Bigtex Posted November 9, 2014 Author Share Posted November 9, 2014 We had a good evening, got tech stuff set up late afternoon, got settled in blind about 8, and noticed red dot on nearby hillside. We put the thermal imager on it, and almost certainly poachers, so we left....would rather face Bigfoot;) Retrieving tech gear later today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigtex Posted November 10, 2014 Author Share Posted November 10, 2014 I retrieved my gear from Saturday night, including one of my home-made camera traps, and some quality audio equipment hidden nearby. I had set up both earlier around 2:00PM, and was on my way to turn the audio on at 9:00PM to insure that the batteries would record all night......but we saw the poachers, and never turned it on, how I regret not having that audio now. The camera must have taken a photo that someone didn't want. When I got my rig home, the camera wouldn't rewind, so off to the dark room I went. The film canister was all chewed up, and the film inside was missing. For those of you who remember 35mm, you can pull the film out without chewing it up. Also, everything was all put back and neat inside the camera box, as shown. I had also found the game-cam exactly how I had left it strapped on the tree, with fresh-cut tree limbs woven around it to help conceal........nothing out of the ordinary, and I notice detail Probably just the poachers, and polite ones at that for not stealing or destroying my equipment, but wouldn't they just take the film......why pull the film out, bite the cannister, and then put back in the camera? Also, we had spotted the poachers in a stationary ambush position on the other side of a fairy deep ravine, and at least a mile away, no where near the set up location. This is one for Sherlock Holmes......a real head scratcher. I called a cop buddy to come over and check for any odd prints on the box or film cannister, or residual from the bite.......he's gonna think I'm crazy when he gets here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WSA Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 Wait a sec Tex..you lost me. You say the film cannister was BITTEN? Hard to see evidence of that from your photos. Why do you think teeth did that damage? I agree it is really strange why somebody just didn't pocket the whole film cartridge. Like, you wouldn't notice that the carttridge was empty or something? Maybe somebody found it lying out on the ground, film gone, and replaced it in the camera without realizing it was empty? A real puzzler, I agree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigtex Posted November 10, 2014 Author Share Posted November 10, 2014 PM me your email, and can send a larger version with more detail......either squared teeth or a large flat screw driver. This was a remote and carefully chosen location. When I went to retrieve, didn't notice anything unusual about it, and the smaller tree limbs used to conceal the box were still in place. This just doesn't seem like something a poacher would do. I am VERY thankful to whoever for not stealing or busting up my rig:) You don't need to smash or bite these canisters to pull the film out, and plenty of film would still have been out of canister inside camera......why leave the marks? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigtex Posted November 11, 2014 Author Share Posted November 11, 2014 Here's another picture of the film canister with the 3 flat screwdriver or flat teeth marks in red, and the film opening was evenly compressed from the pressure. If this was done before the film was pulled from the canister, it would have caused the film to jam. Also, the canister compression looks to be done with one act, not three different whacks with a screwdriver, or whatever was used. Maybe the poachers have a 'poachers code', and don't steal or damage Game-Cams from other poachers? I am not a hunter, so hard for me to understand the thinking involved. It was just strange to see the damaged film canister back in the camera, and is the only part that I am trying to figure out. To me, I felt that a message was being sent, and was my initial response when I first saw he canister. You hunters out there, please give me your opinion on this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SWWASAS Posted November 11, 2014 BFF Patron Share Posted November 11, 2014 Bigtex: I had another thought that it might not be poachers. You announced loud and clear on this forum what you were going to do and when. Perhaps next time you deploy the cameras do it without any prior announcement or electronic communication of any kind to anyone before hand. MIB and I have some unvalidated theories about that kind of thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigtex Posted November 11, 2014 Author Share Posted November 11, 2014 That's certainly a possibility, but wouldn't it be extremely difficult to know exactly where? The closest place to park is quite a ways away, and finding this location would be extremely difficult........I would hate to think that a fellow 'footer would do something like this, or are you leaning towards someone more official? Still, why damage the canister after pulling film? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cotter Posted November 11, 2014 Share Posted November 11, 2014 Just reading intently. Interesting development there. How hard would it be to find the fenced off area? Could it be that you were caught on some game cams as well? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigtex Posted November 11, 2014 Author Share Posted November 11, 2014 (edited) I just got back from scouting the Game-Cam tree area, and now that I know to be looking very carefully, it only deepens the mystery for me. The other day setting up, I was careful of my own prints, and made the other 2 guys stay out of the area, as not to create any noticeable soil disturbances under the tree. The Game-Cam tree was a Cedar (Juniper), shaded, set about 6' high, with dark damp soil underneath, and various sized twigs scattered about. It was the damp soil, and easily disturbed, that made me careful. Today, I found two light prints of my own, and two larger impressions, just not enough detail on those though.......but they weren't there the other day. If it was officials of some type, I don't think they would damage & replace the film canister, as this would only add to the mystery, and not their intention. I REALLY want to pin this on humans, but the film canister part is not making sense, other than a warning, and not from officials. Whoever did this was extremely careful not to leave any sign, and I hiked the trail both directions a ways looking. I hung some bananas where the camera had been just in case:) Hey Cotter, I am always looking for game cams that aren't mine, never seen any, but will be looking harder. The closet you could get to the location by car, and hike in from there would be to use this city access road to a water reservoir, but it is seldom used, and hasn't been opened in at least a year, judging by vegetation growing on both sides. I also checked today to see if someone climbed over the gate, and no plant/soil disturbances of any kind. Edited November 11, 2014 by Bigtex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JKH Posted November 11, 2014 Share Posted November 11, 2014 I REALLY want to pin this on humans, but the film canister part is not making sense, other than a warning, and not from officials. Wow, that is a mind-blower. Your conclusion seems accurate to me. No offense, but I think you can do better than bananas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigtex Posted November 11, 2014 Author Share Posted November 11, 2014 LOL JKH.......maybe add a jug of moonshine in case it was of poachers, and a framed picture of Obama for the officials:) Also, notice the little twigs around the Game-Cam tree, hardly any were broken, and I was trying very hard not to step on and break them either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cotter Posted November 11, 2014 Share Posted November 11, 2014 Could it be as simple as a misload on your end?Can you try to 'manhandle' a new roll in the camera to see if you can replicate the damage? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigtex Posted November 11, 2014 Author Share Posted November 11, 2014 Tried that, but takes a hard blow with a flat screwdriver to even come close........anyway, the film was missing, empty case, hard to fumble that away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigtex Posted November 11, 2014 Author Share Posted November 11, 2014 (edited) Here are more pictures of the film canister compared to a new one. Remember, when the camera was opened, there would have been plenty of film to grab and easily pull out of the canister. The damage was done after the film was pulled out, or it would have jammed, plus.....if it was a bite, a mouth full of film. To me it looks like a bite, with 3 marks resembling the mark a flat screwdriver would make or 3 large flat teeth. I have hit one of these with a near sized screwdriver, and made a similar mark, but the most intriguing thing is the uniformity of the crease from edge to edge, and I am pretty certain the area was compressed in one motion, not 3 separate blows. Also, the door of the camera is plastic, and would break if the force needed to dent the canister was applied. Edited November 11, 2014 by Bigtex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cotter Posted November 11, 2014 Share Posted November 11, 2014 That is indeed weird. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts