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

[Phillybonker]

I have 4 plants that are part of an outdoor gorilla grow I've got going on in the bush but unfortunately someone has found the plants. Nobody has any reason to be wandering around in that part of the bush, not hunters, not hikers, not anyone.

There is somebody else growing not far from this location and we are both aware of each others presence and he is my main suspect although I can't be sure it is this individual making the tracks through the grass. But I just can't figure out who else it could be, it's still 4 weeks till flowering so it can't be a ripper.....at least not yet. Harvest time is still 12-13 weeks away.

Anyone got any ideas about how I could help protect my plants?

 

[gazmufc]

I'd find where his plants are, make plenty of tracks.. Let him know u know where his stash is. Maybe try and make contact? If he's just a grower like urself, I doubt he's seriel killer. He's probably worried about same thing as you.

 

[GreauxFast]

I'd find where his plants are, make plenty of tracks.. Let him know u know where his stash is. Maybe try and make contact? If he's just a grower like urself, I doubt he's seriel killer. He's probably worried about same thing as you.

I have 4 plants that are part of an outdoor gorilla grow I've got going on in the bush but unfortunately someone has found the plants. Nobody has any reason to be wandering around in that part of the bush, not hunters, not hikers, not anyone.

There is somebody else growing not far from this location and we are both aware of each others presence and he is my main suspect although I can't be sure it is this individual making the tracks through the grass. But I just can't figure out who else it could be, it's still 4 weeks till flowering so it can't be a ripper.....at least not yet. Harvest time is still 12-13 weeks away.

Anyone got any ideas about how I could help protect my plants?

trail camera

 

[Roy Growin]

Happened to me once but it didn't take long to find out who he was
First thing I did was give him some smoke and told him to stay cool and don't do or say anything silly
Apparently he blabbed and sold it, then came back and asked for more - what a twat
It was a short conversation and I never saw him again once I'd pointed out that all I had done is a personal grow (police caution in the UK), he had sold it on the street (conviction in the UK)

 

[Phillybonker]

I'd find where his plants are, make plenty of tracks.. Let him know u know where his stash is. Maybe try and make contact? If he's just a grower like urself, I doubt he's seriel killer. He's probably worried about same thing as you.

He already knows that I know where his plants are because he got me on a trial cam snooping around when I was looking for my own spots.

 

[Phytoplankton]

Bottom line, you really can't protect your plants, unless you want to move them, which probably isn't an option if they're planted in the ground, if they're in bags, simply find a new spot and move them. If the person who found them is a thief, then you're screwed. If they have some moral fiber, then you could be OK. Best of luck!

 

[Skunksta]

Bush/trail cam up in a tree.
At least your get your answer as to who.

 

[Phillybonker]

Bush/trail cam up in a tree.
At least your get your answer as to who.

Yeah that is one of my plans if I manage to get this cam working (WiFi keeps cutting out), I'll switch to another ISP provider and see if WiFi can stop cutting out. I'd prefer more than one line of defense though as there is plenty of chances for the cam to fail for whatever reason.

 

[SmokingWings]

Yeah that is one of my plans if I manage to get this cam working (WiFi keeps cutting out), I'll switch to another ISP provider and see if WiFi can stop cutting out.

I have seen web pages with instructions on how to make trail-cams at home with old digital cameras. No wi-fi or ISP involved, just several storage cards. Whenever checking on the plants swap out the card and check the used card later.

Usually those cameras will take a photo on some sort of schedule and if the stranger walks by in between when the camera takes the picture then no photo of him or her. There might be some plans for building a shutter release that takes photos when someone or some animal triggers the shutter.

Have to keep in mind that someone willing to take your plants will not think twice about taking a camera if they see it and can get to it. That is one of the reasons some of the hunters use old digital cameras instead of the latest and greatest device on the market.

 

[gwhunran]

I'd write this one off. Too many ways this can go sideways. I never had a grow work that, I didn't control security and that anyone knew about at the time.

 

[1ne eye]

Like Skunksta said trail camera then you know for sure. Grizzly bear trap or to will also tell you who it is.

 

[greenjeans]

I would be tempted to leave him a note - just ask if that was him you got on your camera?? He might think you have one really well hidden. If he's not a guy you think you could work with you might as well find out now before you spend anymore time on this grow. There are pitfalls no matter what you do.

 

[Skunksta]

Yeah that is one of my plans if I manage to get this cam working (WiFi keeps cutting out), I'll switch to another ISP provider and see if WiFi can stop cutting out. I'd prefer more than one line of defense though as there is plenty of chances for the cam to fail for whatever reason.

Ye trail cams tend to be battery powered and straight the SD card or some sort.
As wing said you just grab the card and view.
Motion/and night view on most also.

 

[Phillybonker]

I have seen web pages with instructions on how to make trail-cams at home with old digital cameras. No wi-fi or ISP involved, just several storage cards. Whenever checking on the plants swap out the card and check the used card later.

Usually those cameras will take a photo on some sort of schedule and if the stranger walks by in between when the camera takes the picture then no photo of him or her. There might be some plans for building a shutter release that takes photos when someone or some animal triggers the shutter.

I don't want to take a photo of a ripper, I want to catch him before he pulls my plants. My cam has instant alerts sent to my phone when the motion sensor is activated.

Have to keep in mind that someone willing to take your plants will not think twice about taking a camera if they see it and can get to it. That is one of the reasons some of the hunters use old digital cameras instead of the latest and greatest device on the market

The cost of a cam is trivial compared to what it is protecting and my cam was cheap anyway.

 

[Phillybonker]

I'd write this one off. Too many ways this can go sideways. I never had a grow work that, I didn't control security and that anyone knew about at the time.

No way I'm letting a ripper have my plants just because he found them.

 

[Phillybonker]

I would be tempted to leave him a note - just ask if that was him you got on your camera??

Yeah that's the thing, I don't want to cause shit with the guy if it ain't him and I'm not 100% positive it is him. Intruding onto someones grow and leaving notes that have an accusing tone could spark trouble if the grower is innocent.

 

[Phillybonker]

Ye trail cams tend to be battery powered and straight the SD card or some sort.
As wing said you just grab the card and view.
Motion/and night view on most also.

I don't need to grab any SD card, my cam sends an alert to my phone and the motion sensor activates the cam so live feed video goes straight to my phone and I can see the ripper in real time. I've even got audio on the cam so I can tell the ripper to fuck off if I can't get to the grow site quick enough to stop him pulling my plants.

 

[Skunksta]

I don't need to grab any SD card, my cam sends an alert to my phone and the motion sensor activates the cam so live feed video goes straight to my phone and I can see the ripper in real time. I've even got audio on the cam so I can tell the ripper to fuck off if I can't get to the grow site quick enough to stop him pulling my plants.

Kwel I also have those. I just thought Wi-Fi was an issue. what ever works sounds like u have a plan. mine poor Wi-Fi and the alert and connecting can take sometime and speaking would be point less they would of already gone.

 

[greenjeans]

Intruding onto someones grow and leaving notes that have an accusing tone

I get were you are coming from - you have to word it delicately - but he already has you on camera so he knows you are around and he may be glad to know if someone other than you has been poking around - he is probably as worried about you as you are of him. Good luck - let un know how it goes. How close are you to harvest??

 

[Phillybonker]

Kwel I also have those. I just thought Wi-Fi was an issue. what ever works sounds like u have a plan.

Yeah WiFi is an issue but it might just be my ISP. Last year I used a different ISP and the WiFi worked fine so I'll go back to that ISP and see if that fixes the issue.