Tri-state area to West Hunts - car thefts

[Short Track]

Leaving from the east coast, driving to CO, NM, and WY to hunt.
I understand NM is a complete disaster leaving valuables in your truck. My guide pre-warned me about all of NM.

So I'll be unloading my gear every night into a hotel room which is ridiculous, but necessary.

What about CO & WY?? Are they as bad as NM ? and what states along the way are particularly bad?

I planned on driving 10 hours a day, and stopping in any road side hotel. But if I have to unload my truck every night into a little hotel room, it's going to be a disaster.

I did plan on covering my gear with a black sheet, but I'm considering getting a cable chain, and using my suburban seat anchors as a lock down.

and if someone smashes a window 1000 miles from home, I'm screwed. I can't believe this is such a problem !!!!

 

[Speck1]

Crime is where you find it. I would think anywhere would be safer than the east coast. I drive thru and hunt in NM, CO, Utah and Idaho. Haven’t had a problem yet. Pay attention to your surroundings and don’t leave weapons in your truck overnight. Never had a problem leaving gear in the truck at a trailhead. At least I can carry 24/7 to protect myself in western states. I would be much more concerned if I had to travel up the east coast.

 

[wyosteve]

Wyoming is just as bad. A couple years ago some Penn. archery hunters had all their gear stolen overnight at a motel in Casper. Gillette had a couple that was targeting hunters vehicles. Laramie has had a bunch of vehicles stolen lately. Our pickup got broken into in broad daylight on a Sunday morning in the grocery store parking lot. If you want to keep it, carry it in and out at each motel or sleep in the truck.

 

[littlerhorner]

Wyoming is ridiculous. I won't leave anything in my pickup. Ever. Lots of crime.

 

[NCtrapper]

I would be cautious of where you stay in St. Louis, like mentioned above, trouble is where you find it. I know it's a pain to unload your truck and reload it but its less of a pain than getting your gear stolen.

 

[11boo]

Pack your gear for unloading. Maybe even a cheap handcart would work, or plan on losing sleep.

 

[Speck1]

Avoid big cities. Stay in motels in small towns and park right outside your door. Good alarm system on your truck. Almost all the motels I stay at have retired owners that live on site. No guarantee but crime is much less likely in these areas. I try not to spend the night in NM if I am just passing thru but I have found RV parks with small cabins for rent. These RV parks are full of retired busy bodies. No way a thief is gonna mess with your stuff in one of these places.

 

[S-3 ranch]

I got burglarized in Arizona, I took everything out of the truck except a box of school supplies, and next day broken glass and missing schoil supplies
25 years ago and imo it’s gotten worse

 

[Amos Moses]

You could also sleep in your truck. No reason to unload anything.

 

[GSPHUNTER]

While I have not experienced any problems in NM, I have been told on many occasions to take precautions when traveling with firearms or other expensive items. Do not leave in vehicle at night when staying in hotel. Remember, locks only keep honest people honest. Not much of a deterrent to crooks.

 

[Short Track]

So I can't travel with a Yeti loaded with meat, because I can't lift it out of the truck every night.

I also have a road kit bag full of road supplies, tow ropes, jumper cables, etc. Guess I can't leave that either.

 

[Dos Perros]

If you can't walk your gear from your truck to your room a few times, are you sure you can execute an elk hunt?

 

[Short Track]

If you can't walk your gear from your truck to your room a few times, are you sure you can execute an elk hunt?

No problem. I hire a guide & a packer. Leave them a nice tip as well.

Carrying a 70L Yeti loaded with meat & dry ice is not happening solo.

 

[Dos Perros]

No problem. I hire a guide & a packer. Leave them a nice tip as well.

Carrying a 70L Yeti loaded with meat & dry ice is not happening solo.

Well at least you'll get to have an adventure on the way home!

Just spit balling here: you could take the meat out of the cooler and carry it to your room, and then carry the cooler to the room, whereby you return the meat to the cooler. You could do that in reverse order too I suppose (cooler first, meat second).

 

[intunegp]

No problem. I hire a guide & a packer. Leave them a nice tip as well.

Carrying a 70L Yeti loaded with meat & dry ice is not happening solo.

Maybe hotel staff could help you load and unload the cooler? Bring a dolly/cart for lugging your stuff back and forth if you're worried about carrying it.

 

[littlerhorner]

No problem. I hire a guide & a packer. Leave them a nice tip as well.

Carrying a 70L Yeti loaded with meat & dry ice is not happening solo.

You could put a nice tip in the palm of the hotel staff. I'm sure they could figure it out. Good luck on your hunts.

 

[Tmac]

So I can't travel with a Yeti loaded with meat, because I can't lift it out of the truck every night.

I also have a road kit bag full of road supplies, tow ropes, jumper cables, etc. Guess I can't leave that either.

I cable lock my hard coolers into the truck bed. My road/recovery kit is in back too, cable locked as well. Stuff in the cab is usually in back covered and looks like junk. All stuff in the bed is under a hard tonneau cover with a locking tailgate. More secure than my cab by far. Makes me a harder target, hopefully most pass it by.

Guns and optics come in each night if moteling it.

30+ years over most of the west, so far so good. Mostly pick small town motels, I avoid the larger cities if I can. But it’s a constant concern.

 

[Brooks]

I was at Cabelas in Sydney, NE a few years back and two guys had their truck broke into in the parking lot and their rifles and gear were stolen.
If you stop anywhere in Albuquerque, NM the chances of getting ripped off are high even in a hotel with a fence and security!!!!! Do not spend a night in ABQ !! Those thieves there steal cars and trucks from people who just stopped at a restaurant for a bite. Come out and their vehicle is gone. A vehicle with a trailer seems to be high on their list too.

 

[Jaquomo]

Hunting and NRA stickers on the outside of a vehicle basically advertise for break-ins.

 

[87TT]

Find a place to camp off the Hwy away from towns and sleep in the truck or next to it, with a gun. Maybe two guns. I've "camped" on the side of the road numerous times, no issues.