I reside in west-central New Hampshire on a nice 40-acre parcel of heavily wooded land with steep terrain. We only live 6 miles from a nearly 5000 ft mountain called Mt. Moosilauke. I keep vigilant watch over my land because for inexplicable reasons, it's been trespassed numerous times by hunters who for inexplicable reason, think my parcel is Jurassic Park based on nothing more than ludicrous rumors that have spun out of control from one individual Due to the excessive trespassing, I've been forced to resort to putting up 10 trail cams that include video but use the standard SD memory cards since I don't have wi-fi in our area strong enough to reach remote cameras. I have also been forced to put up POSTED & NO Trespassing signs since the trespasses have been nearly constant, every week. The Police, including our state Fish & Game officers, have only recommended trying "to catch the trespassers on game cameras" but if they STEAL the game cameras, then there's no evidence...duh! I want to ask three questions hoping that some savvy, experienced hunter and land owner who knows both sides of the equation, can come up with an answer. 1. I have NO doubt a human has removed THREE of my small Campark Game Cameras over the last year including TWO thefts this week just as Turkey season started. I want to think or would RATHER believe an animal like a bear ripped them off but I realize that a bear is NOT going to cleanly remove both the camera and strap then transport it far away without a trace. Has anyone ever heard of a bear achieving such a feat? I thought not so that means it's definitely the most dangerous mammal of all, a human! 2. Since its 99.9% a human culprit, I strongly suspect it's the mercurial hermit that lives on the abutting land to the east in a dilapidated, hunting "shanty" shack, off the grid. He has 66 acres yet his little shack was built within 150' of our eastern boundary and I know for a fact, he has invited his hunting buddies over for a small fee then, I think he lets them stay in one of his other primitive camps but direct them to HUNT ON MY PROPERTY even though he has TWICE the acreage....what the fck is this? I suspect HE is the one who stole all my cameras because you don't have to be Sherlock Holmes or James Bond to figure out, he's the only human within close proximity to my land plus he has the MOTIVE, MEANS & OPPORTUNITY. Like last year, these cameras were stolen just at the start of another hunting season which is turkey and this venal, sociopath additionally ripped down FIVE posted signs in the same area where the two game cameras were stolen. I believe that, while in a rage, he tore down the posted signs (they were found ripped off the trees and crumpled up like thin paper on the ground near each tree), & somehow, miraculously spotted one of my game cameras then proceeded to just remove it and take it, SD card and all. However, the mystery is how DID he find the second game camera about 100 feet away which is even hard for me to find?? I have concluded he's been spying on me when tend to the cameras to change SD cards or put in new batteries. So there it is, I'm stuck with a sociopathic hermit who even though he lives on a nice 66-acre spread of forest, feels that he can trespass my land at any time as if he's endowed with the rights to trespass it and illegally invite hunters to come on the land. He was warned by the police last year but apparently just ignored the warning. In conclusion, his true motive for stealing my cameras again is in preparation for hunting season where I believe he again plans to covertly invite trespassing hunters to come on MY land, NOT his, and hunt in a specific area which is why he tore down the posted signs then stole the two cameras. The area he vandalized is about half the distance north along the boundary about 1000' from the house. He has the mistaken notion that I don't go that far back.....he doesn't seem to realize, I go ALL the way back to the stone wall at the very back of the property line. He left all the posted signs & cameras in place that are closer to our house which proves he's tactically attempting to open an area of my land for his hunter pals by destroying any evidence of posted signs and cameras so as not to discourage them. 3. My final question is: does anyone have any ideas on how to PROTECT my game cameras from this bastard coming on my land at will & stealing my cameras with impunity? The police suggested a "dummy camera" to be placed in an area they've already seen with an attached camera then set up the real camera nearby to hopefully CATCH the thief if he's stupid enough to return to the scene of the crime. The problem is, I only have one old non-working camera. So, does anyone have any brilliant, out-of-the-box ideas on how to, in general, handle a mentally unstable sociopathic hermit who has a compulsion to trespass my land and worse, invite hunters to illegally hunt on my land? What do you do with an ******* like that? If I had my way, I'd throw him on a Military transport and send him to Guantanamo Bay but since I can't do that, what can one do? I'm all ears:-) I need a stiff glass of Jim Beam 120 proof!
Well...a long first post and welcome to the forum. Cellular cameras are relatively cheap these days with simple set ups and simple plans that are also affordable. The pictures come to your phone or laptop within a couple minutes, are stored in the cloud, so you will get the pics even if the camera and SD card are stolen. I would set one or two up high (out of arms reach) near your regular cams. It should give you an advantage initially at least long enough to get the thief on camera if they figure it out. Trespassers suck. Good luck. Sent from my SM-G960U using Bowhunting.com Forums mobile app
I feel your pain! I have dummy cams and live cams. If you put them in trees your not concerned with take screw in steps with you and a tether belt. The steps and belt will get you high enough he can't reach and angle cams down. Get a supply of colored zip ties. Zip tie your cam shut and change color each check, just remember cutters to cut tie for card checks. Also less chance he'll see them being high. I think some states have a universal property marking paint color of purple you could mark your property line by spraying a line across trees facing him or use hunter orange. I have in the past cut out card board figures and painted them to look like my camo orange suit. Then placed them in the woods in stands, standing near trees visible in blinds the night before opener. NOW ,well now I just fence them out. I either make brush pile fencing with cams at either end or in the case next door 4 ft welded wire on one side.He really ticked me off last year and I'm in the process of installing 6' chain link along his back line. Oh enclosed blinds with Windows open in season close to property lines works wonders...they never know if your there or not. P.S. Guy always sits on his back line facing us, not his land to shoot turkey on us. I dropped off the poles, leaf blew the line and hauled out the first roll of chain link a month ago. He hasn't returned to Turkey hunt this year. Oh posted signs. We bought metal ones and screwed them to PT plywood squares then screwed them using 2 screws to the trees. Leaving just a little room for tree growth. Very difficult to quietly or quickly remove. Smiley face with , "For camera " signs placed high along line will get the point across as well. You can buy those on line. There's a few suggestions good luck....had a guy arrested last year...charged with trespassing with malicious intent and property damage. D.A. went for restitution. That word of mouth is my best defence. Though not first arrest, even that seems to have a time limit on peace.
Oh one other deterrent.. if you get a picture post it...on line and as fliers on ALL local bulletin boards. Print it up as a WANTED Poster....HAVE You Seen this trespassers? Then mail it to your neighbor. I had problems with dogs running, 2 pit bulls. I made the DEC post wanted posters with my trail cam pics...3 years and finally that did the trick, no more dogs.
Welcome to the forum. The best I have found is to run a dummy camera with a posted sign on the same tree that is obvious with a real camera in a tree high(25ft) pointed at it. If you have time the no fail fix is to walk your property during prime time. If there is people out there they won't be in the middle of the night, it will be dawn and dusk. Just be prepared for a confrontation. Good luck
That can actually be fun ....I use to say I was going to camp to hunt trespassers during turkey season. Guns deer season is too dangerous because they stop and shot from the vehicle Windows. In Turkey I set up near the road and wait until they get out of the truck and listen to them call. Then they go back to get their gun and as they take their first step in I call out...looking to get arrested today?!...lol the reactions are just fun to watch.some jump out of their skin,others just dropped their shoulders and turn around. A couple have nearly tripped hustling back to truck and a couple of F you have rung out. One morning I had 4 successful hunts..hahaha
I've add the only game camera image ever caught of my elusive trespassing Neanderthal man:-) If he looks familiar to anyone, let me know in terms of, does this guy run a business where he gets paid to invite hunters over to his land, gives them a crude hunting camp to stay in then tells them to hunt on MY land meaning, to go hunt illegally on other persons POSTED private property. This is what makes me scream....what the "F" is this? He has 66 acres & yet is obsessed with pointing hunters to my property....looks to me as if he's trying to "have his cake and eat it too". He can eat plenty as far as I'm concerned, behind bars! Thanks so much for your reply as well the others below....this is great. In terms of a cellular camera, it won't work for now because there is zero cell signal in my area so that type of camera can't work here although it would have been perfect!:-) The frustrating thing is, I KNOW who it is, its this psychotic hermit who lives on the abutting land and HE is the only human with immediate access and he has the motive, means and opportunity. The problem is, the police won't question him or knock on his door and I am positive, he has BOTH my cameras which are Campark T-2o, small little game cameras you can hold in your hand but they take great photos and videos. What would you do about an abutting neighbor who, by the way, doesn't even legally own the deed to his property at this point but still lives on it? There is NO doubt he's the perpetrator. Where is Dexter when you need him? Just kidding:-) I think the dummy camera idea or some type of barrier is all that's left outside of hiring armed sentries which would be great if I was a millionaire:-) Thanks!
Seeing you mentioned ownership....That is another thing I've done. I now own 4 separated deeded consecutive parcels. That got at least one trespassing camp to sell. I bought the land around them and us that they used to poach. They had only 12 acres yet every opening day 8 trucks filled with guys would show up. I knew their routine and waited till they crossed the road and entered my new woods at 5 a.m. ,2 hrs before legal hunting. I called out to them in the dark..." I'll have you arrested by 7." Like rats jumping ship they all crossed back over the road clicked their shells out of their guns. Jumped in their trucks and left. When I drove by after work that night there was a realtor sign at the end of drive.
Sounds great, I would love to see that...you should have made a movie and YouTubed it!:-) Strangely, the 66-acre parcel abutting me which is the source of all the trouble *was* secretly sold or transferred last October just when I was thinking of trying to buy it off the psycho hermit that lives there. He pulled the rug right out from under me by apparently cutting a private deal (with no real estate broker involved) and simply turned the deed over to some young, 26 yr old guy who lives in Connecticut. I tried to find records of a real estate sale, there were none! This means the hermit found a way to simply GIVE his land to this dude in CT for nothing except the apparent condition that he be allowed to remain on it for as long as he wants (paying no land tax)...BAD friggin news for us, figures! So even though he's no longer on the deed, he's being allowed to live there and continue his illegal vandalism, theft & trespassing on my land. I would have made him a cash offer but since mid-summer 2020, he's been totally off the grid, you can't call, email or write him....very convenient. Maybe he's a cannibal:-) I'd be hesitant to just walk up to his Appiliachan shack because knowing he's mentally unstable, he could be sitting there with a loaded 44 magnum for all I know. Speaking of catching trespassing hunters, the only aspect of catching them red-handed that is concerning is if they are armed and one of them is off the wall insane or a sociopath, that could be super dangerous! I know a local state trooper who told me he was hunting with his father years ago and when they spotted a group of 4 trespassing hunters, the hunters opened fire on them, pinning them down behind a boulder. He told me they were "shooting to kill" and eventually stopped and walked away mocking the trooper & his father with laughter. Unbelievable! That's a valid concern, catching a hunter on my land with a loaded 30-30 who might have no compunction about shooting. Most hunters are fine, law-biding citizens (whatever that means) BUT there are those that make no distinction between killing an animal with antlers vs one that walks on two legs!:-0 At this juncture, if he continues to f.ck with my land, I'm going to either be forced to use barbed wire or eventually a 2000', wire fence but that is going to be a B.TCH to do! THANKS for your advice. I'll try some of the recommendations. My brother joked with me today and said "What would Tony Soprano do?" I know what he'd do but I don't have Pauly & Christopher working for me!:-) It would be hilarious to watch what a Tony Soprano character would do about something like this. Get the popcorn out, I'm watching this comedy!
Lol.. I'm pretty blunt so try not to take offense... I'm a 63 yr of woman and I'm installing 400' 6' chain link by my self. I have installed thus far 800' of 4' welded wire and 800 yards of brush pile fencing that needs year to year maintenance. That said, I'm now hearing excuses. I've caught trespassers that whined as I escorted them off my land could they speak to my husband, NO! Stupid, make me angrier. If what you say is true the "hermit"is under the legal responsibility of the new owner. If you have damage let the new owner know that you will sue for damages and put a legal lean on his land. This will require you to force law to actually investigate your claims and go out and investigate. This takes a set of...gumption...
Thank you...that is a GREAT suggestion although my only hesitation is the fact, if I do what you suggest, it will start a troubled relationship with the new owner BUT....the fact this guy will probably not live up here for YEARS, should make it much easier to let him know exactly what you suggest, that this misanthropic hermit he's allowing to stay, is abusing, vandalizing and stealing property from my land! Yes, great suggestion:-) By the way, I am older than you:-) I wanted to add one more thing for you & others to read, I reside in New Hampshire where, if one watched the Animal Planet channel & has seen "Northwoods Law", would think that ALL their officers diligently turn up to solve or investigate any incident whether it be trespassing, poaching, or theft of property which is a criminal offense and overlaps with all three police agencies, state, local and Fish & Game. The brutal truth is....first of all the Fish & Game are grossly understaffed, something like 35+ officers for ALL of New Hampshire & secondly, they don't seem to give a hoot about stolen property (outside the house) which contradicts what you see on the TV program.....of course:-) I thought it was standard protocol to INVESTIGATE the crime of THEFT but apparently, the position of our law enforcement officers is, if it's not captured on camera, we can't do anything! What? So does that translate to robberies INSIDE the house? Are they going to require that all break-ins be captured by a hidden camera as if everyone *has* a hidden surveillance camera in their houses, bedrooms, front door, bathroom & garage:-) I don't know why they can't at least question the hermit next store....they don't need a warrant, they only need to knock on his Neolithic era door and ask "do you know anything about two stolen cameras on your neighbor's property, have you seen unusual activity" which I guarantee, he would respond with a stuttering, hesitant voice which would tip off he knows something and maybe a whole lot more! I'm going to ask the Fish & Game officer if he can do that but I'm sure he'll say NO! So much for Batman, Superman or Napolean Solo:-) How's that for going back a few years?:-)
Today I was in the woods, so far, the other cameras are STILL there but for how long? Incredibly, the hermit returned to RIP down more posted signs, the signs I already replaced yesterday!....wow, he must have a thing for yellow! He's costing me at least $200 in stolen signs to date not to mention the stolen cameras. This proves beyond any doubt it's the nefarious hermit next store. Who else is in such close proximity that they can waltz onto our property at will, anytime, and fudge with it. He's apparently desperate to keep one particular area near a ravine, clear of my signs so his hunting buddies can illegally trespass. It's incredible that he has SIXTY-SIX friggin acres but is obsessed with pointing them to my land! My land is no different from his, it's the SAME terrain, geography, soil, trees, animals. Both have steep hills and ravines. The guy is insane and needs to be on Haloperidol or some type of anti-psychotic meds. How would he like it if I walked over and decided to build a GOLF COURSE on his land? That's about the level of what he's doing. I'm done here....I'll only report on this chat IF we can catch the mother bugger and send his ass to Delaware's old dungeons on Pea Patch Island
I suggest a few simple deterrents.....from experience as an ex-DNR'er 1) Those signs you put up, apply lithium grease to the BACK SIDE of them. Anyone who removes them better have gloves on, or they will find a big mess on their hands and it almost always ends up on their clothes. 2) When he starts to use gloves to remove the signs with gloves, start to use "essence of skunk" on the tree and sign, it will even penetrate the gloves 2) Post the signs high and out of reach. You'll have to haul a ladder out there to do it, but he will need a ladder to remove them. 3) Create an easy decoy to take/steal, point other cameras high and out of reach. 4) Use an old walkie talkie antenna and affix to a decoy/non-working camera. It appears to be a 'real time' cell phone trail camera and may make him evade immediately. 5) You can buy a black light powder, and place this under the tree. He steps in it, and then tracks it all the way home! Use a black light at night to follow. Make sure you don't step in it! Animals can also track it so there are a few downsides.
You can try putting a tracker into your trail cams. The Spytec is $40 on Amazon and says it has a 4 month battery. There are cheaper ones, as well. If you can cleverly embed it into the case so that it won't be noticed by a Neolithic kleptomaniac, and maybe let the police know in advance, perhaps you can get him on misdemeanor theft, vandalism, and trespassing. As for trail cams, I notice Ebay has some as cheap as $25. They're probably lousy, but they look nice. I imagine for a couple hundred bucks you can nail this guy. I also agree with the other poster -- sue the land owner, or else maybe offer to buy the property from them. Too bad it's not the 18th or 19th Century, when these kinds of matters were easily settled with no need to involve the authorities. The three S's Best of luck.
EXCELLENT recommendations. I especially like the lithium grease idea. Where do you find lithium grease? You mean from an old leaking battery? Skunk odor sounds very cool, albeit I better wear a mask to cut out the fumes. I really like this....it will be hard carrying a small ladder up very STEEP hills but I'll give it my best effort. Thanks again!:-) Another thing I did was to buy fake, large black SPIDERS and I pinned each spider to the POSTED signs, they are hideous and should cause at least a brief second of hesitation:-)
Lithium grease can be found at auto parts stores. If you really want to catch them then packing a ladder is going to be necessary, or perhaps screw in tree climbing steps would be easier. If you have safety concerns of climbing up ladders or into trees, then a local kid could probably be convinced to help for a small fee. Replace your current camera's with cheapo's and then put the good ones up high in a tree and angle them at the decoy camera to get a pic of the thief. I just find a suitable stick to use behind the top of the camera to angle it down. I'd also try to put a camera up high and well concealed pointing at one of your no trespassing signs, if they are tearing them down almost daily it shouldn't take long to get a pic. Someone that brash and stubborn isn't likely to be very cunning. Make sure to put camera's up very secretly, may have to be a middle of the night project. I see that New Hampshire has very specific rules regarding "no trespassing" signs, it's too bad they don't allow painting as a legal means of signalling no trespassing. If I was losing signs at the rate you are I'd make a trip to a local steel fabricator/welding store. Have them make some 1/8" steel square plates with no trespassing cut out in it, make sure they know the letters have to be 2" tall to meet New Hampshire rules. Have two holes drilled into the plate so it can be fastened to a tree with some big lag bolts. Then I'd bring along some JB Weld or similar so that after I've hung the signs I could apply a big glob to the lag bolt heads. Completely engulf the bolt head so a wrench/socket won't go onto it. It could very well be more people than just the hermit that lives close by. People who have been using a property for years and years can get mighty stubborn when "their" hunting spot is suddenly posted. I really like the tracking beacon stashed in a cheapo game camera or the black light powder idea too.
Great idea! I've never heard of the Spytec. I've written a letter to the absentee landowner who should be receiving it tomorrow. It's not accusing him but it's clearly letting him know the perpetrator lives in "close proximity and has easy access to my land", so duh, I don't think he'll need a Ph.D. in Invertebrate Paleontology to figure out who it is, the jerk he's letting live on his land:-) It will be interesting to hear his repsonse. I also let him know "the police are investigating the camera thefts plus I've posted notes online showing the camera". I figure that's, at minimum, going to make him think, does he *really* want to keep this sociopathic idiot on his land which will eventually drag him into a **** storm? I would hope not. He'll have to weigh his options, does he want to keep this neanderthal on his land while vandalizes mine and steals cameras, OR does he want to protect himself and tell the guy it's time to look for another hand made shanty:-)
Again, excellent strategy! The psycho hermit struck again. I have temporarily put up about 300 feet of yellow "caution tape, do not enter" tape in the area he seems to constantly attack and within one day the f.cker tore ALL of it down! Since last week, I've put it back up twice and he's torn it back down each time..amazing. The police won't do a thing, I'm on my own. Here in NH, the Fish & Game cops tend to back the hunters in most cases unless their actions are so blatantly criminal that they have to take action. The TV show "Northwoods Law" is a crock of ****. I have never seen any of those officers act as diligently as they seem on TV but then again, that's performance art. Our area officer is a nice guy but he's flat out not interested unless I catch the perpetrator in the act or finally capture him on a camera he doesn't steal. I like all those ideas you've mentioned and will consider which ones are most feasible in terms of labor and cost. A friend of mine asked me "how long are you going to keep wasting money and effort trying to stop this mother-F...er? You're just stressing yourself out and losing money." He's right in a way but I'm not going to concede to this bastard.....he either stops it or I'll be calling Dudley Do-Right of the Royal Canadian Mounties (or Dex), oh just kidding:-) But seriously, if he doesn't stop, I WILL have to either threaten to sue the landowner or the perpetrator directly but until I have hard proof, its going to be a beeeetch. Thanks for all your ideas.
