public land hunters

[bueller]

If legal where you hunt, Do you leave your treestand out overnight?

Pros-

• quicker and quieter to get into on the day of the hunt
• "claim" an area in hope that other hunters give you room
• no exposure to deer pre-hunt

Cons-

• stand may be damaged or stolen
  
• may attract other hunters to area who assume you know what you are doing
• may educate the deer

 

[4wanderingeyes]

I have left mine out in the past, but only when I was out the night before, and was going out the next morning. I wouldnt leave it out there to claim an area, I would be to afraid it would be gone.

I have talked to others that have sat in other people stands, just to teach them a lesson, but I am not a dick, I could never do that.

 

[bueller]

I've left my climber locked to the bottom of the tree for weeks without an issue. It's an old heavy one so I doubt anyone would be that interested in stealing it. More concerned with somebody damaging it or just stealing a cable or clips to make it unusable when I arrive. Interesting thing is my best hunts have come from days where I carried the stand in with me and set it up in the dark for an early am hunt. This is in a high pressure area and the I think leaving a stand out attracts other hunters to the area even if they don't stay, just to look around. And this along with the foreign object in the woods may cause the deer to adjust their habitats.

 

[Barndog56]

I know two people that have had hang-on stands stolen. I don't leave mine out.

 

[John B]

Ive left my climber for a day or two but like you I generally have my best hunts the first time hunting an area when you get in real early and set up that morning.

 

[Jameson]

I don't put a stand out months or even weeks in advance and leave it out. If I am hunting for several days I may put up a ladder stand on the first day and leave it up while I am there. Have found that I am using a climber more often these days that goes with me at the end of each hunt.

 

[wiscwhip]

ILLEGAL in WI!!!!! ;) but you knew that.

 

[Terrific_tom]

ILLEGAL in WI!!!!! ;) but you knew that.

Actually it is only illegal on State owned land. You can put a stand out on National Forest land 7 days before opening of season and it has to be taken down 7 days after the season is over. This also applies to a lot of County owned land also. Check with your county to see what their rules are in Wisconsin. Both Bayfield and Douglas County have the same rules as The National Forest has.

 

[wiscwhip]

No National Forest lands in our area, only National Wildlife Refuges, and I think it is a no-no there as well. Only really County and State owned stuff around us.

 

[bueller]

We can leave them out on state property in IL all season long.

 

[bueller]

Anybody ever use a trail camera on public land? I've considered it so I'm not wasting my time hunting an area void of the type of deer I'm targeting but don't want it to get stolen. I guess a cheap one wouldn't be too much risk. Hell I've lost more on a hand of blackjack.

 

[Terrific_tom]

No National Forest lands in our area, only National Wildlife Refuges, and I think it is a no-no there as well. Only really County and State owned stuff around us.

Looked it up. You can leave stands at the base of tree on National Wildlife Refuges and Juneau County allows stands from Sept. 1 thru Jan. 7. Wisconsin state land is a no, you have to remove them at end of day.

 

[bueller]

Looked it up. You can leave stands at the base of tree on National Wildlife Refuges and Juneau County allows stands from Sept. 1 thru Jan. 7. Wisconsin state land is a no, you have to remove them at end of day.

Plenty of old wooden stands fastened to the trees up on the county land I used to hunt. Nobody cared enough to take them down and hard to bust anybody in them when they are only used for an hour during large drives.

 

[IkemanTx]

72 hour limit on most public here in TX. Not that wardens or managers pull stands. I carry mine in each sit, though I am switching to saddle hunting this year.


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[ProcraftMike]

I move around a lot on public land, plus I fear my stands(s) would be stolen. I have changed my stand options over the years and strictly use a climber now. It goes in and out with me for each sit. I seldom sit in the same stand twice in a row. With practice, you can get up a tree with a climber pretty quickly and pretty quietly. It works for me!

 

[alldaysit]

Anybody ever use a trail camera on public land? I've considered it so I'm not wasting my time hunting an area void of the type of deer I'm targeting but don't want it to get stolen. I guess a cheap one wouldn't be too much risk. Hell I've lost more on a hand of blackjack.

I have placed several cameras on public land; in steel bear boxes with Python locks. My friends have as well. You bury them deep in the woods and hide them well, scribe your DNR number and full name on them to meet regulations. I've never had a problem.


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[wiscwhip]

Looked it up. You can leave stands at the base of tree on National Wildlife Refuges and Juneau County allows stands from Sept. 1 thru Jan. 7. Wisconsin state land is a no, you have to remove them at end of day.

Thanks TT, not sure how recent those rules are, but either way I usually hunt from the ground or find a tree I can climb without help. Where did you find the dates for Juneau? The link I saw said both dates were unknown? :confused:

 

[Terrific_tom]

Thanks TT, not sure how recent those rules are, but either way I usually hunt from the ground or find a tree I can climb without help. Where did you find the dates for Juneau? The link I saw said both dates were unknown? :confused:

Here are the links:
https://www.fws.gov/uploadedFiles/Hunt_Fish_Brochure_2014.pdf

http://www.co.juneau.wi.gov/forestry.html
Scroll down to tree stand ordinance and click on tree stand ordinance 915.5

 

[wiscwhip]

Thanks a million TT. I have a spot picked out on Juneau Co Forest property for the rifle opener that I would like to put up a stand, but I don't want to do it the morning of the opener, as I would rather be in my tree when the other guys are banging around in the dark.

 

[Terrific_tom]

Thanks a million TT. I have a spot picked out on Juneau Co Forest property for the rifle opener that I would like to put up a stand, but I don't want to do it the morning of the opener, as I would rather be in my tree when the other guys are banging around in the dark.

Glad I could help. I wish the state would fall in line with what the counties are doing. It would make it so much simpler for the bear baits on state land. The way it is we have to build blinds out of natural vegetation on ground or the hunter has to pull his tree stand in the dark when bears are coming to the bait.