WISH THEY WOULD MAKE STANDS LEGAL IN N.W. MN LEGAL!!

[otis32]

WE NEED TO GET THE LAW CHANGED IN NW MN WMA. TO USE THEM DURING THE HUNTING SEASON !!!!!!! YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO LEAVE THEM UP THE WHOLE TIME!!!!!!!!!! CAN'T WE JUST ALL GET ALONG!!!!!!!!! BE TRUE SPORTSMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!

[mrklean]

its mainly because they dont want them harming trees, tree screws, nailing perms into trees etc, plus the fact that some people will put a stand someplace and say that its "their" area because thats where they put their stand there.

[CRAZYEYES]

I think it would be ok to leave portables up overnight as long as you dont hurt anything. I have ladder stand I would hate to drag in and out every day but i dont think i would want to leave it either.People steal! Sad but true.

[WaitForIt]

Overnight, maybe. There would have to be a 2 or 3 day limit though.

Nothing worse than some local and his hunting party 'claiming' the entire 40 acres (the best 40 at that) just because he thinks it is his and his daddy always hunted there.

First come, first served. Some places I hunt you gotta get up pretty early in the morning to get a good spot.

[Powerstroke]

Its the sad truth about public land.

If you leave your stand up for the entire season and I show up before you, walk in, set up my portable stand and you show up later....will you ask me to leave? If you say yes, then it is obvious why the law is the way it is. If you would honestly say "no" and you will walk away to another spot, then you are in the vast majority. If by true sportsmen you mean that someone won't take another person's "spot" then I disagree with you. Its the risk you take with public land.

I have always hunted public land (15yrs). I have had people take "my spot" and I've set up in a spot only to have someone walk in 15 minutes before shooting and use a stand they left overnight 30yds away and ask me to leave. This is especially true on state forests where permanent stands aren't completely illegal.

This law was changed for bear hunting because having a bear bait technically does save your spot even on public land, but it still doesn't prevent a person from hunting near you. This will never change for WMA's.

[koonie]

WE NEED TO GET THE LAW CHANGED IN NW MN WMA. TO USE THEM DURING THE HUNTING SEASON !!!!!!! YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO LEAVE THEM UP THE WHOLE TIME!!!!!!!!!! CAN'T WE JUST ALL GET ALONG!!!!!!!!! BE TRUE SPORTSMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!

I guess I don't care if you leave them out on public land as long as you don't try to claim that as "your" area. Also, if it's on public land and I happen to beat you to the spot, then what? Just because you have a stand there and I don't, because I hunt from the ground, doesn't give you any more right to that spot. I may have scouted out that area just like you. What if someone beats you to the spot and is in your stand? It isn't ethical but since it's on public land...

Just some issues I could see coming up. Don't take it the wrong way.

[USPENAMC]

I too wish we could leave our stands but remember a stand becomes public property (as far as usage) if left unattended so if someone else gets there and sits in your stand your out of luck.

I actually am very happy we have all this Public land available to us and enjoy getting out and using it and treating it with respect. Being a Texas native that has ALOT of land and most of it is privately owned and you have to pay all those outrageous prices to do anything. Minnesota rules

[picksbigwagon]

I think a major consideration is that both parties involved in a who's stand is it discussion are both armed with firearms and since it is public land, wouldn't the state be held accountable if one of the parties went off and shot the other party? I am not familiar with the law but I see the "DNR"s (which is actually the legislature you are mad at not the DNR) reasoning behind not allowing stands over night on public lands.

[charliepete]

I'm glad that aren't any permanents allowed on WMA's. I'm sure most of us are probably good about hunting on public land, but there are few bad bananna's that ruin it for everyone. The guys that erect $1000 permanent stands and chainsaw down shooting lanes.

[Code-Man]

I believe in Iowa on public land you can not screw anything into the tree. Make you do that and I think it'd be fair.

[merkman]

WE NEED TO GET THE LAW CHANGED IN NW MN WMA. TO USE THEM DURING THE HUNTING SEASON !!!!!!! YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO LEAVE THEM UP THE WHOLE TIME!!!!!!!!!! CAN'T WE JUST ALL GET ALONG!!!!!!!!! BE TRUE SPORTSMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!

Things are different up north, but unfortunately the laws are made for all Minnesotans.

I was talking with an old timer from International Falls the other day and he assured me that after Northern Minnesota succeeds from the rest of Minnesota things like this will be taken care of.

He thought we should just take everything north of Hwy 2 and call it North Minnesota the rest could be South Minnesota.

Hey, It works for the Dakotas?

[mrklean]

haha the dakotas are a whole different story

[Code-Man]

Merkman...you don't have family near Thief River do ya?