Tree stands. public or private property?

[Kettle]

Surewood, I think I hunt some of the land near you, Blandon land just north of the county line road and west of 169. I have been hunting there 14 years on and off, I do have permanent stands out there people seem to be respectable in regards to not using them but have had people set up 150 yards up a trail from me, it's public so there is not much I can do. Although I do not see the nice bucks you see up there, largest one was a basket 8 a few years back, lots of spikes and forks. Good luck this year.

Kettle

[Musky Buck]

My only wonder is 200 yards apart for rifle, if there's a public like 40 acre patch, that would mean 1 guy in the middle, leaving 20 yards around the perimeter since a 40 is 440 yards long. My uncle sits on a 20 acre patch of public, so he has it for life unless someone can row their boat to that spot first ? If it came to that he'd literally sleep over night on that patch I bet. Just a tough topic with no easy simple answers, after reading I think I'm thankful to have more private land than I could ever hunt. Makes those land payments easier to make, good luck to all and be safe and realize gps etc. etc. people can surface from anywhere.

[Vikings_59]

I caught a guy in my stand on our own private land 2 years ago. I drove right out to the woods through the field as he never had any permission to hunt or even be back there. I got out of the truck and he tried to hide his face. He was in my ladder stand wearing blaze orange. (I could see him a mile away) I asked him "What the h*LL do you think you are doing" He studdered and was clearly very nervous and said: "Im hunting here" I said, "Whos stand do you think your in?!" He said "Im not sure" I told him to get out of the woods and if I ever see him back there again I would call the Sherriff. Needless to say, a year later (last year) I caught his brother in the same woods an hour after legal hunting hours with a flashlight and my trail camera was ripped off the tree. It turns out they hunt some neighboring property and I know the owner. I asked him if he has ever had issues with them. He said nhe only deals with the father, but if they were trespassing on someones property as well as stealing things, his family will never get permission to hunt his woods again.

"Some people just don't get it"

[surewood]

Smith creek trails. I actually live a few miles south of there. I don't hunt that area though. I do know of some nice bucks taken out of there. I've saw my share of young bucks in this area. Good luck.

[dietdew]

Surewood, I think I hunt some of the land near you, Blandon land just north of the county line road and west of 169. I have been hunting there 14 years on and off, I do have permanent stands out there people seem to be respectable in regards to not using them but have had people set up 150 yards up a trail from me, it's public so there is not much I can do. Although I do not see the nice bucks you see up there, largest one was a basket 8 a few years back, lots of spikes and forks. Good luck this year.

Kettle

You know perm stands are illegal on blandin land right?

[leech~~]

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.

If you park your truck out on state land or on the street for that matter, is it still private property? I would think so.

[dustin85]

I would never vote for being able to pay a fee in order to stake claim to stand locations on public property. Before you know it, every inch of public land would be claimed rendering the land unusable by the public.

[Spike76]

I still build stands on public land, because than hunters will know ahead of time that someone will probably be there opening morning. I'm hunting the same area that my wifes grandfather hunted before world war two. The woods are big but it is nice to know where others will be set up before opening morning. I have ladder stands set up around there too. Everyone be careful, be safe and good luck.

[highlife4me]

I would never hunt in stand unless I know who built it and how it was built. I have seen some pretty shoddy carpentry work in deer stands and would not trust my life to them.

[TRZ II]

I hunted only public land for about 10 yrs. I always kept my stands up so other hunters would know that I hunted there. I have had guys in my stand a few times and it is not a big deal, it is PUBLIC land. If nobody kept a stand up 5 guys might show up opening morning and then you really have a mess. Sure I have had guys on buckets 100 yrds away but guys who put in no work usually get no deer! But that said i got sick of it all and bought 80 acres. Best move I have ever made, got 2 walhangers 10 pointers the past 2 yrs. And I don't have to worry about some guy walking under my stand a 8 in the morning! I seen just about everything in CC Andrews in Willow River, but managed a deer 9 of 10 yrs somehow. Public land can be great but you have to be willing to deal with alot of adverse situations at times.

[itsashooter]

Amazing, just amazing, how many people say they would never sit in anyone else's treestand! And I definitely believe everyone that says this, is telling the truth. Where are these losers that do decide to snap up someone's treestand, either sitting in it, or worse yet, STEALING IT ! They are probably not members of this forum, have limited "friends" or anyone that cares about them. There the same ones that probably don't pay their taxes, blow stop signs, throw garbage out their windows, and overall typical obnoxious, loud people. Get used to it, they're everywhere! Common sense and ethics mean NOTHING to these Neanderthals ! I'm glad we're in the majority who understands common sense and real values. Safe and fun hunt to all on this forum!

[snapcrackpop]

Have you noticed only the posters that are strongly opposed to sitting in a VACANT stand are the ones calling names? Can I inferr personality traits about about them and weather or not they pay taxes???

Sheesh!

[itsashooter]

Your right Snap, I shouldn't be calling anyone brash names or assume they don't pay taxes, and I'm glad you brought that up. Instead,, I'll just call them common criminals without ethics. You found a wallet with 1,000 cash in it on a public street, with No ID in it. Now what, turn it in to local authorities, or keep it? There is NOTHING good about people that sit in or steal stands. If you grew up with a Father or Mother that would say its ok to use someone else's property without consent,, or even steal it, then I'll let someone else judge them. It's nothing but right from wrong! Again, safe hunt to all!

[GrizzlyAdams]

Not sure how this applies but I found it in the hunting regs book in the deer section.

ELEVATED STANDS IN STATE PARK AREAS

In state parks, state recreation areas and other lands administered by the Division of Parks & Trails, opened to hunting by special permit, or by legislation, early placement of portable stands is allowed according to the criteria below:

• Portable stands may be placed in the unit during normal business hours only and no more than seven days prior to the hunt. Stands must be removed no more than one day after the hunt.

• All stands must have owner/hunter identification on them.

• Only portable stands that do no damage to trees or other vegetation are allowed. Nails, screws or other devices that damage the bark of trees are prohibited.

• Only clamp-on or strap-on devices for climbing are allowed, no screw-in steps.

• Hunters may not place multiple stands.

• [color:#FFFF00]Other hunters or the general public may not occupy stands legally placed by a hunter.

[MJ1657]

I would never vote for being able to pay a fee in order to stake claim to stand locations on public property. Before you know it, every inch of public land would be claimed rendering the land unusable by the public.

+1

[Willard_J]

From the reg book for WMA's. I see this one violated all the time. Along with the litter etc.

"Blinds and Structures: A person may not construct or maintain any building, dock, fence, billboard, sign, or other structure on any WMA, except that temporary waterfowl blinds may be erected, but PUBLIC LANDS & WILDLIFE REFUGES

99

PUBLIC LANDS & WILDLIFE REFUGES

may not become private property or be used to preempt hunting rights. Any materials brought into a WMA for the construction of a blind must be removed each day at the close of hunting hours.

• Elevated Stands: A person may not construct, occupy, or use any elevated scaffold or other elevated device for the purpose of hunting, watching, or killing wild animals, except that portable stands may be used if they are removed each day at the close of hunting hours and

do no permanent damage."

[Pinusbanksiana]

I used a climber last season and promptly forgot about it until I went out this year and found it while I was scouting. It was at the base of the tree, ready to use again. The area got pounded by a windstorm which took out about 1/4 of the surrounding timber. Luckily my climber was spared any damage. If it had gotten stolen, I guess the only person to blame would have been me. I have actually taken a few stands myself that were abandoned and I knew the loggers where moving in. If you want to buy a cheap portable stand, talk to loggers, they have extra.

[CaptainMusky]

Your right Snap, I shouldn't be calling anyone brash names or assume they don't pay taxes, and I'm glad you brought that up. Instead,, I'll just call them common criminals without ethics. You found a wallet with 1,000 cash in it on a public street, with No ID in it. Now what, turn it in to local authorities, or keep it? There is NOTHING good about people that sit in or steal stands. If you grew up with a Father or Mother that would say its ok to use someone else's property without consent,, or even steal it, then I'll let someone else judge them. It's nothing but right from wrong! Again, safe hunt to all!

IMO if a stand is on public land and no one is in it then its fair game to sit in. I wouldnt do it personally unless I knew the person wasnt going to show up. If I would do it and the person showed up, I would get down and let them have it.

Stealing is another story. They are low-lifes and need to be dealt with by the letter of the law. If I catch someone stealing something you can bet they are going to be dealing with the Sheriff's office. I have no time for that at all.

[Deet]

There is NOTHING good about people that sit in or steal stands. If you grew up with a Father or Mother that would say its ok to use someone else's property without consent,, or even steal it, then I'll let someone else judge them.

A few boards and nails left in a public place for years on end is not private property. He that sits in a stand, not built or erected by himself, on public property - you can call him a criminal all you want, but he commits no crime. I don't think it is kind or considerate of him to do so, but it's legal. And under certain circumstances, like if the stand has been apparently unused for several years, I think there's nothing wrong at all with using it.

The last time I sat in “someone else’s” stand, I was 16 years old, hunting public land by myself, near my uncle’s small private parcel and shack. “My stand” (a permanent one that my uncle had built and I had maintained) had been “stolen” from me (some middle-aged man beat me to it) opening morning about an hour before shooting time, so I rushed to another area where I knew there was an old, decrepit tree stand that hadn’t been maintained in years.

After sitting in that stand in an old clear cut for about 2 hours, I noticed an older man walking along the edge of the clearing. When he looked up at me (from about 100 yards out), I gave a wave to acknowledge that I knew he was there. He then turned and walked out toward me and asked if I was in Joe Blow’s group, which I was not. He then asked if I had built that stand, which I obviously hadn’t, since the stand was over twice as old as I was. So then he told me to get the F out of it. I explained my reasoning as I descended from the stand – that I didn’t think anyone had used it in years, and no one else was hunting nearby. He said it didn’t matter whether anyone else used it – if I hadn’t built it, I shouldn’t be in it.

He was wrong. I wish I would have had the guts to stand up to him, but I had been taught to respect my elders. But he was just abusing his seniority and trying to keep newcomers away from “his” area of public land. And I understand how he felt, but not how he acted. itsashooter, it sounds like you would have acted like him.

[echotrail]

I hunt the second week on public land and I've found portable stands in several locations. It appears most are left by those who hunt the first week only or the weekends. I found 5 during a mid October scouting trip. Some no doubt are being used by fall deer and bear hunters and may gone by mid November. Two have been left in place for two + years. I have yet to see anyone in them during the second week and if I wish to I will use one. Having said that, I will say I prefer a ground blind as I don't read too much about anyone falling out and killing themselves as often as a climber. (I do hang a orange traffic vest next to the blind).

What bothers me more is the number of closed up and unattended trailers I see being left on public land 4+ weeks before the season.

[dietdew]

I think most guys agree that under most circumstances you shouldn't sit in someone else's stand. Even though it is legal.

I don't know about you guys but when I deer hunter I put in a lot of hours placing the stand, cutting brush, scouting etc. After doing all of that and having some guy sitting in the stand when you walk out just rubs me the wrong way.

How wild you feel if some guy did all that work and you shot a deer out of his stand. I couldn't do it but I'm sure some people could.

[deerminator]

So all of this is about leaving your stands out on state forest land, right? Because other than special hunts by permit in state parks and recreation areas, the regs as I read them, say its illegal to leave a stand overnight on any public lands. Again, any but state forest land or on special hunts within state parks and recreation areas.

[dietdew]

Do some more digging.

[deerminator]

I read every page of the regs last night pertaining to tree stands and all I could find is that portable stands are RECOMMENDED on state forest land versus permanents. And that you could leave a stand up on state park and recreation land during special hunts. But other than that, every other state of federal owned land requires you to remove the stand each night.

[echotrail]

Dietdew:

It sounds like you put a lot of time into cutting brush/shooting lanes on public land and consider the area yours due to your labor investment. Maybe someone before you has scouted it and hunted there before you brushed it out. Maybe someone using the stand believes whoever built it died. If the stand is legally on public land and unoccupied it's available for public use but not theft. You said using a stand someone else put up is legal and I agree. You said to using one however is "Unethical" sounds like your justifying keeping a public location for your use only. You haven't mentioned if your talking about state or Federal Govt. land as the laws differ. However, someone using your stand may get into trouble just over the cutting issue. Why don't you hang a sign on your stand with your name, phone number and the dates you intend to use it then someone who finds it can call you and ask your permission to hunt that area of public land.