Lost first cam today

We were game camming today, making the rounds and where our favorite spot is, we found the lock and cable still locked to the tree, but no camara. They had busted the plastic housing where the lock goes through, and it was gone. I haven't lost one untill today, and it had to have taken some effort to break that plastic. May they rot in hell after the fleas of a thousand dogs infest their arm pits :333
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TheGreatwhitehunter
Sorry to hear of the theft of your camera, unfortunately that is the risk of leaving them in the woods. I have had more then a few tree stands stolen on private land no less.
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MuleyMadness
Sorry man, tis bummer. I've never lost one thankfully.
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one hunting fool
had my first and only camera stolen last year during the rifle hunt. it made it through September to October without any problem then i moved it to a new area and got it stolen a few days later. i tell you there are some scum in the woods and i do not mean just the kind on the pond...
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Mularcher
Sorry to hear that, I use a lock but I also burn my name and phone number on the front plastic with a soldering iron. Then I add a note on the side that reads "If you would like pictures from this camera or any of the other cameras in the area please call" I hope they think twice, No one has ever called but I haven't lost a camera yet ether.
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nuttinbutchunks
I like the idea of marking my cam with an electric pencil. Or put some type of note saying "This camara has a GPS tracker. Any atempts to steal this device will result in the arrest of the culprit". Total BS, but it may deter any thefts.
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NVhunter
We had one of our Bushnells stolen last year. We had a metal case around it with a lock on the case and a metal cable wrapped around the tree and the camera. The POS shot the cable off with a hand gun and then used plyers to pry open the box and stole the camera.
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nuttinbutchunks
"NVhunter" wrote:We had one of our Bushnells stolen last year. We had a metal case around it with a lock on the case and a metal cable wrapped around the tree and the camera. The POS shot the cable off with a hand gun and then used plyers to pry open the box and stole the camera.
 Wow! Must have wanted it bad! What comes around goes around, I always say.
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Default Avatar
All these stories are makin me nervous to go buy my first trail cam! I found a trail cam last year that had come off the tree somehow so I grabbed some small rope out of my bag and secured it back to the tree! I just can't believe that a fellow outdoorsman would steal someones trail cam!
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spoofman
i have a lots of things stolen out of the bed of my truck hunting. There are some ignorant people. I had a bunch of decoys stole from my duck boat at the parking area once while i walked down a dike, gone 30 mins to come back and see my decoys gone and some other stuff. Lots of cars there to and people walking around. Wished I would have caught the culprit. It just aint right. Earn your own money and buy the stuff. Respect others goods. ](*,)
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Default Avatar
I had one stolen from me January of 2008 off of private property. I had it watching over a protein feeder and when I come back in February to see what all deer made it through the season, it was gone. $300 camera. I didn't have a lock on it, cause there was no one that should have been on the place. Ah well, you live and learn. I've got one now on another place that takes pictures of the traffic as it is coming down the main road. It's hidden, so if anyone gets a wild idea about stealing cameras now, they will have a mug shot before they get out the front gate. Thinking about putting a GPS transmitter on this one as well, in case they do find it, it will email me a picture of them before it leaves.
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sneekeepete
I have come to the conclusion that the benefits of having a trail camera don't outway the cost when this happens. I've only ever owned one but when I lost a tree stand off of private property I quite leaving anything over night and what good is a camera that is there while I am... The Sad part is that no matter what this will always happen. along with theives stealing out of vehicles as well...
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NVhunter
"JimmyB" wrote:All these stories are makin me nervous to go buy my first trail cam! I found a trail cam last year that had come off the tree somehow so I grabbed some small rope out of my bag and secured it back to the tree! I just can't believe that a fellow outdoorsman would steal someones trail cam!
 Too bad there aren't more people out there like you. And you shouldn't be nervous about buying a camera, if you find my earlier post on the trail cam forum "Moultrie Trail Cam Pics" and see the mountain lion picture, we had that camera set up under that bridge for about 3 months. We were checking it every Wednesday and Sunday, we actually got pictures of a guy and his wife coming through making a face at the camera and then just kept walking. It just sucks that people cant just walk on by.
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nuttinbutchunks
"JimmyB" wrote:All these stories are makin me nervous to go buy my first trail cam! I found a trail cam last year that had come off the tree somehow so I grabbed some small rope out of my bag and secured it back to the tree! I just can't believe that a fellow outdoorsman would steal someones trail cam!
 That's the first one I've lost, and for the most part they will be OK. Just lock themn up and honest people will leave them alone lol
Also, find a place that most people will never go. And last of all, don't buy the expensive ones in case they do go AWOL.
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dahlmer
This is biggest reason I don't see myself investing in a trail cam.
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one hunting fool
if you leave it out in the woods you can count on it coming up missing. if it does not your lucky. there are enough people out there that will go to any length to get you stuff off the tree it does not matter what you do to lockit up. if there is a will there is a way. the fact that the cameras don't come up missing is just for the fact that the a hole has not seen it yet.
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Default Avatar
"one hunting fool" wrote:if you leave it out in the woods you can count on it coming up missing. if it does not your lucky. there are enough people out there that will go to any length to get you stuff off the tree it does not matter what you do to lockit up. if there is a will there is a way. the fact that the cameras don't come up missing is just for the fact that the a hole has not seen it yet.
 Amen! Nuttin... that's blows man. Sorry to hear that. I felt like I'd been completely violated when my camera was stolen. Last year my camera was fine, but I hiked my A off getting it to my spot which most people would never do. I think if you get it WAY back in there and then secure the H out of it that you'll generally be fine. But the key is taking it to a place that the average and generally lazy hunter wouldn't go and can't access with wheels.
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nuttinbutchunks
Yep, Bowtech43. That's right. Burry it somewhere and nobody knows where it is but you.
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stewberd23
I've come across tree stands,trail cams, and blinds while hunting the last year or so and everytime i find em i say to myself if it was mine i wouldn't want anyone taking it so i leave it alone!
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Default Avatar
I find it funny that no one has mentioned "bear" ? i have had many cameras busted off trees by bears and a couple taken by bears
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nuttinbutchunks
"SHANE(WA)" wrote:I find it funny that no one has mentioned "bear" ? i have had many cameras busted off trees by bears and a couple taken by bears
 I did find clean plastic where the lock went through. I doubt a bear could have done such a clean job. However, I have pics of a bear at that location. lol
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Default Avatar
Maybe they think its suxs that they cant take a hike without someones game cam taking pics?If you leave them out they will get stolen/destroyed,if you dont want this to happen dont leave them out on public property.They are illegal here after the hunting season starts and Im in favor of the new law,if I find one out after the seasons start your going to be talking to a game warden if you want it back.
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nuttinbutchunks
"halibutaddict" wrote:Maybe they think its suxs that they cant take a hike without someones game cam taking pics?If you leave them out they will get stolen/destroyed,if you dont want this to happen dont leave them out on public property.They are illegal here after the hunting season starts and Im in favor of the new law,if I find one out after the seasons start your going to be talking to a game warden if you want it back.
 First, I try to put them where there is no human traffic, and I know if I don't, I'm taking chances. It's too bad people will take license to screw with something that doesn't belong to them. I hate when I get pics of people. It a waste of battery.
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Default Avatar
So with that mentality... the next time YOU set up camp on public or natl forest and you leave it unattended... it would be okay for someone just to use it? same logic dude... its not your camera..u didnt buy it the tree just didnt grow it...somebody had to buy it with there hard earned money for some tool bag to take it
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Mularcher
"SHANE(WA)" wrote:So with that mentality... the next time YOU set up camp on public or natl forest and you leave it unattended... it would be okay for someone just to use it? same logic dude... its not your camera..u didnt buy it the tree just didnt grow it...somebody had to buy it with there hard earned money for some tool bag to take it
Well Said.
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Default Avatar
I dont leave anything of value unattended on public land,if you do dont act shocked when it gets stolen/destroyed because you know it can and does happen. =;
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magnum72576
One solution is to place a second camera high in a tree looking at the first cam. Then hopefully you will get some pictures of the thief. The satisfacton of catching the mutts is worth the price of the second camera. I would probably just use a bad camera as the "bait".

Tony
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Default Avatar
"magnum72576" wrote:One solution is to place a second camera high in a tree looking at the first cam. Then hopefully you will get some pictures of the thief. The satisfacton of catching the mutts is worth the price of the second camera. I would probably just use a bad camera as the "bait".

Tony
 I like that thinking haha. Although I don't have that kind of money!
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derekp1999
I checked a camera last weekend and found that it had been messed with. The guy saw one camera and pointed it at the tree tops, but didn't see the second a couple hundred yards down the same trail :-$ . I count myself VERY lucky, and I got it the heck off that tree. I take some responsibility for it because it was hard to miss, but I figured that since it is private land I wouldn't have a problem... wrong! I'll be considerably more selective with my placement next year.
Got some great pics of him, some nearby land owners recognize him... and I'll have no problem "chatting" with him about it.
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Default Avatar
sorry to hear of your loss, to many people don't care about others people property any more.
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Default Avatar
"derekp1999" wrote:I checked a camera last weekend and found that it had been messed with. The guy saw one camera and pointed it at the tree tops, but didn't see the second a couple hundred yards down the same trail :-$ . I count myself VERY lucky, and I got it the heck off that tree. I take some responsibility for it because it was hard to miss, but I figured that since it is private land I wouldn't have a problem... wrong! I'll be considerably more selective with my placement next year.
Got some great pics of him, some nearby land owners recognize him... and I'll have no problem "chatting" with him about it.
 I'd be interested to hear what he has to say about it during your little "chat"! I still can't believe people with mess with those. Especially other "sportsmen".
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Default Avatar
I really don't believe or want to believe that another "sportsman" would mess with these cameras, there are alot of people who hunt and fish that I would never call a "sportsmen". I refuse to call poachers, trespassers or thieves sportsmen.
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Muleys 24/7
I've been lucky so far but it dose happen, I always spend the extra money and buy the sec.boxes and cable locks to help . But thats only to keep the honest ones from taken it. If they want it that bad they're going to get it anyways :1
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derekp1999
Having a cam stolen is a risk that I willingly take, but the pictures are SO WORTH IT! I've learned from last summer to trust no one and nothing... even if it's private land. Sadly, somewhere down the line I expect to have one stolen.
That being said, I have two cameras still out today. I've learned that creativity in placement is just as effective as chains or boxes.
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stewberd23
I feel pretty lucky that I still have my cam today i've got a picture of someones hand and a forest service guy walking right in front of my cam! I'm glad i had my camera in a cage thing that i built for it and had it cable locked to the tree, but after i saw the hand I pulled the camera.
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