A few weeks ago I made a post about one of my cams getting stolen. Well I went out a few days ago to put some trail tacks in one of my rut spots and ran into the landowners son. We talked for a minute and I asked if his dad had told him about my cam. Well of course he said that he hadn't so I proceeded to tell him. He was sitting on his quad as I told the story and the whole time he was playing with the key as if he was nervous. After I was done, he made the comment "I have on out too. I hope nobody steals mine". He went on to tell me about a buck and some does coming out at the corner of a field every night and then 5 minutes later told me that he comes out about once every 2 weeks to tatch the deer because he doesn't wanna spook em. Kinda funny how he "knows" of deer entering a field EVERY evening when he only visits every few weeks.
Now, you kinda have to know the family to understand that there is no member of their family that is into hunting enough to go spend money on a cam. Actually nobody in the family even hunts the farm unless they see a big buck on it. Coincidentally, he said he was going to bowhunt the corner of the field opening evening, but has never bowhunted in the 14 years I've been hunting the property.
As a matter of fact when I talked to his father, he told me that Hank (not his real name) had wanted to get one but couldn't afford or see spending the money on something that would probably get stolen especially raising a family and not having the best job. Now, I don't wanna go pointing fingers, but to me it kinda seems as if I know who took it. Since it's not my property I don't wanna go starting a bunch of stink, but I can't help but be extremely pissed off about it. I searched the majority of the property to see if I could find the cam with no success. I know its too late to cry over spilled milk,but I can't help but feel betrayed. Especially since I worked the farm for about 8 years when I was a kid and thought I had a good relationship with the family.

It's a shame you didn't find the camera to see if it were yours. That however would be an ugly situation if that was exactly what happened as it seems so.

Maybe you should've asked where his camera was so you can avoid the area. I still find it appauling and unfortunate.

Wow Snake....that's a tough situation. I think I'd look for the camera when I had the chance but not enough to "tip my hand". There is a chance that since your conversation with the kid, he will take it down but it still may be up.

However, if you do find it (and can prove it's yours like with a serial number or something from your bill of sale to tie it to the camera), I would be careful to put blame and point fingers unless you can prove he stole it. I think I would turn the tables in a way where you can't get hurt. Something in the lines of "hey I found my camera...guess what, it was set up on the property in such and such area.There must be someone trespassing here and trying to hunt without permission"(knowing full well that's not the case) This way you get your camera back, the kid knows the gig's up but can't call you out because you never blamed him.Plus he is goingto have to explain how "his" camera has now suddenly disappeared.

Everyone (with half a brain)will know your story just wouldn't happen and the likelihood of the son's camera going missing at the same time you find yours,so they all would try to figure out just how your camera ended up on the same property in a different spot and his go missing. I don't think it would take to long for the landowner to figure it out on his own, especially if he knows his kid well.

I think it would put an end to the possibility of it ever happening again and you still get to hunt the land and keep good a good relationship with the landowner. I also think the kid would steer clear of you for a while.

It's either that or call the son out and risk a huge blowup with the father (land owner) who I'm guessing you still have a good relationship with.

I thought about that but I didn't want fingers to point at me if it fact it was mine and I took it back. I know it seems kinda dumb worrying about taking my own camera back, but as I stated I thought Ihad a good relationship with the family. I figured it would have beennear the corner of the field since thats where he said he was seeing the deer, but there was no cam after scouring the area. This guy is pretty much the only person in the family that I have a problem with. I can't even really say that I have a problem with him; he's just extremely nosey. He always wants to know where I'm hunting and when I'm hunting and all kinds of crap. Been that way for years. Doesn't really sound like a big deal, but if you knewhis dad and the rest of the family it would. They know me well enough to know that if season is in chances are I'm somewhere on the property. They don't care where I hunt let alone when I hunt it. His dad always gets excited to see deer taken off his property andalways tries to give me some of his harvest/garden every year.......pretty much the way every old farmer is around here.Not "Hank". He's always seems a little pissed that someone else killed deer.The sad part is when his dad dies....I look for him to kick me off the property.

BigJ: thnx for the advice. The sad part is, the guy isn't a kid. He's a 50 year old man and his dad already knows how he is. Back when I was helping on the farm I went with his dad to help move some furniture for the his (landowners) brother. "Hank" showed up to help all drunk, tried to fight his dad, and eventually got his @$$ handed to him by his own brother. The family's completely aware of how "Hank" is

Were fealin for ya man......happened to me once, my neighbor took my cam and blinddown and put it in his house, must been embarrsed cause when i went over there he gave em right back.....he knew i hunted and i was kinda pissed and couldnt ever find out why the heck they had taken them down....

Defenitely a bad situation. Sorry for all the head ache and I wish you the best of luck.

Well seeing all of the posts on this situation, It doesn't help but might make you feel better, Just look at it as a price for leaseing the property this year!! Walt

Are you frickin kidding me?!?!?

i would look for it and steal it back...lol....what comes around goes around...