A __________ stole my trail camera!!

**FSU_Seminole** · 05-12-2008, 07:16 PM

I made a mineral lick back in Feb of this year along with 2 trophy rocks I sat on top of the lick. I left my trail camera out until late March. I go check it & sure enough several healthy does & 1 big 8 point buck were caught on camera using my lick. I refreshened the batteries & figure I'll check the camera & refreshen the lick again after turkey season is over.

So turkey season ends May 1st. I'm all estastic because the farmer planted soybeans in 1 field & corn in the other. This lick is about 50 yards back in the woods just off a trail that forks off into either field & the deer have plenty of cover. Its the perfect ambush spot for a rifle or bow hunter. I get back there & my frickin camera is gone & someone threw my trophy rocks around & looks like they purposely had been stepping directly on top of my lick.

I know who did it but I have no proof. This is a teenage little brat with a few friends that enjoy trespassing with 4 wheelers & they enjoy tresspassing on your property during mid day when you're at work. I've caught this boy & his friend tresspassing 2 times when I hunted odd hours. The second time I politely asked him not to come back & he said he wouldn't with a smrik on his face. I saw them riding through another guys land in a truck during turkey season. I'm sure the camera took their picture they saw the flash, panicked & snatched the whole thing from the tree. His parents are the type to claim their child would never do such a thing. What can I do? And who makes a decent trail camera where it can be locked to the tree?

**bluelund79** · 05-12-2008, 07:33 PM

Brother that really stinks....I would have to say that Cuddieback no flash camera deal would be your best bet. Set it away from another camera (cheap one) to catch him in the act. Hope you get this resolved with some proof. Eric

**aksheephuntress** · 05-12-2008, 08:36 PM

...Oh,Gee!!...that is really awful that this happened...I hope somehow, the kid(s) get caught...

-maybe offer a reward for any info on it, a week from now??-I'll bet anything, that kid goes bragging about it to his buddies...and the truth will come out-

-so sorry that this happened to you!

**Adjam5** · 05-12-2008, 09:38 PM

That bites hope you catch them.
You can get a no flash cam mount it high up facing down above a dummy/replacement cam on a tree and bait the spot for humans. You'll get pics of animals and people.

Rake area dirt finely and look for boot/sneaker prints.
Signs of "smile your on camera" help also even if there is NO camera.

**Washi** · 05-12-2008, 09:40 PM

To heck with proof. Go beat that kid with a stick.

**buckee** · 05-12-2008, 10:13 PM

Man, that sure bites alright.
Go talk to the kid, and see if he'll cough it up. Tell him you'll get the police involved, if he doesn't cooperate.

**wyohunter** · 05-12-2008, 10:42 PM

man that sucks for sure... good luck resolving this

**wtnhunt** · 05-13-2008, 07:37 AM

Man that really stinks, sorry to hear that. Think I would confront the boy with his parents there and as mentioned let them know you will get the law involved.

I put python cable locks on all my cams and they are on our own property, all within less than 3/4 of a mile from the house. My cams are all homebrews with the exception of the leaf river. Most cams should be able to be attached to the tree with cable locks.

**OUTDOORLIFE3** · 05-13-2008, 10:46 AM

man that really sucks...i know the feeling i have had 6 cameras stolen this past hunting season...its getting ridiculous that you can leave anything out in the woods anymore w/o a lock on it

**fly** · 05-13-2008, 02:19 PM

I'd confront the kid and when he denies it I'd tell him he missed one of your other trail cams and that it has his picture on it. Then I'd tell him he had one final chance to give it back before I went to the police with the picture. And that I'd be pressing charges for tresspassing and theft. If he still denies it tell him he has until the next day to confess. The more he thinks about it the more worrying he'll do. Then when he confesses and gives you the camera I'd go to his parents and probably the police. I'll be you won't have him tresspassing again.

>Frank

**FSU_Seminole** · 05-13-2008, 02:48 PM

Thanks for the advice guys. I do feel like beating him with a stick but I can't do that. I'm going to use the cable locks for sure & I'm also going to confront him about it & tell him he missed a camera, because I do have pictures of him tresspassing last year albeit it was him riding past a tree on a 4 wheeler.

Thanks for the info.

**Fiedler** · 05-13-2008, 05:05 PM

I just have to say some people aren't like that, I'm 13 and I get the back end of other people doing things wrong =[
I'm very sorry to here this though

**Ethan Givan** · 05-14-2008, 05:11 PM

That really stinks. Nothing makes me madder than a thief. Instead of asking him politlely not to trespass the second time you caught him, I would have gotten the police or Conservation officer involved right then. I will let you slide the first time for tresspassing with a STERN warning, but the second time your not getting away with it.