Tri-state area to West Hunts - car thefts

[Short Track]

I have a Suburban. I do plan on putting a black sheet over all my belongings.
as I know any thief will do a flashlight check 1st.
Not sure how much a black sheet is a deterent.

 

[Whip]

Wow, this sounds like a bigger problem than I ever realized. The one that really shocks me is that Wyoming is mentioned as being particularly bad. I would have guessed the opposite - always thought it was one of the safest places in the country.
I travel to hunt out west once or twice every year and it usually involves at least one night in a motel each way. Sounds like I've been both naive and lucky, but I've never had an issue. That said, I do make it a point to never stay in or near large cities. And I've known to avoid ABQ in particular.
My preference is small mom & pop motels if I can find one, and I try to park my vehicle within eyesight of the lobby doors. That can be hard to do if towing a trailer though.

 

[Gutshotem]

Some coworkers of a friend had their truck broken into while archery hunting in Ohio. Thieves found the hotel key card in the truck and went and cleaned out their hotel room too. Just something else to think about.

 

[Delta21]

this was a major deciding point when I bought my diamond back bed cover. If this wants something bad enough they will get it. But at least they will have to work for it

 

[Elkhntr08]

Another issue is catalytic converter theft. Takes less than a minute and they’re gone. You’re out $1500-$4000, depending on the truck.

 

[Delta21]

Maybe a log chain and a pissed off pitbull be the way to go. Lol.

 

[Deleted member 8-15-23]

My truck will be parked on a trail head@9k feet,while on my sheep hunt, then 3 hours north for my bow hunt. Not leaving my bow in the truck. Dropping@ a friend's, 2 hours rt but no bow and I lose 14 years of pts.

 

[butcherboy]

In 46 years I’ve had things stolen twice. Once in Deming, NM on a muzzleloader Ibex hunt. Had a cheap Walmart tent and camp chef stove in the back of the truck get stolen. They stole the tent poles that were bent from a windstorm and left the tent. that’s why I was at a hotel and it was right off the freeway. Second time the bastards stole my license plate while at a taxidermy competition. They stole a truck that looked like mine and swapped the plates. I was pulled over by a state cop on the way home for speeding and he ran my plates and it came back as stolen. Cop was actually a friend of mine so I got out of the ticket and helped me out with the swapped plates.

If you stop in Albuquerque then stay more on the north side maybe off Paseo Del Norte or in Rio Rancho. Or just drive through and stay in Bloomfield, Aztec, or Farmington in the Northwest part of the state. You would probably be safe in Cuba for one night but there is only one hotel I would stay at there on the north side of town. Going south I think you would be ok in Los Lunas and probably Socorro. You would be fine most places on the west side of the state as well. That Rio Grande corridor is trouble.

 

[Sccritterkiller]

I just spend a little extra on hotel room in a nicer side of town, never had any problems, knock on wood. Sucks dropping 200-300 bucks a night on hotel room...but they usually have secure parking, cameras, lights, and are usually on local PDs patrol route. I look at as an investment...YMMV

 

[Short Track]

Considering I have a Suburban, I'm going to run a 1/4" steel cable through the seat mount tie downs. and then cable everything to the one main cable running from front to back. This way I can sit down in a restaurant on the road.

But it still would suck to have a broken window on a cross country drive.

I'm assuming the typical thief is a smash & grab. No cutting tools.

 

[long hunter]

It's bad out there, we go to Wyoming every other year from the east coast, as said stay at smaller mom and pop places out away from the big metro areas, been using the same places for a few years, well lighted parking right outside the door, and usually there's a night clerk in the office, these are all one floor places and there are other traveling hunters that stay there also. Since there are four of us that travel together, we can and do check on things throughout the night. I refuse to stay anywhere near a big city especially Chicago.

 

[Sccritterkiller]

Another tip...look for places with a lot of work trucks. Lot less likely to mess with a Suburban when there is a parking lot full trucks with work bodies full of tools.

 

[cnelk]

Anchorage AK.
Post moose hunt with a truck load of 350lbs of meat and moose rack.

We hauled everything into the hotel room and turned up the AC for the night.

Loaded it back up in the morning.

 

[Short Track]

Maybe I'll take the wife's Escalade. Doesn't look like a hunting truck.

Interior is black. Throw a black sheet over everything. Blend right in.

 

[isItFallYet]

Call me a prairie boy but I bought one of those RTTs and I sleep with my gear. Rest areas, cracker barrels, wal marts, etc. Bought in hopes of keeping the grizz off and the thieves. Has worked good so far!

 

[Brooks]

Another issue is catalytic converter theft. Takes less than a minute and they’re gone. You’re out $1500-$4000, depending on the truck.

My neighbor had his catalytic converter stolen at the Ford dealers parking lot over the weekend in southern NM last year along with 3 other vehicles.

 

[butcherboy]

Deming or Las Cruces?

 

[LostArra]

Where ever you go take a few big contractor bags and duct tape to cover the broken truck windows regardless of what is or isn't inside.

 

[IrkedCitizen]

This is why I hunt out of a Nissan Altima.

 

[Zeke6951]

I pulled a small camper from KY to SD for a pheasant hunt a few years back. Heard that you can spend the night in casino parking lot for free. I called ahead to Harrah's in Omaha and asked. They said sure, told me which parking lot to use. No hookups but they had 24 hr. security. That was easy. Might work out west.