Lets talk about securing cameras to trees

[kfd82]

If you had cameras in a high traffic area, people walking through your place or even rigged up to watch your house, how would you secure them to prevent theft.

I have a friend that runs several cameras on his lease and they are turning up missing. Seems like as soon as someone notices them, they steal the camera. I'd like to give him a few ideas.
He has used cable locks along with metal boxes, and has used nothing but good ol "hide it real good" tactics. Neither has been very successful.

I can find out the camera model if that will matter, but I'm hoping there are some general ideas that will work no matter the model.
Thanks!

[Ætheling]

If you had cameras in a high traffic area, people walking through your place or even rigged up to watch your house, how would you secure them to prevent theft.

I have a friend that runs several cameras on his lease and they are turning up missing. Seems like as soon as someone notices them, they steal the camera. I'd like to give him a few ideas.
He has used cable locks along with metal boxes, and has used nothing but good ol "hide it real good" tactics. Neither has been very successful.

I can find out the camera model if that will matter, but I'm hoping there are some general ideas that will work no matter the model.
Thanks!

Find one made of steel instead of plastic. Until they start making them that way hiding them is the only thing that will work.

[bwssr]

can he screw them to the tree?...a metal lock box, lags thru the back, into the tree, then pad locked closed?

[.243 WSSM]

can he screw them to the tree?...a metal lock box, lags thru the back, into the tree, then pad locked closed?

If it's public land I don't think I wouldn't be doing this to trees

[bwssr]

If it's public land I don't think I wouldn't be doing this to trees

this is why I asked...

[d_e_smith]

If someone wants a camera they'll take it regardless of what you do. What's it matter to them if they mess up a camera they don't own in the process.

[buckmastertexas]

At this point, someone needs to be caught. If it's in the budget, I would say a dog tracker put deep inside the camera, might be the ticket. They can then track it down with GPS and have a heart to heart with them.

[splitfinger]

Buy you some of the angle mounts from Primos and hang them higher up in a tree and angle the camera downward. Unless the perp looks straight at it they may never know their picture is being taken. I've used these and they work great. They also give a different perspective to the angle shots for game.

Good luck.

Doug

[bowhuntertex]

PUt them high up in a tree where a ladder is needed to get to them and then point them dowm. Might be the only way to catch them. I would also think about getting some dummy cameras (old ones that don't really work anymore and place a good camera high up in a tree monotoring the dummy camera. And the text message cameras are golden because they will send the picture before a theif has a chance to take them. Although they are pricey and no guarantee you will get it back.

[tex4k]

GoPro on a dog collar mounted on a Rottweiler? Probably wouldn't work worth a darn for game pics though.

[kfd82]

Great suggestions, thanks yall.

[texan4ut]

I had one stolen at Lake Georgetown. While I know it is public land and I was taking a risk it still ticked me off not so much the camera but the loss of the photos. I am going to try and design a steel box that will protect the camera and be mounted in such a way that you will need tools to remove it. It will be metric hardware with star head bolts. Most folks won't be walking through the woods with that stuff. Another thing I thought about. Ransomware. Computer guru's might know if there is away to install a ransomware file under say a file name such as camp photos, then when the thief steals the camera takes the card and puts it in his computer, if they open the camp photo file it locks all of the files on his computer and displays a number he will need to call to get his files unlocked. Return camera get your files back. Just a thought.

[Tony Pic]

My son uses Spy Point Cams that where the cam and the brain that records the pics are in two different places. So even if the cam(s) goes missing...Pics are still be taken and sent to the brain hidden somewhere else within reason. Now there are limitations on where the brain can go. It has to be on the same plane and the better the trail cam, the greater the distance reporting to brain.
I also use my old trail cams that don't work and screw them up on the trees. Right through the body of the cam. Wether or not they work, is all in the mind of the trespasser.