TOPIC: So... how do you really feel... about crop theft?

First of all, booby traps are NOT a good idea. Hunter spelled out most of it. Remember, if you cannot set any type of booby trap to keep someone from breaking into your house (a felony) you most certainly cannot set a booby trap to keep someone from tresspassing (low level misdomeanor).

I am NOT an attorney. So, my opinions are shared for your entertainment purposes only!

Generally, you cannot use force greater than that used against you. In the case of a felony, you *might* be able to lawfully hold someone at gun point. But, you will be hard pressed to justify that in the woods lacking bona fide self defense with a weapon involved.

First and foremost, I respect the law and its purpose and, its absolutely necessary we have it but its not without some flaws as well. I know of some folk that don't think anymore of getting arrested as they do brushing their teeth. Even if they were held for months they would make sure everybody else got into it out of spite. Some of these hollows here have some sorry folk living in them.You take some drug addict needing a fix, he would be in a man's patch in a heartbeat....even if you got him arrested last week for the same thing.

I actually am open with one honest, fine,religous fella who joins my land on one side(he's around a lot and can help watch), the other bordering land owner is a hunter who doesn't want me hunting his land anymore than I want him on mine so, we have a good friendly understanding that good fences make good neighbors. I feel good that no one will \"happen\" across my plants. If they are there... They somehow found out about it and are there to steal. There is too much there now for them not to want to return again and again.

Now I would love to clap my hands and holler and run them off like a bunch of cats and them never come back but that would not be the case. I would even love for the local police to set in the woods and catch em when they came back but that wouldn't happen either.

Back in grade school there was one older boy who could thump an ear like nobody's business(I mean HARD). I and a friend of mine became his targets one week. My friend told on him several times but the boy would do it when no one was looking,he would always deny it and all that ever really happened was a stern talking to from the teacher. After he tired of my friend he decided to give me a go one day. Immediately I spun around,hit him in the knose twice and the mouth once. The teacher took us both to the office and cleaned up his face. I did my write offs and set out of recess for a week as so did he. I did opposite of what I was supposed to do but then enjoyed the respect and a good healthy fear from that boy. All the while my friend did what he was always told to do and continued to have a blood red ear until summer vacation.

When that boy did that,it wasn't about class rules,the teacher catching him or me getting him in trouble. It was about whether I was going to let him do it or not, just how much I would take, it was between me and him. He found out quickly and that one incident carried a precedence later on that made me not to have to put up with a lot of other junk from others as well.

Don't get me wrong, by far am I a billy bad a**, that's not the point. I just came to realize a long time ago how the psychology of these things work.

Hillhopper

I have to agree that using deadly force against a poacher who hasn 't used deadly force will get you into trouble... And that is something you don't want.

However to use a line from steve Earle's 'Copperhead Road' 1989 song, \"I learned a thing or two from charley, don't you know...\" I do feel the pro-active way is the proper course.

There are avid deer hunters that have the sort of camera systems discussed by K-Duce. I believe that these coordinate multiple cameras, and send a feed to a home desktop using the router technology. I also believe that the system is expensive.... However given the potential of our crops to make an income, I believe that it might justify getting this as a cost of doing business.

I do not want to destroy anyone's life, and I don't want anyone to destroy my live hood either. So, I intend to be sneakier than the poachers..... Identify them, provide courtroom acceptable proof to prosecute, and also meet these scum out there when they are there.... And put some real forehead sweating fear into them at that time.

I'm gonna find out the cost of such a trail cam system, and will post it when I find out more.

I really don't want to suffer losses due to poachers.

Whitjr,
Agreed. No poacher is worth a man spending the majority of his life in a jail cell

Hillhopper, I totally agree!

Whitjr, How about this one?

You don't tug on superman's cape or spit into the wind and you sure don't mess around with some men's seng!

I added some stuff to my post above, guys...

Here is one my uncle has used before...
\"You go pokin around a dragon and you'll get that a** burned\"

Whitjr,
Iv looked into those cell cams that text or email photos, those are the best way to go I think. Im not sure what the cost per month of the service is though.You could be laying in bed and get an instant pic from your patch. Iv timed it, 15 minutes and I can be on a four wheeler and in my patches. That doesn't leave much time for a poacher to dig. I'm sure a fella is gonna get aroused a lot by raccon or deer though.

Hillhopper

I agree with you Hill, that these camera systems are a great way to go, especially since our growing efforts are the way they are.

I did some research just now, and there 's a couple directions one could go in. Both are not cheap. In fact, both are expensive.

1) game camera systems that broadcast feed using wireless technology using routers. These can be had using cell phone accounts or independently transmitted, not using your cell phone provider. Of those two, the latter is more expensive (no surprise there, eh?)

2). Surveillance camera systems in use for commercial physicalll plants. This stuff isn't cheap , either, and has some very sophisticated spy technology available to it. Cameras can be configured to look like a rock or what ever you want. Wireless technology again, and multiple cameras can be routed into multiple email accounts with photos transmitted to them. So, even if the camera is stolen, the photo of the thief is on your receiving computer as they steal the camera. This system will notify you on your cell phone as well.

I like this a lot. One of my concerns was having the camera stolen by a poacher... However if the photos are being sent to my computer.... Then,
I think I've got the riffraff.

I need to do more research on the costs, however all websites I just looked at seemed to want prices ranging from $600.- to 2,800.-

Websites where you can do your own research:

Www.buckeye.com

Www.bass pro shops - spy point cams

Www.pixcontroller.com

Www.brickhousesecurity.com

Its a great option if the economics work out. Of course, as long as it is left alone, no point in spending the money. I'm sure I'll hold out until I see what kind of cash flow is produced or until the threat is eminent and its a have to case to protect it and catch someone.

Hillhopper