well, i got my feeder and camera stolen again. this was the last year i was going to hunt public land, and i thought i did a realy good job of securing my stuff, buried REALLY deep in the woods....nope. brand new feeder and game cam, both locked with cables and locks, stolen this weekend. went out to hunt this weekend, and planned on taking my kids on their first deer hunt this saturday, but that's shot now.

idiots literally shot the locks off the feeder and camera box with 00 buck shot. gone...

i'm so sick of this. i can't afford a lease, so i try my hardest to scout the best i can, put a little 5 gallon feeder up, and put up the cam actually to deter the theives, but all that happens is i get my stuff stolen, and ruins my season.

i'm done. this world has went to hell in a handbasket. sick and tired of people with no morals.

Man, that sucks! Sorry to hear that. Like you said, it's the world we live in now, unfortunately.

wow man, really sorry to hear that. that is ridiculous

That is just BS
Too bad you would go to jail for booby trapping it.
Nothing worse than a thief!

I would still go hunt. Just wouldn't leave anything up.
Well, with my kids in the woods with people like that?
I certainly would go well armed.

Sorry dude, but did you really expect your stuff to be there with all of the thieves in the world and TX looking to make a few $$$ for drugs or the way the economy is going now just to feed the family?

I'm sorry to hear that. I hate thieves with a passion. I wouldn't give up on hunting though.

Instead of using a feeder, maybe try hand tossing corn. It'll take some extra work on your part, but it'll get the deer movin. As far as camera goes, if you really want it out there, maybe put it real high up out of sight? All in all, I hope you can get back out there.

I didn't know you could corn on public land

+1
If it was on public land, the wardens etc can and will confiscate whatever they find. Doubt they would with 00 buck shot though.
Thieves do suck and they usually get what they have coming to them in the end.

Welcome to the new America. The one filled with non ethical people who want everything handed to them just because they think they deserve it. Makes me sick!

I'm sorry to hear. I don't mean this to sound rude but I'm sure the game cam, feeder, locks and corn were ~300 bucks. For 300 more you can get on a lease in east tx and will have a portion to yourself. It will be timber land but at least you might have a better idea who is around you.
Sorry again to hear that.

IF i read the regs right it is against the law to bait on public land it that correct???

And sorry about your stuff getting stolen sucks, had my feeders and camera's stolen off of my land a couple of years ago..

that sucks bad. not sure i'd put my gear on public land though

Well not sure if its legal to bait on the public land your at..but Lake Lavon is legal for baiting hogs..I use PVC gavity feeders and no one wants to steal some PVC so there allways there..as far as a cam goes I would never do it..those camera locks and houseing suck..I do use a camera if Im going to come back that same day or early morning I will put one out.but at that point Im watching who is going in and out..sorry man dont give up just get smarter..I got a buddy that uses his climber stand goes 30ft up and ties off a feeder and then to anouther tree he is literally crazy though

Dont give up,,,,they win if you do ! In this day and time you cant leave anything out for the meth heads to pawn. Its a fast 20 bux for them on craigs list and they are happy. Keep hunting,,,,do not give up.

Keep after it!!

It's not worth hanging the season on something like this.

Depends of unit for baiting. Some are legal.

I herd baiting on public land is not permitted. If so the game warden may have your stuff.

Each public land is different on the Corning but not so sure you can have a feeder and stand set up like private property. Most public lands are different than others weapons access passes registering game killed ect...Park rangers will load stuff up if it doesn't follow the rules cause other hunters will turn in a complaint. Our public land around my house allows baiting but no permanent stand or feeders. Ground stands can be made from old fallen branches or something you pack it in and pack it out. I wouldn't give up hunting might swap sections check ruling and don't get discouraged about all of it.

Good luck man hope you and your kids shoot a good one!!!

Huge bummer there, hunter man. I've had cameras stolen on private land, had my apartment cleaned out by thugs, it happens.
From a legal perspective, if you leave your gear out on public property past the allotted time set by the state, it can be considered abandoned and then becomes public property for the taking. Not accusing you of anything, we don't know where you are talking about, but I could see other hunters viewing that as an unfair advantage over people who pack their stuff out on time, if your area has such a rule.

Still doesn't make it right, and sorry again about your stuff.

Don't give up

too bad i'm not in east texas! i'd jump on that for sure, but i only had about 150$ into the stuff i had... spread out over 3 months for purchases. cheapest lease i've found close by is 1750 per year. maybe in a couple years. i can't afford to drive hundreds of miles to kill deer.

and to clarify, there are rules for feeding and putting blinds on public property, which are vague, but i follow what i've been told by the local lake and park patrol that patrols out there. they said that as long as i have it marked, and don't leave it out there for more than 72 hrs at a time, i'm ok. it's not texas state public property... it's army corp of engineer land that is leased by the city, and the public are allowed to hunt on. the laws are strange... for instance, army corp land you can use slugs on, but where i hunt, although it's corp land, you can only use buckshot.

i will still dove hunt there, because it's a 10 min drive from my home, but i'll be damned if i ever deer hunt out there again. not worth it. my kids were so excited to go out for their first time ever this year, but it's not worth it now. im not upset because it ruined MY year, i'm upset because it ruined theirs.

Try putting your game cams high in the tree so they are facing downwards at an angle. You may gave to do some climbing or a ladder but most people wont look up for a game cam unless they are a professional game cam thief.

Here is what is in the public hunting book. It does not cover corp of engineer or USFS land not in the booklet -

• baits wildlife (see DEFINITIONS) on public hunting lands,
except when performed in conjunction with the use of traps
or snares for taking furbearers and predatory animals, or as
otherwise authorized by the department for a specific unit,
activity and time period;
• hunts over a baited area except as authorized by the
department for a specific unit, activity, and time period;

Most units don't allow baiting during deer season. But most do allow baiting for hogs in the spring or other times of the year. San Angelo SP is an exception. As noted, this does not cover Corp of Engineer land.