Leaving Your Vehicle Unattended While on a Hunt

[4literranger485]

Does anyone else get nervous about leaving your vehicle unattended while you hunt? I'm just trying to get into coyote hunting and the idea of leaving my truck unattended out in the desert has me a little nervous. Especially since it will be chock full of gear and empty rifle cases. Seems like easy pickin's for some of the not so honest individuals around here.

Anyone have any ideas, or tips/tricks to put my mind at ease? I did try to use the search, but didn't really find much info. Thanks in advance gentlemen!

[dholla]

Stay within 2moa?

[justjeff]

I usually only pack what I carry in with me. The only thing I leave in my truck is a rifle case and phone charger. When I can I car pool with buddy's that have less desirable trucks that look less "high dollar"

[NytWolf]

You're too paranoid. Most people who hunt are good people. We respect each other -- hunting is a sport. We go out to enjoy the outdoors, not to cause problems with one another.

My group camps by the dirt road. We leave our belongings out, our tent laid out. Worried about someone coming by and ruffling through our stuff? No. Why not?

Put yourself into a passerby's shoes. If you were out in the middle of nowhere and saw a truck with hunting gear, would you break in? Have you ever thought that the owner could be "within range"?

Not only that -- the very truck that you break into could be the only person who is out there to give you a hand if your truck breaks down. It's a screwy thing called karma.

[Us3rName]

I've had my truck vandalized while around vandenberg air base... Tires slashed and spray painted the side of the truck...

I think generally it should be fine and not worrisome. My incident is one out of many trips I've taken. Karma is indeed a *****

[taperxz]

You're too paranoid. Most people who hunt are good people. We respect each other -- hunting is a sport. We go out to enjoy the outdoors, not to cause problems with one another.

My group camps by the dirt road. We leave our belongings out, our tent laid out. Worried about someone coming by and ruffling through our stuff? No. Why not?

Put yourself into a passerby's shoes. If you were out in the middle of nowhere and saw a truck with hunting gear, would you break in? Have you ever thought that the owner could be "within range"?

Not only that -- the very truck that you break into could be the only person who is out there to give you a hand if your truck breaks down. It's a screwy thing called karma.

+1 Better chance of getting broken into in front of your home while asleep than out in the middle of wilderness where few are.

[4literranger485]

You're too paranoid. Most people who hunt are good people. We respect each other -- hunting is a sport. We go out to enjoy the outdoors, not to cause problems with one another.

My group camps by the dirt road. We leave our belongings out, our tent laid out. Worried about someone coming by and ruffling through our stuff? No. Why not?

Put yourself into a passerby's shoes. If you were out in the middle of nowhere and saw a truck with hunting gear, would you break in? Have you ever thought that the owner could be "within range"?

Not only that -- the very truck that you break into could be the only person who is out there to give you a hand if your truck breaks down. It's a screwy thing called karma.

Of course I wouldn't break into a random vehicle, but unfortunately I'm sure not everyone shares that sentiment. I'm not worried about hunters really. Up here in the high desert, it is really popular for off-roading, and while I plan to avoid the busy areas, a lot of riders do the same.

I might be being overly cautious, but it was just something that struck me as a slight issue. I plan to make my truck look as un-desirable as possible, which is pretty easy for an old f-150 work package truck

I'm still open to any other tips/suggestions if anyone has any!

[Spyder]

Currently drive a car with a not-so-secure trunk, but my last truck I put a heavier-than-standard lock/toolbox and designed a locking system for it that you wouldn't be able to get into without a torch or plasma cutter. Unless they took the whole truck, it wasn't going anywhere. McWilco? makes a great heavy box that is very tough to get in to.

[NytWolf]

Of course I wouldn't break into a random vehicle, but unfortunately I'm sure not everyone shares that sentiment. I'm not worried about hunters really. Up here in the high desert, it is really popular for off-roading, and while I plan to avoid the busy areas, a lot of riders do the same.

I might be being overly cautious, but it was just something that struck me as a slight issue. I plan to make my truck look as un-desirable as possible, which is pretty easy for an old f-150 work package truck

I'm still open to any other tips/suggestions if anyone has any!

FWIW, most offroaders are hunters too!

[cabinetguy]

you are generally fine, i worry when backpacking for 1 week plus

[180ls1]

try your best to make sure everything it out of sight. The less they can see that they want or recognize your hunting the better.

[Shoot-it]

My brother in-law had his truck broken into while he was up a river duck hunting.He had his snap on tool box foll of tools stolen.Never leave anything valuable in your truck just in case.

[Wolverine]

On a fly fishing expedition, about 1970, I returned to my truck at sundown to discover that someone had burglarized it. Not content with simply stealing my stuff, they had taken a rock and broken off all the spark plugs. I assumed they were concerned that I would come back and hunt them down.

Consequently I had to hoof it out 6-7 miles to the nearest glimmer of civilization.

[duggan]

I try to stay within eyesight of my vehicle, open desert it's pretty easy and you can get pretty far away and still be able to see. Also you don't have to be miles away from your vehicle to hunt yotes, I've called in a few with my vehicle parked less than 100 feet away and slightly obscured by rocks, brush etc.

[tony270]

Don't leave anything in sight and stay close by, tweekers are all over the desert. I had my vehicle flipped over in Napa County, that was back in the early 90's, I think
local hunters did that.