Leaving Stands in Public Land

[JonnyD]

Going to start hunting MN this year. I moved here a few years ago, and continued to just hunt private land in SD. Never really had time to do both, but thought I could at least jump in the stand a few times this year.

Reading through the regulations, I'm confused, Can you leave a portable tree stand on public land? It would be a real pain if I had to put my stand up and down after each hunt.

I live in the N. metro, and just seeing if others have good luck hunting decent bucks within an hour of the metro on public land. Been on the DNR site, and there is a lot of land out there to chose from. If any one feels generous, it would be awesome if I could get some help narrowing down all the public land out there. Feel free to shoot me a PM with a county or region that seem to have better land and options at seeing that 120+ buck.

[northspear]

if your not going to be there everyday i would take it down. last thing you need is your stand gone. i know some people that leave there steps in and take the bottom one or two out. but just to be on the safe side i would take it down.

[JonnyD]

So you can leave your stand in then???

I would put a chain around it, I know they can cut it, but if they are that desperate for a tree stand, then I guess I feel bad for a fellow hunter who needs to do this.

[Scoot]

Jonny, why not pull your stand and put it back up every time you hunt? I've never understood why people make a big deal about this-- I can get my stand up in no time flat and it takes very little effort for me to do it. It's particularly easy if I've got a tree all picked out and ready to be hunted from.

That way, you won't have to worry about losing your stand...

[Cheetah]

So you can leave your stand in then???

Depends on the area. Check the MN regs. For WMA areas you have to pull the stand. Page 100. Same for federal refuge areas. I think some state/natl forests allow you to leave it up, but I am not certain of that, again check the regs. You can get the regulations as a pdf from the dnr HSOforum if you don't have a paper copy.

[newfish]

After reading the regulations I do not believe you can leave a tree stand on public land except for bear hunting only. If you do leave your stand out overnight it becomes a "public stand" and if someone sits in there you are SOL. Scoot is right if you have a good set up you can be up in a tree in about 10 min or less. I have a gorilla scout tree stand with lone wolf climbing sticks, together they weight 18 lbs or so. Takes me around 10 min or so to set up in a tree. If you are able try looking at a climbing stand either from summit or lone wolf both excellent quality climbing stands.

Another good source of info would be to contact your local conservation officer and ask them about it. In the past when I have had questions they were the best resource for those gray area questions.

Good luck and hope this helps.

[pureinsanity]

Take your stand down unless it specifies you can leave them up.

It bothers me that people go to public and leave a stand up and then they say that my stand, or this my spot because I was here first.

Follow the rules and you wont be visited by angry people who use that public land or by the dnr.

I myself have taken peoples stands down. I wont take the stand I just lay everything right next to the tree it was in. Ill leave a note to refer to the section of the rules about stands on public.

[certified jumbo]

We do hunt some county land and tax forfeit land in Northern MN. Very few if any hunters on the public land we hunt. I leave my stands up and have never had any problem. If you hunt public areas with more people you probably should take it down. Lots of state land that doesn't get hunted much in the northern 1/3 on MN.

[mnguy152]

pull it unless u have too much money and can afford to buy stands

[flyfisher03]

Illegal..pull it when you are done. I have done quite a bit of work on wildlife management areas and were told to pull any stands that we saw (permanent or portable).

Also if you did leave it and want it back check with the local area DNR wildlife manager. Most hang on to them for a month or so before "discarding" them.

[ANYFISH2]

Illegal..pull it when you are done.

This is not true! Not all public land is WMA's! Find out what kind of public lamd it is and who own's it. Then check with the county, company, or the state regulations(if state owned) to find out the rules about stands on said land.

That said, safest bet is to pull your stand to avoid the unsavory.

[Archerysniper]

Jonny hit me with a email at blueyes76482@aol I'll get you on some deer but you got to take your stand out with you or it's gone.

[BoxMN]

FWIW - on state land (state forest land) you CAN leave portables up, or gamecams out. BUT after 14 days of it being there, it is considered "abandonded". The rules say this, and I also checked earlier this year right from the horses mouth, at DNR Enforcement. They said they really don't have way of checking the 14 days, and IF you move it slightly, that starts the 14 days again. That won't keep someone from stealing it, but it keeps you legal. This is not for WMA or WPA, but for good old fashioned State Forest Land that is public.

I plan to put up a ladder stand and leave it out, but on a small parcel that is rarely hunted, and if someone wants to use it and gets there before me, they are welcome to it - I just hope they don't steal it but buyer beware, ha!

Good luck hunting!

[leech~~]

Our group puts up 4-5 ladder stands every year on State land starting Laborday and don't remove them until after rifle hunting in Nov, or keep them up if we have not filled out for late season bow hunting. We lock them up with long cables and locks. We also put out trail cam's and try to hind them the best we can and then pull them once the leaf's drop but by then we should have a good idea of the Deer in the area are like. Good luck hunting!

[Bowfin]

Wow, the confusion! Its too bad we got to this point with all the conflicting rules. Trying to leave opinion and emotion out and to answer the original question:

National Forest Lands - no permanents, portables can be placed before the season and must be removed after the season.

State Forest Land - permanent stands still OK if it does not have walls or a roof which can be considered a building. No restrictions on removing portable stands. Even the 16 foot maximum height restriction on permanent stands was removed.

State WMA's - need to remove each day unless bear hunting before the archery deer season

County tax forfeited lands - generally the same as State Forest rules except for Cass and Crow Wing Counties which have special regulations posted in the hunting regs.

There are many public land areas in northern Minnesota where you are not over run by people.

Now my opinion portion:

Its great to be able to prepare and leave stands out way before the season. You can prepare several sites before hand and quietly huint them during the season. You must remember they are not your sites though. If someone beats you to the site they have just as much right to hunt there as you do.

[Archerysniper]

Bowfin your 100% right that's why I pack in my climber every day.

[Toba]

You also need to ask yourself what type of hunter is also hunting the area. I have had a stand ripped off and threatening notes left to the tree that the stand was on. This all happened in public land and over the course of a few days. Makes a guy a little nervous about some that also share this hobby. If you really like the stand carry in and out.

[harvey lee]

I do not even leave mine up anymore and we have private land to hunt.

Last 3 years I have had 2 cimbers stolen as I thought they would be safe.

Personally for me, I will carry my climber in as they cost too much for another to take.

Last fall I even had a double bull blind stolen. I left on a Monday for home and came back on a Thursday and went to hunt it but no blind. On private land a 1/2 mile of the gravel.

If you are a trusdting soul, I wish u the best.

2- Lone Wolf climbers and a DB blind. Bought a grand for the 3.

[Toba]

It's a very violating feeling to walk around in the dark for an hour looking for your stand and come to find that it has been taken.

[JonnyD]

Jonny hit me with a email at blueyes76482@aol I'll get you on some deer but you got to take your stand out with you or it's gone.

ArcherySniper, sent you an email lasdt week, and PM sent...thanks

[Archerysniper]

Got it Jonny, you have a PM