Tree Stands left on Public

[Troubles Trees]

If you are walking on State Land, in any State that doesn't allow you to litter, and see an empty soda can with a 5 cent deposit, is it stealing if you pick it up?

It doesn't belong there.
It was put there illegally (unless your state allows littering).
You are doing your part to clean up the woods yes?
I fail to see the difference but trying to keep an open mind.

 

[Hoytvectrix]

If you are walking on State Land, in any State that doesn't allow you to litter, and see an empty soda can with a 5 cent deposit, is it stealing if you pick it up?

It doesn't belong there.
It was put there illegally (unless your state allows littering).
You are doing your part to clean up the woods yes?
I fail to see the difference but trying to keep an open mind.

I do like your argument, but I don't think it is quite that clear: https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/abandoned_property

It is up to the court to decide of the abandoned property has value and the circumstances of abandonment. This has been a good discussion.

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

I own public land. Therefore it is my duty to preserve and protect it. Removing litter is part of my duty.

 

[MRBB]

I do like your argument, but I don't think it is quite that clear: https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/abandoned_property

It is up to the court to decide of the abandoned property has value and the circumstances of abandonment. This has been a good discussion.

removing a stand NOT knowing why it was left behind opens a door to question things no?
as health issue's or?/ can prevent a person from getting to things
and once again if things are abandoned on lands NOT owned by you, taking them could be questionable as well
and there is most definitely a difference between a empty soda can and a tree stand, the value alone is way off! and this is also why there are laws that effect the crimes of stealing based on value of items !

if you came across a bulldozer on public lands NOT being used, would you assume that is abandoned property and just take it?? or even say an ATV or ???
NO you wouldn't
even if motorized vehicles are NOT permitted on the public lands!
same goes for trail camera's, where there also NOT supposed to be there after a certain date,

Would you just TAKE them, cause you FOUND ONE there>?
NO one would not, cause most likely they know its wrong to do so!

as I stated, if on public lands, the way to go about things IMO< would be contact the game warden or who ever runs the property and inform them of what was found LEFT behind after the cut of date
and NOT just take things into your own hands to try and enforce a law set by the state!
trying to justify stealing is never a good thing
right and wrong, shouldn;t have to be a law,
if its not your's DON"T take it!
the same goes for trespassing, I always find it odd how so many folks seem to try to justify trespassing , claiming NO sign's or ?? when if we were adults about things and willing to take responsibility for our own actions,
if you DON"T have permission to be some place and its NOT public land, your trespassing!
yet so many like to debate this as well!
were rapidly slipping into a society that seems to think Nothing is there fault or stand up for there own actions, I'm so glad I grew up when I did!~

 

[MRBB]

I own public land. Therefore it is my duty to preserve and protect it. Removing litter is part of my duty.

so you consider a tree stand litter, so that means if I find your stand I can just take it cause its litter?
or does it ONLY become litter magically at a certain time?
and you DON"T own public land, you only have a right to USE IT
big difference in owning something and being allowed to use it, or don;t you get this either?

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

so you consider a tree stand litter, so that means if I find your stand I can just take it cause its litter?
or does it ONLY become litter magically at a certain time?

Yes it’s litter when it’s left illegally. If I leave mine past the time allotted in the regs you may dispose of it.

 

[MRBB]

Yes it’s litter when it’s left illegally. If I leave mine past the time allotted in the regs you may dispose of it.

where in the your hunting regulations does it say YOU have the right to remove it and dispose of it?
I have never seen that in a hunting rules and regulation book,?, so please show me?

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

where in the your hunting regulations does it say YOU have the right to remove it and dispose of it?
I have never seen that in a hunting rules and regulation book,?, so please show me?

It’s in the general section of public land rules. Not hunting regulations. Litter removal

 

[Tree Spud]

so you consider a tree stand litter, so that means if I find your stand I can just take it cause its litter?
or does it ONLY become litter magically at a certain time?
and you DON"T own public land, you only have a right to USE IT
big difference in owning something and being allowed to use it, or don;t you get this either?

where in the your hunting regulations does it say YOU have the right to remove it and dispose of it?
I have never seen that in a hunting rules and regulation book,?, so please show me?

The regs clearly state the stand cannot be left out overnight. You are doing a public service by removing it to ensure that everyone has the right to use the land.

I apply the Smokey the Bear approach ... Only you can prevent litter bugs

 

[Troubles Trees]

I don't know how everything becomes so divisive these days. I am a to each is their own kind of guy, I personally wouldn't take a treestand out of stateland that I didn't own, but I wouldn't shame someone that did.

State land is maintained by the state, we the people fund the state to do this service. It is all our land and I treat it as such. If I see garbage I pick it up, no it isn't my garbage, but the State and I both understand that if a human left it there it needs to go. If I find a $100 bill I would also pick it up it would just go into a different garbage bag *winks* I don't call the DEC to find it's owner because I already know it isn't traceable back to the owner. If it is something identifiable like a 4 wheeler I would call the DEC so they can identify the owner and likely ticket them and eventually give the item back after the court proceedings and fines are paid. Regarding a treestand I don't know for sure but I would guess the DEC would want the item removed and try and identify the owner and look to fine them, more so then them being concerned that the rightful owner gets their stand back. If I called the DEC about someone leaving a soda can they wouldn't try to identify the owner, so somewhere between a soda can, a $100 bill and a treestand we are divided on what is able to be taken and what should be done with it. I feel a joke coming on :)

This is where it gets tricky.
If there was a treestand 6 feet off the ground with soda can and a $100 bill taped to it would you leave the soda can, the $100 and the treestand?
Would you take the $100 and the soda can but leave the treestand?
None of them are legally there so would you take everything?

Moral delemas are endless arguments and only divide us.

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

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. ^^

I'm not a state logger or forester, but there is no way they're going to condone leaving tree damaging treestands indefinitely on properties under their control.

Notice how I successfully used there, they're and their in one sentence.

 

[Buckly]

so you consider a tree stand litter, so that means if I find your stand I can just take it cause its litter?
or does it ONLY become litter magically at a certain time?
and you DON"T own public land, you only have a right to USE IT
big difference in owning something and being allowed to use it, or don;t you get this either?

I don’t really want to get into a words debate but, what difference is a tree stand than a washing machine or a refrigerator or an old tire Or a tin can. That I see on every State land I go by. Once abandoned , It’s all just trash somebody else has got to clean up. If somebody puts a tree stand illegally and abandons it, trust me they could care less what happens to it. Not to mention you just might save somebody’s life that may not know the dangers of climbing into an old tree stand that may or may not be compromised. removing hazards should be thanked. No body’s going to arrest you. Who’d press charges? LOl.

 

[Buckly]

so you consider a tree stand litter, so that means if I find your stand I can just take it cause its litter?
or does it ONLY become litter magically at a certain time?
and you DON"T own public land, you only have a right to USE IT
big difference in owning something and being allowed to use it, or don;t you get this either?

So who actually owns the public land?

 

[chucker66]

I really like the discussion. MRBB, you make some good points and really make me think. The stand in question that I originally posted about has been in the same location for over 2 years. I am leaning toward calling the warden. I have hunted public quite a bit before I finally bought some property and we followed the law to a T. I have to agree that finding a stand in the woods was a good way to know where someone else already was so on the the next place. The hard part is that it is a really nice ladder stand

 

[MRBB]

I don’t really want to get into a words debate but, what difference is a tree stand than a washing machine or a refrigerator or an old tire Or a tin can. That I see on every State land I go by. Once abandoned , It’s all just trash somebody else has got to clean up. If somebody puts a tree stand illegally and abandons it, trust me they could care less what happens to it. Not to mention you just might save somebody’s life that may not know the dangers of climbing into an old tree stand that may or may not be compromised. removing hazards should be thanked. No body’s going to arrest you. Who’d press charges? LOl.

yes you do want to get into a words debate IMO<
your trying to justify you stealing a tree stand and calling it TRASH or LITTER!
using words that fit your liking!
the sad part here to me, is odds are your a hunter looking to steal from another hunter, ( I have always said, of ALL the treestands I have had stolen or trail cam's its SAD they were most likely stolen by a fellow hunter, and NO I have never had a stand stolen off public lands before you wish to go there, and we wonder why so many folks have issues with hunters, like the anti hunters need more things to get there ways, that fellow hunters have to screw each other too!)

and again, if you do not know the reasons the stand is left behind, yet just feel justified to TAKE IT!
and then your trying to act like your some sort of law enforcement to justify you again stealing the stand.
let me ask you this, WHAT IF< get it WHAT IF
your caught with the stand on public lands by a warden after the date<
do you deny its NOT your's?/ can you PROVE IT>?
NOW had you reported it there FIRST< HUMM< different train of thought maybe?

and honestly , if you don;t know what a treesdtand is used for, or the difference between it and a litter, a can or a washing machine on hunting lands! I am sorry its pointless to continue chatting with you!
a washing machine, soda can, is a much more unlikely item to be on a hunting tract of land, and I would call it litter/trash as well, I wouldn;t call a 100 dollar bill TRASH, I would call it LOST money!
as I doubt anyone that finds a 100 dollar bill will throw it in the correct trash can it after finding it!

 

[MRBB]

So who actually owns the public land?

who own's the public land that depends son where its AT
In PA< for example, we have GAME LANDS that allow PUBLIC ACCESS, there OWNED by the Game commission,
Federal lands OPEN to the PUBLIC are owned by the Government, yet run by many agencies!

NOW< did TAX payers pay for it, do tax payers continue to pay for it, YES, most likely they do
but there are ALSO private land owners that OWN land they ALLOW the PUBLIC to use, thus OPEN to the PUBLIC
SO< there is NO one answer here , even though I know you wish there was !

and if you FEEL YOU own the land, go and try and build a house on, it or SELL it
or sell maybe your SHARE of it?? since you feel YOU own it??
go cut down a tree and when the warden comes, tell him its YOURS, or something like this! and then??
see where you get doing so, and make sure to tell them YOU OWN IT! too, by the way!

like it or NOT land paid for by the tax payer, is controlled by others, there for items and things on such property is property of those that control it,. manage it or own it!
and every property has different rules on how its broken down!

 

[MRBB]

and a question of my own, to anyone that feels they can TAKE a stand left out?

do you actually THROW it in the trash, since your claiming its TRASH LITTER< or do you use it, sell it or??
I some how gather most that STEAL good stands , DON"T throw them away!
there for, sort of says you DIDN:T consider it Trash or Litter in the first place, I know a LOT of hunters, having had a gun shop and hunting many states and for so many decades, I know few that will haul a heavy tree stand FAR in the woods out JUST cause they feel its TRASH!
NOW intentions of selling, or using, HUMM> that seems another story!

 

[Spike_Horn_Shooter]

I’m on public all year scouting and hunting. I’m where the deer are, which is usually where these big ladder stands are NOT. If I see a nice stand left out after the dates it should’ve legally been taken down, damn right I’m taking that thing. Whoever left it up doesn’t care enough about it, and I’m doing the tree a favor.

BUT I NEVER EVER EVER see nice stands left up after the legal date, where I’m scouting.

Usually it’s the Walmart/sportsman’s guide specials on the way into where I want to hunt, and honestly I’m too lazy to take every $40 tree stand down.

Do you think the game wardens with everything on their plate want to spend 50% of a days shift taking down 14 cents of steel (when they are or could be checking licenses, bag limits, investigating poachers, rescuing lost boaters/hikers/other folks that don’t pay the bills. No they don’t want to either. So call the warden - they will probably sigh and maybe they will get to it on a slow day.

What I do find interesting - pretty much in all the best deer areas on public (you know the 1 mile hike through the swamp, poison whatever, and puckerbrush) in the the actual best killing tree, I’ll find old homemade stands. Those old-timers back in the day hunting for meat were straight up killers. In fact when I find a stand like that I’ll mark it on the GPS and throw a couple sits at it. I figure there was a reason some ole-timer went through all that trouble.

 

[Telemark]

I wouldn't take someone's property if I thought they were coming back for it. Sometimes people who break the rules might have a good reason.

A few years ago I was walking some public land weeks after stands were required to be removed and found a ladder stand near a trail. It's a pretty blue-collar area, so I assumed the owner just didn't have time to retrieve it. Sure enough, the following weekend I was walking the same area and saw an overweight guy in his mid 20s sweating and struggling with the stand. Turns out he was just a hard-working guy with no other options for hunting who was happy to have that one stand and an occasional afternoon after work to sit in it. I just helped him get his stand back to his truck and chatted with him about where I had seen deer sign.

Did he break the rules? Yes. But In his case I think he deserves some leniency. Not everyone has the same opportunities, and without knowing the circumstances I don't feel right about passing judgment.

 

[SD51555]

I'm not a state logger or forester, but there is no way they're going to condone leaving tree damaging treestands indefinitely on properties under their control.

Notice how I successfully used there, they're and their in one sentence.

A man should never choose a woman that chews tobacco.