Who's had a trail cam stolen on public ground?

[Racks&Beards]

I don't have to worry about getting trailcams stolen off public....because Missouri doesn't allow trailcams on public state owned lands.

On serious note, I know it sucks though. I've had a few stands taken over the years. There really isn't much you can do to deter a committed thief. Just look at that one THP video where someone literally just broke the camera off to take it. Left the strap, the cable, and lock.

[gunner24]

yes, I always lock mine, but that didn't seem to stop someone this year. They must have went back with a bolt cutter and got everything. WTF. complete BS.

[tgreeno]

I’ve also had where they leave the cam and just take the SD card...and that fires me up just as bad! Might as well have just taken everything since you know what is/isn’t hear now!

OK...next time I'll take the whole thing

Sorry, I couldn't resist

[Mike32]

I've had a few stolen over the year's

[Trout]

Never had one stolen

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[swampnovice31]

count me in.. had cams stolen on public an private..an a ground blind off private as well.. too many idiots

[DEERSLAYER]

Everything gets stolen around here on so I'm afraid to put them out! lol But I finally decided to put one out behind my uncles house this year & plan to put one or two more out yet this year. So far so good.

I'm going to put my name on them. Possibly burn it in with a soldering iron & then put a note inside telling them I would not steal from them so please don't steal from me & ask them to please return it if they stole it.

[iowa whitetail]

I've had several taken off my own farm.

[LukeTM]

I’ve had them stolen and this is only my second year running cameras....

Here’s my tip!
First off, you can get a decent Wildgame Innovations Terra camera on sale for $35 several times a year. For public land, that’s about all I care to leave out there (I also tend to leave my cameras for months at a time).

Secondly, I commissioned a buddy who works hvac to build a couple tin boxes for me. From there I chain them to a tree or use one of those boa cables. Sometimes I’ll also put them high in a tree, sometimes I won’t use the boxes at all. It just depends on the spot.

I’ve had way more people on camera this year than last and have not had one stolen yet.

[HunterBob]

Make it three for me now. Just had my third one stolen after letting it soak for 4 months!!! Pretty upset about that one mainly because of the intel it would have given me on an area. Even had it set up out of eyesight getting one stick up. I've almost gone back to not using cell cams at all because of this. So frustrating...

[IndyDawg]

No cameras stolen, but I did have a guy copying all of the photos off my camera and putting the card back in...

All jokes aside, I largely avoid using cameras because I don't want them to get stolen. I hunt almost exclusively public land, and with all of the stories I hear I figure I'm better off just doing good scouting preseason and hunting the sign I see when I throw a sit at an area. I have put a camera or two out on private pieces I have hunted with buddies on occasion, but for my public areas I'd rather not risk it or leave sign that I am interested in the area.

[rbuckleyjr1]

I've lost at least 1 a year for the last 3 years on MI public land. I always hang them one stick high, so they aren't easily taken. Really sucks to lose a camera, but the intel lost from that time period stings the most during the season.

[zoschag08]

I've had my fair share stolen/destroyed over the years. I'd rather have a pissed off bear wreck the camera than have the card/camera stolen. Had a bear wreak a camera this year that was 12 feet off the ground pointing at a scrape. Last picture I had was his pumpkin head.

[Racks&Beards]

yes, I always lock mine, but that didn't seem to stop someone this year. They must have went back with a bolt cutter and got everything. WTF. complete BS.

That happened to the stands I've had stolen. They had to have had bolt cutters....or they are great at lock picking, because in each case the padlock and cable were gone as well.

[DhD]

First year running cams on public this year. Haven't had one stolen, but someone broke the door off one to steal the sd card and half of the batteries. (They weren't smart enough to realize there were batteries on the other side of the tray). Happened on the last day of gun season.