

[moose2]

A target in the tree at head level above the camera with a few well placed shots in it might make someone think twice. Even if they did take it they would have a nervous walk back to the truck.
MIKE

[bsa30-06]

Put another camera in the same place and carefully hide another one to take pictures of the first one.....then when it gets stolen again you'll know who the culprit is and you can act accordingly....just a suggestion.:-D

Thats exactly what i was going to suggest.I would never put a camera back in the same place after having it stolen.

[Jelvis]

So the thief a male or female goes in with a full face covered and dressed in baggy camo what good is a picture?
Jelly..csi..fbi..csis..dea..ert..your..sol..

[Buckmeister]

I am always amazed at how often "remote" places are visited.

Maybe the culprit was out checking his crop and you photographed him so he took your camera. Or.....maybe you photographed Sasquatch and he took it so as to protect his identity.

At any rate, a friend of mine had a nice thick aluminum cage built for his camera. It completely surrounds and protects the camera from all sides and has an opening for the lens, sensor and flash. It has two large tubes welded to it so you can loop some pretty big chain through and then lock the chain to the tree. It works pretty slick.

[sawmill]

Too bad you couldn`t booby trap it with a shotgun shell,blow half the asshats head off if he tries to steal the cam.But (sigh)you can`t.:(

[Ourea]

There is no bigger piss off than having your trail camera stolen and it is a shame that it happens to many, including me.
Just assume the worst and protect your property accordingly. My advice would be use removeable tree spikes and get it up high enough so it can't be reached, use a lock box without fail and then finally lock it to the tree with a BOA cable. I have never had a camera problem since.

[srupp]

Hmmm I dont own a camera but am getting one , once back @ work..

However what is the best??NOT putting chains and cages etc that would draw attention and rely on its just being there and not noticed versus enough saftey gear to draw attention and then make em work for the thing???

steven

[CanuckShooter]

So the thief a male or female goes in with a full face covered and dressed in baggy camo what good is a picture?
Jelly..csi..fbi..csis..dea..ert..your..sol..

You call in the psychic investigator....they tell you who stole your rig..and then when you catch them and give them a taste of your version of citizen arrest.:wink:

[Jelvis]

How come you never see the headlines , Psychic wins the Lotto . ? lol.
If you could know what others don't and see the future .. buy a ticket for the max lol ..
Jel .. you'd know this Fridays and Saturdays numbers lol

[MichaelB]

If psychics were readily available I would've consulted one before this whole debacle started and my thread title would have appeared:

"Trail Camera Checked! HUGE BLACKTAIL!!!:eek:"

But alas....they are not. And I am minus a trail cam, minus a lead on a HUGE blacktail, and no closer to being an internet legend than I was last week.

................................:cry:

[CanuckShooter]

If psychics were readily available I would've consulted one before this whole debacle started and my thread title would have appeared:

"Trail Camera Checked! HUGE BLACKTAIL!!!:eek:"

But alas....they are not. And I am minus a trail cam, minus a lead on a HUGE blacktail, and no closer to being an internet legend than I was last week.

................................:cry:

put out a new camera, put one on it, put one on the trail on the way in, when you catch the thief you gut 'em, and then hang 'em off a pole along the main highway...and YOU sir will become an internet legend...:mrgreen:

[Jelvis]

Don't feel bad the local security company had there outside perimeter security cameras stolen. No I'm Bs'in that would never happen lol .
Jel sounded good tho .. tryin to make you look better .. ok

[MichaelB]

[.. tryin to make you look better .. ok[/quote]


Nothing can make me look better Jel. I am just a poor handler of my equipment. Imagine if it wasn't a trail camera that I lost, but it was a puppy! Sure a trail camera can be replaced, but a puppy has a personality, and feelings! I'm not fit to have belongings.......

We're getting off topic here..... If Batman would leave Gotham City and come to Squamish that camera would have never been stolen. And you can quote me on that one!

[reach]

But alas....they are not. And I am minus a trail cam, minus a lead on a HUGE blacktail, and no closer to being an internet legend than I was last week.
I dunno. It's not that hard to be an internet legend. For example, did you hear about that guy who faced down a grizzly on his dirt bike in Squamish??? He was so big and mean the grizzly took one look at him and ran away screaming like a little girl, the way I heard it. :mrgreen:

[MichaelB]

I dunno. It's not that hard to be an internet legend. For example, did you hear about that guy who faced down a grizzly on his dirt bike in Squamish??? He was so big and mean the grizzly took one look at him and ran away screaming like a little girl, the way I heard it. :mrgreen:

Reach my friend, you have made my day!

[dino]

I have 6 and have never lost one "knock on wood" but I have lost the tree where it was on in 3 feet of snow because of not tagging the tree. It took me 2.5 hours to find it because I thought I had the right tree. I know theres no snow but could this be possible with you? if it is go back because I was sure I had the right tree until I walked into it on the hike out.

[MichaelB]

Yeah Dino I am sure of the tree. I did still walk to every tree in the area for over an hour. Probably more to look if they just placed it in another spot but I am sure where I put it. It was a marked tree (not with flagging tape) but it forms an "L" with a rubbed out tree and a character tree with strange bark formations at it's base. I placed it there so I'd not lose where I put it. Hard to miss if you know the area, hard to spot for a thief.... so I thought!

[HARDICAT]

What the only camera I ever had is the one I just got from the second hand store two days ago. I can't afford a new one so this one is good enough, some guy must have needed money at the pawn shop.
Jel .. It was a cheaper model and the guy who had it scraped his name off, what a -------- so it looked like crap so the pawn guy practically gave it away. lol.

That is why I do not buy stuff from pawn shops. Why dont you post the picks from the trail cam so the right owner can get his camera back? 10 years in Jel seems like good punishment to me :wink:

[hunter1947]

It might have been a bear that took this trail cam of yours ,my advise is to look all over the place for you trail cam you might find it.

I had a bear take mine off the tree 4 times over the last few years and was fortune enough to find the trail cam on the ground a few yards from the tree it was on..

What I have found is that what you ate last is on your hands and then if you handle the trail cam without gloves.

The food smell that was on your hands goes into the trail camera and the bear smells the food scent on your trail camera and takes it thinking there is something good to eat..

[Bobfl]

shitty, always put the cam where no quads and hikers will go. 1/2 km is to close to any road. I would go back and look in the surrounding trees. maybe someone playing a prank

[VicP]

Put another camera in the same place and carefully hide another one to take pictures of the first one.....then when it gets stolen again you'll know who the culprit is and you can act accordingly....just a suggestion.:-D


Instead of using a real trail cam hang a dummy one and a real one in the bushes to watch the bait.