I've had them stolen. I don't spend much money on anything I'm going to leave in the woods be it cams or stands.
I say give them a junk cam as bait... What if the sd card you put in it has a file that has malware on it and infects said computer I bet that would be some payback.
My friend had a guy who put a trail camera on my friends property! ! Sent from my SM-G900R4 using Tapatalk
I've had cams stolen SD cards wiped clean before I could check them. Worst thing I've experienced was a guy I was trying to tech and show what the outdoors was about I caught him going in and checking my cams and clearing the cards and then telling me there was no deer in the area so he could hunt the areas. Ya, that was last time I show someone any of my spots.
I have my very first one go missing from a private 50 with no public around. We assumed a bear took it. I also had my first one stolen last year. In a bear box locked to the tree with a cable. Now I run 3000# chains and master locks with boxes on all my cameras. With the money I have in boxes, chains, and master locks I could probably double my camera count. But when you hunt only public land and dont have the money to replace cameras thats the way you have to do it. Plus we have a TON of bears who love to knock cameras down and try to pull them away. Here is a bear attack camera just from last week.
I have 4 cameras right now on managed land which is essentially public. Last year I got a guy walking right past my camara and I was surprised nothing happened as my camera was left un-touched. It was a good feelilng that he didn't do anything but for all I know he looked right passed it and never saw it. If he did, then thank you to that guy as their are some good people out their. 3 of my cameras I have the metal lock boxes with python cables that cost about 15 bucks. If you have a good bolt cutter they can easlily be cut but its more of a piece of mind for me. I always put my high valued camera ( Reconyx ) in a spot that I rarely see people. I know one of these days i'm going to go to check them and 1 is going to be gone. Luckily the 4 years I've been in the trail camera fun I have not had it happen yet.
I only have cams out on my own land, but several years back I had two of them stolen, along with a ladder stand and some odds and ends. I knew who did it, but could never really prove it. He got his in the end as his lifestyle caught up to him and he's spending his days behind bars these days.
You can actually get a cellular camera for a lot cheaper these days. About $400 or so, but you do still have to pay for the line of service each month so it does add up.
Very common problem among trail cam users...take Grizzly's advice and do everything possible to combat theft. Hang them higher using camera mounts, python locks, and security boxes. Good luck!
