Missing trailcam in 2-2... stolen by thief on 4 legs or 2? You decide...

[caddisguy]

Well after two years, this is the first time I have had a camera go missing. It was about a 45-60 minute hike off any road or trail... pretty thick and steep.... lots of ticks too. I was surprised.

The spot where we buried the salt was torn up pretty good and there were scratches on the tree where the camera was... we don't remember those being there before.

We searched the area for hours but could not find any sign of the camera. I would have thought we would have found broken bits from the plastic buckle if something forced it off... or fibers from the strap if it was torn. Nothing what so ever. Searched in circles starting at ground 0 to about 50M. Zig-zagged around a bunch of other targeted places within 200M. No dice.

Now after all the effort hauling up all that salt, I can't decide whether or not to put another camera up at that particular site. Maybe in the same area but a little deeper? I guess we could shovel up all the salt we put down on the one site and move it. I don't want to check a chance on the exact same spot incase it was a two-legged culprit.

So here's a video that shows the cam site and the marks on the tree which we do not recall being there. So bear or human? Thoughts on what to do?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vwv0xQBWHLI

No bear this trip but there was a lot more sign around. Ticks are still bad. Gf found two when she took her shirt off but neither dug in. I only had one but it managed to dig into my leg. Gong show out there on the main road now... seemed to be more hunters than fall opening weekend... talked to some nice ones but a lot just glaring giving everyone the stink eye... some idiots blocking roads too. Luckily the valley was getting some attention from the CO's.

On a positive note, on our way in we jumped a herd of 8-12 mule deer... they were dashing around all over the place. It was chaotic... all that stomping and hopping around... making that snort sound like killer whales make when they surface. It went on for several minutes. Very exciting!

We also got up close and personal with a blacktail that decided it wanted to run up to us and hang out for a bit and pose for some pics/vids. Ran into another 3 muleys later on. Also ended up with 91 videos between my other two cams!!! Lots of footage to go through and I'll post some up in the next few days.

[ruger#1]

I was up at the cabin this weekend. A bear tore up my hunting blind. He pushed some big logs around.

[Rob Chipman]

Sorry for the loss.

I'm going with Bigfoot. I think a bear would have left shrapnel around.

I use python locks on mine. I've captured two people - one didn't see the cam and the second posed and gave a peace sign.

[Sofa King]

was it locked?
if not, then I don't see why a human stealing it would have left scratches/gouges in the tree.
but no sign of any broken bits anywhere.
hmmm.
perhaps it came from above and not on the ground.:shock:

[Sitkaspruce]

If you have cameras in bear country, which is everywhere, you need to get the bear proof case and a python cable lock.....or eventually a bear will come along and have a go at your camera. And it does not matter if you use gloves and spray down your camera with scent killer, bears will get to your camera because they are curious, see the little flash go off or just because.....

Every year, I get at least 6 bears attacks on my cameras, I have only had one get ripped off and beaten up by a bear....a Simmons that I could not find a case for. Amazingly it still works, even with a couple canine teeth holes in it and the sensor lens punched out.

Get your cameras in cases and locked to a tree, it helps with the 2 and 4 legged critters out there who think they own the camera.

Caddisguy, put up another camera, something has found the salt and will be back.

Cheers

SS

[caddisguy]

If you have cameras in bear country, which is everywhere, you need to get the bear proof case and a python cable lock.....or eventually a bear will come along and have a go at your camera. And it does not matter if you use gloves and spray down your camera with scent killer, bears will get to your camera because they are curious, see the little flash go off or just because.....

Every year, I get at least 6 bears attacks on my cameras, I have only had one get ripped off and beaten up by a bear....a Simmons that I could not find a case for. Amazingly it still works, even with a couple canine teeth holes in it and the sensor lens punched out.

Get your cameras in cases and locked to a tree, it helps with the 2 and 4 legged critters out there who think they own the camera.

Caddisguy, put up another camera, something has found the salt and will be back.

Cheers

SS

Good advice about locking cases. I'll see if I can find some for these Simmons 4/5MP cams or rig something myself.

My dilemma about putting a cam back up where it was before is that if a human did take it, they'll take it again. I guess you are leaning towards bear. I suppose my options are:

a) put up another cam but bear proof it... find out and worst case scenario, I'm out another cam
b) re-locate the existing salt (I dont want to have an un-monitored patch of salt/mineral competing with a new monitored one)

Either way, I'm going to work on bear proofing all these cams. I know a sheet metal worker who can probably help me out.

[keoke]

I welded some 1/4" wall tcam boxes that I camo painted and lag bolt to the tree and run a cable lock around them. They are heavy as hell but since I am scouting when setting them up I consider the weight good exercise. Sorry for the ginormo pic



https://scontent-sea.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xap1/t31.0-8/1412229_10151666848631167_489710600_o.jpg

[StuBrown]

My buddy uses small electric breaker panel boxes for his cams. Cuts a small hole in the front for the camera. Also uses hose clamps to attach it to the tree. The screws are inside the breaker panel. The breaker panels have a spot for a lock on them already. I know if someone still wants it they can get it but it makes it extremely hard.

[Tīɡ]

That sucks to hear! Did you say you also got bit by another tick? You're having a rough go of it, sorry to hear that.

[itsy bitsy xj]

No broken plastic on the ground? Then its either Samsquench or Mick Dodge has come up from Wa state. Oh wait a minute I think they are one and the same

[Ambush]

Put a cheap camera in a lock box and see what happens. You could be leaving a good spot based on nothing more than speculative fear.

If another cam goes missing and you know it's not a bear, then move on or catch the dick head.

As Sitka said, a bear can and will take cameras and sometimes carry them off. Not sure what they like about them, but I also don't know why a bear would bite through two more plastic jerry cans after the first one tasted so terrible.

[bassplayer]

http://i481.photobucket.com/albums/rr171/bassplayer1972/DSC06767_zps5d157100.jpg

[caddisguy]

That sucks to hear! Did you say you also got bit by another tick? You're having a rough go of it, sorry to hear that.

Yeah one tick that I know of. We were vigilant checking our clothes and each other all day, but it seems we missed some of the little guys. She found two small black ones crawling on her arm. I thought I was in the clear until I was about to go to sleep and than I felt a pinching sensation on my left upper leg. Out of the sleeping bag, grabbed the flash light and dropped my pants. The little punk was about 4-5mm and he was already bottoms up half buried. I couldn't get at him with the plastic tick tweezers, but pushing up against him with my fingernail, he seem to let go and backed out on his own. I doubt he was there long. Felt a lot of crawling sensations throughout the night but didn't feel any dig in. Seems I have a rash spot on my back and just below my arm bit... will keep an eye on it.

Looking back at it, that was one heck of a weekend!! Friday morning up at 5am to head off to work... back home around 6:30pm and on the road by 7. Got stuck because of a major accident just before 264th. We were stuck for 2-3 hours... may or may not have squeaked back against traffic, driven across a grassy meridian and merged into the WB fast lane... 10:30pm tired and feverish... having some erm... digestive issues but we're on our way for real. We're finally in our spot around 1AM. Slept like a baby but stomach is still turning... 7am we're making our way to our honey hole... spooked a big muley herd which turned into several minutes of amazing chaos. Sat in our spot for a bit and then time to go check the cam... which turned out to be missing!! Searched for hours, no dice. Break for lunch, back to bear hunting, but all we found was one poop.

Low spirits because of the missing cam and lack of bear... then the tick bite... then a cold miserable night. I didn't fall alseep in my sleeping bag because I was in and out so much checking every time I felt something crawl. Hard to tell what's what with a few dozen skeeter bites. I did manage to fall asleep outside my sleeping bag and break into a cold sweat, then wake up in the middle of the night to -4C temperatures lol. Unpleasant!!! Next morning, figure we check our spot one more time... then we had this curious little blacktail buck... that was the coolest thing. Accidentally snapped a stick and he came running up to us... darted away briefly when he noticed we were humans, but then decide to just come back hang out by our side for a good 10 minutes... seems he wanted in on the bear hunt!! We had seen some coyotes... wondering if maybe they were bothering him enough he wanted to stay around us. Finished the trip checking the other cams... 91 vids!! 3-4 different deer, but 1 accounted for the majority of the videos... anyone ever see a deer try to stomp a mouse at night? lol

Well the trip took it's toll on me and I couldn't resist the temptation of relaxing at home... checked with the boss man if I could extend my weekend by a day and it's a go!! so now I can recharge and go through more footage! :)

[bighornbob]

http://i481.photobucket.com/albums/rr171/bassplayer1972/DSC06767_zps5d157100.jpg

The only problem with that is the cable wrapped around the tree. Its the cable that will draw the attention of the thieves. Whenever I have found a cam its been because I saw the cable/strap/bungee that was holding it to the tree.

I tuck a few branches/grass etc. under and around the strap to break up the pattern. Call it camo for the cable.

BHB

[caddisguy]

Put a cheap camera in a lock box and see what happens. You could be leaving a good spot based on nothing more than speculative fear.

If another cam goes missing and you know it's not a bear, then move on or catch the dick head.

As Sitka said, a bear can and will take cameras and sometimes carry them off. Not sure what they like about them, but I also don't know why a bear would bite through two more plastic jerry cans after the first one tasted so terrible.

Good advice. These are cheap cams that I use and it is a good spot for wildlife... deer, bears, bobcats, cougar and even moose in the spring. We'll probably get another cam up, ditch the car somewhere else and hike in from a different route so if it is a thief, they'll have no idea we're in the area. We spend enough days sitting around there watching critters... may as well try for some high res video of a trailcam thief if they're one working the area. And hopefully it was a bear.... it's just the lack of any fibers from the strap or plastic from the clip/cam that raise my suspicion... the "claw" marks look really thin/clean like it could have been done with a knife. Maybe, just maybe, one day I will find that cam... or maybe it was dragged off in the open somewhere and someone else will find the cam and remember this post and get it back to me :D

[caddisguy]

The only problem with that is the cable wrapped around the tree. Its the cable that will draw the attention of the thieves. Whenever I have found a cam its been because I saw the cable/strap/bungee that was holding it to the tree.

I tuck a few branches/grass etc. under and around the strap to break up the pattern. Call it camo for the cable.

BHB

I had old mans beard around the strap, top and sides of the cam.

[Sitkaspruce]

The one that the bear ripped off literally ripped it right off the tree, it broke the plastic strap in two, then carried it about 25m away before dropping it. From the picts before the came was ripped off, it was a sow with a couple 2 year olds and one of the young ones was the last one seen rising up and bitting the cam. There was no marks on the tree and no broken plastic pieces. I just happen to stumble over the cam as I was hiking out.

Take a small piece of 3/8 braided cables and a couple clamps, make a loop at each end and use that to attach the cam to the tree with a heavy piece of wire tying the loops together. If it a bear, the cable will still be there as an asshat will undo the wire twists........

And place a hidden cam on a trail leading to the location.

Cheers

SS

[caddisguy]

I'm looking forward to getting another cam or two up there.

Just posted some footage from my other two cams in the Members Pics/Vids section. Still tons to go through and waiting for YouTube for finish stabilizing some clips from a deer that ran up and hung out with us.

I hope that I find the missing cam one day.

[Tīɡ]

Yeah one tick that I know of. We were vigilant checking our clothes and each other all day, but it seems we missed some of the little guys. She found two small black ones crawling on her arm. I thought I was in the clear until I was about to go to sleep and than I felt a pinching sensation on my left upper leg. Out of the sleeping bag, grabbed the flash light and dropped my pants. The little punk was about 4-5mm and he was already bottoms up half buried. I couldn't get at him with the plastic tick tweezers, but pushing up against him with my fingernail, he seem to let go and backed out on his own. I doubt he was there long. Felt a lot of crawling sensations throughout the night but didn't feel any dig in. Seems I have a rash spot on my back and just below my arm bit... will keep an eye on it.

Looking back at it, that was one heck of a weekend!! Friday morning up at 5am to head off to work... back home around 6:30pm and on the road by 7. Got stuck because of a major accident just before 264th. We were stuck for 2-3 hours... may or may not have squeaked back against traffic, driven across a grassy meridian and merged into the WB fast lane... 10:30pm tired and feverish... having some erm... digestive issues but we're on our way for real. We're finally in our spot around 1AM. Slept like a baby but stomach is still turning... 7am we're making our way to our honey hole... spooked a big muley herd which turned into several minutes of amazing chaos. Sat in our spot for a bit and then time to go check the cam... which turned out to be missing!! Searched for hours, no dice. Break for lunch, back to bear hunting, but all we found was one poop.

Low spirits because of the missing cam and lack of bear... then the tick bite... then a cold miserable night. I didn't fall alseep in my sleeping bag because I was in and out so much checking every time I felt something crawl. Hard to tell what's what with a few dozen skeeter bites. I did manage to fall asleep outside my sleeping bag and break into a cold sweat, then wake up in the middle of the night to -4C temperatures lol. Unpleasant!!! Next morning, figure we check our spot one more time... then we had this curious little blacktail buck... that was the coolest thing. Accidentally snapped a stick and he came running up to us... darted away briefly when he noticed we were humans, but then decide to just come back hang out by our side for a good 10 minutes... seems he wanted in on the bear hunt!! We had seen some coyotes... wondering if maybe they were bothering him enough he wanted to stay around us. Finished the trip checking the other cams... 91 vids!! 3-4 different deer, but 1 accounted for the majority of the videos... anyone ever see a deer try to stomp a mouse at night? lol

Well the trip took it's toll on me and I couldn't resist the temptation of relaxing at home... checked with the boss man if I could extend my weekend by a day and it's a go!! so now I can recharge and go through more footage! :)

Gee sounds like a battle! Good job on the tenacity and still going hard!