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Isnt camera theft legal?

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Its to my understanding when you leave possesions on USFS land without a permit, you relinquish rights to the said property. I hear all the time forest service removing tree stands, cameras, etc... So can anything really be done legally? Has anyone else heard of this? or am i just out in LaLa land? In a way it actually makes sense, who are we to leave our crap all over the forest? also it distrupts wildlife, maybe some deer dies cause he's in dire need of a drink but wont go to a waterhole cause it flashes at him every time. Bet im right...

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Hug a tree don't hang a camera on it Right!! :D :D

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Its to my understanding when you leave possesions on USFS land without a permit, you relinquish rights to the said property. I hear all the time forest service removing tree stands, cameras, etc... So can anything really be done legally? Has anyone else heard of this? or am i just out in LaLa land? In a way it actually makes sense, who are we to leave our crap all over the forest? also it distrupts wildlife, maybe some deer dies cause he's in dire need of a drink but wont go to a waterhole cause it flashes at him every time. Bet im right...

 

I hope this was written tongue-in-cheek!

 

You could be right, there are a lot of stupid loopholes in are laws; I don't know the legal details on this.

 

What I do know is the difference between right and wrong. Taking another person's property is wrong, regardless of whether a loophole in the law allows it. There are a lot of good poeple in this world who know what is right and wrong, none of them are camera theives!

 

If you feel OK stealing cameras, that tells me a lot about who you are. You may not get in trouble with the law, but...karma is a fickel bitch!

 

Have you ever thought of running for congress, you'd fit right in.

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Its to my understanding when you leave possesions on USFS land without a permit, you relinquish rights to the said property. I hear all the time forest service removing tree stands, cameras, etc... So can anything really be done legally? Has anyone else heard of this? or am i just out in LaLa land? In a way it actually makes sense, who are we to leave our crap all over the forest? also it distrupts wildlife, maybe some deer dies cause he's in dire need of a drink but wont go to a waterhole cause it flashes at him every time. Bet im right...

 

I don't know the details to any laws as far as this matter goes but if it is illegal to have a camera on a tree and the law give the FS the authority to takes it then I would guess that there isn't much you could do about it.

 

As far as somebody other than the FS who just happens to find another person's camera out in the forest, the legalities really are irrelevant to the issue. Regardless of what the law says you do not have any right to take anything that does not belong to you. What it really boils down to is basic right and wrong and respect for others. If you are even somewhat of a decent person and have any kind of understanding of respect for others then you don't need any law to tell you whether or not to mess with or take something that doesn't belong to you.

 

As far as cameras "disrupting wildlife", your statement screams of your ignorance. :rolleyes: I have never put a camera on a waterhole but I assure you that a camera at a water hole WILL NOT keep game from drinking.

 

-Tracy

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There's something to be said about using common sense,and respecting someone else's property{trail cam}.What we be the difference between taking a trail camera,and stealing a whole camp while I was out hunting.If it's not yours it's stealing,and I hope to god that I don't catch you.Cliff

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Your statement screams ignorance as there is hundreds of pics of all kinds of animals at water holes posted in the trail cam forum. As to the rest of your statement, "I DON'T HAVE ANY WORDS TO SAY."

Its to my understanding when you leave possesions on USFS land without a permit, you relinquish rights to the said property. I hear all the time forest service removing tree stands, cameras, etc... So can anything really be done legally? Has anyone else heard of this? or am i just out in LaLa land? In a way it actually makes sense, who are we to leave our crap all over the forest? also it distrupts wildlife, maybe some deer dies cause he's in dire need of a drink but wont go to a waterhole cause it flashes at him every time. Bet im right...

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never said right or wrong. i hunt 23. i know more about stolen stuff than anyone should know. treestands,steps, blinds, cooking knives, lanterns, even my dang sleeping bag! and yes, you can call to report when something has been stolen while you are there. now that i think about it, i think tonto told me bout the "nothing they can do" over a treestand. whatever, ill call tomarrow and post. oh, as far as the ignorant comment goes, seriously, your defending a piece of plastic. who cares if im wrong? its made in TAIWAN!

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Forest service takes a bunch of them every year. I ran into forest service a few years back in unit 27 and the back of his truck was full of treestands and trail cams. He claimed that after 48hrs it was ababdonded.

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Right is right and wrong is wrong. Your Title says it all ... "theft". Theft is theft. What is legal or not legal is irrelevant. There are plenty of things that are legal that are morally questionable.

 

A few years ago my buddy found a revolver in a mud puddle alongside a trail. He rode around camps to ask people if they'd lost anything. He posted on multiple websites to see if anyone would claim it. He ended up turning it in to the police as "lost". After 6 months he called them to see if it had been claimed, which it had not. Only at that point did he feel he'd done enough to return the gun to its original owner. See the difference? Someone putting a camera on a tree is not losing or abandoning it. They know where it is and will return for it.

 

Now if you want to get into a debate on whether tree cameras should be used/allowed ... that is something else entirely. I sit on the fence on that one ... is it ethical to track animals and establish patterns via a device that never sleeps. Not sure I agree with that either. I've always used my own peepers ... except to keep track of what ferral cats are coming into the backyard at night. Have to admit though, I do enjoy seeing some of the huge animals that people get on film.

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Its to my understanding when you leave possesions on USFS land without a permit, you relinquish rights to the said property. I hear all the time forest service removing tree stands, cameras, etc... So can anything really be done legally? Has anyone else heard of this? or am i just out in LaLa land? In a way it actually makes sense, who are we to leave our crap all over the forest? also it distrupts wildlife, maybe some deer dies cause he's in dire need of a drink but wont go to a waterhole cause it flashes at him every time. Bet im right...

 

 

dANG-IT!!!

 

I watched a newer 4x4 one year that was stuck and was there for almost a week ( should have got it out and it would have been MINE :lol: :lol: ). Maybe next time I'll have a newer truck next time :D Kinda like of the same thinking huh? BET I'M RIGHT

 

Tell Obama high for me!

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Forest service takes a bunch of them every year. I ran into forest service a few years back in unit 27 and the back of his truck was full of treestands and trail cams. He claimed that after 48hrs it was ababdonded.

 

 

I had a USFS employee tell me last week that it's illegal to use trail cameras....I said "what do you mean illegal?" and he said you can't leave anything in the forest for more than 24 hrs! Hmmmmm....it seems we all get different answers from different USFS employees. Seems to depend on the region/district. Some seem more tolerant of trail cams than others.

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yeah, and they said the wallow fire would burn itself out too. wait, they were right. just took awhile. if you ask 20 usfs guys you'll probly get 20 different answers. same with the azgfd. depends on who's interpreting it. that's why there are so many lawyers. i can see trail cameras being regulated and permitted sometime. enough guys will complain about them getting taken and guys will get in enough fights over who was there first that they will have to step in and regulate it somehow or another. i enjoy seeing the photos tho. Lark.

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Theres a fine line between legal and ethical. That line has been debated over and over on this site. Just because the law has no definate answer on trailcams, treestands, blinds or whatever left on public land that doesnt give anyone the right to claim the property INCLUDING forest service. If they feel so strong about "abandoned" items left at water holes etc. then why am I constantly picking up other peoples trash. Forest service should be picking up all the garbage too. Just my two cents.

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So, if the Forest Service parks a water tanker or dozer in the forest for over 24 hours, I can claim it? Interesting...

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