Trail cameras: tampering, stealing, and how to avoid it

[Warmsy]

I tampered with one this year. Before archery season, I came upon the backside of a cam overlooking an elk wallow, secured to a tree with a steel cable. After exploring down the drainage, I came up the other side of the wallow, right where the camera was pointing. The camera had not seen me at this point, so I walked backwards for about 40 yards until I was behind the trees and brush. I hope that hunter got a laugh when he checked his cam!

 

[Carpenterant]

I check cards if I find one, never deleted anything except my own picture. Wouldn’t think of stealing one. Never had any issues with mine

 

[Rokwiia]

I camo mine so they disappear from view. I use bark from down trees that will match the tree species the trailcam will go on. Most of the time, mine are in forest with pine so that bark often. The strap can be a problem too so I change the strap to a color that better matches the tree. In the case of a pine tree, I use a dark brown and will attach thin pine bark to it as well.

I want to know what's coming through at night as well as day time. If I wasn't concerned about getting night-time videos, I could conceal the trailcam even more. The picture on the left is a trailcam sitting on a chainsaw bear at home. There isn't a picture of it in a tree but I will do that in the near future.

Once on a tree of matching bark, it virtually disappears.

 

[Glendon Mullins]

google CAM LOCK BOX

basically steel boxes made for trail cameras, lock with a masterlock and lag bolt to tree, i use them to keep darn bears away from mine

Digital trail camera , security lock box, and Camera mounts › CAMLOCKbox

Here at CAMLOCKbox we are a small, family owned business located in Northeast Wisconsin. We do all of our own manufacturing - our boxes and brackets are true American made products.

camlockbox.com

small company, made in USA in wilsconsin, whats not to like? lol seriously they make good stuff

 

[njdoxie]

I know a guy that was targeting a specific monster buck on OH public land. He would go around to cameras he found and delete that buck's pictures. Not something I would do myself, but I kind of thought it was hilarious. Not really an ethical breach in my mind, I would classify that as gamesmanship.

Don't eff with other people's $hit. Period. Not funny to the camera owner.

 

[Elk97]

You can use game cameras during season now, but they cannot relay real time animal movements.



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Good to know, I was told you couldn't.

 

[Fish_monger]

Had one camera on public this spring about a mile from access. padlocked closed with a python lock. someone cut the steel cable with a hatchet and took them camera.

 

[ThunderJack49]

That's what shocked me the most about the one I got stolen, it's a solid 2 hour hike through some nasty blow down. Unless someone was on horseback, I couldn't imagine any reason to go back there.

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I've lost game cameras before in similar areas but I know outfitters work the country as well.

 

[Billy Goat]

I'm late to the conversation, bit since it's been resurrected.....


I know a guy who had tags made, said property of department of game, camera # way the hell high number to think multiples were out and who knows how many you might not have seen.. They were riveted to the camera.


Seemed to really help the tampering.

 

[cbat]

I use tree steps and get them as high as possible. Not lost 1 yet.