I can't wait to see some of your pics JHAP, maybe I missed it but when do you think you'll get back to retrieve your photos?
As soon as possible. For obvious reasons I don't post when I will and will not be at the property since the theft occurred.
JHAP, hopefully you checked your camera positions after installing them. Sometimes people that set em up for the first time get lots of pictures of grass, limbs, etc that blow in the wind.....
This will undoubtly be the case. Although I trimmed tree limbs in the trees in which the cameras were installed there is no way that I can eliminate all of the limbs and of course grass that could trigger the cameras. Keep in mind the primary purpose of my cameras is for security. Therefore I had to mount them above normal game height (otherwise anyone could steal the camera) and have them pointing downward. Much of my property is heavly forrested and there is simply no way that I could eliminate false triggering of the camera. I'm fairly sure that I will have thousands of photos of branches and grass movement but using a lap top we'll be able to screen photos fairly quickly.
Mostly this is going to be a test of the sucessfulness of the security measures implimented on my property. I have multiple parties randomly stopping in at my place now and hopefully between the cameras and ramdom property patrols I have sent a message to others. Only time will tell.
As and also and besides I have learned an imense amount about rural theft prevention. I found out that there has been a sharp increase in theft in agricultural communities. The prime theft targets are agricultural equipment, metal, chemicals, even crops. Many state Ag departments are working with Sheriff departments to create programs designed to thwart Ag theft.
There is now a nationwide program (established by the FBI and supported by many Sheriff departments) to use an identification number that is applied by the property owner (referred to as an "owner applied number" or O.A.N.) that is recorded in the National Crime Information Center database which can be accessed by various law enforcement agencies. This number allows law enforcement agencies to pinpoint the property owner within any state and county in the U.S. Using this number if your property is stolen in California and is taken to Nevada to be sold a Sheriffs department in Nevada could identify the California property owner.
For anyone that has any significant amount of equipment on their property I highly recommend this procedure. There are tire branding devices and permanent ink stamps available to mark equipment. Also available are warning signs that state "Warning Farm Watch Program in Force, Farm Items Marked for Identification by the Sheriffs Dept." and the good news is that there is no requirement to have an active farm, you only need to own property in a rural area.
