Trail cam security
 

Hey there guys.

I know it's off season for trail cams but I still like to run them all year. Anyway I have always had my trail camera on my land and I have not had a problem so far with any sort of theft problem but I have always locked my camera regardless of where the camera was placed.I lock my camera with a homeade locking device that I make.I use strapping that the builders use to strap pipe in homes, its not the best locking device but I always thought it was good enough because it was on my land.
I want to move my camera to a place beside a road were there is some car traffic and there is always a possibility that someone could see the camera or see my foot prints in the snow going to check it. So what I am asking from the well experienced trail cam owners that have cams on public land is what do you think of the idea and does anyone have any other ideas for security devices that I might be able to make or buy for cheap.
Thanks
Tracker22

We run our cameras all year round on public land. We have about 30 cameras and because so many were being stolen, we've had to use metal security boxes. When you're paying $150 per camera, it's the only way to go to protect your investment. You can find them all over amazon for $20 - $40. In some areas where we know traffic is heavy, we even have some cameras spying on our other cameras to catch vandals. Maybe that's overkill, but you'd be surprised what some people do.

Thanks

Do you use the python lock cables for them if so are they cheap. Since you started to put the boxes on the cams how many of them have you had stolen.
Thanks.

my 2 cents of 20 yrs of running camera's
metal boxes are the ONLY way you stand a chance
BUT NOT all metal boxes are made the same
you NEED one that also protects the lock, and the best way to mount them is , the one's you can lag bolt box to the tree, so this way camera is in BOX< and as is the lock,
only part that can be reached is the key hole
so there is NO way for them to CUT a lock off or a cable
which both can be cut real easy and fast with cheap bolt cutters!

the only flaw with these boxes is, in many places its illegal to both into a living tree(think state/federal lands in m,any states)

from MY experience( with using well over a 100 camera's over the yrs)
I recommend these types of lock's, shrouded type pad locks, they are harder for them to get bolt cutters on in a GOOD metal box!
http://www.1st-in-padlocks.com/6321p...cks-p-738.html

and IMO< maybe NOT the best camera's
but they used to make the best OEM metal box, was the Cuuddy back camera's , they were the ONLY company that made boxes that again, protected the lock and the camera, NOT Just the camera!
HUGE difference in any higher risk place
ONLY flaw with them for me has been when folks cannot CUT lock off they have shot my camera's ion the box, and or beat them with ?? bats or sticks and ruined the camera' but most stayed on tree
and one guy came back with a chainsaw and cut tree down and took camera that way
, some crooks are pretty brave and extreme,?
as they say, IF they want it bad enough, they will get it?

I am not very knowledgeable about trail cameras or keeping them from being stolen. I also use them only on private land but trespassers sometimes walk thru. I have scrap lengths of fairly light chain that I wrap around the tree and lock to the cameras. These are Browning cameras that have hole to lock the door closed, I always put a lock on them and include the ends of the chain in the lock. I try to cover the chain with old camo material so it won't be so noticeable. If someone steals the camera they will have to cut the lock or chain or the camera door to get it. Mounting them high has been suggested but I haven't been doing that. So far none have been stolen but I don't use them much and do not leave them out for long. I try to place them where they won't be easily noticed, if possible.

chains and locks and cables, et cut here so fats its NOT even funny
I have had about 25-35+ cam's stolen off private land locked to tree's this way
and this is on land cam's get checked weekly and there is a posted sign every 25-30 ft around its 3+ mile border!
sign's mean NOTHING to most folks here in PA sadly
I catch a good 50+ people a yr ALL yr long trespassing too by the way
and they all THINK Its FINE to trespass at will, even seeing the sign's
and IMO< many folks that SEE cam's and ARE trespassing are even HIGHER odds of them coming back to steal the cam to cover up they were there(no pic's left to show them)
locks and chains only work on honest folks, and well, since folks trespassing are already breaking one law, they seem way more at odds of breaking more laws(stealing)

placing camera's up HIGH, can help, but I have had camera's as high as 10 ft get stolen and one's above that that got SHOT by trespassers!
trespassing folks can be pretty evil suckers!

I wish our laws here were a LOT stronger to MAYBE help curb the free for all so many seem to think they have here in PA
and most ALL law enforcement agency's here also seem to think trespassing is a joke and NOT worth there time, so there not even much help at all
they like to play the pass the buck game
call one dept(say local cops, they say call state police, if in hunting season they say call the game warden
game warden will tell you its NOT There job here, all though they can enforce any LAW in PA they want, , they have that power!!
they just choose NOT to work with trespasser's and pass the buck to other agency's!)
big circle of run around here, passing the buck, and why its such a problem here IMO!
fines are so low and almost impossible and not worth the land owners time to take to court!
SUCKS
some days I really WISH I could just shoot em LOL

Thanks guys

That link for the lock is a little expensive but i guess it is worth it for a $ 200.00 camera. I don't think someone would shoot at it here as it is a public road and that sort of thing does not happen here but i am sorry you are having that problem. That really SUCKS. And i don't think anyone would cut the tree down as it is a public road. Im just worried that someone will see my tracks and steal the camera at night. Im on a budget and would hate to see my only camera be stolen because I did not secure it properly. Anyway im just not fond of the idea when its winter and there is snow. Maybe i will have to wait till summer when i can just sneak in there grab the sd card ad get out of there without being noticed. Not sure but thanks for the help. I will think about it.

Thanks again.

Tracker22

HAHA< well its rural here and countless road sigh's here are full of bullet holes too
so I wouldn;t put it pass a drive shooting here , if they could see if from a road way!
sad, but is what it is!

What I came to do in HIGH risk places, is use DIRT cheapo camera's
like the $25 dollar cams I get at wally world
still sucks loosing one, but not as much as a higher costing one!

I would never place a camera on a road side in snowy weather where they can follow tracks back to a cam, even in a metal box or not!
here , that would be like asking for camera to get destroyed or for it to magically grow some legs and walk off on its own! LOL
its really a shame
as I live next to a lot of private land I have access to, and know of about 25+ cam's gun club members have out, and have never even once thought about taking one
yet they loose some ever yr as do i on lands miles apart!
sticky fingers on too many HUNTERS IMO
as I do think (based on me catching as many trespassers as I do every yr) its more hunters that do this than anyone else
and then the same people will CRY if they get one stolen
never learning any lessons or respect of others property!
HECK, I even had folks tell me they trespass or steal cam's due to they had someone steal there's before
or
cause they LOST hunting land access, due to things being stolen!(even had them tell me they stole things before loosing access)
and they DON"T get it??
OH well, best of luck to you and your camera !!