Not sure if there is a thread like this or not but I am looking to get a few cameras in the near future and am curious what some folks do/use? I dont except them to get stolen, but I sure as hell wanna be ready just incase!
I pulled this old electrical looking box out of our scrap hopper at work (with permission of course). After a little work with the cutoff wheel it fit like a glove. I threw a little camo tape around it to break it up a little bit. Not pictured is the lock hasp I welded on to lock the door shut and the holes I drilled in the back for 3/8 lag screws. The box is pretty thick material that cannot be easily cut unless you use a saw or cutoff wheel. Its not theft "proof" but they will have to work if they really want it.
I use the same boxs for my camera but to keep bears from eating them,as far as theves I really don't think a box or cable will stop them.If they think there pic was taken I'm sure if they could not remove it they would just destroy it instead.
OHbowhunter did a great job with that security box. You can do that or you can order a custom made box from a company called camlockbox. They make security boxes for nearly every camera made. They usually run in the $30-35 range and are well built. I use them on all of my cams. They can be lagbolted to the tree and locked. I will tell you this though, if someone wants your cam bad enough, they will get it. What all these security measures do is keep and honest man honest. There is nothing that is 100% teft-proof. Good luck! www.camlockbox.com
What about good old-fashioned trickery? I put this label on my cams and I think it may help deter theft. I've never gotten pics of someone up close and personal with my camera but I think they would back off once seeing the sticker. Also, I always use a cable lock on all cams which should further deter theft. I need to change the label to all present tense to say, "Do you see my other camera; it sees you." I think my point gets across but I want them to fully understand there is "another camera" watching them, at the present. They don't know there's not one there though. I hope no one from my neck of the woods is a member here. :D
Locks are for honest people- thieves will come back with bolt cutters/chainsaw and get what they want. Go with the small cams on the market and put them out of line of sight. I put mine up with a small step ladder most end up 7-9 feet off the ground and havn't lost one yet. Also i would not put a cam up on public ground there are guys patrolling such ground just looking for this kind of payday. I also pull my cams from the woods during the times people are looking for antlers thru turkey season because this seems the time of year that people write on these forms that there cams come up missing... food for thought.
These are all great suggestions. One thing I might add is avoid putting cams in easily accessable places like logging roads and four wheeler trails. There always seem to be people in these places even when there are not supposed to be. Blessings......Pastorjim
We use the same method ohbowhunter uses, although it's attached via u bolt to a 8' 4 inch steel pipe that has a concrete footing. The land these cameras are on is private, but we don't get up there much. Sunk a few of the 4" pipe around our food plots so we can change it up a bit. Is it overkill? Probably yes, but you can never be too careful.
I wonder if there was some way to rig a camera with a wireless connection to feed images to a web site...
If someone wants it bad enough, they're going to get it. Place them on an elevated, diagonal branch, facing down. Keeps the camera up and out of common line of sight. I've done this. I usually bring a small step ladder in with me when going to check them, or, some climbing spikes and screw the in when I'm pulling the memory card. It's a real pain in the butt, however, I'd rather keep my camera and do a little extra work !! I've seen people make their own utilizing a cell phone. Also, some companies make transmitting trail cameras, but, they're expensive.
