Posted: 7/29/2008 3:09:13 PM EDT
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Just curious I am thinking about getting a game camera, my concern is someone stealing it. I am wondering if people are having big problems with this? I have seen websites that sell secure boxs that you bolt into the tree and then lock the camera inside the box. On a funny note I heard a story of a guy who had one that ran on film, and he always took a picture of himself holding a sign that said "Hi this is me (name) this if someone is developing this film other than me call the police and call me because my game camera was stolen. Well his camera was stolen, and I guess that trap worked. I have also heard some strange stories of people caught on film while not even knowing it. |
Here is what I keep my Cuddeback in. I found a guy on ebay that would custom make them for you depending on what kind of cam you have. And it does work. I had someone try and tear it off the tree earlier in the year. If someone wanted it bad enough they could still get the camera or destroy it in the process, but this at least slows them down.   |
| No one I know has ever had one stolen but we all hunt private land. I did hear of a guy that had one on state land along with a ladder stand. On public land you are required to remove your stand every night so the DNR was nice enough to confiscate everything and leave him a nice note. |
Looks like a small pair of bolt cutters would take care of that. |
| Well truthfully the one I saw you lag bolted it to the tree from the inside of the box. The camera went inside of the box. Then the secured the camera to the with a metal rod and one of those pad locks that the shackle is so small you cant get bolt cutters on it. It seemed like the best one I have seen. |
That sounds like it would work against most thieves. |
Like I stated in my original post, if someone wanted it bad enough they could get it. This would just slow them down. Most people I know don't walk around the woods with bolt cutter in their hands. |
Please don't sink lag bolts or any other metal into trees (climbing steps, nails, etc.). Sooner or later some logger is going to be working on that tree and his saw's going to hit that metal. Plus, you're killing the value of that tree for the landowner. |
So long as they are my trees, I will nail treestands and camera boxes to them whenever I want. I don't plan to cut down my trees.
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Just buy one of those new style game cameras that send the pictures automatically to your cell phone or computer. At least you'll have pictures of who stole your camera.  About a year ago or so here in Indiana, someone had their treestand stolen. Believe it or not, the perps were caught on film by the guy's game camera mounted on down the trail as they passed by carrying the stand. They were later identified from the photos and subsequently arrested. 
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Here is the article. www.timesuniononline.com/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=224&ArticleID=24661 |
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Here is the one that I just built for my Moultrie I-40. It is super heavy duty and will lag bolt to the tree from the inside. The downfall of most boxes is the cable or chain that locks them it to the tree. I had a camera stolen that had 1/2" cable around the tree, they chopped the cable with an axe and took the whole box. They could not cut the lock with bolt cutters....I use locks that have ears around the shank and they can't be cut. Chains are easily cut with bolt cutters. So on my new design I am bolting it from the inside, and if you can't open the box then you can't take it. It weighs 23 pounds without the camera in it, maybe I went too far. Nah... :lol: Here is the box after I finished the welding.  3" X 3" X 1/4" angle iron for the rain hood, beefy hinges...I welded the pins in.  The holes are for 6" long 5/8" lag bolts  That is a piece of 3" X 1/4" Channel on the back.  Here it is after I camo'ed it.    The camera mounts like the original with a screw in the tri-pod hole from the bottom.   I think it turned out pretty good and is stout as an Ox. Now here is my secret wepon I bought a .50 Cal ammo can and cut the same holes in the front then took a picture of my camera and printed it off and laminated it. Then I stuck it inside with tape. This is a fake camera that I am going to mount 25 ft. up a tree angled down on my primary camera. It's just a dummy camera. I did not camo the box and I am going to mount it where it sticks out like a sore thumb.    I think from the height that it will be mounted you will think it is a real camera. |
