Stopping with hunting gear in truck

When I am traveling with someone, we always have one watching the gear while the other goes inside, but what do you do when alone? I try to make sure the only stops I'm gonna need is to get gas. If I cant hold it and need to use the rest room, I try to stop somewhere that isn't super busy and ask the attendant to watch the truck for me. Of course everything is locked up but you know what locks are good for. One trip last year I needed to grab just a couple of things at a grocery store and the last place was the little spring market in merkel, I saw a couple of guys mowing the property, one was messing with a weedeater by the truck so I pulled up next to him and asked if he would watch my stuff as I would be in & out quickly he said yes and all was good. But it just makes me uneasy, I hate thieves! What do y'all do? just say the heck with it?

When we travel to matches or going hunting with a lot of gear, we stop and one of us is always watching and staying with the gear all the time. If by your self, I stop where I can see the truck 100% of the time. I will select a restaurant or stopping place based on the view of the vehicle from inside. I personally know several match shooters who have been broken into minutes of parking a vehicle at a restaurant. One guy I know (won't say names on here) was driving with a group, and went inside a restaurant. Someone forgot something in the vehicle and went back outside minutes after being there, and they stole ALL their gear in the back of an SUV- rifles, LRF, Kestrel's, ammo, you name it, gone in minutes. When I have a customer rifle, I'm even more diligent about watching it and taking care of it.

That's why I always have a camper shell on my truck. It is really nice to be able to lock stuff up in the back. It's not exactly Fort Knox, but it will keep folks from just reaching in the back and swiping stuff.

Truck bed draw system with lock, and camper shell with look and tailgate lock.

Can’t see the good stuff, it’s in drawers.

Plus GPS locator on truck if stolen.

The gun insurance people suggest NOT putting hunting/gun (Glock, etc.) stickers on your rear window. That's just advertising what's in there.

Theres no doubt what I'm doing when I go hunting. The trailer with Mule and diamond plate dog box kinda gives it away. And even though everything is locked, It don't take long for someone to pop open a tool box or dog box and be gone with a dog or several thousand dollars in equipment.

I haven't ever had anything messed with while hunting but I had my toolbox popped open and a chitload of tools stolen once at work and I had only walked away for just a few minutes.

Or drive a 4x4 3/4 truck with off road tires and mesquite pinstripes

Havent traveled alone in quite some time. If with the wife usually one of us stays with the truck with the youngest in her car seat. When we stop to eat I make sure I can see the vehicle from inside. I eat standing if I have to in order to see the truck/trailer.

Last time I drove by myself I would stop for gas and pull to a remote part of the parking lot to wiz instead of going inside.

I drive a dirty as hell white crew cab dodge tradesman with no stickers, im sure most think its a work truck and not loaded with hunting gear. I also keep it out of site and out of mind as much as possible.

My new (to me) truck came with a locking bed cover, Retrax. I leave that closed at all times and lock it if there is anything of value in the bed of my truck. My tailgate locks when I lock the doors. Out of sight, out of mind.

I also try not to stop on trips where I have guns in the truck and like has said before, never let the truck out of my sight or have someone that I know stand guard. I wouldn't ask a complete stranger that's mowing an adjacent lot to keep an eye on my expensive stuff.

I also agree with the no stickers statement above. I don't understand why people advertise that they are likely carrying. My cool stickers are on my beer fridge in the garage.

I would never ask some random dude to watch my stuff. That is just advertising to some random dude that there is expensive stuff in there.

I'm as careful as I can be. Rifles are always inside the truck, and at the bottom of the pile of whatever is packed. Truck is locked, no "I'm a hunter and gun owner" stickers. Sometimes, you just can't avoid leaving the truck unattended and not watched. When that happens, you just have to know that you have done the best you can to keep the thieves at bay.

is there a middle finger emoji?

No but it does smell like smoke and have a "charcoal" look to it

I travel alone a lot when hunting. First and foremost, I put as much inside as possible, especially weapons. I typically know where I'm stopping for gas and will park right up front where the most eyes (and cameras) are if I have to go inside for any reason. Food is either via gas station or drive-thru. If I have anything in back I try to have it netted or tarped. NO STICKERS. And last but not least, LTC.

Was just an ol country boy working hard for his pay. I had no concern with him stealing anything. Ended up bs ing with him for 30 minutes when I came back out. Was a hunter / fisherman and just all around good ol boy.

I don't have any hunting or gun related stickers on my truck, and I always make it a point to dress like I just came from the house rather than the deer stand when stopping at stores. I'll also make it a point to go to my lease first and put things in my locked trailer before going into town so whatever items I have in the truck bed don't make it obvious that I'm a hunter.

Guns and optics inside.
Just do like most and keep a vigilant eye on it. It’s never out of sight except for the few minutes I am in the RR.

It’s a pain to bring your stuff inside the motel room on overnight stops but I do it.

It really ticks me off that I have to think about it so much but it is what it is....

Yes, sometimes it's just a simple matter of asking yourself why you would leave something in a public place behind glass that you otherwise keep locked away at home in an expensive safe.

When Cleric and I stopped last year going to Colorado, we specifically chose a hotel with a gated parking garage for our one overnight-on-the-road stay. Backed both trucks in against a sheltered corner that had a camera nearby.

I don't ever worry about it, I leave my pit bull in the truck.

I always keep everything totally out of sight, covered up with quilt, coats, feed sacks, etc. Just looks like a work or ranch truck ...

Heres a tip for those staying at motels. Get a battery powered driveway alarm. A really good one isn't expensive and quietly warns you if someone is near your stuff. Great for boats too.

"Stopping with hunting gear in truck". By this I take it you mean both in your truck bed and inside the cab? If I can avoid it, I put nothing in my truck bed. That's an open invitation in my book for someone to steal it. Not a matter of if, but when. If you are traveling alone then it's even more risky. Canopy, lock box, locking tailgate or a lockable truck bed net would all be a wise investment. Without something like those...…..well.....

If it won't fit any where else other than the truck bed it gets locked closed inside a lock box if possible and then the lock box gets locked to the tie down hooks inside the truck bed. I am super anal about this and yes it takes time and is annoying to do this but........it's at least a deterrent. Though I don't want anything stolen from me, it's the less expensive/important stuff that does get put in the truck bed (coolers, groceries, chairs, etc). All of the weapons, optics, expensive stuff goes inside the cab "out of sight out of mind". At the end of the day, if someone wants it bad enough they will at least make an attempt.

If anybody ever hit the Shopping basket in Coleman on opening weekend it would be a bad day for a lot of folks. So far no issues, but it's always in the back of my mind.

I always have someone driving for me, but we still load all guns and anything of value inside of the cab, It is 75 miles one way, from driveway to the gate, rarely do we stop on the trip down.

You could put on a BETO sticker, maybe Coexist or something like that. A thief would look at it and think, "No guns here".

No way. That's why I do my shopping the night before I leave so I only stop for gas.

When together, we can stop for gas and take turns peeing. Subway is great for lots of windows and fast food, and back on the road. Otherwise, if by myself, I pull up right to the front door, lock the truck, and am only in there for 2-3 minutes. At night at motels, I try to park under bright light or outside the room, gun case and optics bag come in. They can have all the dirty sweaty camo if they really want!

I never stop for very long and only go inside to eat where I can see my truck. I do try to put my rifle/pack on the floorboard but I don't think it takes a detective to figure out most of us that are going hunting. I think pit stops at Bass Pro, Cabelas, etc. with a loaded down truck pulling a four wheeler is just asking for it.

Cable locks on the coolers, guns in the hotel room, Jimmi Jammers on the door handles, keyhole delete plates, and full coverage insurance. At some point you have to just do the best you can and let it ride.

If I'm going to the lease, two German Shepherds in the back seat eliminates any cause for concern entirely.

I stopped in for late lunch at Mary's in Strawn on Sunday of opening weekend and about everyone in the place was wearing camo. Probably most were on their way back to DFW following morning hunts. I remember thinking at the time that a thief would have a field day in that parking lot.

To me, best you can do is keep stuff out of sight and try to stay in highly visible locations with limited time away from vehicle.

I never leave the truck period.