Whitetail Road Trip Camp Planning

[sconnieVLP]

I am fortunate to have my job sending me to school for a year and my only responsibility is to be a full time student. As a student, I have a ~6 week winter break for the first time since I was an undergrad student. I’m planning a road trip leaving from VA and stopping in WV, OH, and either IL or IN on my way back home to WI in time for Christmas/the holiday rifle season.

I’ve never done anything like this before and I’m mostly looking to push myself out of my hunting comfort zone and work on figuring deer out in a few days vice several seasons. I’m planning on camping instead of staying in hotels to try to do this as economically as possible.

I’m curious to get insight from others who have done something similar, whether in those states or elsewhere, on securing your camp/gear/vehicle and having my truck with out of state plates (WI) parked out in some of the public areas while I’m in the woods.

Specific questions:
1) Do you all leave you camp totally set up when you leave for the day or are there things you put away?
2) Is there anything I can do to make my camp look less appealing for people to mess with?
3) Any tips for avoiding my truck getting messed with by people unhappy with my OOS plates? I have a hard rolling tonneau cover and locking tailgate so my extra gear won’t be just sitting visible.

Perhaps I’m just paranoid, but at this point in my life and being on my second assignment to DC I have pretty low expectations for people’s honesty.

Thanks in advance for any advice/tips.

 

[KHNC]

I like to leave a "Free Bud Light" sign at my camp when im gone. Nobody has touched it so far.

 

[long hunter]

Dont forget the rainbow flag outside the tent.

 

[ManUpNorth]

When we were out in SoDak last year we left the tent up and things like a sleeping bag in it. We had locking tonneau cover and no one messed with it, but I get what you mean by not trusting others. Basically, anything that I couldn't afford/want to lose I brought out in the field with me. Good luck this fall!

 

[SloppyJ]

Following along, can't help you out in those states. However, I think this is a really cool idea and wish you the best of luck!

If it were me, I'd invest in a bed cover and make a budget overland setup in my truck that I could lock up. If that's not in the cards, just lock everything valuable in your truck when you're gone.

 

[sconnieVLP]

When we were out in SoDak last year we left the tent up and things like a sleeping bag in it. We had locking tonneau cover and no one messed with it, but I get what you mean by not trusting others. Basically, anything that I couldn't afford/want to lose I brought out in the field with me. Good luck this fall!

Thanks!

This is along the lines of what I was kicking around initially. Leave the tent and my cot up and pull stuff from the truck as I need it.

 

[sconnieVLP]

I like to leave a "Free Bud Light" sign at my camp when im gone. Nobody has touched it so far.

Man, this is some 3D chess right here. You’re definitely onto something, I stopped at the beer store yesterday afternoon and the only fully stocked beer was Bud Light.

 

[Boarmaster]

Lock anything of value inside your truck with the alarm on. Keep things covered up and not in plain view.
camp around other hunters that look trustworthy if possible. Theres usually someone from every group that doesn't go out that morning and having someone around will deter thieves. If possible put up a game camera. The camera wont keep you from getting ripped off but it might help the sheriff quickly identify the thieves and quickly get your back. If you can afford it buy a smaller enclosed trailer use it for your camp. Lock it up when hunting. Sell it for the same money you paid for it when you get back.

 

[long hunter]

The trailer ideal is a good thing We plan on doing exactly that for this falls hunt in Wyoming, I might add to use the best quality security lock you can find, you need two of them, one for the door on the trailer and one on the hitch coupler. Now of days I wouldn't put it past some scum bag to just hook up the trailer and drive off with it. If you don't want to buy a trailer rent one from U-Haul.

 

[ewescue]

I would either do the trailer idea, or get a cap/topper of some sort for your truck. I travel/camp/hunt all the time and sleep in my truck. By far the biggest benefit to me is not setting up and tearing down a tent every single day. You sleep wherever you wind up, you wake up and go, and repeat.. same could be done with the trailer and just leaving your bedding set up ready to go in the trailer.

I've done the tent route with a tonneau on my truck.. yes it's cheapest and doable, but the other options are FAR superior in my opinion. Sounds like an awesome adventure, best of luck to you.

 

[Glendon Mullins]

If you want to hunt somewhere on the VA and WV border I know several places, PM if u need help

 

[SuperDUECE22]

get a topper for your truck, with only one person you should have plenty of room for gear and just sleep in there as well. That way its all lockable and you can be very mobile & pick up & move in no time at all.

 

[Deleted member 8-15-23]

Airtag your most valueable items.

 

[Rich M]

I think less folks will mess with stuff if it is in an actual campground. We camp from time to time and leave the sleeping stuff in the tent. Anything valuable is under lock and key.

Sucks that we have to worry about being a NR hunter.

 

[LookinforDirt]

I cant offer any more than what’s been said. Without spending money on a setup dedicated to this scenario, I don’t know if there is much else you can do. Keeping items locked in the truck and out of sight seems like your option. Carry with you what you can’t afford to lose. Or items that will make you worry about them if you leave it in camp/truck. Or maybe just don’t bring those items. Maybe install a decked system (does your tailgate lock?) or an under seat lock box.

As the saying says, locks keep out honest thieves. If a dishonest thief turns up, nothing suggested so far will likely stop them. But those types I think are more rare. Be smart and just put it out of your mind and enjoy yourself. Great opportunity!

 

[sconnieVLP]

Thanks to everyone for the input. I'm going to do some research on how much of a pain it will be to put a cap on the truck while I have the rolling tonneau cover on there. Also going to poke around and see what kind of deal I can get on an enclosed trailer. I've been looking into getting one for a while, so this may be the prompting I need to do it. It would double as a portable storage unit for the stuff that doesn't fit in my apartment and I can store the trailer considerably cheaper than I can rent a storage unit.

If it comes to it, I'll just bring one of my small tents that I can have set up in <5 minutes and just set it up and take it down each day. Isn't as comfortable as my 6-man tent, but I can deal with that.

 

[Swamp Fox]

You're way ahead of the game not having NY, Pa., or Florida plates ... LOL ,,, Those guys are the ones who REALLY need to worry .... ; )

I will sometimes throw a favorite sleeping bag back in the truck in the morning, just in case, but I've never *really* felt I had to worry about this issue.

Obviously, a high-dollar cooler is a big temptation, so here's another reason not to go there in the first place.

Good luck, and I'd be interested to keep posted on the planning and the trip!

 

[*zap*]

I think that nothing left in the public domain is truly safe.