yoderjac
5 year old buck +
My view is simply to report them. I had someone park illegally in front of my driveway once...I wasn't able to keep the car...
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Tree Stands left on Public
- Thread starter chucker66
- Start date
My view is simply to report them. I had someone park illegally in front of my driveway once...I wasn't able to keep the car...
Totally agree. It irritates me when I'm walking around in the middle of nowhere and find old(and new) treestands in the woods. Some are so grown into the tree, you couldn't get them out. It causes nothing but problems leaving them out, I think guys leave them out to claim there spot or are just lazy. If they don't care enough to obey the law and don't care enough about the stand after season. I say take them.
chucker66
5 year old buck +
So this is in NW Wisconsin on State Land. This is indeed all of our land and we have all agreed to follow the State Rules to use this land. I have this stand on my GPS and I'm pretty sure I know who owns it even though the name is not on it, like the rules state it's supposed to be. I am not Law Enforcement so if I was going to do anything it would be to report it. The thing that bothers me is the guy lives right across the state trail from the land and has a path right to it. There are actually 2 stands there and old one and a new one. I used to hunt this area and we would haul our climbers in and out every day like we were supposed too and I did stand where this guy now has a ladder. I really just wanted to hear several opinions and I think it is interesting how different some are. If anyone is interested I can PM the GPS coordinates.
Hoytvectrix
5 year old buck +
From what I've seen, the vast majority of stands left out are from people who live near by or have land that touches the public. I've even see people put up no trespassing signs on the trees all around their stand. The conservation officer for this block of public loved hearing all about it lol. I am typically bummed when I find them but like @Wind Gypsy said, it at least saves you from wasting a sit if you know it's getting pressured.So this is in NW Wisconsin on State Land. This is indeed all of our land and we have all agreed to follow the State Rules to use this land. I have this stand on my GPS and I'm pretty sure I know who owns it even though the name is not on it, like the rules state it's supposed to be. I am not Law Enforcement so if I was going to do anything it would be to report it. The thing that bothers me is the guy lives right across the state trail from the land and has a path right to it. There are actually 2 stands there and old one and a new one. I used to hunt this area and we would haul our climbers in and out every day like we were supposed too and I did stand where this guy now has a ladder. I really just wanted to hear several opinions and I think it is interesting how different some are. If anyone is interested I can PM the GPS coordinates.
Wind Gypsy
5 year old buck +
I know of instances where this is exactly the case.
I hunt a pretty small piece of public, but have to carry my stand in and out every time. I saw an old ladder stand two years ago, and kind of kept my eye on it, never seeing it in use. Finally climbed up and it was obvious it hadn't been used in a few years. There was absolutely no shooting lane, and hardly any sightlines.
Last season I moved it to a new spot, and left it there. Managed to take two deer from it. Someone else left a guy pile a few yards from it, perhaps using the stand as well. If I go to hunt and someone else is parked near that spot, I drive right on by and carry my stand into a different spot.
All I know is that for an old guy like me(52), it sure is nice to walk in to a stand, rather than busting my balls and sweating my ass off carrying one in. And not making noise setting it up in the morning, or being out til it's pitch black taking one down. And it's real nice not having to carry a stand out after dragging a deer out to the truck!
Last season I moved it to a new spot, and left it there. Managed to take two deer from it. Someone else left a guy pile a few yards from it, perhaps using the stand as well. If I go to hunt and someone else is parked near that spot, I drive right on by and carry my stand into a different spot.
All I know is that for an old guy like me(52), it sure is nice to walk in to a stand, rather than busting my balls and sweating my ass off carrying one in. And not making noise setting it up in the morning, or being out til it's pitch black taking one down. And it's real nice not having to carry a stand out after dragging a deer out to the truck!
Buckly
5 year old buck +
The same issues happen with ground blinds . I’ve seen guys set up what I would call a compound with several in a spot. It’s an Eerie feeling walking by them as you don’t know if there’s a gun pointed in your direction. People leave them up all year, claiming their spot. Claiming a spot on public land is illegal and unethical but, I’m sure LE has much better things to do than go tearing everything down. Remedies however are endless and up to the imagination.
MRBB
5 year old buck +
yes but stealing is stealing,. and you don't have the right to do so
guess you never had one of your stands or personal property stolen, or maybe you would see this differently
just cause you don;t like something , doesn;t mean your above the law to handle it YOUR WAY!
two wrongs don't make it right!!~
While I draw the line at stealing, if the rules of the piece of public prohibits leaving a stand up, I will take down the stand and leave it at the bottom of the tree. I also always carry a sharpie with me when in the woods and will write a note on the stand reminding the person that we must follow the rules of that piece of public. I have never seen a stand get put back up that I have done this to. I'm sorry if you feel that you deserve an exception due to age or infirmity but we are only equal under the law, not in fit, form or circumstance of birth.
Buckly
5 year old buck +
Leaving personal property on public lands is nothing more than littering. If you found beer cans laying in the woods on public property would you pick them up and carry them out? you wouldn’t necessarily steal them and take them home but, taking them down and removing them to a proper disposal sight is just helping clean up the public lands. Especially if they are left after the season. Just trash in the woods.. During the season there are several other options. Putting permanent stands or blinds on public land to claim what isn’t yours is in fact stealing from the rest of the public. Turn them in, read them the riot act or remove them. The law would love to hear their side of the story LOL.
Howboutthemdawgs
5 year old buck +
It’s even worse on public duck ground. People put up permanent blinds or leave decoys and legitimately claim these areas as their own. It’s to the point it turns violent. The mindset that any individual or group can claim anything on public land has to stop. I don’t care if you live next to it or hunted it for 50 years. It’s not yours.
I live next to an NWR. One stand per person may be left up all season - marked with the owners name and phone number. Game cameras are not allowed. If I find unmarked stands or any game cams - I give the gps coordinates to the NWR enforcement officer. They will remove them, and leave a note saying the owner could pick them up at the office and receive a citation. Most dont pick them up.
MRBB
5 year old buck +
if you don't know the difference between a empty beer can(which is also illegal to have on public lands in most states) and a tree stand, I feel sorry for you!
but the fact your asking about things here kinda says you do and your just looking for others to tell you stealing them is OK!
and just cause someone places a stand in an area doesn;'t mean there CLAIMING The area as THERE"S
there is Nothing stopping you from hunting right next to them or under them if you really wanted too
Most won't do so,a s well , 1 its rude, 2 its not a productive way to hunt, but again if you wanted too, you sure could, as the land is PUBLIC< and they don't own it
tree stand there or not!
but if your removing PROPERTY that doesn't belong to you, ts again stealing!
removing litter is a GOOD thing to do, but I am sure you know a treestand being used if NOT litter!
if its there after season, REPORT IT< do NOT Steal it,
Maybe ASK the warden if you can remove it and if given permission, have at it, other wise again you are stealing it,
all the more so, if the game dept, actually REMOVES them when found and sells them, as you are then robbing the game dept of THERE property!
as I would legally believe that treestands LEFT past a legal date are NOW the property of the game dept, NOT the public to steal!
I am not suggestion anyone leave stands up past legal dates either , they SHOULD be removed, but its NOT the public's JOB or RIGHT to remove them or STEAL them which they are doing when they remove them without legal permission to do so!
you are 100% wrong here like it or not if your doing so, and it doesn't matter if others say its OK< the laws are what they are!
SD51555
5 year old buck +
To everyone, legal and moral are two different things, and too often don't align . Lots going on in the world today that is legal and immoral as all get out. Lots that is illegal and being so is immoral as all get out. Men of conscience need to question the law.
And, notice how I successfully used to, two, and too in one sentence. ^^
And, notice how I successfully used to, two, and too in one sentence. ^^
S.T.Fanatic
5 year old buck +
You mean 2 wrongs still dont make a right?
Buckly
5 year old buck +
Totally unrelated to the public land we‘re talking about but as far as people won’t claim them. I found a stand once on private ground. I pretty much knew who’s it was so I took it down and put it in the garage. Sure enough a couple days later I got a call wanting to know if I had seen the stand. I said I did and it was in the garage and if he gave me a time he’d want to pick it up I’d have the LE there so he could give it back. LOL. It sat in my garage for years. So I decided to take it out to the Midwest and use it and shot one of the biggest deer I’ve harvested. I called it my lucky stand after that. LOL.
Buckly
5 year old buck +
One great option that I didn’t mention . Never go into public ground. Then there’s never any kind of personal dilemma.
MRBB
5 year old buck +
for yrs I have found trespassers treestands on lands I owned.managed , and what I always used to do was remove the stands, and leave a not saying how to get them back,
and stating the police were informed about things and would be part of the return! TO date of the 50+ stands I recovered that way, I never had one person call me to get them back.
but again, that was on private lands I had control of, and NOT public lands,
so I had LEGAL right to remove them, ME leaving a note, was something I DIDN"T have to do, but figured if anyone was dumb enough to claim them, I was then going to press charges for trespassing, something I gathered they figured out and why no one ever contacted me to claim them!
Stealing is stealing like it or not, and if you have stolen property, that is also illegal (possession of stolen goods) and can get you arrested for having it!
the same goes for selling stolen items! !
