What would you do???

[Hilljackoutlaw]

Went up the mountain today to scout a little and hang cameras. And I walked up on about 100lbs of corn on the ground and a camera on a tree. It's illegal to feed/bait animals in this area (bears included)

Would you:
A. Call fish and game
B. Setup another camera for a trap
C. Take the camera and leave a note saying be happy the camera is all you will lose and I should turn you in so you lose your license to
D. All the above

This guy didnt work to hard to put this corn somewhere secluded. I parked my truck and walked less than 200 yards out the same trail i always walk and there it was. He is either really damn stupid or unaware that what he is doing is illegal.
(If this is someone on the forum I have your ghetto camera)

 

[rtraverdavis]

Easy. Call Game and Fish, give them the coordinates. Unless you have a cape, and are ready to be Batman.

 

[BearFoot]

Easy. Call Game and Fish, give them the coordinates. Unless you have a cape, and are ready to be Batman.

Ditto

 

[sharpshooter97]

So you stole a game camera? I get that it’s an illegal set but you also are in the wrong here. Should have the warden deal with it, two wrongs don’t make a right.

 

[Muskeez]

Take the SD card from the camera, erase the pics of yourself, return it after calling the CO to deal with it. Probably just uneducated fella. Won't be hard for CO to catch the guy with his own cameras on the road and trail.

 

[Losing_Sanity]

Should call fish and game. Dont know what area, and I'm sure you double checked the regulations, but bear season just ended in some areas and they have time to clear out a bait site. Also, might be dog training going on. But, still you dont have a right to vandalize or steal someone's property. Good luck!

 

[Deleted member 38069]

Option E, put out a case of beer near this corn and place a camera up!

Joking aside, I would call the fish and game.

 

[pabearhunter]

Public land call Fish and Game. Private land I would call land owner. If it is private was it posted.

 

[Mallardsx2]

Easy. Call Game and Fish, give them the coordinates. Unless you have a cape, and are ready to be Batman.

Ditto.

 

[LCH]

Thieves and poachers fall into the same category IMO. I would return the camera, then report to F&G.

 

[Hilljackoutlaw]

Thieves and poachers fall into the same category IMO. I would return the camera, then report to F&G.

I'm delivering the camera with the coordinates and pics of the setup to fish and game today. Fish and game is a little late to the party alot of times after things are reported so I wasnt gonna leave the camera up for the law breaker to collect his spoils. Coming from someone who has multiple cams stolen every year no matter if its locked on, in a box, or just plain hanging there. I know the feeling so I wouldn't just take someone's camera without reason. I have no service where I was and got back into cell service after midnight so this morning is the quickest I can get it reported.

There is no spring or fall bear seasons in this unit. Never has been. So if it was dog training it's a piss poor place to do it.

The sentiment for this person's camera being taken down because it was an illegal setup is surprising to me. Fair warning if you have an illegal bait setup and a camera on it. I will take your camera down and give it to fish and game along with pics of setup and coordinates to setup.

 

[Hilljackoutlaw]

If fish and game is serious about catching them they should be up there today with some cameras in a hidden setup to catch the guy. I have little faith in them to be prompt tho.
I reported a mysterious dead bull moose last year and asked if I could have antlers if there was no foul play involved. Well fish and game never even went to the site and a month later the antlers were removed by someone else.
Dont take this as a slam on fish and game I respect them a great deal. I just know they can get really busy and certain things can take a back seat to others sometimes.

 

[88man]

I find it hard to believe people recommending stealing someone else's property.

 

[Hilljackoutlaw]

I find it hard to believe people recommending stealing someone else's property.

Giving an illegal camera setup to fish and game is a long long long ways from stealing. What do you think fish and game will do with the camera if they catch him? Give it back to him? possibly and they have it to do that if they do their job, but I'm assuming they will just confiscate the camera. IMO if fish and game fails to catch the person at least they are punished a little bit by losing their camera to an evidence locker. If I left it there and just called in the coordinates the culprit has a good chance to get his camera before fish and game ever arrives to investigate the site.

 

[sharpshooter97]

Giving an illegal camera setup to fish and game is a long long long ways from stealing. What do you think fish and game will do with the camera if they catch him? Give it back to him? possibly and they have it to do that if they do their job, but I'm assuming they will just confiscate the camera. IMO if fish and game fails to catch the person at least they are punished a little bit by losing their camera to an evidence locker. If I left it there and just called in the coordinates the culprit has a good chance to get his camera before fish and game ever arrives to investigate the site.

I’d dissagree, I think most would say that taking someone elses’s property regardless of the situation is still stealing. You‘re just trying to justify it by taking the law into your own hands.

 

[Hilljackoutlaw]

I’d dissagree, I think most would say that taking someone elses’s property regardless of the situation is still stealing. You‘re just trying to justify it by taking the law into your own hands.

The law is not in your favor here regardless of your feelings.
If someone takes my treestand or camera off of public ground it's not stealing. It would be considered abandoned property because I left it there. This exactly why fish and game does nothing about the 9 cameras and 3 treestands I have had stolen.

 

[LCH]

@Hilljackoutlaw

My concern would be if it could be a totally legit activity. Example, I've been reported for hunting deer at night multiple times when I was shooting pigs. Also been harassed for hunting deer out of season in special reduction zones here in Indiana, that have different season dates, by people who didn't know the regs. So I personally tend to shy away from any semblance of vigilante justice when all facts are not present.

 

[JLDemo]

Call game and fish, don't do anything else. Taking the camera was a mistake IMO but I won't lose any sleep over it. Should've left it alone so the individual wouldn't be the wiser that someone is on to him. Unless he is oblivious and goes to game and fish because someone swipped his camera, hilarity would ensue. Have you gone to game and fish yet? Curious on how it plays out.

 

[sharpshooter97]

The law is not in your favor here regardless of your feelings.
If someone takes my treestand or camera off of public ground it's not stealing. It would be considered abandoned property because I left it there. This exactly why fish and game does nothing about the 9 cameras and 3 treestands I have had stolen.

That’s to bad you’ve had things stolen, still doesn’t make it right to take the camera. Hence the reason not one comment here agrees with taking it.

 

[Hilljackoutlaw]

Call game and fish, don't do anything else. Taking the camera was a mistake IMO but I won't lose any sleep over it. Should've left it alone so the individual wouldn't be the wiser that someone is on to him. Unless he is oblivious and goes to game and fish because someone swipped his camera, hilarity would ensue. Have you gone to game and fish yet? Curious on how it plays out.

Heading there now. I'll post update when done there.