Tree stands. public or private property?

[surewood]

So I'm just curious as to how people feel about stands on public land. Do you think the stand should be private property? If so would you be willing to pay to register your stand? Like we do for fish houses on public waters. As fish houses are private property. I personally like it the way it is. Wish people wouldn't use my stands, but oh well. Just something I thought about passing time in the woods.

[snapcrackpop]

The regulations state that stands on public land are "public" stands.

What else is there to discuss?

How would someone know when the owner planed to use that stand? Today, last week, once per season?

Nah, I like my climber too much anyways.

I'd rather think about a law that states not knowingly setting up within 100a yards of another hunter during bow season and 200 yards during the gun season.

Hope I'm not hijacking your thread, even if you were here first.

[Archerysniper]

Public property public stand. With that said I will never hunt out of someone elses stand.

[MJ1657]

People seriously climb into stands that don't belong to them?

[goblueM]

well people steal stands off private land, hunting out of a stand placed on public land seems trivial in comparison

if you put a stand on public land you have to expect that someone might hunt out of it

[fivebucks]

We can have permanent stands on the public land we hunt and I have no problem them being public. I would view purchased ladder stands differently though unless they are left up year round. I would not climb up someone else's stand early in the rifle season but later in the week once they are gone I would have no problem doing so if I liked the spot. That being said I think I've done that maybe 2 times in 30 years.

[toughguy]

I hunt in a stand I built on public land. I get up nice and early to be sure I claim it but I've never had an issue of someone else trying to use it.

[dietdew]

People that hunt in other people's stands are the same people that show up at the lake 10 minutes before shooting time and set up their decoys 40 yards down wind.

Legal... Yes... Who ever taught these people hunting ethics needs a refresher course. It always seems to gt passed on through generations as well.

[Sota2Florida]

As someone who is still a fairly new hunter to this part of the state it is/was a little frustrating to be on "public" land, find a good spot and then see a stand. I respect the turf and look for a new area but it is somewhat out of control on too many public areas. I know it has been addressed by some city councils up here with no real resolutions as of yet. Hopefully it never escalates to the situations we have all heard about.

[dietdew]

As someone who is still a fairly new hunter to this part of the state it is/was a little frustrating to be on "public" land, find a good spot and then see a stand. I respect the turf and look for a new area but it is somewhat out of control on too many public areas. I know it has been addressed by some city councils up here with no real resolutions as of yet. Hopefully it never escalates to the situations we have all heard about.

I you look hard enough and re willing to put in some work you can find a secluded spot. Just remember if you can get there in a truck or wheeler that likely there will be other people there. Utilizing non motorized areas weeds out a lot of the lazy hill jacks. Even in popular areas if you get off the trails a mile you will be better off.

[skee0025]

People that hunt in other people's stands are the same people that show up at the lake 10 minutes before shooting time and set up their decoys 40 yards down wind.

Legal... Yes... Who ever taught these people hunting ethics needs a refresher course. It always seems to gt passed on through generations as well.

Yup they are almost as bad as those that build permanent stands on public lands to stake a claim, instead of getting their rumps out of bed and getting to the spot they want to hunt before anyone else does.

[InTheNorthwoods]

First come, first served. There is no saving spots on PUBLIC land. Again, PUBLIC land. I wish there was a rule on all public lands that stands had to come out of the trees on a daily basis, and that no permanent stands could be built (like on WMA's).

I understand that this is inconvenient for some, and it would be inconvenient for me, but it isn't about any one individual, it is about everyone.

If people don't like the nature of public land, there is the option of finding private property - to me its no different than public transportation v. private transportation. You would never leave your briefcase on the seat of the bus/train to try save that spot for the next morning or the ride home (nor would you expect to be able to do so) - but if you have your own car, you are more than free to leave whatever you want in your own vehicle. At the same time, you'd never tell someone else that "I sat in that seat yesterday/last year/this morning" on the bus, and that someone else needs to move because of that. Public property should be treated the same way - we'd still see common courtesy (i.e., "I saw someone in that spot this morning, I'm going to try avoid that area), but we'd see the "entitlement" problems of some individuals go away (i.e. "that is my spot, I hung my stand there two months ago to reserve opening morning of gun season").

[nofishfisherman]

For some reason I look at permanent stands and temporary stands differently. I'd never hunt out of a temporary stand that someone put up. If i came across it I'd keep moving to find another spot.

Permanent stands have a little gray area with me. I did hunt out of one last year that I happened to find when scouting a new spot during the firearm season. It was well over a mile away from the nearest road and probably 1/2 mile away from an overgrown ATV trail that hadn't been used in a few years. I had my climber stand with me and had intended to use that on a ridgeline where I found the stand but figured the permanent stant was a better/quieter option. I found the stand mid day on Thursday so I figured odds where slim it was getting used that day. Also with the little snow that was on the ground I could see no one had been there in a few days at least. There were also marks on trees in the shooting lanes that looked like yardage markers for bow hunting so my guess is that this was mainly a bow stand for someone.

I plan to be in the same area this season as well but again not until mid week after opener. If the stand is open I might hunt it again, if not I'll have my climber with and I'll go to one of the other spots I have picked out.

Now if it were opening morning I would never hunt in a any stand that wasn't mine. I'd assume any stand out there is going to have a hunter in it and I wouldn't want to screw up someone's hunt opening morning for sure. Also if someone came up to the stand I found while I was sitting in it I'd probably offer them the stand since I would have my climbing stand with me that I could use elsewhere and they'd likely not have another stand option if they had planned on using the permanent stand.

[dietdew]

First come, first served. There is no saving spots on PUBLIC land. Again, PUBLIC land. I wish there was a rule on all public lands that stands had to come out of the trees on a daily basis, and that no permanent stands could be built (like on WMA's).

I understand that this is inconvenient for some, and it would be inconvenient for me, but it isn't about any one individual, it is about everyone.

If people don't like the nature of public land, there is the option of finding private property - to me its no different than public transportation v. private transportation. You would never leave your briefcase on the seat of the bus/train to try save that spot for the next morning or the ride home (nor would you expect to be able to do so) - but if you have your own car, you are more than free to leave whatever you want in your own vehicle. At the same time, you'd never tell someone else that "I sat in that seat yesterday/last year/this morning" on the bus, and that someone else needs to move because of that. Public property should be treated the same way - we'd still see common courtesy (i.e., "I saw someone in that spot this morning, I'm going to try avoid that area), but we'd see the "entitlement" problems of some individuals go away (i.e. "that is my spot, I hung my stand there two months ago to reserve opening morning of gun season").

If only it were that simple..... So five guys scout a 40 a week before season and there are no stands on the property due to removal laws that state stand must be removed every night. Now on opening day of rifle season all five guys show up with their ladder stand to hunt the same spot. Guess what.?? It's just like duck hunting . All these jack wagons are gonna set up on top of each other. Now you have safety issues.

I'm not against permanent stands however I would rather it be required that stands could be put up x amount of days before season and must be down x amount after. That way if I'm scouting a new area and see stands I know it's not worth trying to hunt it because I will have to deal with people. Its public land but at least have the curtisy to give a guy some room. There is so much public land to hunt I don't understand why people can't just find a spot. When I used to deer hunt I had guys climbing in my hand after I went out for lunch... Seriously I would com back two hours later and some guy is sitting in my latter stand. [PoorWordUsage].... If the wouldn't leave I would just start taking it down.

[snapcrackpop]

Expecting someone to not use your stand on public land is unrealistic. You can't stake claim to a spot or area. Some people leave stands out for multiple years. How is the next person expected to know when the "owner" will be back, if ever? Sometimes there is only one good tree in the area.

And like others, if the owner comes along (and isn't a jerk about it) I would get out and move on.

Again, i like the idea of the 100 yards between bow hunters and 200 yards between gun hunters as a new regulation.

[CaptainMusky]

I have put my ladder stands on public land before and wouldnt get wound up if someone used it. Its the chance I took the way I saw it. I wouldnt climb in someone else's stand, but I understand that since its on public property and if I put mine out there someone could use it.

What ticks me off is when they steal it. Which happened last year. Perhaps I will find the little jackwagon this year.

[dietdew]

I have put my ladder stands on public land before and wouldnt get wound up if someone used it. Its the chance I took the way I saw it. I wouldnt climb in someone else's stand, but I understand that since its on public property and if I put mine out there someone could use it.

What ticks me off is when they steal it. Which happened last year. Perhaps I will find the little jackwagon this year.

I don't get mad or think it should be illegal, I just don't understand why any one would do it. Jut like duck hunting, it's not illegal to setup 50 yards down wind of someone who has been there since 3:30am so people still do it.

I guess I would be disappointed if I taught someone to hunt that way. I have approached people duck hunting that have done this and 50% of the time they are but holes and act like its ok and 50% of the time they usually don't know any better and I just invite them to hunt with me.

[InTheNorthwoods]

If only it were that simple..... So five guys scout a 40 a week before season and there are no stands on the property due to removal laws that state stand must be removed every night. Now on opening day of rifle season all five guys show up with their ladder stand to hunt the same spot. Guess what.?? It's just like duck hunting . All these jack wagons are gonna set up on top of each other. Now you have safety issues.

I'm not against permanent stands however I would rather it be required that stands could be put up x amount of days before season and must be down x amount after. That way if I'm scouting a new area and see stands I know it's not worth trying to hunt it because I will have to deal with people. Its public land but at least have the curtisy to give a guy some room. There is so much public land to hunt I don't understand why people can't just find a spot. When I used to deer hunt I had guys climbing in my hand after I went out for lunch... Seriously I would com back two hours later and some guy is sitting in my latter stand. [PoorWordUsage].... If the wouldn't leave I would just start taking it down.

Don't put your eggs into a 40 acre basket. It sucks to show up and see others hunting a spot, but thats the risk of hunting PUBLIC land. Believe me, I understand that it would be inconvenient and/or make some people unhappy if they find "their spot on public land occupied" [oh the irony], but to me, the idea of "spot saving" on public land, and the issues that come with it, are far worse than the inconvenience and issues that arise with finding other people are also hunting public land.

This is just my opinion.

[dietdew]

I don't think we are that far off. I am jut thinking of it from the viewpoint of your typical mn public land hunter. You know the guy that shoots his gun once a year and thinks 49 acres can support 10 hunters. You and I both know to go find a new spot but sadly I think a lot o people would sti hunt with the other hunters there.

[deerminator]

Geez, this is why my big hunting purchase next year is going to be a bowhunting ghillie suit. That said, these guys have started hunting the WPA right next to my inlaws and they haul in big ladder stands and leave them up during the whole slug season here! One morning last year, my FIL woke up to find one of the hunters under his truck! He said he was checking to see if it was warm as he thought it belonged to another hunter and wanted to know if they might be out there in one of their stands.

[deerminator]

So can you put up stands on public land statewide now or is it only certain areas or lands like state forests? I guess I've always used my groundblinds or sat in the bushes. So I havent been paying attention.

[eyesonly]

Now you guys have gone and gotten me all worried about the two portables for me and my boy I have up on a large tract of public land around hill city . I’m going to have to get up extra early and get going on opening morning. I could never in good conscience sit in someone elses stand but I also dont think its fair that people put up permanants on public land- I guess I should not think that way since there isnt much diffrence in me putting up a portable early and someone else building a permanent so it’s probably dumb for me to think that way

[Bear55]

I use to get upset when I found a stand in a location I wanted to hunt, now I know that guy is probably doing me a favor by letting me know where they hunt so I can avoid that area at all costs. They are likely overhunting the area and scenting it all up anyway, a mature buck is far less likely to showup there so I want to be in another spot anyway.

[RIPN LIPS]

Quick story..Opening morning a guy comes out and got up in an old deer stand not 100 yards away that i knew was there. First light snap, crash, bang, the guy hits the ground. I started to get down and go over and help him but by all the nouns/verbs that started with "F" he was uttering I figured he was fine. Moral to the story if you do use someone elses stand you might want to make sure it is up to your standards of safety. I do hunt state land and if your in my ladder in the morning I may use a couple of them noun/verbs but I would walk to my plan B. Good luck everyone and be safe.

[dietdew]

Old timer used to make his ladder out of rope and hide the rungs. This guy couldn't get out in the woods far so he burned on the trail. He always shot a deer and nobody would sit in his stand that was right on the trail.