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Anyone have their camp robbed while in the field for the day?

guinness

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Sep 12, 2017
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I've read some stories about trucks being broken into at trail heads but what about camps? Is it one of those rare events or does it happen more then people talk about?
 
Several years ago my dad and his friend we hunting deer in Central Utah. My dad shot a buck and hung it in a tree while he helped his friend get a deer. When the got back to camp someone stole my dads buck and used a screwdriver to try to break into my dads trailer. They never did catch the person who took his deer.
 
WE had a rash of breakins/thefts here in eastern Az. in Jan.during Javelina season.All in the same area,locals?
Never heard if they were caught.Trailcams in camp seems like a good idea.
 
I've read some stories about trucks being broken into at trail heads but what about camps? Is it one of those rare events or does it happen more then people talk about?
I've backpacked and backpack hunted a lot, with high end climbing gear, glass, and guns left in camp. I have not had an issue in MT, WY, or WA. I can believe it's an issue but have not personally had a problem at a trailhead or in the backcountry. I do worry about it a bit, but try not to think about it.
 
Was hunting one time with Greenhorn and we suffered a major theft while spring bear hunting...

We parked at a trailhead and hiked into an area and glassed up a dozen or so black bears, came back and were thirsty. Greenhorn had left a few cold beers in the cooler in the back of the truck...dirty thieves stole every can...rotten bastards.
 
I haven't, but talked to a guy in NM two years ago that had his entire camp stolen. Every last item was gone. We heard of a few camps having items stolen that year. Some of the locals seemed sketchy. I'm a pretty trusting person and don't usually worry about it. I'm sure it will come back to bite me someday.
 
Years ago on a back pack trip we returned to camp to find all of our food gone. That was a one time event. I have heard about it a few times but other than the one trip we have been lucky.
 
...dirty thieves stole every can...rotten bastards.

That is one of my nightmares...

Never had anyone steal anything of value though I suspect I've had people "check out" camp when we were gone. Have had people help themselves to my solar shower which I suppose is theft of hot water.
 
Many years ago I had an entire back country camp taken except for the dirty dishes. Food, clothes, tent/bag, everything. I carried it in but they got wheels to it and loaded it all up. I hunted my way back in to camp (went out to shower) and found nothing left, sucked.
 
Deer hunting probably, late 70's,

Came back to camp, and someone had eaten our apple pie. Looked around and my spare clothes were gone. And our car keys.

No clue who had done it till the next day, when guy walks down the road by our camp. Told my brother that those are my pants.

Brother is a decent man, deacon, lay minister and played middle linebacker in high school. Nailed him. Got my clothes back and told us where he was camped
Let him go and found the keys under a rock. Pure dumb luck.

Always speculated the thief had escaped for a low security prison. Will never know.

Now every hunter has a key to the vehicle and takes in the field and not in the camper.

Some of the adjoining camp sites, thought we were to rough. I thought he got a fraction of what he deserved.
 
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Years back a friend left his truck at a trailhead in northwest Wyoming. He learned quite a lesson that trip: never leave a bag of sweet mix in the cab of the truck in bear country.
 
Nothing yet.

Our deer lease in south Georgia gets stuff stolen from it every year. One of these years we will catch them.
 
Most all of my gear is so crappy, I usually have folks leaving me items at my camp trying to help out...
 
Never had a problem with that yet in Montana. Worst thing that ever happened was the time when the wife and I hunted hard all day and saw nothing but back at camp we found two fresh elk gut piles within a hundred yards of our tent.

One time years ago a group camped up the road seemed a little iffy so I left a note on the tent: "Don't steal: God is watching...and maybe so is that crazy sniper guy hiding out in the bushes." Not sure if that was an effective deterrent, but our camp remained untouched.
 
"Never had a problem with that yet in Montana. Worst thing that ever happened was the time when the wife and I hunted hard all day and saw nothing but back at camp we found two fresh elk gut piles within a hundred yards of our tent."

- Hahahahaha...now that would suck.
 
"Never had a problem with that yet in Montana. Worst thing that ever happened was the time when the wife and I hunted hard all day and saw nothing but back at camp we found two fresh elk gut piles within a hundred yards of our tent."

- Hahahahaha...now that would suck.

Had a bull come into the pond by our tent on the last day of muzzleloader season and roll around in the mud/water mid day. That was sickening to see those hugs tracks. We had been all over the mountain that day.
 
I parked at a trail head that leads to a fishing hole here in PA. I had a plastic style truck box in the back of my truck that was usually under my tonneau cover that I had recently removed. It had a few tools and a jack in it, but nothing too expensive. Returned from a decent evening of fishing to find it was gone. My fault for only using bungee cords and not having it chained down...
 
I parked at a trail head that leads to a fishing hole here in PA. I had a plastic style truck box in the back of my truck that was usually under my tonneau cover that I had recently removed. It had a few tools and a jack in it, but nothing too expensive. Returned from a decent evening of fishing to find it was gone. My fault for only using bungee cords and not having it chained down...

Man you have to be more careful. You are living in Pa. which is right next door to New Iran and MaryIRAQ.
 
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