hesbinrubn Report post Posted August 8, 2011 Yes................ CAMERA THEFT IS LEGAL !!! lol isn't pie on windowsill theft legal also? I mean ... they left it there letting the wind blow on it. Its not like they have it on there table or anything, so its fair game right? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
THOR Report post Posted August 8, 2011 Interesting topic. IMO (and this is only my opinion as a law student), the argument about the stuck 4x4 was a valid one. However, in my opinion, the taking of a trail camera that was set up on a trail or waterhole would qualify as conversion of property, or even trespass to personal property. So there are legal recourses that can be taken there from a civil standpoint, except if AZGFD takes the camera, because of sovereign immunity. I am actually having a debate in class right now about whether this is a crime. I will post the result. With how it reads I am curios if one were to leave there truck at a trail head for a 5 day backpack trip is the truck considered abandened? It seems that there are too many tree huggers in the Forest Service....Not all of them, but a lot! I also like the quote about all the trash that is found up north as well as south (thats another subject). We the hunters for the most part take great care of the land. I was taught to leave it cleaner than when you got there. most of us who use these cams will go back and get them, there is just too much land to scout!!!! Good luck this fall everyone! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
luvdemcoues Report post Posted August 9, 2011 I have spoken with a lot of different people on this. No one seems to be able to give me a straight answer. I agree with many of the posted comments here. The truck, the campsite, the garbage... all great points. Do I think it is illegal to steal a trail camera? Yes I do. But because you might have a tough time getting a prosecutor to try the case, I think the better option is to either sue in civil court, or resort to self help (just kick the crap out of the guy that stole it ). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
james Report post Posted September 9, 2011 Just a thought here, why not put your name and phone number on it? Then state that it is here for a reason and if found please call.... This would take away from the idea of it being abandon property. the only issue with putting your name and address on it is that now when the forest service find it u will have to pay the fine for leaving trash in the forests and you still dont get your camera 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bowhunr Report post Posted September 10, 2011 I was scouting an area for mountain Lion and I came across a cam set a seep hole, I walked through and gave a wave toward the cam. The cams OWNER contacted me through CWT.com and shared some recent Lion pics with me, and I will share any buck sighting with him.<<< Thats what SPORTSMEN do... CuzTail, I dont know if your a ballbuster or a POS skell, either way I dont think I'd want to share a Mountain with you, let alone a hunting camp...JMO... ^^^^Thats what its all about right there!! ^^^^ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
naturegirl Report post Posted September 10, 2011 Camera flashes or cameras don't stop animals from coming in to drink. I can't get elk and cows to quit screwing with mine...lol. yes it does probably make it anyone's property being in public land but it is still stealing and wrong. The person taking re camera did not work for the $$ to buy it and knows ethically it is not theirs. I would never take someone elses stand, camera, or anything else that I know is not mine. Just my 2 cents. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gearsnagger Report post Posted September 28, 2011 In 2009 an AZGF employee was caught (unit 9) on a camera wacthing a camera watching a camera taking cameras! He was not an enforcement officer he was a employee monitoring trick tanks! The outfitter who got the pics/video called AZGFD and threatened to put it up on Youtube... Two day's later a AZGFD truck pulled up at his camp and off loaded over 100 trail cams... Not all were the outfitters and he tried to get them back to the rightful owners! The theif had them stashed at home - he no longer works for AZGFD. The outfitter had been getting rousted alot by the local AZGFD officer and made some kind of deal with him to get him off his back.... None of the authorities are on the same page when it comes to placing cameras , tree stands and Pop up blinds! As it stands now it's a free for all who wish to grab the stuff a take it home! Lets say you have a camp set up out there and the F Ranger comes by every day while your out hunting and finds no one in camp and on the third day he takes all your camping gear!Claimind it to be "abandoned" I have read it several times in this thread that after 48hrs it's considered abandoned this is not the FS or G&F policy ..... What's the difference between camping equipment and hunting equipment! The legal limit for having a camp is 14 days! And I also know there are written directives in the Forrest Service law enforcement guide lines that state tree stands may be left up for the duration of the hunting seasons! Police , Game & Fish , Sheriff's , Forrest Service , it don't matter most of them are ignorant of what the law's really are and only care about where they are gonna get their next doughnut! I would also go as far to say that if a G&F or Forrest Service person was taking cameras , tree stands or pop ups it is not in an official/legal capacity except to finance the doughnut fund! I suggest hiring an attorney or some legal mind maybe a retired sheriff to make sense of this recurring topic! Lot's of discussion, opinions and here say on this topic and to date I see no real solutions suggested ! Except to hunt down the MF's that steal cameras and lynch them ! I have never heard of anyone getting arrested for removing a trail camera from public lands - I googled it and there are a few arrests back east where the cameras were stolen off private property! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gearsnagger Report post Posted October 2, 2011 Just keep your hands off other peoples stuff. I dont understand why people have such a hard time with this. For one, I go to the woods to get away from people. If I stumble on to someones blind or tree stand, I will go find some where else to hunt. A little courtesy goes along way. I will never forget how pissed I was one year on an elk hunt in 3A/3C. I was sitting in a ground blind, watching a heard of elk feeding toward my blind when some jack hole with a red bow stood right in front of my blind. After a few pebbles were thrown at him to get his attention since he blocked my shooting lane, he said sorry and moved 50 yard to my right and stood out in the open and scared off the elk. Some people are just rude and I believe what goes around comes around. As far as the USFS is concerned, maybe the bulldozer they leave in the woods along with their other equipment is fair game since they leave it around on a regular basis. Wonder what they woud do if I collected their dozer next time. They too like all other government officals forget that they work for us, not the other way around. The forest belongs to all of us, not just some political body that tries to regulate it. Now off my soap box. In short keep your hands off other peoples stuff, or you might find yourself carrying around a stump someday! I swear I didn't know you were there until I felt those pebbles bouncing off my helmet and I sold that bow at my yard sale - I found a new one hanging next to a tree stand! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jeffcros Report post Posted October 14, 2011 Nice job Delta Bravo you started yet another enlightening topic! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kevin H Report post Posted October 17, 2011 I set up a blind and camera in unit 29. As I was checking the camera one weekend later, I was followed into my blind area by employees of one of the sponsoring outfitters on this site. They followed my footprints in the snow to my stand area where I was changing out memory cards and were just coming in ask me to move my truck as it was blocking the road. They were the only ones hunting that area but me and my friend. I checked the camera every week for a couple more weeks and was getting between 500 and 1500 photos a week, with some nice bucks coming by. When we showed up to hunt, I was stopped on the road by the outfitter and he handed me my camera. He said that the Forest Service was up in the area and was taking them down so he was trying to save mine. He gave it back with an empty memory card... what??? Then come to find out, his guide service had a stand set less than 200 yards further up from where mine had been set. Like someone else stated in this thread,karma is a beeyoch! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
