I hate to say it...and I might take flack for it but in my area the cops and CO 's who hunt are some of the biggest offenders.
I haven't had anything stolen here or in WI, but my brother has had a couple cameras taken in WI. Got this dude a year ago in the middle of our land... Gotta love back tags
Depending on the department, they will at minimum intiate an investigation. In WI, most times these incidents are turned over to the local Warden. Fitz, the Warden can run that back tag and obviously identify the culprit. Plus, you have video evidence of the suspect. More than likely, though, it will just be a municipal citation but those can be pretty costly, too.
I have been really fortunate to not have any trouble with anyone stealing any of my hunting supplies, or really with anyone trespassing that I know of. I just hope it can stay this way!
One of the funniest things I have seen was a tresspasser (poacher) who came to my rattling horns. He just walked right down the middle of the thicket I was rattling over. I heard him coming and thought it might be deer but alas only a poacher. He sure took off when I whistled to let him know I was the one making the noise. The nut was wearing a brown carhart jacket and no orange whatsoever.
Had a Climber Stolen on private land. I now pack my climbers in and out and the Locks ons are so cheap no one wants to steal them.
Never caught them on film but had two treestands with steps "walk" off one weekend. Really errked me off since I had to drive 88 miles one way to hunt the famliy farm. sent from my electronic carrier pigeon
Well, when I hunted some properties that bordered other hunters, I had in a 6 year span, 9 stands stolen, so being so ticked off I stole 2 stands that bordered me cause his were in plain site and wern't stolen. I left a note at each location giving my name and phone number. Saying if he wanted them back to call me,the phone never rang,he actually had camera's on me too,so he knew who I was. I stopped hunting there 6 years ago and every thing has been good since the move. The gull of some people never seems to amaze me! Let me tell ya, I was totaly blown away with my actions by taking another's property but said to myself, he's got to be the culprit ! Rocky
I've been pretty lucky over the years hunting public land. In 2005 I had a treestand stolen. Not much can make a guy more angry than hiking in before daylight and finding your stand missing. This last season some lazy no-good dirtbag took my cheap wildview cam. For the last three years I have been leaving it in risky places. Thankfully most of the other hunters in the area are honest.
don,t use trail cams, and no one would want my old stands. do however have MAJOR PROBLEM with 4 wheelers running all over and not a one with permission to be on property. landowner told us to put up cables which we did and it did help some. owner lives out of state now so we keep eye on things for him.myself and others who have permission, are sick of running their a---- off every wkend evening when we are trying to hunt. they run anywhere from 2 to 15 in a pack. county boys aren't going to do anything about it seeing how at least 1 policeman and a state trooper used to ride with them. so its climb out of my stand each time in the bottoms to run off 4 wheelers. kinda wish they had season on them!
If you can get them on video and post the video to youtube that will have a devastating effect on people whom trespass. Personally I've lost Groundblinds, Mesh netting a,d one treestand. When I leave my gear for an evening hunt. I wait till last light put it up to a tree then wait till near dark. If you hunt public land, as soon as general firearms season ends hunters here in Virginia are generally done so you pretty much have the forest to yourself.
I've had both cameras and stands stolen. I always thought how nice it would be to catch them in the act but with increased years, I think it's much better for me and them that I don't. My state now allows CCW carry for archers.
Drove up to my other farm I care-take today and on the way out I have to drive by the old homestead back door was prybar/kicked in and the place was ransacked, I closed the door and called the landowner I could not find a vehicle but i also did not feel alone so i backed off since i was not packing a gun. I will go back with some help tomorrow. Getting to be so you cant walk away from your door around here.
I have a friend who had a tresspasser accidentally shoot himself on my friend's property. He limped to his house to get help. He ended up leaving his gun and treestand back in the woods. I heard a similar story except the injured person filed suit against the landowner on whose land he was trespassing. I think it got tossed but you never know these days.
Is it the same guy that asked you if he could shoot the big deer on your property before you had a chance? LMAO
