Bear take trail camera
Wisconsin
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Gets pretty boring in the woods and he/she found something to play with.
What causes a bear to take a camera off a tree? Area not known for bear. Bear came from behind so camera did not go off till bear had camera. Bear picked the camera up in its mouth and walked about 50 yards before dropping it. Then just looked down at camera while the camera got some really good closeups. After that it decided it did not like those poses so it sat on camera for some butt shots. All told the bear played with camera for 15 minutes before walking away. know this from pictures off camera.
I've had it happen numerous times. Couldn't tell you why. I've also had them use the camera as a butt or back scratcher. Then there was a bear last year that always wanted to bit the camera. I still have the teeth marks on that one and the scratches on the bear box.
And don't forget about the close up's of the cubs!
Am I the only one this happens to, I post a reply to a forum and sometimes it puts me as the OP? I'd have to look back and see if it's when I reply with my smartphone.
If your bear hunting the camera most likely has bait scent on it from changing the card.
A buddy had his trail camera stolen by a bear last year. Funny thing he was not even bear hunting it was out for deer so no possibility of food scent on the camera. He found it 6 weeks later 60 yards from the tree stand it was under when he was tracking his girl friends deer.
Lots of issues with bears messing with cameras over the years. One time I had a camera that kept getting turned away from the bait. I finally put a second camera out and the bear quite frequently rubbed his butt on the tree that the first camera was on.
Several years ago when cameras ate up batteries like candy I used to carry a 6 volt tractor battery out and wired the camera to it. For some reason bears like to chew on lead/acid type batteries. Glad cameras run longer and cheaper now.
Brother-in-law just had a bear rip up his pop-up blind. Zone C. He's going to apply for a tag next year to have in the stand while deer hunting.
I've already had 5 cameras attacked by bears this year. I wear gloves, and spray scent killer, but they still mess with them.
Last year I had a camera get knocked down, and the same sow came back 3 days in a row to mess with it.
Thankfully we are getting closer to the cold weather, so the bears will be going away.
Also, now is the time of year I move my cameras from food plots to scrapes. So less bears there too.
This year I had no problems with bear other than the usual knocking them around a little-until today. I went to a bait by my house that had the camera out for 3 days-and its gone. Looked for 10 minutes-nothing-will return again after the season is over and search. I don't think it was stolen off of my own 40 acres because I have great neighbor's-so I'm assuming a bear just took it?
Jim,
I've had a couple disappear like that, only to be found a few weeks later, after all the leaves were gone, and the grasses had dropped. Seems like some bears like to play a little soccer with my cameras for 10-15 yards.
Why anyone, let alone a bear would want to play soccer is a whole other topic.
I used to have an old Moultrie camera that was black, bears messed with that camera all the time. It didn't matter if it was by a bear bait or in the woods over deer trails, I rarely set it up by bear baits because bears would mess with it all the time. A guy in our bear group never had bear mess with his cameras, his weren't black. I painted my black camera a camo pattern and they never messed with it again. I now have a grey/green newer Moultrie and haven't had a bear mess with it over bear baits for 3 years.
I think it has to do with the color of the camera, same with pop-up blinds, bear see the black and go check it out. I had a blind set up on the edge of a field with the windows open for deer to get used to it and had bear knock it down and tear it up twice....I stopped using them for deer since then.
Just some of my experiences.
I had a bear take my camera off tree in a bear box and take in in her den. I got it back after she left.
Easy fix. Buy/make boxes for your cameras and put 4-6 1.5" sheet metal screws around the edges. They won't paw, scratch, or chew on them anymore
when the bear i shot came in he went straight for the camera, my thoughts were thats the last thing the baiter touched. Bear hunting is definitely tough on cameras they bit and broke all the little IR lenses? The last one I bought at Gander the guy offered a replacement protection plan for $15 bucks. I laughed and told him I'd be bear hunting and he said it didn't matter. Well that camera last 1 month and I'm going to find out on that RPP.
Every bear has its own personality...most bears are curious...the majority will leave the cameras along...the young ones are the ones that will give your cameras the most trouble....if they cant move the camera they usually will leave it alone. I always use the metal bear proof boxes...why take the chance.