When you find a game camera in public land

[damthemainstream]

I've walked in front of a few, but only because they were pointed directly at the well-worn path/roadbed I was walking. Not going to go out of my way if they didn't either.

 

[Olympics777]

Personally I don’t touch them, but if I had a way to look at the SD cards I would maybe do that. Other people have looked at my cards and as long as they don’t steal my camera I don’t mind.

 

[mt100gr.]

What would you do if you found a wallet on public land?? It's not yours!! Don't even tell me that you'd ignore it or walk by! Personally, I'd check it for an ID to see if I could track down the owner.

I always have a card reader with me for my own cameras. Public is public.

 

[packer58]

F - Moon it.

Funny you mentioned the "F" option........that's one of my highlights of running into a camera..

 

[ArcherAdam]

I leave them alone.

Though I often will put my hands up to my head like I am a buck when I walk past or something else goofy. Hopefully the owner will get a kick and be appreciative since the ones I see are rarely locked.

Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk

 

[Newtosavage]

Question:
When you come across a game camera on public land - what do you do?

A - Leave it alone

B - Walk in front of it

C - Check the SD card

D - Take the SD card

E - Take the camera

I place some cams on public land. I’ve had people do ‘B’ - ‘C’ - ‘D’

I’ve done ‘A’ and ‘B’


Anyone?

A + walk behind it.

 

[TAGPUNCHER]

As a turkey hunter from the south I can tell ya the answer is NEVER NEVER B..LOL All seriousness I always do A unless I find them on me.(club or private)

 

[98XJRC]

Well someone decided to mess with my cell camera. I got a real nice nose to top of head photo of them, but that's about it. Moved the camera around and covered up the lens. I have 2 other non cell camera's down in the area that were not locked and I'd be willing to bet that both are now missing. I'm irritated as in the 14 months I've had my cell camera out in this area I've only had one other person before today show up on camera. I don't understand what goes through someone else's mind to make them want to intentionally damage or steal someone else's property. Public is public and with that said the area I have my camera's up at is not "my area", and if someone else was hunting it good luck to them.

I suppose I had a slightly higher hope that other hunters in the area would treat camera found with better respect.

Update - made the trek back in this evening after work just to try and take inventory. The guy stole 1 of my standard cams and also stole my cellular camera that was secured to the tree with a Python lock. Somehow he missed the 3 camera 20 yards further down. I’m still pissed about it, but more then anything I’m ticked because he now has my photos on what is down in that area. Dude had to put in some serious work to get that cell cam off though as he triggered the camera over 70 times trying to get it off.

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

Well someone decided to mess with my cell camera. I got a real nice nose to top of head photo of them, but that's about it. Moved the camera around and covered up the lens. I have 2 other non cell camera's down in the area that were not locked and I'd be willing to bet that both are now missing. I'm irritated as in the 14 months I've had my cell camera out in this area I've only had one other person before today show up on camera. I don't understand what goes through someone else's mind to make them want to intentionally damage or steal someone else's property. Public is public and with that said the area I have my camera's up at is not "my area", and if someone else was hunting it good luck to them.

I suppose I had a slightly higher hope that other hunters in the area would treat camera found with better respect.

Update - made the trek back in this evening after work just to try and take inventory. The guy stole 1 of my standard cams and also stole my cellular camera that was secured to the tree with a Python lock. Somehow he missed the 3 camera 20 yards further down. I’m still pissed about it, but more then anything I’m ticked because he now has my photos on what is down in that area. Dude had to put in some serious work to get that cell cam off though as he triggered the camera over 70 times trying to get it off.

Your private property on public land may be considered abandoned property after a period of time. From one perspective, others are cleaning up "trash" that you left behind. It is no different than if someone left a ground blind, tree stand, ladder stand, feeder, etc. If you were to ask the folks that left that stuff behind, they'd likely say that they are still using it and would get their panties all knotted up now that someone knows there's some potential in that area as well if someone "stole" their stuff.

The moment you put and left out cameras you accepted the risk that animals and/or humans would damage and/or steal your cameras.

Sucks but do not expect it to improve.

 

[ManyBullets]

Sometimes I show em the BH but I never touch the cams.

 

[Howdy Partner]

Demonstrate some form of nudity.

 

[Hamweena]

I leave it alone, I'd want the same for mine.

 

[thunderchicken21]

Typically try to avoid them

 

[svivian]

PSA…. Walked bye a camera during third rifle this season didn’t think anything of it but had fun with it due to this thread…

Just got a picture of myself sticking my tongue out between my index finger and middle finger from my buddy becoming a biologist for the CPW.

Thank you all

 

[Skinnyguts]

To all saying that "A is the only answer", remember, anything left on public land for more than 2 weeks without moving it is breaking the law. Working for FS we removed a lot of things that had been left for more than 2 weeks (documented) including cameras. I've removed other items, including cameras. I have also left cameras up for over 2 weeks and have had them removed. In answering the question, I primarily do A, but have done others.

I’ll remember this the next time I see anything left by the FS in the woods. Signs, trail bridges, hitch rails, etc.

 

[Mr Lahey]

If its lawfully placed, I don't touch it. Illegally placed is another matter.

 

[Lone Hunter 1]

If it’s not mine I will leave it alone. What you put on the wheel comes back around. Sometimes it comes back fast, sometimes it comes slow, but, it does come back around. Reap what you sow in other words…

 

[Pdzoller]

Sometimes there is a big difference between what is legal and what is right.
Don’t touch other people’s stuff period.

Fish and Wildlife leave cameras everywhere so I don’t see any reason why anyone else shouldn’t be able to as well.

 

[CodeMonkey]

Walk by it, mark the location on GPS, purchase Sasquatch outfit, return to location at 0300 a few days later

 

[SwiftShot]

Funny story we found one on a piece of property only my buddy and I have permission on. We busted out the elk decoy and did a bow hunter chasing an elk skit in front of it. We had a blast, bowhunter stalks elk, bow hunter chases elk, elk chases hunter ect. Full 30 mins of crap. Camera was gone two days later.