Public Land Lesson

[cbx46]

Well I went to check and move my trail cam on public land this a.m.. And I learned the public land lesson when I learned that my trail cam and battery pack had been stolen. Now I have seen many trail cams while scouting/hunting and have left them alone havent even looked at pics on them. I guess all people dont have the same moral values and ethics. The cameras aren a very remote section of public land on LI near a few homemade wooden stands. Which arent allowed on pubic land. Now I thought about destroying the stands being that I think I am intruding in someones "private" sanctuary. Because they are in some deep cover that not alot of people would venture into. So during the season I WILL be hunting that spot and if you would like to own up to stealing them we can handle it then. I seriously doubt that a member of this site is that type of person.

[bellmorekennels]

cbx, sounds like the guy with those stands didnt like anybody moving in on his area. When I used to hunt deer alot, I would only put out the cameras at night and remove the next morning, and even then Somebody stole 1. Also on private land that I have permission to hunt, I have had 3 metal tree stands stolen from me. Then the next season while rabbit hunting , I came accross 2 of them few miles away from where they were stolen. I have also had 4 of my beagles stolen from me,from my kennel, from a guy I knew for 15 years.

It is sad to say, but anytime something you have is vulnerable and unguarded, there is a good chance it will be stolen. Alot guys have jeoulasy issues and others are just plain A--holes that are thieves and refuse to buy their own equipment.

Sorry this happened to you, do not let it get to you, hunting season is too close.

bellmore

[sssurfertim]

Was this county land or the state owned DEC land?

[cbx46]

well thats the thing I know there are Aholes in every walk of life but the up side is it is public land and i did find awesome sign fresh rubs etc while looking for camera

[cbx46]

county land

[LIWaterman]

Sorry to hear cb. I have the bushnell trophy cam with the security case, I cable lock it to the tree. Think it adds a little bit of deterrent for would be thieves. Although if someone really wants to steal it they could come in with a pair of bolt cutters and make quick work. It's so hard on this Island to scout for new spots. It seems every time I say to myself, this would be a great spot for a stand I look up and what do you know.... One of my spots is private land that backs up to state land I put my cam out on the dec land got a picture of a real nice buck. unfortunately I realized later there is a stand within fifty yards of my cam site. The stand is on public land and I don't know how often its used, obviously the etiquette is to not use the stand but since its public land what is the protocol here?

Additionally since some of my stands are in spots that are clearly visited by other hunters I was entertaining the idea of putting a note on the seat of my stand with my phone number. Something to the effect that I know space is limited on the Island if you feel I am infringing on your spot please give me a call or if you must use this stand please call me to coordinate...

Season is soo close I can taste it. hung two really nice sets yesterday. Getting antsy

Edited September 18, 2011 by LIWaterman

[bellmorekennels]

LIwaterman, that would be a great idea, and in a perfect world that stand with note would be there when you want to go back. BUT, since your stand is an a heavily used area, I would get the thickest chain and lock you can find. Another thing I would do is put a cheap trail camera about 20 feet away, at the tree stand level, and really hide it well, so you can get pics or video of whomever goes up on your stand, I know a pain the neck to do, but if you have proof of anybody tampering with your stand, and then go back someday and find the same guy in the area, I would love to see him talk himself out of that.

GOOD LUCK, The Air feels COOL....

[Karpteach]

CBX, I've had the same experience, with stolen cameras. I lost 4 in one night. I thought I'd be slick and put them in at dusk so no one would see them. I went the next day and all where gone. I followed the foot prints to the road. There were two of them. Called DEC and the cops to have it legal. They found them on ebay 2 years later, was one of the neighbors who let me park my car in their driveway. It sux no matter who did the job.

[cbx46]

Etiquette my ass, obviously if your there ill keep moving. But just bc you are breaking rules and built a stand i dont care how long you have hunted there or where you live, it's public land im hunting deer sign I found in my climber as supposed to. So if I'm there I hope you carried in a climber just in case.

[cbx46]

looks like some sort of tornado cam thru that area trees snaped off at 6' in all diffrent directions. maybe the other night during that heavy wind.

[papabear]

I almost had me black lab OZ stolen from my truck two times once when I was getting hambergs for lunch the girl behind the counter saw me pull up and she told me a guy and girl was trying to take him out of the kennel the second time I was shopping for dinner for the wife and me when I was coming out of the store I saw two guys walking to there truck carrying him in his kennel when they saw me they dropped him and took off. I now lock the kennel door and lock the kennel to the trucks cap.

papabear

[JimmyDaSavage]

It really blows my mind how people Hunters or not can steal others property. I put my first trail cam ever up in August on public land and so far it is still there. I will take it down on the 28th of this month when I head out there one last time before the season. My friend put a note on his cam once that said I hope you find the other 5 cams watching you while you steal this one. Best of luck everyone this season

[cbx46]

I know you would think a general code of ethics would apply. Hey I'm originally from hicksville.

[DTG3k]

I bought my first trailcam a few weeks ago. I put it out on private land i have permission to hunt. Wanted to leave it there for 24 hours just to try it out. I go back the next day and the thing is gone. I talk to the owner and she says that they let mushroom pickers walk the property. I was pissed but what could i do. I just took it as a learned lesson. I get a call from my uncle yesterday, he was at the property and he has my camera. I wont know till later what happened to it and how he got it back for me. Check back later for an update.

[wdswtr]

Not to change this topic off thread but isnt it illegal to leave anything you brought into the woods with you on public land? Cameras included.

[pawle76]

Hey all you Long Island guys. I know how hard it is to find land to hunt on the Island since I'm a native L.I.'er myself. I grew up in East Meadow and went to Holy Trinity H.S. in Hicksville. Getting back to the reason for my post..... If anyone is interested in checking out a really nice area to bow hunt fire up your google earth and follow these directions: Take the L.I.E to the Manorville exit (forgot the number I wanna say 70 ? Not sure though) Make a right coming off the exit ramp go about 1/2 - 3/4 mile where the median starts in the middle of the road about 1/4 mile after that take the first left you can make across the highway that will be Hot Water st. It will turn into a dirt rd. take that dirt road for a mile or 2. I used to bow hunt on the right side. If you come to where there will be an intersection and a huge field turn around that was a private pheasant club property. There are dirt bike trails all through the woods which are great for getting to your spots quietly. There was a rumor that DEC was trying to take over that are but if they didn't it's not posted and can be hunted. Huge bucks out there also. Seen a monster on one of my last hunts there. If you have a GPS the coordinates for the turn off are 40*51'41.10" N by 72*46'07.55" W. I hope some of you guys find this useful and goodluck.It's a pretty big area so there is plenty to go around if you guys team up.

[First-light]

I hunted that property like 25 years ago. It's cool that it's still open to the public. Years ago I believe a fox hunting org used the property to chase a fox with dogs on horse back. They were called the Smithtown hunt.

Nice place, remember a lot of deer and grouse back then.

[Paula]

Hate thieves! My distrust in people is the reason i don't have alot of things for hunting, don't want them stolen. I want to buy a couple tree stands and cameras but why waste the money

[pawle76]

Yeah unfortunately it's something that a lot of us have to deal withif we leave stands,blinds or cameras in the field private land or not. The area where I hunt is private but there is a ton of State land and DEP properties so even though I know most of the hunters in my area who are landowners I also know there will be hunters I don't know. For that reason I usually won't leave a blind or stand up too long before I hunt it. I'll slip in about a day or two before to set up. I always see other hunters gear in the woods on public land but I won't touch it just because I know I would want the same respect back. Doesn't always happen though.

[Fitzy]

Be careful where you hunt in the area off Hot Water Street. The ECO's do patrol the area! You must have a permit from the DEC to hunt the state land. You must also have a permit from the county to hunt the county property. The private property is all posted.

I hunted there for a few years. Great potential but never many deer. The expressway and 111 seem to keep the numbers down! Good Luck.

[RichZ7]

Sorry to hear about the cam CB. That really sucks. I always worry about mine being taken also. I think next time I check mine I'm gonna put it up about 12-15' up in a tree angled down toward the trail. I know its still not theft proof but it will take a little more effort to steal it and it will be above eye level. There really is no way to keep them 100% theft proof but if the rotten bastards want to steal it they are going to have to get their lazy ass up the tree.Hopefully you get rewarded with a nice big buck this year.

[virgil]

Long Island is brutal. I used to have a great spot. My buddy and I hunted there for about six or seven years and saw deer all the time. Eventually, more and more hunters started using the land and the hunting deteriorated. There were a couple of older wooden stands in the woods and we used to use them. One year, someone toar them down and actually crapped on one of them- I'm not kidding. In the span of two years, the place was overrun with hunters and we barely saw any deer. Finally, I hunted out of my climber one morning and decided to leave the climber in the woods until the afternoon hunt. When I came back in the woods, my climber was gone. That was about four years ago. I was so annoyed. That incident was the final straw for me- I'd been wanting to buy land upstate for years and within two months of my treestand being stolen, i bought my land upstate. I shot a nice 8-pointer up there on the first day I hunted my new land. Haven't hunted on long island since.

[cbx46]

I ownland upstate but shooting out on LI after one of the kids footall games or a half day of work is alot easier then always going upstate.

[virgil]

Couldn't agree more. There's nothing better than a great morning hunt and getting home in plenty of time for a nap before the football games start. My land is 300 miles away- makes it difficult to get up there as much as I'd like for scouting and hunting.

[johnnydirt]

So basically you were out breaking the law and you were going to destroy someone else's stands?