Theft in the backcountry

[keep]

I've only done one backcountry hunt and that was in BC for mtn goat. We were in the middle of no where so concern over leaving our gear wasn't an issue. Now a buddy and I are heading to CO and the area we go has a handful of people around both hikers and hunters. So my question is this, do I have to worry about some one leading up out camp and packs when we are gone chasing elk all day?
I heard of a story or two like that but how prevalent is it?

 

[Chad44]

I've never worried about it. The most they'd get is your tent bag and food (which would suck). All your extremely valuables are with you ie binos spotter rangefinder bow ect. If you're in the backcountry whoever steals it has to pack it out too. That said I wouldn't set up camp on a heavily used hiker trail either. I worry more about a bear ripping my tent then theft. My brother had that happen a few years back. He left a few used almond butter packages and they were the attractant.

 

[todd kelly]

Seems to be an unwritten rule here in BC that you leave camps alone. We treat a tent zipper as a locked door. So I don't worry about it.

 

[Chad44]

Seems to be an unwritten rule here in BC that you leave camps alone. We treat a tent zipper as a locked door. So I don't worry about it.

That's the same in colorado too from my experience. I have found camps under tarps and lord knows how long they were there. No one I know would ever think of messing with someone's stuff.

 

[SHTF]

We have our own kind of justice in the backwoods in CO a thief better worry about getting caught because it can quickly turn from an elk hunt to a human hunt pretty fast.

 

[gelton]

An armed society is a polite society so I would be more concerned if it weren't hunting season...I have considered putting a handwritten sign up that says "we are excellent shots and yes you are in range" on the tent but never felt the real need to do so. Hunted colorado two years in a row and just back from a scouting trip. Never had any issues or felt like my gear would have ever been messed with.

 

[Daniel_M]

Luckily most of what I do ends up extremely remote, I barely see anyone on our extended trips and that's the main goal for me. Outside of that I'm usually close by camp when we float the ever to fish.

General rule of thumb in lesser remote areas is I don't carry a sidearm for the animals

 

[RobD]

I always try to conceal my camp as well as possible. I also try to get to the most remote areas I can. I don't ever worry about my stuff getting stolen when I am in remote areas.

 

[fillthefreezer]

i worry more about my rig at the TH or mtn bike that is stashed

 

[littlebuf]

its funny I don't ever worry about theft of stuff in the wilderness, I leave my crap laying out at camp, ive left spotting scopes out side the tent and various other items. but I get paranoid when ive got an animal down for some reason. that's when I start thinking "man what if someone takes my back straps when im on my next trip?" that's when I start hiding heads and hind quarters, all the while theres 2 grand worth of gear strewn all over the place.

 

[mtbshark]

I am in the same boat as FtF, never had a thought about my camp but i get all kinds of nervous about truck!
i have come back from a few trips to baby windows all over the ground, i dont like baby widows!

 

[bcimport]

I lived in CO and BC now. The only time I have ever heard of anyone having a problem is when you are close to a road. Never deep in the woods.

 

[goodgrouper]

I never worry about it but one time someone stole my brothers float tube 25 miles deep in the bob marshal wilderness.

 

[Weston]

Must be nice, here in AZ as long as I'm north of the interstate I dont usually worry however south of the interstate all my stuff comes with me..... too many illegals that are quick to steal just about anything they can get their hands on.

 

[TradBow]

I too am most worried about my truck getting broken into. Anyone who finds my stuff in the wilderness is not going to want to carry it all the way back out! haha

 

[thru-hunter]

There were ATV's and UTVs stolen from the wilderness last year from the backcountry of Alaska when the owners had to be evacuated due to flooding. About 30k or more dollars worth. It is common for sheep hunters up here to ATV 20 miles before taking off on foot so it is a little nerve racking to walk away from a $10k+ machine for a week long spike out!

The vast majority of the theft is along roads and rivers where getting away is easier. I know of people who have had cached fuel stolen, vehicles vandalized and rafts pilfered and slashes. A couple areas it is so common that fish and feathers warns people to hide their gear.

 

[Bonedalien]

My bro and I go in early every year to hang half of our camp in summit county CO. We stay in for 9 days so need to cach alot for obviuos reasons. we hang em in dry bags. we worry every year going in with the bows and heavy packs if our shit will still be there a couple weeks later.so far ,so good.
I think you reach a point in the back country where any guy who does stumbble on your stuff is one of us and has worked just as hard to get there too,and hopefully knowes how totaly screwed you would be if he pillfered your gear....i worry more about my truck at the trailhead!

 

[rodney482]

I dont worry about the wilderness.

I do worry about my truck at the trail head.

I also worry about my gear in my truck while parked in hotel parking lots.

Its been several years ago but we were hunting in Livingston, MT and staying in a hotel. The manager at the hotel said make sure you trailer is locked on your truck, they have had several trailers stolen ( full of gear).

 

[dreamingbig]

Like others have said. I worry more about my truck than I ever do my camp.

 

[TheRambler]

I guess I am the unlucky one. About six years ago or so I had all of my gear stolen when I was about 10 miles into the backcountry. I was out all day scouting with just basic stuff with me, was gone from camp about 6 or 7 hours and when I returned all of my nice gear was gone. However, the A-hole did leave all their crappy stuff behind(walmart special stuff). This camp was about 150 yards off of a trail. Lost easily about 2k worth of gear. They basically just dumped their crappy gear on the ground in a pile and loaded all of mine up. I was a ways off the trail, but i think what allowed them to find me was my TNF mountain 25 tent, its basically bright yellow. Now I use all earth toned and camo colors and it blends in about 1000x better, hell sometimes i even have a hard time finding my camp again haha.

Nowadays I pack it all up and it comes with me if I am anywhere near a trail. If I am off trail and no where near a trail then I don't worry about it as much. I have also had a vehicle vandalized at a trailhead before. They didn't take anything but broke all my windows and slashed a tire.

It can happen, i agree its more likely to happen when your close to a road though. If I do leave gear anywhere now, i make sure to hide it thoroughly. So don't think it can't happen, and don't think that it wont happen because they will have to "pack it out" because the chances are they are already packing stuff themselves and if your stuff is nicer/better they could just help themselves.

Not saying its a frequent occurance. Moral of the story is to not camp in plain sight if you can help it, try to hide your camp to the best of your ability, and use earth toned colors. Hope no one ever has to go through what i did, because it sucks something fierce. Just now recently have managed to replace all of my gear with the high end type stuff i had before.