Question for the back country camp guys

[unclericco]

I've been camping in the backcountry of the mountains and the deserts of Utah Colorado Wyoming and Idaho for over 4 decades and have never lost a thing. Its a crazy insane world out there but the backcountry still feels safe to me.

This is pretty much the way I see things in the back country also. I've spent alot of nights packed in with some pretty expensive stuff and though I've never had anything stolen, I've never really asked anyone if they had but in the back of my mind I always kind of wondered. I just feel like for one thing, hardly anyone, if anyone at all is even going to see my little camp and I just think most guys back in there are decent people.

 

[William Hanson (live2hunt)]

We try to keep our camp off the beaten path and somewhat out of sight. I don't really worry about other hunters as much as I do antis that might stumble on our camp and try to wreck our hunt.

Live2hunt custom shelters

 

[WyoBowhunter21]

Definitely a code..
I have friends that leave their 2 person tents set up for a days if they have to come back and they pack back in and not a person has touched their stuff.
Can never be too careful but I think hunters have a code.. unless you’re in rock springs Wyoming then crackheads are just all over the place


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Nice Rock Springs joke. Having grown up there I will second that.

I have always left my stuff without worry. I do have most of my high end gear except my tipi and stove. It would hurt but I always have a little something hidden to know it’s my stuff. I would think that it would hurt more if I found the guy with my stuff.

 

[Junior_es1]

Nice Rock Springs joke. Having grown up there I will second that.

I have always left my stuff without worry. I do have most of my high end gear except my tipi and stove. It would hurt but I always have a little something hidden to know it’s my stuff. I would think that it would hurt more if I found the guy with my stuff.

I didn’t mean to be rude of offensive by any means at all!! But I have been out before and have seen those plate leaving some camps after scrounging around through peoples things. It’s sad and unfortunate but it does happen. I actually have friends that live there and they are amazing people. But just like very Town there’s a few not so great people.


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[4ester]

We deal with the rock springs weekend warriors all the time. Very little respect from some. And the occasion Utahn that leaves his camp trash in bags in the forest waiting for the garbage truck to come get it.


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[Maverick940]

The only place that I worry about having something taken from me, such as camp gear, my four-wheel-drive, or even my life, are in those border units between Yuma and Nogales. The Sinaloan Cartel is thick in there.

 

[Kevin Dill]

Probably the biggest deterrent to backcountry camp theft is the need for a would-be thief to carry that gear long distances out.

I think one prime reason anyone would mess with another's camp is because of resentment over competition and having another camp in the area. Ruining someone's camp...and therefore their hunt...is powerfully discouraging.

Personally I want to have trust in my fellow sportsmen but I've seen enough to convince me that 100 hunters are no more...or no less...honest than 100 average people from any sporting interest. Leaving a camp and your gear unattended is a calculated risk if there are people about.

 

[Schleppy]

I’ve only met very nice people out in the wilderness of Colorado. Left my 6 man tipi and stove unattended many times with zero problems in a pretty busy spot. It only takes one dbag to steal your things, but I don’t worry about it.

 

[sodaksooner]

I’ve only met very nice people out in the wilderness of Colorado. Left my 6 man tipi and stove unattended many times with zero problems in a pretty busy spot. It only takes one dbag to steal your things, but I don’t worry about it.

Same here....I don't really worry about it. We try and stay off the beaten path a bit, and all our camp stuff is in earth tones, so haven't had any issues so far, even with our base camp.

 

[Huntindog45]

i worry far more about my car left at the trailhead than my gear left in the backcountry

 

[HighVoltageHunter]

Living and hunting in California I am more worried about leaving items in my truck unattended and will usually lock them up in my truck box. There are far too many instances of tweekers driving around, breaking into vehicles and stealing stuff.
While packed in I don’t leave weapons, optics or electronics in my tent unattended but that doesn’t mean someone won’t come along and take your tent, sleeping bag or other stuff you leave.
It’s nice to think the best of people but people are still people (where ever you go) and it only takes one instance to ruin your day/trip . . . it happens. I don’t fret over it but I try to use wisdom about where I’m camped and what I leave behind.

 

[Just Over That Ridge]

While I have never left anything of particularly high value in a camp location while hunting, I have never had an issue. But I make it a point to avoid high traffic areas and tend to be in quite remote backcountry spots.

On the occasion that I have run into others back in there, they have all seemed to be great folks without exception. I would go as far as to say there is a respect/kinship among the guys that bust their ass to get into rough backcountry. I would tend to think the thieving crowd is going to be more of the road hunting type.



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[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

Trailhead is far more concern as noted.

In general MOST people are good, they've done the test over and over dropping a wallet on the ground with contact information in it and most of the time it is returned. The true criminals go after targets of opportunity and probably less likely to be in the back country. There is the potential if you're flashing lots of nice optics and such around and someone knows where your camp is and they are that kind of person they might go steal something (unlikely the whole setup) but that's a lot of IFs. Don't forget either that any potential thief has to contend with the knowledge that you're out there somewhere also they can't know they aren't being watched in most cases. Do you want to piss off someone with a weapon in a remote location?

 

[Molon Labe]

Worrying about someone stealing my stuff is a complete waste of time/energy.
I couldn't imagine fretting over someone stealing something in the middle of no where...
If it happens I will just deal with it I guess...

 

[WoolyBugger]

Like everyone else says, the people that are packing that far in too aren’t the type of people that are going to be stealing stuff. I’d be more worried about them jacking your hunting spot! Lol


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[Owenst7]

I weigh my food, underwear, toothbrush, etc. Most of the people I know that hunt ~10 miles in do something similar. Stealing something would require you to carry that extra weight and be subject to getting caught by a guy with optics and a weapon. Doesn't seem like much of a risk to me.

 

[Trial153]

It would suck for sure, but honestly there isnt any I couldnt replace easy enough. Well not enough to worry about anyway.

 

[squirrel]

I got cleaned out once back in the mid-80's. Took everything but the dirty dishes. I had hiked out to clean up and hunted my way back in to find nothing left. Cost me maybe $500, but that was 3 weeks pay back then...

 

[Where's Bruce?]

I have some of those very LOUD personal alarms that go off when they are moved. I will some times place that among my camp stuff (in sketchier areas)...it's crazy loud and would scare the piss outta anything with hands or paws. Never had it go off but it does provide some peace of mind.

 

[Seth1913]

I agree with the “unwritten code” but I would say that the closer you are to the trailhead/parking lot there is a higher chance of it being stolen. Don’t worry too much though, everyone that far out is there to appreciate it not pack someone else’s shit out.