Thieves and poachers!!!

[Ski]

Why do people gotta be like that? One of my spots is a small hay field on the side of a hill. In the only flat spot on the property I have a small clover plot with 4 cameras watching trails in & out. This morning one of the cams was missing. I thought it was odd that only one camera had been taken because I don't exactly hide them. But after looking through the videos of the other cams, I think I know what happened. There was a decent buck in the plot pushing does around & they all suddenly spooked & bolted, then I see either a flashlight or spotlight scanning the ground. I never seen the person, but I reckon they must have seen the one camera because the light went off as quick as it came on & I never caught anything else that night. I think they maybe shot at the deer from the road & went in to look, then got spooked when they realized they were on camera. At least I think that's what happened given the circumstances. Otherwise I think they'd have taken the other cameras, too. All I know for sure is that I had somebody shining a light into my plot while deer were there at night, and now I'm missing the camera that would have caught them :bash:

Unfortunately that buck has not been seen or caught on camera since, and he was a regular. I'm hoping they didn't shoot him, though I'm fairly suspicious that they sure tried.

 

[JT262]

If feel your pain I've had 2 trail cameras and 2 tree stands stolen over years right at my house where I hunt. Pretty sure I know whom it could be but no proof. It's a shame when your own neighbors which I assume are friends may have taken them. But as I said no proof but I know whom hunts around me. All property is land locked and only hunted by 4 people one being me. Had to start using bear boxes on my cameras this year as my neighbor was pulling my cards and reading them so he would know what was in the area some neighbor. He will read any camera he comes across so people beware lock your cameras if not to keep from being stolen but giving someone else your intel.

 

[Deer Assassin]

i hate to hear it

sorry as heck

 

[DoubleRidge]

Been there.....so frustrating.....had a summit climbing stand stolen many years ago....hunted Christmas Eve till dark....left stand on tree....came back morning after Christmas before daylight....stand gone.... stolen Christmas day! 3/4 mile off road too.....had one trail camera stolen and one pop-up blind stolen....on pop-up blind they just cut the tie down strings.....they left my chair though...lol......oh well, I wouldn't want to trade places with them....sad actually.

 

[Planking]

I had one stolen of my property about two weeks ago. I cant stand thieves.

 

[Ski]

oh well, I wouldn't want to trade places with them....sad actually.

Truly spoken.

 

[catman529]

Not all poachers are thieves. They probably just didn't want you to have a pic of them. Hope you catch them


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[DoubleRidge]

Not all poachers are thieves. They probably just didn't want you to have a pic of them. Hope you catch them


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Maybe not....but they are very closely related......poachers who sneak onto posted ground and illegally "take" game are bordering on theivery.....I know the state owns the deer....the property owner doesn't....i get it.....just saying there is a close relationship between poachers and theives.....sneaking around "taking" game that they don't have legal access too.....real similar to sneaking around and taking trail cameras & tree stands.

 

[Ski]

Not all poachers are thieves. They probably just didn't want you to have a pic of them. Hope you catch them


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Maybe not....but they are very closely related......poachers who sneak onto posted ground and illegally "take" game are bordering on theivery.....I know the state owns the deer....the property owner doesn't....i get it.....just saying there is a close relationship between poachers and theives.....sneaking around "taking" game that they don't have legal access too.....real similar to sneaking around and taking trail cameras & tree stands.

Actually TN made a restitution law a few years ago that not only punishes the poacher for crime, but also forces on them a debt for the value of game they illegally took. As I understand it, that debt is paid to the landowner. I don't know all the specifics as it was just an article I read in one of the magazines TWRA sends me once or twice a year. They used an example of a guy busted for shooting an elk and had to pay around $15G, if memory serves. I haven't heard anything else about it since, but do recall liking the news!

 

[MickThompson]

Restitution goes to the state under the new law. Nobody owns game until they tag it.

 

[DoubleRidge]

Restitution law is interesting...thanks for sharing.
Nobody "owning" game until it's tagged makes sense.

 

[philsanchez76]

I try hard (at my own inconvenience) to hang my cameras 10-12 up. The one time I didn't I got my memory card stolen. Pretty sure if i hasn't of moved it, they wouldn't come back and cut my python lock off. Cards are only $5 but I'm bummed about the lost intel during the rut I was hoping for.

 

[DoubleRidge]

I try hard (at my own inconvenience) to hang my cameras 10-12 up. The one time I didn't I got my memory card stolen. Pretty sure if i hasn't of moved it, they wouldn't come back and cut my python lock off. Cards are only $5 but I'm bummed about the lost intel during the rut I was hoping for.

I've thought about trying this before .....just curious.....how are you changing cards & batteries? Lightweight stepladder? Screw in steps? Climber stand? Just curious.....can't stand a thief.

 

[hunter0925]

I try hard (at my own inconvenience) to hang my cameras 10-12 up. The one time I didn't I got my memory card stolen. Pretty sure if i hasn't of moved it, they wouldn't come back and cut my python lock off. Cards are only $5 but I'm bummed about the lost intel during the rut I was hoping for.

I've thought about trying this before .....just curious.....how are you changing cards & batteries? Lightweight stepladder? Screw in steps? Climber stand? Just curious.....can't stand a thief.

I have to do the same thing thanks to thieves. I use muddy aerolite rapid climb sticks. They are light, short and easy to carry anywhere I go and set up super fast.

 

[philsanchez76]

I try hard (at my own inconvenience) to hang my cameras 10-12 up. The one time I didn't I got my memory card stolen. Pretty sure if i hasn't of moved it, they wouldn't come back and cut my python lock off. Cards are only $5 but I'm bummed about the lost intel during the rut I was hoping for.

I've thought about trying this before .....just curious.....how are you changing cards & batteries? Lightweight stepladder? Screw in steps? Climber stand? Just curious.....can't stand a thief.

I used my HSS tree stand harness With lineman's loops and one lone wolf climbing stick. Strap the stick on, climb up and secure your lineman's belt around the tree and that gives you both hands to mount your camera. I usually snap a little half inch thick twig and wedge it behind the camera to point it down just a little. Then climb down. Most people don't even look up that high and if they do, they have to go through the trouble of climbing up and trying to cut a steel python cable. Ran 6 cameras in Tennessee public this year with only mishap being the memory card stolen on that one I didn't hang high. Learned my lesson!

 

[MUP]

I try hard (at my own inconvenience) to hang my cameras 10-12 up. The one time I didn't I got my memory card stolen. Pretty sure if i hasn't of moved it, they wouldn't come back and cut my python lock off. Cards are only $5 but I'm bummed about the lost intel during the rut I was hoping for.

I've thought about trying this before .....just curious.....how are you changing cards & batteries? Lightweight stepladder? Screw in steps? Climber stand? Just curious.....can't stand a thief.

I carry a fiberglass step ladder in with me when I change batteries an cards.

 

[DoubleRidge]

I try hard (at my own inconvenience) to hang my cameras 10-12 up. The one time I didn't I got my memory card stolen. Pretty sure if i hasn't of moved it, they wouldn't come back and cut my python lock off. Cards are only $5 but I'm bummed about the lost intel during the rut I was hoping for.

I've thought about trying this before .....just curious.....how are you changing cards & batteries? Lightweight stepladder? Screw in steps? Climber stand? Just curious.....can't stand a thief.

I carry a fiberglass step ladder in with me when I change batteries an cards.

Thanks....wanted to try this before just hadn't done it yet.... guessing camera needs to be little further away from target area....and shimmed / angled downward.....I'll have to give it a try.

 

[MUP]

I got tired of them disappearing too. I have tcams watching tcams, watching tcams anymore. It's become more of a security issue anymore, than a deer watching program.

 

[DoubleRidge]

Bit of a pipe dream.....but I'd like to see some tech savvy trail camera operator rig a camera with an ink dye bomb like the bank uses in robbers money bag......mount ink bomb cam at eye level with other cameras mounted up high to video the process of the thief getting blasted with ink..... environmentally friendly ink of course....FDA approved....non acidic.... nothing to permanently hurt or mame anyone....just something that would dye their hands and face for a good week or two.....yea I know....pipe dream.....fun to think about though.

 

[philsanchez76]

Bit of a pipe dream.....but I'd like to see some tech savvy trail camera operator rig a camera with an ink dye bomb like the bank uses in robbers money bag......mount ink bomb cam at eye level with other cameras mounted up high to video the process of the thief getting blasted with ink..... environmentally friendly ink of course....FDA approved....non acidic.... nothing to permanently hurt or mame anyone....just something that would dye their hands and face for a good week or two.....yea I know....pipe dream.....fun to think about though.

Ha! I'd contribute to a start up like that!