Contributors to this thread:
This is sort of a two way question.
Do you think its right if another hunter checks your SD card? Lately I have been getting this. Sometimes they take my card.
Wondering if others here have just popped them out to see whats in the area and put it back in?
Id like to hear your thoughts
I would never consider doing that, but I do try to check if it is a working camera. You have to scout the hunters just as much as you scout the deer sometimes. I had 4-6 cameras out most of summer and fall and had none of them messed with. That has not always been the case with my experiences on public land.
No not in any way. It's not their property. That's the problem with putting cams on public. You have to hide them extremely well or risk that happening or getting cam stolen. I know you know that though.
No. I spent the money on the camera and the time scouting. I should be the only one seeing the pics.
I would not place a camera on public land. If I did, I would be happy they checked the card, and did not steal the camera.
I would not, I would move on, maybe give them a big smile. I have had several cameras on public over the years and never had a problem. A few years back my buddy had a cam out on public and I knew where it was. One day I took my 12pt mount out there and stuck the head in front of his cam. A week later he sent me a pic of it and was excited as all hell. Picture turned out great. A few weeks later I sent him a pic of my mount and asked him if it looked similar to this. We both had a good laugh.
It is considered hunter harassment, I was told by my local DNR officer
This is what I expected from you guys here. Unfortunately that hasn't been the case for me this past season. Overall I have had bad luck with cameras in Southern Wisconsin public.
Its gotten so bad that I am considering not even placing cameras down there anymore.
Every year I make an effort to place a half dozen or so cameras to soak in areas I want intel for the next season and what not. This year I placed 5 and just got time last night to pull them. 1 camera had the lock cut and camera stolen. 2nd cam had a stolen card. 3rd cam someone checked on Nov 7th put the card back in but forgot to turn it back on. They put it in stand by. 4th cam was checked and turned on (appreciate that) . 5th cam was left unnoticed.
I'm just frustrated, but I know just as well as anyone else that it is public. I dont even bother with anyone's cameras because I feel its bad juju on my end if I mess with someone's things. Its a form of cheating in my mind but I needed to hear if anyone thinks its okay. Public was hit hard this year and it definitely showed.
I had people fool with my cameras this year but did not take, I had hunters sit in my ground blinds also. It’s gotten real bad
While it is not illegal to do so, I think it is better to respect another hunter already set up in the spot.
One time I was going to set a cam on a tree that I had set for years only to find a hunter beat me to it. It turned out he was a gun hunter, I left the spot alone that year, He still gun hunts there now, I bowhunt there now and my camera is there before his now. We don't have any problems since neither is there in the same season.
I don't like getting filmed on others cameras. I try to not walk in the detection range. I do look around when scouting to make sure the other hunters are legal so if they are not legal, I don't want them to know I was around.
I honestly don't get it. I've had cameras stolen on private property which I would assume is because they were trespassing. I also know of a group of guys that camp next to us in another state that check other people cards and only delete the buck pictures. Poor bastards might have giants running around and never even know it. That's about as dirty as it gets.
I've captured pics of guys flipping off my camera, taking a pee in front of it, mooning it, and clearly up close messing with it, but so far I've never had a camera or its chip stolen. I've been lucky...I know it's just a matter of time, but when the time does come that my camera gets stolen I can look in the mirror because I'm the dumbass that knew better. We all HOPE, and we all want to have faith in our fellow sportsmen, but the sad reality is if it's on public land and it gets messed with we only have ourselves to blame. Sucks, but so do some people..
Slow degradation of morals over the years compounded by people with their heads in the sand.
"I dont care what others do as long as it doesnt interfere with me and my world"
Guess what... eventually it will come to your hunting and non hunting world over time.
Respect is a word thrown about in todays world and lost it's TRUE meaning.
Messing with someone elses property is a dirt bag move. Theres so many worthless SOB's out there that leaving anything on public land is risky. Hell its even risky to leave stuff on your own private property. Also the reason I pack stand and sticks in and out every time... Its the world we live in...
I had a camera locked and in a bear box on a bear bait. First, you could see the guy walking up to it with two clear containers (like for BBQ or mustard or something) and he sprayed the camera. Well, it was oil. I assume he was baiting as well. I'm sure I was in "his" spot. Well, I went back a few days later to move my set but this guy already had moved them for me. Ha! I always leave the area when I know somebody else is there as well because I don't want to screw up somebody's hunt up. The guy didn't even give me a chance to leave. I just laughed and chalked it up to public land. Wish I didn't have to do that but it is what it is.
This was 50 minutes after I set up one of my cameras. While walking out down the dirt road I had a truck drive by slowly, I'm sure it's the same people that came back to investigate what I was doing. I hope their father (in the picture) eventually teaches his children the difference between right & wrong.
Found 3 last week in a remote spot . Looked about 5 to 10 years old , marked Premos . Looked for an ID , none .a few Batteries were leaking . I left them there . Next time I walk that area I'll bring my card reader along , that may help I D them .
Been lucky , 15 years hunting public & never lost one . Got some funny pics. Good news , a young gal Mooned a camera . Bad news , butt was 2 axe handles wide .
MJF, Smokey, Pasq, and Retro. I am with you guys 100%. Hunter etiquette seemed to really drop. I really do appreciate the men that wave walking by.
Southfarm, you my friend have been lucky! I have had terrible luck with cameras but I do, always know the risk. Hanging them high is almost a necessity?
Big eight some hunters have alot of you know what when it comes to openly doing things with no reguard to consequences. First time hearing pictures being erased. Lol. Not surprised. Many here say it and I know it too. A big buck can make certain men do goofy things.
Ruger, reading your post had me really laughing out loud! 2 are handles wide expression was golden! LoL
Set cams out in pairs watching each other and protected with bear boxes.
Doorknob.... I’ve done it many times but we shouldn’t even have too
Yeah I get that but as if cameras aren't already enough money. I hang my cameras high in those places that certainly get traffic.
The lesson for me is I am going to have to hang all my cameras high. 10 ft.
Making yourself noticed by hunters walking by you is a very good idea. First you know that he knows you are there. That gives him the opportunity adjust his hunting spot if he thinks he would be too close to you. If a person walking by does not make any signal and it is not obvious he saw you then you will wonder all day what he is up to and how close he might be. It sucks, been there. At that point if I think he is going to hunt a spot too close I will make it obvious that I am there. Waving arms, crow call, or whatever.
One time I was in a tree stand that I used to use a lot. Some idiot seems to be about to put up a stand 30 yards in front of me and has no clue. I thought he would see me or my ladder stand and just quietly leave for another spot without any commotion. When he took off his back pack I grunted and he reached for his bow. A second later he realized he failed in looking over the area before almost setting up a stand. He left with a wave and no significant noise made. Yes there are some good hunters on public land.
I came across two cameras within 20 feet of each other this fall and I can't imagine why that was done. They were both pointed at the same approximate spot where an old railroad grade was intersected by a deer trail. There was a small tree or bush where the cameras aimed that looked like it could eventually have a scrape there. Usually a camera monitoring another camera is out of view and high up in a tree so that it can't be spotted easily. Weird...
Muskybuck old railroad grade.... two cameras maybe you were looking at one of my set ups, stay out of there lol I had 7 cell cameras set along a old logging road at one time this past fall. I did get one guy one camera during the rifle season.
Ha! Good one MjF! If I see Cudde's I know I'm in your honey hole.
2 different guys watching the same trail?
I guess I’ll have to put a third trail camera up to see what the other two are doing. lol
Both cameras were removed when I checked two weeks ago, but there was a hang-on with a 20 foot connect steps 25 yards away. Several 4-5" trees were fell with a chainsaw in the shooting lane. And yes there was a nice scrape where the cameras pointed last fall.
Musky did you call the warden about it? ( I’m assuming it was on public due to the nature of this thread...). Leaving illegal stands out is bad enough on public but cutting shooting lanes like that is next level bad ..
Called it in on the tip line.
I’d be interested to hear if they do anything about it. I’ve called in several before and none have ever been taken down or anything
So far I been pretty lucky I guess. I only had my sd card stolen once and they tried to steal the camera but didn’t have much success. Most people leave them alone. I would never mess with someone else’s property.
With the amount of stands and cameras I have had out there I have been lucky, only a handful of times have I had equipment missing. Authorities caught one guy red handed in one of my stands that was stolen
