Someone has found my plants - How should I protect these girls now?

[Phillybonker]

Hey Philly - any action, sightings, etc.????

I'm now confident the tracks through the grass were made by the other grower near my location, I think he was just being curious and taking a look at my plants.

But now there are a different set of tracks and this time it isn't the other grower, it's a ripper. The location of the tracks indicate someone has seen me going into the bush and has worked out what I'm up to, I can see their tracks searching from area to area for the plants. I can't be 100% sure but I suspect he has found my plants. I've still got a couple of weeks before I'll need to put a camera on my spot and harvest is still 7 weeks away.

 

[Phillybonker]

If my basic calculations are right his plants went into flower in the last 7 to 10 days. Most likely harvest will not be until mid April, possibly between the 10th and USA tax day on the 18th.

I wish I could harvest around mid April but we get lots of rain and high humidity around that time in my region so I'll have to pull earlier.

 

[Phillybonker]

hope you brought everything in with no trouble

I got a couple more weeks before I'll need to bring in a camera and signs, it's only 2 weeks into flowering at the moment so no danger of getting ripped yet.

 

[greenjeans]

it isn't the other grower, it's a ripper.

Oh Crap!!!! Anxiety levels going up!!! Do you suppose there is any benefit in teaming up with the other grower?? They have probably found him as well.

 

[Phillybonker]

Oh Crap!!!! Anxiety levels going up!!! Do you suppose there is any benefit in teaming up with the other grower?? They have probably found him as well.

Whoever it is hasn't found his plants because there are no tracks in that direction.

 

[greenjeans]

Any new developments Bonker?????

 

[Phillybonker]

Any new developments Bonker?????

I found another set of tracks that indicated someone or more likely a couple of rippers found two of my plants. I decided to pull all my plants in that area early, I trimmed the buds and planned to pull the next day, my friend who was going to drop me off and pick me up from my grow area was running on a tight schedule then ended up coming home late so I couldn't pull that day, he was also busy the next day, so the day after that I was finally able to pull my plants.....only to show up to find two of my plants got ripped within that two day timeframe, two other plants close by never got found by the rippers. They didn't give a shit that I had a sign by the plants reading "Camera Operating" they took the plants anyway.
I did plan on putting a camera on these plants due to the high risk of getting ripped but my other much larger plot was under threat so I put the camera on those plants.

 

[greenjeans]

Oh man, I'm sorry to hear that!!! Small solace in the fact that you still had two. But frustrating as hell to lose any. I wonder how your neighbour fared, if he was safe?
I hope what you saved turns out to be good!!

 

[Phillybonker]

Oh man, I'm sorry to hear that!!! Small solace in the fact that you still had two. But frustrating as hell to lose any.
I hope what you saved turns out to be good!!

Most of my harvest is dried and machine trimmed and I think I'm looking at about 7 pounds. Still though, losing two plants is annoying.

I wonder how your neighbour fared, if he was safe?

My neighbor has been growing in that spot for at least a few seasons judging by the old condition of his cage and his spot is in an area the rippers are less likely to look. Not to mention he has a camera on his plants that sends instant alerts to his phone. Chances are he has never been ripped.

When I got picked up on his trial camera months ago and he showed up in his Toyota Hilux it took him less than 10 minutes to get there, very fast considering there are no houses in this particular area. I imagine he'd be on rippers pretty quickly.