we have hunting land that has a gate in an obscure area. have had problems for years with people dumping trash, deer carcasses, fish carcasses and whatever else they are too lazy to properly dispose of .

also didn't appreciate the "parkers" who would dispose of used condoms, cigarette butts and empty beer containers .

started using trail cameras as a means to an end but that meant placing the camera "just so" to be sure i had a tag that was readable. then that led to the camera's photos being accepted as evidence and then i went on to deploying an additional camera as a backup to the first . if you are intent on prosecuting trespassers and litterers, you had better have your ducks in a row when it is time to go to court because it is your time you are spending waiting in the court room to teach the scum a lesson . i eventually used two game cameras of different brands set at 90 degree angles to have views from the front and right of our gate .

anyways...after going to court twice for this one fella who decided he needed a lawyer (big, big waste of my time), i had had enough. i was pizzed and very determined (as pete said) to catch these bastages in the act. it's all fine and good to have a regular trail camera but you have to remember - you are catching them "after the act has been committed". i wanted them caught then and there.

time to buy the covert special ops code black 3g camera . found it online for $369.95 shipped. went to local at&t (cause they are everywhere) and bought a sim card ($10) and the $100 per year text plan thingy. it allows 12,000 texts per year which is way more than i need. set up the camera and it was "game time".

we have now caught several people trespassing and if we weren't in the area to do it ourselves, we called the sheriff's department. we highly don't recommend anyone responding to your phone alerting you at say...3:30ish in the morning and you being brave or dumb enough to go question people in rural areas by yourself - save that for law enforcement.

anyway, here are the latest pics that were sent to my phone.

this text message (picture) woke me from a grand sleep; after i saw they were backing in, i knew it was game on and went ahead and called the sheriff's department. you just don't back into this particular area. there is no turn around. you have to have intent:


this is the second text message i received and i called the dispatcher back and said, "i see your deputy has arrived on scene." (this really surprised me as i was expecting a phone call for directions, because it is very difficult to find the turn-in to this gate from the main road. you have to know where it is.):


third text message...wow, two deputies! i was glad.


obviously he obtained their information and is going to run them:


my fifth text message. just waiting. this is when the deputy calls me to find out what i want done:


the last text message is them getting ready to back from the area and leave:


in summation, we remained safe in the comfort of our home and the trespassers were caught. i felt like being kind this particular morning, so the perps were sent away with a stern warning to not return and their information is now on record with our local sheriff's department.

i don't recall exactly how many contacts can be programmed into the camera to receive text messages (or you can have the pictures emailed), but you have to remember that for every person you do program for texts, every time that puppy is triggered...you will be awakened. just something to remember if you value your sleep.

by the way, striker6126 on here can get you a better price than what we originally paid, i do believe.

also, for every person programmed to receive the text message (picture) from the camera, you have to increase the interval time by one minute. it takes one minute to send each person the text.

Wow cops there in less than 15 min! Can this be done with Verizon? What would I need? I want about 1/2 a dozen! I got a little sawed off SOB I wanta bust.

from what i read on the interwebz , verizon is supposed to have the capability in october (if memory is correct). it took 28 minutes because the deputy was in bay minette and had to fly to spanish fort .

as it turned out, the deputy who responded didn't call me for directions because he is the one who last responded to my littering/trespassing call that i ended up in court with the perp. deputy knew right where to go!!

Do they have to be covert cams? Anyone know what all brands and makes can do this. Dammit I want some!

covert or bushnell as of now, to my knowledge. and i believe bushnell is close to $600.

Great investment.

I bet a video would get better entertainment

That's pretty impressive. Nice work

I need a couple, thanks for the post.

Wish you would have gotten that text while we were there. Could have snuck up behind them and had some fun.

Goes to show dropping the the bucks for a good investment is worth it sometimes... As long as it sounds it was going on... I wouldn't have been so nice...

Prefer you not talk about Tru Talker like that

How is the battery life?

Very very nice. Strang they werent doing anything to be arrested for at that time.

Need to figure out how to make them work with an Obama phone.

I wonder if putting a chain accros that road with a sign stating they are on surveillance would help most people think twice about backing in there.

Great pictures and information BTW

That's too far for me to drive....