# Stolen Game Cameras & Dieseled Tent



## USAFmom (Sep 7, 2016)

Well we thought it was bad enough that the jerk or jerks took our new Moultrie Trail Cams, along with the security boxes and even the python locks. Only to find that they came back and either used Diesel fuel or Kerosene to drench our new tent. Well the tent is staying and we have plans in progress in hopes to catch the thieves. We are hunting state land near the Roscommon Missaukee Clare county corner. If you hear of any jerks that might be doing this we would LOVE to chat with you.


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## stickbow shooter (Dec 19, 2010)

Wow, that sucks. Good luck catching the pieces of crap.


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## phantom cls (Nov 7, 2008)

thats to bad, doesn't sound like a true sportsman. deer hunting sure does bring the crazies out!


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## DirtySteve (Apr 9, 2006)

I doubt it was deer hunters that are the crazies. There was an issue about 10 yrs ago in roscommon county with thieves that would rip off camps opening morning. There were 4 individuals one being a woman.. they would stop at camps opening morning and knock if No answer they would break in with an axe. They got away with it for several yrs....a good friend of mine was a victim one yr. The police told them they had been chasing them for 4 yrs


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## Liver and Onions (Nov 24, 2000)

USAFmom said:


> Well we thought it............


I understand that a thief would take your camera and security box, what I don't get is that they would RETURN with a container of some fluid to pour on your tent. Why not steal the tent too ? Were they able to drive ride right up to your tent on a 4-wheeler ? Your thoughts......
I just can't see the same person(s) doing both. 

L & O


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## U of M Fan (May 8, 2005)

I wouldn't be surprised if it was anti's!!! We used to bow hunt off of Jeffs road outside of Houghton lake back in the 80's to early 90's. They used to drive around blowing their horn all the time. We never had anything messed with but we never left anything up there either.


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## Lakavea2 (Jul 7, 2016)

Call RAP...i hunt the same area and had somethings stolen....a few months later while ice fishing i was checked by one of the local wardens and told him about it in conversation...he believed he knew the possible thief...they get a lot of leads on different illegal activities...even if it doesn't get your cameras back it may help prevent someone else's from being stolen or harassed...please [email protected]


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## USAFmom (Sep 7, 2016)

No they didn't drive right up, we are off a 2 track and then another 500 yards to blind. Cams been up since May, but on the 1st put up tent, which they actually sat in probably to see where we might have cams. We are thinking among others from the area that it is bear hunters running dogs or coyote hunters. There is no way in hell to get to the blind unless you walk a long ways, in the middle of know where... There were bear on the cam pics.. We know they want us gone, but not happening...


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## swampbuck (Dec 23, 2004)

Better yet, call the regional office in Roscommon and talk to C.O. Chuck McPearson.


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## USAFmom (Sep 7, 2016)

We are going to report, BUT first we have some things were going to try, to catch them...


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## USAFmom (Sep 7, 2016)

We will be calling, but first got try on our own to catch them in the act...


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## SWMbruiser (Jan 25, 2012)

USAFmom said:


> We will be calling, but first got try on our own to catch them in the act...


Why not call first and try to catch them on your own ? How do you think you will stop or catch them without getting authorities involved? Best to cover it from all angles, you may and likely are not the first instance. If LEOs already have leads or similar reports they may have a leg up on them already.


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## sourdough44 (Mar 2, 2008)

Good luck catching them, maybe they will lay low for a while. Much of the time local law enforcement(CO's too) have ideas on likely suspects. Of course it takes evidence.

Even if someone comes by camp and acts all nice, they may be involved when the camp is empty. Sounds like some real low- life's.


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## U of M Fan (May 8, 2005)

USAFmom said:


> We will be calling, but first got try on our own to catch them in the act...


And what are you gonna do when you catch them? Your in the middle of no where dealing with people that are criminals??? Have fun with that. Call the cops.


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## remcorebond (Jul 14, 2008)

I recently talked to the owner of the property i used to lease in Hillsdale. I guess the new hunter had a camera stolen that was in a lock box and everything. The actually brought bolt cutters and everything to get a relatively cheap camera. Sometimes i think honest people and morons are close to 50/50 nowdays.


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## Brian Berg (Jun 22, 2013)

Good or bad, when someone does something, it comes back to them. You reap what you sow. 

http://biblehub.com/galatians/6-7.htm


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## Martian (Apr 28, 2011)

I would really like to see upgrade stands, and cameras equipped with gps chips, Why not? how much can the chip cost? If it was $50 extra, and you not only knew you would get your stuff back, you could get the satisfaction of them getting caught, I have had about 4-5 cams stolen, all cheap, because I don't want to put $200-$300 to a tree and leave it, hope you get satisfaction


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## Thirty pointer (Jan 1, 2015)

Could be some growers in the area I would do some scouting .


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## Nostromo (Feb 14, 2012)

USAFmom said:


> We are going to report, BUT first we have some things were going to try, to catch them...


I'd let the experts do the catching. But it sounds to me like your set up on someone else's traditional hunting spot. Scouting an area you like a season before can save you run ins with low life types. I hope you get your gear back.



Thirty pointer said:


> Could be some growers in the area I would do some scouting .


This is not good advice.


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## MIfishslayer91 (Dec 24, 2013)

Thirty pointer said:


> Could be some growers in the area I would do some scouting .


That's a good idea! When we find those plants growing on state land we usually rip the plants out and dry them out so they die then wrap them in paper and burn them to ensure their dead. Saves money too!


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## droptine989 (Oct 14, 2012)

Ha. Ha.


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## Sasquatch Lives (May 23, 2011)

Next time set up a trail cam aimed at your tent(hidden of course) and one where you think they may be parking. A vehicle picture is easier for cops to identify than a person whose face may not be showing.


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## USAFmom (Sep 7, 2016)

We have contacted the DNR, waiting for someone to call us. We plan on doing more scouting in the areas that we haven't already scouted...We are thinking a bear hunter doesn't want us in the area, from what a local is saying


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## USAFmom (Sep 7, 2016)

We had our tent and cams set up there last year with no problems.


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## USAFmom (Sep 7, 2016)

We have 2 locals that don't know each other, both are talking about a certain truck we think could be one in the same. The one got a phone number and name of person, it seems he wants to guide peeps for bear, although he said he didn't have a lic. and hes in our area. We haven't spotted it yet. But have plan in the works to catch them, we hope.


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## Floater (Feb 8, 2003)

Wow. I'm all for justice. But, it seems to me that if something goes horribly wrong, it would be easy for someone (or 12 someones) to read this string (or interview the people you spoke with in the area) and conclude "PREMEDITATED". Just sayin'.


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## USAFmom (Sep 7, 2016)

You are very right, we hope it wont go horribly wrong, we both have CPL's.. I am sure we wont have problems at least I hope not...BUT we are prepared...We really just want justice for what they have done, and we feel if they think were going to move we are not. The most important reason we are doing this is to catch whom ever it is, because if they are doing this to us, they are doing it to others. I don't want to take the grandkids out now because of fear something could happen, which really stinks.. We just want them caught!


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## TVCJohn (Nov 30, 2005)

USAFmom said:


> You are very right, we hope it wont go horribly wrong, we both have CPL's.


I like your style....


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## JVoutdoors (Sep 23, 2013)

Is it a crime to take items left/abandoned on state property? Stealing is wrong but putting trail cams out on state prop seems not so smart to me.


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## swampbuck (Dec 23, 2004)

JVoutdoors said:


> Is it a crime to take items left/abandoned on state property? Stealing is wrong but putting trail cams out on state prop seems not so smart to me.


Yes it is illegal.

Call mdnr regional, we have some good C.O.'s. 

Although I get your anger. There are no winners in an armed confrontation. Forget that idea.


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## USAFmom (Sep 7, 2016)

We went to Roscommon DNR, no one was there to take the complaint, so hopefully we will be in touch with one today. We only pack for protection, and for no other reason.


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## USAFmom (Sep 7, 2016)

JVoutdoors said:


> Is it a crime to take items left/abandoned on state property? Stealing is wrong but putting trail cams out on state prop seems not so smart to me.


We had our cams out since May, we put our tent up the same place we had it last year on September 1st, that is when the cams came up missing.


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## Liver and Onions (Nov 24, 2000)

USAFmom said:


> .............
> ...We are thinking a bear hunter doesn't want us in the area, from what a local is saying


So because a bear hunter who hunts the area becomes the prime suspect only because you know of no one else that uses the area on a regular basis ? 
While the State Land that you are hunting is off the beaten path, there have probably been a number of other people thru the area in the past couple of weeks scouting the area for deer, turkey, mushrooms, bear or cameras.
I hope the rest of the hunting season brings good memories. 

L & O


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## USAFmom (Sep 7, 2016)

Liver and Onions said:


> So because a bear hunter who hunts the area becomes the prime suspect only because you know of no one else that uses the area on a regular basis ?
> While the State Land that you are hunting is off the beaten path, there have probably been a number of other people thru the area in the past couple of weeks scouting the area for deer, turkey, mushrooms, bear or cameras.
> I hope the rest of the hunting season brings good memories.
> 
> L & O


Just going with what we know so far, and thus far its looking like it could be a bear hunter, it could be coyote hunters, it could be drug people. We don't know for sure, just going off facts that we have learned thus far from 2 avid hunters (one is a personal friend, the other is someone we meet last yr and have stayed in contact with).


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## Robert Holmes (Oct 13, 2008)

I think that you got too close to someones deer hunting spot. I don't invest in lots of equipment for deer hunting but I have had people destroy even the simple stuff, such as a simple brush pile to discourage me. Nobody may have hunted there last year or the year before as far as you know.


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## Forest Meister (Mar 7, 2010)

Liver and Onions said:


> So because a bear hunter who hunts the area becomes the prime suspect only because you know of no one else that uses the area on a regular basis ?
> While the State Land that you are hunting is off the beaten path, there have probably been a number of other people thru the area in the past couple of weeks scouting the area for deer, turkey, mushrooms, bear or cameras.
> I hope the rest of the hunting season brings good memories.
> 
> L & O


It is certainly possible that multiple people have been in the area but if the information provided by the OP is accurate, that the area is over a quarter mile off a road, it would be a real stretch to assume casual passersby would just happen to be carrying fuel oil with them. FM


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## DirtySteve (Apr 9, 2006)

JVoutdoors said:


> Is it a crime to take items left/abandoned on state property? Stealing is wrong but putting trail cams out on state prop seems not so smart to me.


It is illegal to take anything that isn't yours. Doesn't matter if it is a tree stand / camera in the woods or a coat left in the pew next to you at church......the crime is larceny. The state is the only one that can determine a stand is abandoned and there is a legal process for that.


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## Thirty pointer (Jan 1, 2015)

USAFmom said:


> Well we thought it was bad enough that the jerk or jerks took our new Moultrie Trail Cams, along with the security boxes and even the python locks. Only to find that they came back and either used Diesel fuel or Kerosene to drench our new tent. Well the tent is staying and we have plans in progress in hopes to catch the thieves. We are hunting state land near the Roscommon Missaukee Clare county corner. If you hear of any jerks that might be doing this we would LOVE to chat with you.


Would this area happen to be near Seney refuge in the up I had my site trashed up there some years ago .


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## Kennybks (Mar 29, 2010)

DirtySteve said:


> It is illegal to take anything that isn't yours.


Tell that to the federal government.


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## Liver and Onions (Nov 24, 2000)

Forest Meister said:


> .........
> it would be a real stretch to assume casual passersby would just happen to be carrying fuel oil with them. FM


I see your point clearly enough. It also makes no sense that a person who goes to the effort to bring in bolt cutters to steal a locked up camera also carries in a fluid just to pour it on the tent. Why not take the tent too or burn it if you carried in the flammable fluid ? Why carry in the fluid......if you don't want the tent..... just destroy it. That's simple enough. Clearly, USAFmom could smell something so someone had some strong urine or went to some effort for an unknown reason.
Like I said, I understand the stealing of the camera, this tent thing makes no sense to me. That's why I asked if a 4-wheeler could have been driven right up to the location.

Enjoy the hunt USAFmom. Be smart.

L & O


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