Gear theft

[Game Warden]

I'm not asking about theft at parking lots, trailheads, etc. I know that happens, usually from non-hikers. I mean theft in the back country, on the AT or other trails, where the most likely culprits are other hikers. How common is it, if at all?

[Rain Man]

Nada in my experience. Rather just the reverse, hikers offer each other help, gear, food, rides, etc.

[fastfoxengineering]

It's happened.

But it's very far from common or normal.

It shoudnt be an issue anyways because as a hiker you are responsible for keeping your pack and equipment in check.

With that said, i have zero problems leaving my gear unsupervised with other hikers around that I know.



Sent from my SM-J737V using Tapatalk

[FreeGoldRush]

What about when going into town? Do you usually leave your pack outside of a business or take it in? Any issues when leaving it outside?

[Slo-go'en]

What about when going into town? Do you usually leave your pack outside of a business or take it in? Any issues when leaving it outside?

It depends. Sometimes you can bring your pack in a store with you, sometimes not. Large grocery stores I put my pack in the shopping cart. Small convenience stores with narrow isles I leave it outside by the door. Fast food places I'll bring it in and put it in the booth with me or leave it inside near the door. fancier restaurants will often have a place to put the pack, just ask.

But really, who wants your dirty clothes and smelly pack anyway? It's contents might be worth $1000, but it's not stuff which can be easily and quickly turned into any amount of cash.

[MuddyWaters]

What about when going into town? Do you usually leave your pack outside of a business or take it in? Any issues when leaving it outside?

Some places you can take it in
Some places you cant
Some you shouldnt, youd knock things over.

Some set aside a place inside door for packs to be put

Some restaurants make you leave it out front, for no good reason at all.
Some dont.

Generally no problem.

Could it walk off? Sure.
Not common.

Just keep eye on it. Sit where can see it if make feel better.
Generally, just do what others are doing.
And a small pack.....is less trouble.
I can wear my pack in businesses without objection most of time.

[Zalman]

What about when going into town? Do you usually leave your pack outside of a business or take it in? Any issues when leaving it outside?

I've never had anything stolen in the backcountry, though I rarely leave my gear anywhere unattended, and never on or near a trail of any kind. However, I have had my entire pack stolen in town, after stashing it to go into a restaurant. My practice now, and advice, is to never let your pack out of site in or near town.

[Elaikases]

It's happened.

But it's very far from common or normal.

It shoudnt be an issue anyways because as a hiker you are responsible for keeping your pack and equipment in check.

With that said, i have zero problems leaving my gear unsupervised with other hikers around that I know.



Sent from my SM-J737V using Tapatalk

Exactly. Anything they steal they have to carry out themselves.

[Slo-go'en]

I suspect the occasional non-intown pack theft is done by bears.

In a crowded shelter or hostel, gear can go missing because someone picked it up thinking it was theirs. So much gear looks alike and if packing up in the dark, it's easy to do. If the group is moving more or less at the same speed, this can often be resolved at the next shelter.

Forgetting to pack something is also easy to do. If something goes missing you probably left it at the last camp. Hostels are a good place to loose odds and ends as they roll under the bunk or get forgotten in some dark corner.

That said, one should keep valuables on one's person and keep any small valuable items out of plain sight. No sense tempting someone.

[shelb]

The hiking community is a much safer - less invasive community than the real world.

[Kookork]

The hiking community is a much safer - less invasive community than the real world.

It seems we as the hiking community sometimes categorize our community as not "Real" world which in some cases is true.

[SWODaddy]

There's plenty of dirtbags out there, 99% of which you'll avoid if you stay away from shelters.

[Dogwood]

Across N. America, not just on the AT, I find backpackers stealing gear from other backpackers to be rare, very rare in the back country. In more congregated areas of higher use like backcountry FS managed CG's the theft rate I think is higher. Where I do see theft among users having access to the backcountry is among hunters, fishermen, off road enthusiasts, skiers, snowshoers, snowmobilers, and hikers. Greater powered vehicle access to anywhere in the backcountry invites greater risk of theft. I probably know of or suspect more theft and vandalism occurrences to hunters maybe at the hands of other hunters and ATVer types than anything else i.e.; deer stands, decoys, blinds, breaking into cabins, hunting camps(taking gear and food), especially that have ATV access, and especially that have expensive powered equipment like generators, snowmobiles, power tools, etc. I've met hunters on the CO Tr, just off the BMT, and CDT that said they had stuff stolen from their hunting camps. It happens at backcountry ski chalets as well. Backcountry private seasonal CG's are at risk. I've seen that occur just off the AT in PA and NJ at CG's I was doing volunteering reconstruction cabin work. Backcountry sites near water access canoes, kayaks, and paddling gear are stolen. That's an issue in AK, WI, MT,.. I've lived on lakes and had two boats stolen. Most folks know this so secure these items or don't leave new most expensive items like these behind. Temporarily vacated back country cabins, seasonal hunting camps, fire towers, ranger stations, vehicles, RV's, public utility sites, etc are more prone to theft and vandalism. It's assumed you are aware of this since you're LE. I've seen it occur to back country ranching properties at wells, windmills, barns with stored equipment, along fence lines, etc. I see theft in legal backcountry growing operations(yes legal cannabis grows included) and agricultural sites.

PM sent.

[bushwhacker88]

Across N. America, not just on the AT, I find backpackers stealing gear from other backpackers to be rare, very rare in the back country. In more congregated areas of higher use like backcountry FS managed CG's the theft rate I think is higher. Where I do see theft among users having access to the backcountry is among hunters, fishermen, off road enthusiasts, skiers, snowshoers, snowmobilers, and hikers. Greater powered vehicle access to anywhere in the backcountry invites greater risk of theft. I probably know of or suspect more theft and vandalism occurrences to hunters maybe at the hands of other hunters and ATVer types than anything else i.e.; deer stands, decoys, blinds, breaking into cabins, hunting camps(taking gear and food), especially that have ATV access, and especially that have expensive powered equipment like generators, snowmobiles, power tools, etc. I've met hunters on the CO Tr, just off the BMT, and CDT that said they had stuff stolen from their hunting camps. It happens at backcountry ski chalets as well. Backcountry private seasonal CG's are at risk. I've seen that occur just off the AT in PA and NJ at CG's I was doing volunteering reconstruction cabin work. Backcountry sites near water access canoes, kayaks, and paddling gear are stolen. That's an issue in AK, WI, MT,.. I've lived on lakes and had two boats stolen. Most folks know this so secure these items or don't leave new most expensive items like these behind. Temporarily vacated back country cabins, seasonal hunting camps, fire towers, ranger stations, vehicles, RV's, public utility sites, etc are more prone to theft and vandalism. It's assumed you are aware of this since you're LE. I've seen it occur to back country ranching properties at wells, windmills, barns with stored equipment, along fence lines, etc. I see theft in legal backcountry growing operations(yes legal cannabis grows included) and agricultural sites.

PM sent.

Yeah I'm pretty sure you dont hunt. While hunters are stolen FROM quite frequently, the thieves are almost never other hunters. They're typically lowlives, addicts, or basically folks who dont want to work for a living. Hunters are easy targets because they tend to leave expensive things unattended for long periods of time. Tree stands, game cameras, all the paraphernelia that goes with a hunting camp. While the scum that prey on hunters might occasionally hunt themselves, it will often be illegally. Hunting from the road, at night, before the season opens or closes, etc. The proceeds from the theft generally are used to buy drugs. I've never known a true hunter to steal from another hunter, and I've hunted all my life. I dont use treestands, game cameras, or 4-wheelers nor do I belong to a hunting club, but I know plenty of people who do, and every time they've been stolen from its been non-hunters who did it.

[MuddyWaters]

Yeah I'm pretty sure you dont hunt. While hunters are stolen FROM quite frequently, the thieves are almost never other hunters. They're typically lowlives, addicts, or basically folks who dont want to work for a living. Hunters are easy targets because they tend to leave expensive things unattended for long periods of time. Tree stands, game cameras, all the paraphernelia that goes with a hunting camp. While the scum that prey on hunters might occasionally hunt themselves, it will often be illegally. Hunting from the road, at night, before the season opens or closes, etc. The proceeds from the theft generally are used to buy drugs. I've never known a true hunter to steal from another hunter, and I've hunted all my life. I dont use treestands, game cameras, or 4-wheelers nor do I belong to a hunting club, but I know plenty of people who do, and every time they've been stolen from its been non-hunters who did it.

We caught logging company stealing 6 of our lader stands once on our hunting lease once. One-piece welded 20' high , double seat, shooting rail. Each cost $2000 a decade ago. a couple of people had generators walk off as well from their camps.

Too many people with locks on gate. Landowner, lease holders, timber management company, and logging company when working.

We used to lease timberland owned by a very famous singer. Our president convinced her to lease to us primarily so someone would be on the property routinely keeping eye on it. Lots of bad things go on without someone around. Squatters, stills, meth labs, unscrupulous loggers stealing timber , etc . 10' over the property line is money in Someones pocket. And you lucky if its only 10', not 20.

[Dogwood]

I still fish. I had one Scanoe, as square steered canoe, stolen by another fisherman, no known drug problems. A jon boat stolen by another fisherman that did have drug and low life issues that had criminal history. These acts of thefts were confirmed. I had a large freshwater tackle box stolen from the back of my PU at a remote stream with the only others around other fisherman. I strongly suspect it was another fisherman.

I had remote deer stands and one duck blind vandalized or destroyed by I strongly suspect other hunters who wanted the hunting area to themselves. I met two different long time hunters on two different occasions who displayed outright hostility that someone else had stands or a duck blind in the area that they thought belonged only to them. This occurred on land open to the public. One hunter was a heavy drinker who was witnessed several times leaving the forest intoxicated. Alcohol is a drug too and alcohol use among hunters is not that rare.

[Christoph]

I'm sure it's happened. On the AT during my thru, I never once felt like I should carry my pack inside to shop (or whatever). I did take me wallet and cell with me just in case, but never had an incident on the AT. I think most towns (at least along the AT) are pretty hiker friendly. Other hikers never messed with my gear and we actually looked out for one another on a few occasions (just in case). But it all worked out.

[soilman]

I read where a woman and her dog's gear was stolen last year near Damascus. Someone lost a pack near Dismal Creek during my thru hike. He thought it was stolen but I think a bear got it. I had seen a bear in the area the day before.

[RangerZ]

I read where a woman and her dog's gear was stolen last year near Damascus. Someone lost a pack near Dismal Creek during my thru hike. He thought it was stolen but I think a bear got it. I had seen a bear in the area the day before.

If it was this one - it was at the Overmountain Shelter, the Husky hurt its paw and she took it to a vet. She first carried the pack down to the road and then came back to carry the dog down. By the time that she got to the road with the dog, the pack was gone. I don't know if she had hid the pack in the woods or just left it by the road. People chipped in some cash and I heard that she got some gear from a previous hiker.

I cannot leave my pack unattended, too much accountability drilled into me in the Army. This can lead to carrying it on the long 0.3 mile downhill (and uphill) blue blaze to the water source at the Raven Rock Shelter in MD. Of course, no one else was on the trail or at the shelter that day.

[chknfngrs]

in my years of backpacking I have not seen or heard of backcountry theft of gear, food, etc that wasn’t wildlife related. Hiker on hiker crime rate seems low. I also have never thru hiked, for the record.