CAUGHT IN ACT !!!!

A

AZMIGHTYMULIES

Active Member
Messages
571
For 3 weeks I had placed and left a # of trail cams out on the AZ Strip on specific water sites . As I mentioned before I was also placing a well hidden camera on a few of my other cameras . On several sites there are now like 3 other cameras besides mine from various guides or outfitters . I swear , the deer that frequent these water sites have got to be feeling like they are in Hollywood .... lol. Anyways ,as my wife and I replaced SD Cards from all the cameras , we are excited to view them once we got to camp . on the 26th of june , on one water site , 2 men at 11 pm night , placed a hat on someone else's camera, and was then tampering w/ there lock and cables , then placed a T-shirt over my camera . Then 3 hours later on a diffrent water site at 2am , the 2 same men came into view , placed there hats over 2 cameras then a T-shirt over mine and the other camera. But I had another well hidden camera looking over the whole site that had recorded these 2 men messing w/ all of the cameras , trying to pick the locks , tug on the cables , just trying to get a hold of a camera . If either one of these cameras wasn't locked, it would likely of been stolen . Hence , keep cameras locked . All this has been brought to the unit wildlife manager , and there is going to be a series of things happening to really catch these theiving bast##ds .
 
Nail em with everything you can, I HATE thieves.


I'll tell you who it was . . . it was that D@MN Sasquatch!
 
I'll hang my hat over a camera just to prevent it from getting my pic while I check a waterhole, but trying to steal someones stuff is not cool.

I live south of the canyon, last year a couple guys got caught destroying a couple cameras that belonged to a well known guiding outfit. It went to court and the judge threw it out. Trail cameras are considered abandoned property. Not cool.

There still should be some kind of common sense in everyones head, if its not yours, dont take it or damage it.

www.muleybulloutfitters.com
 
You have got to be kidding me! They are considered abandoned property? If you leave your vehicle to go hunt and someone steals it, does that Judge drop that too because it's abandoned? What a mockery of the judicial system! It's no wonder some of the guys on this site are talking "tuneups" for some of these violating bast***s if that's the way the courts out there treat stuff that is outright theft of someone else's property.
 
Lack of respect. Good luck! hope there are charged with vandalism. Morons.
 
LAST EDITED ON Jul-09-11 AT 12:21PM (MST)[p]Trail cams abandoned property? So following that logic, any pre-set camp or trailer is considered therefore abandoned and fair game to theft? That is BS and smacks of blatant bias against the rights of hunters to expect their property to be equally respected and protected.

Eldorado
 
I hate thieves too. But leaving Trail Cams on public property is doing it at your own risk. Stuff happens. Maybe you have to rely on scouting alone as it seems these thugs have no conscience. I don't think they are going to quit after reading these stories. It's too bad they act like that.
I think I will pass on buying trail cams .
 
There is risk in everything we do nowadays, but the guy that's stealing those things should be the one at risk and not the lawabiding citizen for cripes sake! Maybe one or two of those guys does need to face reality (bullet whizzed right over his head, etc.) to put a stop to a lot of this crappola!
 
Oh, it is theft, person has the intent to committ it. I like TopGuns reply. A little backcountry justice. JB
 
I was just reading about a previous thread "Trail camera box and Pics". Someone had 18 cameras stolen last year alone and he use's Bushnell Trophy Cam . Those cameras are approximately $200.00 a piece . Thats $3600.00 for the cameras alone . depending on the batteries he used and SD cards , you're looking at close to exceeding $5000.00 of valued theft . That is considered 2nd degree felony theft in arizona or utah . someone brought to my attention about a month ago that it is illegal to set cameras up in arizona and it's considered abandoned property . THAT IS FALSE !!! I asked the unit wildlife manager Luke Thompson and Arizona district Attorney Brett Swenson and those caught theiving of a Trail Camera will be prosecuted to full extent . Anything of value stolen plus damages exceeding $1000.00 is a 3rd degree felony . value exceeding $5000.00 is a 2nd degree felony .
 
This post is worthless without photos!!!!

Why don't you post them up nothing wrong with public humiliation to curb what there doing.



avatar_2528.jpg
 
At this time being there was nothing stolen..... what the too men are looking for is an easy steal . Due to further investigations and a series of actions that are going to take place , I will hold back on posting up pics , because we want to literally catch these people . I do promise however that once there is more concrete information and evidence or possible prosecution , pics will be presented . The main idea of this thread is to inform those on this site who use trail cameras , keep your cameras locked up.
 
Like I said if you place them you are taking a risk but if I did have a cam up and caught someone stealing it they would be sorry they tried.
 
LAST EDITED ON Jul-09-11 AT 04:31PM (MST)[p]This is a quote from you.

"All this has been brought to the unit wildlife manager , and there is going to be a series of things happening to really catch these theiving bast##ds"


So if there not stealing anything why would you turn them in and start a post saying they are theiving Bast##ds?



avatar_2528.jpg
 
Too answere your question , because there has been to my knowledge , 23 trail cameras stolen on the AZ Strip w/n a years time frame . If these 2 men were not attempting to steal my camera and the few others on the same sites , by prying on cables and trying to pick locks etc at 2am , what the heck else would they be doing ? This year is the first on trying to get a crack at those individuals stealing trail cameras .As of now the theives are not caught , hence it's a matter of time that they will be out there attempting or stealing again and there are going to be a series of action taken in attempt to catch whom ever is doing the stealing . Again , I've taken the initiative by placing a hidden camera on my other cameras in various locations and on those locations I've placed a Reconex 900 on those road ways going into these water sites w/ matched all pics taken will have a time stamp , and the reconex 900 is one camera that can capture a pic of someones license plate info in the dark at 45 mph.
I had 2 cameras stolen from me last year and pissed me off something fierce and I'm doing all I can to catch whomever is doing this crap.
 
Waterholes are like houses of ill repute. Guys park around the corner and walk the last bit praying they do not bump into anyone. They are wanting to bag a nicer trophy than the one back home. Fights break out when two guys have their eye on the same one. They fear someone taking their picture in a compromising situation.

They do not call it "horn porn" for nothing.
 
AZMM, This is kind of cool. This has got to give you extra reason to be excited to check your trail cams. Keep us posted. I'm interested in the outcome.
 
There will be a pretty crazy outcome to all this , just give it time and I'll be obliged to unveil all the information . The only reason why I am holding back on posting pics is because of respect of the other three owners of the cameras who were violated. Thus far , only one of the other camera owners has been contacted and he or they feel the same as I do , catch those who did damage to our camera's .
 
Post the pics,what are you afraid of?

"I absolutely had my head up my azz "
TOPGUN
 
Leave yer bino's on a branch next to yer camera and see if there they're there next time you come back. You read so much about trail camera theft/vandalism, its hard to care. The gov't folks outta just post signs out there saying hang camera's at yer own risk...
 
The simple solution to the problem is to ban the use of trail cameras on public land.
 
I kinda agree with you contender...but I imagine your statement will really fire up this thread...seems like most people with these trail cams are doing it to aid in the money standpoint of the hunting tradition...correct me if I'm wrong but a guy that has 20 cams out must be an outfitter or guide.... right???
 
I leave my trucked parked in the woods and nobody steals it.

It doesn't take much imagination to fix a thief long before he gets to camera number 18.
 
This is why I wont buy trail cams it is so hard to try and keep your camera there without some thief trying to get it. Then everyone tries to view all your pics its pretty sad somebody tries to steal what youve worked hard to buy. Hope ya catch em and its off with their heads.
 
so if trail cams can be left out on public land for long periods of time and not become abondoned property, then I guess its ok to leave tents, and unattended camps for weeks, maybe even a summer cabin, or a jeep?. The judge is correct, there is a certain time period for leaving things unattended on public land, and thats the way it should be.
 
Kinda thingking per the other post on signs, maybe they write the rules so that camera's are considered litter. If yer gonna stick them up, make it so you can be fined or have them confiscated for leaving trash in the woods. That might help solve the problem...
 
I really don't care where it is.If it ain't yours,LEAVE IT ALONE.Don't justify thievery.You know why it's there,and if it ain't yours,don't mess with it.I've had stuff stolen on my property;on someone else's property;but never on public.Talk about sad??-Stealing sombody else's stuff.I don't give a crap where it is.It takes a thief to steal stuff.Period.Whether you like trailcams or not-LEAVE MY STUFF ALONE!!!!!!
 
>I really don't care where it
>is.If it ain't yours,LEAVE IT
>ALONE.Don't justify thievery.You know why
>it's there,and if it ain't
>yours,don't mess with it.I've had
>stuff stolen on my property;on
>someone else's property;but never on
>public.Talk about sad??-Stealing sombody else's
>stuff.I don't give a crap
>where it is.It takes a
>thief to steal stuff.Period.Whether you
>like trailcams or not-LEAVE MY
>STUFF ALONE!!!!!!


+1

horsepoop.gif


Disclaimer:
The poster does not take any responsibility for any hurt or bad feelings. Reading threads poses inherent risks. The poster would like to remind readers to make sure they have a functional sense of humor before they visit any discussion board.
 
The point is that under the law, its no longer your property when you leave it unattended on public land for a prolonged period of time. A specific law making it illegal to leave cameras on public land for extended periods is what we really need.
 
What's a "prolonged" period of time?Who decides that?So,if some oilfield crew leaves some equipment on public land for a "prolonged" period of time,I am entitled to take it if I want to?Get real,guys.If it ain't yers-Leave it the **** alone!What's so hard about being honorable??
 
some states have a 72hr period at which times it becomes property of the state. (includes cameras & portable blinds...camping is only in designated areas and oilfield on public is under gov't contract)
 
+100000000 on "IF IT AIN'T YOURS THEN KEEP YOUR ****** ******* HANDS OFF OF IT!" Heaven help if I ever catch a thief in the act. I have lost several things due to thieving bas*@$ds, the most recent being my Leatt neck brace. x( We just need to start making examples of thieves. STEAL = LOSE A HAND.
 
I know you cannot leave anything on someone elses property unattended, the period of time before its considered abandoned varies, try leaving your car on the publicly owned right of way next to the freeway. I have a Mazda PU trailer because someone left the truck on my uncles property, I cut it in half, welded on a hitch, and went down and got a title for it. Energy companies, livestock grazers, loggers, ect. recieve special permits.
 
We had 10 out of 16 cameras walk off last season from a place we hunt. To access them is 9 miles of muddy road and there were footprints (bare foot prints) the entire way down it.I don't think it was sasquatch, but do believe it was a meth monkey.
 
I logged for 30 years. Not sure what country you live in but I never had a special permit to leave a loader, cat, or skidder in the forest for months on end. If we caught some thief we beat his a$$.
 
He didn't say he didn't have a logging permit. He said he didn't have a special permit to leave the equipment out there for long periods of time. I especially liked his last comment because it would seem that maybe that's what it's going to take to stop some of these thieves when the law won't do anything.
 
What it boils down to is common sense. If its not yours, then dont try and make it yours, and dont damage it.

But I think we all know common sense is something we will never see in this world, so hide your cameras well.

And yes, a judge did throw out a case just like this last year. I dont remember how many cameras were damaged, but it was a handful. Like I said, the judge threw it out because it was considered abandoned property. Money lost was no consideration.

I just saw 2 cameras set up on the same trick tank. The next day both were gone, and only 1 set of tracks were on the road. I'm guessing the guy didnt put 2 of his own cameras on the same water 6 inches apart. So I'm thinking someone out there just had their camera(s) stolen.

www.nationwidehuntingadventures.com
 
"If you want to learn more about the wildlife in your hunting area, placing a trail camera or two in the area is a great idea. But please remember that you may not place a camera on any national forest until one week before the hunt on that forest starts.

This law has been in effect for two or three years. Ted Hendricks, recreation manager for the Uinta National Forest, says you don't need to register your trail camera with the U.S. Forest Service at the present time."

This is from a recent article on the Utah DWR website. Here is the link to the full article:

http://wildlife.utah.gov/dwr/news/42-utah-wildlife-news/585-preparing-for-utahs-archery-hunts.html
 
Seems like there are two subjects being kicked around here.
1) Is it "OK" to leave personal property (trail cams, signs claiming hunting spots, tree stands, etc.)on public land?
2) When you find something, should you have a right to touch it, destroy it, take it?

I don't use (or agree with!) trail cams but I do use tree stands occasionally. We usually hang our stands about a week before the season opens, and then move them as necessary during the season.
Never had a problem, , , yet!

Not sure what the law is regarding tree stands on public property other than it is illegal to build a permanent stand or damage a tree (I admit it. I use the screw in steps! Lock me up!)

I am absolutely sure what I would do if I caught some thief carrying out or "messing" with one of my stands, , , ,and I'm always armed in the woods!

Not sure if there is a law regarding trail cams! But I do know what I would do if I caught someone "messing" with one. Pretty sure he would think twice before he did it again!

If it isn't yours, leave it the hell alone!

If you think some law is being broken, report it to the proper authorities.

If you think you have a right to mess with other peoples property, well, maybe you will be lucky and never get caught. Then again, maybe not!
 
It just boils down to not messing with something you know isn't yours. I stumbled upon a camera last year outside of Gunnison looking over a well traveled trail through a grove of aspen on the side of a ridge. I had no problems letting it take my pic so at least the person would know that someone had been through there and it might have been something that altered game movement. I have serious trust issues b/c I know not everyone was raised with good manners, so if I set out TCs on public they are in areas where no sane person should go to cut down on the probability of them walking off. It chaps my rear X1000 when they walk off on private an noone else should be stepping foot on the place.
 
I agree with a lot of people on here. When you leave your trail cam there you take the risk of having your trail cam stolen. When you leave it there you hope that any other sportmen or outdoor enthusiast has the common courtesty to just keep on walking, but sometimes that doesnt happen. For a guy who had 18 cams stolen I do not feel sorry for you, because if it were me after I had about 3 or 4 camera's stolen I would have removed all of my camera's. I had one of my Bushnell Trophy Cams stolen from me this year, it had a metal box with a lock on it and it also had a metal cable wrapped around the box and tree. The POS that came along decided the wanted my camera really bad, so they shot the cable off with a .357 and then used a pair of plyers to pry open the box. We all take the risk.

"Elk dont know how many feet a horse had" - Bear Claw
 
Good attachment FlyFool. If there is anything I hate is a liar and a thief. That being said I knew of a person who watched an ATV trailer sit on BLM land for three weeks, no one came back in that time period, so he filled the papers for abandonment, picked the trailer up and its his. I didn't think it was right, but apparently its the law.

Now for cameras, I don't like them, wouldn't steal them, but the laws the law - obey it with your cameras or for those of you who don't - quit bitchin'. In some small way, if they outlawed cameras all together just maybe it would help the quality of the Utah deer herd. Let's face it those who use the cameras are the most lethal on big buck and we sit here crying about the quantity and especially about the quality of our deer herd, but little by little we eliminate their chances for survival with our technology.
 
First of all I don't use them but nobody should have the right to steal other peoples property . With that said seems an easy fix for all the problems would be to make it illegal to use them on any public ground. On private, knock yourself out and use them all you want. Just my opinion...
 
It is wrong to steal and I have had things stolen while hunting. That said I know that the FS and G&F can take down a tree stand here if they want to if you leave it up too long. When I prospect and hide my equipment in the desert it can be taken and not a thing the court will do about it. I think a lot of the thieving is hippies and hikers but I bet some of it is also hunters that just don't like the idea of someone putting cameras up all over the public forests. Seems like an intrusion to have cameras clicking away if I decide to sit a hole during a hunt.
 
LAST EDITED ON Jul-12-11 AT 12:05PM (MST)[p]Just because you dont like trail cameras, or if the owner broke a law by leaving it too long or where it is not allowed, that does not give the general public the right to take STEAL it.

If an offical from the game and fish, or the forest service removes it, it is enforcement not theft!

If anyone else takes it, it is theft!

If a member of the general public is bothered by an illegally placed TC, they should contact the authorities and let them deal with it.

Thieves are always trying to justify stealing...spineless rat B@$$t^@ds!
 
Like when I turned on my GPS and set it on top of my toolbox and rode away on my quad. Remembered it right away and went back to see two hunters driving off in their truck with my GPS. I wouldn't leave anything in the woods around here. Plenty of thieves that hunt. I would never take anything that wasn't mine but I think people that are shocked about trailcams getting stolen are dumb as dirt.
 
LAST EDITED ON Jul-12-11 AT 01:43PM (MST)[p]I read the whole darn thread. I don't know why I did since I don't own a trailcam.
Someone brought up a point (maybe several of you did but in a different way).
I don't want to be hunting an area and have someone elses camera clicking away taking pictures of MY HUNT! I would feel that it encroaches on my privacy to be on YOUR CAMERA.
I would never steal or mess with someone elses camera but I would be tempted to put a big bush (brush) in front of it while I'm there.
I feel similar to how b-bop feels, I don't want a camera clicking away at my swong while I'm whizzzing unless I'm getting paid the porn rate.
I must admit that the more I hear about them the less I like them on PUBLIC land.
Zeke
 
LAST EDITED ON Jul-12-11 AT 02:22PM (MST)[p]"Thieves are always trying to justify stealing...spineless rat B@$$t^@ds!"

IMHO the above remark is BS and I've never stolen anything in my life, so I hope that comment didn't refer to me! I might be tempted to take an illegally placed once since they have been declared abandoned by that Judge if they are left out there, but the best way would probably be to block it's view and let the owner find nothing on the card when he checks it. That might give him the message to play by the rules and keep you happy! On that note, I will say I've never even looked at one and have no plans of ever buying or taking one! I know that Montana has outlawed them during any open game season and maybe on public ground all the states should just ban them at all times. It would probably save a few big bulls and bucks that get their picture taken at a water hole at 2AM while the guy is 200 miles away in bed! It's like everything else in life in that a few bad apples spoil it all for the honest guys!!!
 
LAST EDITED ON Jul-12-11 AT 04:25PM (MST)[p]Topgun, my comment was not referring to you or anyone else on this board. I went back and read your posts, and I cannot figure out why you thought it was. Regardless I apologize if I offended you or anyone else. I think we pretty much are like minded on the theft issue.

I do however, stand by my above statement.
 
azbwhntr---I thought it was because of a statement that I had made earlier on this thread, but it was on another thread about them being illegal on National Froest until a week before the season. Wer'e cool and no apology necessary!!!
 
>Like when I turned on my
>GPS and set it on
>top of my toolbox and
>rode away on my quad.
>Remembered it right away and
>went back to see two
>hunters driving off in their
>truck with my GPS. I
>wouldn't leave anything in the
>woods around here. Plenty of
>thieves that hunt. I would
>never take anything that wasn't
>mine but I think people
>that are shocked about trailcams
>getting stolen are dumb as
>dirt.


I obviously don't know the particulars, but I'm not sure how this story relates to this thread??? People LOSE things all the time and others pick the stuff up. Certainly if it was clearly marked with your contact information that's one thing, but how would the hunters who happened along a GPS sitting on the ground know who it belonged to our how long it had been there. I similarly LOST a pair of binoculars. Not sure I'd immediataly call the people who found them thieves. I was the dumass who didn't have my name/contact info on them....

GK
 
All I should've posted is keep your cameras locked and secured as much as possible . Must of the thieves that are on the AZ Strip are just looking for an easy steal, so it seems . The individual whom had his 18 cameras stolen out on the AZ Strip last year, he had attained a permit from the AZG&F and BLM to do a study or research . He leaves his cameras for long periods to acquire as much information possible in that general area . As for myself . I've never hunted mule deer or elk in my life . It's not that I don't believe in it , it's just not my nature . Am I an environmentalist , H##L NO . Do I protest against hunting , H##L NO . It's funny how many people are against the use of trail cameras ....LOL . My wife is a wildlife biologist and she uses trail cameras on a regular basis . She is currently doing research on the Arizona Strip , and as of last week she is also doing research of the white mountains of Arizona due to the huge Wallow fire . This past spring I obtained my law enforcement certification and will soon be attending wildlife science . As for now, I use trail cameras for my research and studies , and on the same token my wife uses them for her research .
 
This abandonment property law issue keeps being brought up . In Arizona , if there is abandoned property in the middle of nowhere , if your information is on that property know one has the right to take that property other than the Authorities after the Authorities have made contact w/ the rightful owner first. Depending on the reasons at hand of why that property has been abandoned , will determine the variable time frame that person has to get the abandoned property . If it's neglected , the authorities will haul it off . It's just the same situation if your car or truck breaks down on the highway. The Authorities will site you a time frame to move your vehicle or haul it off . Since there is no law in Arizona , using trail cameras on public lands , there is no reason for nobody to touch your cameras. If the Authorities see's a camera w/o any personal info on that camera, the authorities do have the right to take the camera .
 
Gomer-the GPS was sitting on top of my trucks tool box so I am pretty sure they knew it was not left for them to take it and yes they were thieves. My point was that if you leave anything around for long there will be people who will steal it. Plenty of hunters are poachers and thieves around here so you leave things at your own risk.
 
When I set up a trailcam,it is with the expectation that some spineless,immoral POS with no ethics or consideration for his fellow man could steal it.I always make sure to have them down before the hunt starts.Consideration goes both ways.I'm too busy after season opens to keep track of them anyway.BTW,neither myself or any of my hunting partners that use trailcams have ever killed a buck we got pics of.If we are going to outlaw modern technological advances in the hunting world to protect trophy class animals from being killed,perhaps trailcams would be first on that list;but the list would be very LONG indeed.I do really enjoy looking at the pics-sometimes you get unexpected visitors.I mostly do it because it's FUN.I LIKE IT.It gives me something else to do outdoors.So far in Wyoming,we don't seem to have the problems that occurr in other states;but I'm sure they are coming.Perhaps a law that they be removed before any hunting season starts wouldn't be a bad idea,though.
 
nothing wrong with folks shooting trophy class deer, beats them shooting the young ones that you have to throw rocks at to get off the road. There uses are a little different in our area where we can set them up on food plots and feeders to monitor age class numbers in whitetail, but knowing something special is walking around puts a lot of doubt in your mind about needing to pull the trigger on a dink.
 

Similar threads

MADD hunts
Desert coues ranch available...
Replies
2
Views
878
MADD hunts
MADD hunts
ICMDEER
What's in Your Pickup?
Replies
63
Views
3k
Rie bread
Rie bread
GeorgeE
For Sale Stone Glacier De Havilland Jacket (XL)
Replies
7
Views
612
GeorgeE
GeorgeE

Click-a-Pic ... Details & Bigger Photos

Member Gallery Photos and Videos!

IMG_0116.jpeg
HUNT0568.JPG
IMG_5738.JPG
thumbnail.jpg
22.jpg
IMG_5120.jpeg
FB_IMG_1676654672231.jpg
Colorado bull.JPG
Bull2.jpg
forum1.jpg
E2C84F2B-7DB1-4946-A223-85BB7CA8858E.jpeg
IMG_20200719_152436_633.jpg
Back
Top Bottom