Building stands in State Forest

[Neiko]

What is the deal? Can you build stands in State Forest as long as they don't have walls or roofs? I can't remember if they were talking about making this the new law or it is a new law.

[Benny]

You can not build any permanant stands of any kind on any public lands in Minnesota.

The laws changed here a year or two back to outlaw them.

You can use portable stands and ladder stands, but be advised on public land any stand is open to the public to use.

That means if some unethical hunter sees your ladder stand they can use it and your SOL!!!

You can't even sit next to them as it is consedered hunter harasment to porpously crowd in on a hunter.

Benny

[Neiko]

Correct me if I am wrong Benny but I was looking around on the DNR site and found this.

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_forests/rules.html

It says you can not build permanent shelter . It said before that temporary stands,including portable and constructed stands are allowed.

[Kyle]

Benny-

is hunter harassment included in waterfowling? I will be using small bay this season which is hard to get into if your not there early enough. I was wondering if it would hunter harassment if someone came and put there decoys near mine?

H4L

[outdoor ran]

I beleive you do have the right to take your stand down though. Thats what I would do. Tell him to get out because your taking it home or to a different spot. If you don't feel like throwing him out just take your pegs or sticks down. Make his trip down a little interesting.

[Northland Sportsman]

Would a hunter be unethical to use an existing stand in a public hunting area? Would it be unethical to tell someone to leave a stand that you put up but left unoccupied? I have never stand hunted on public land and would probably not use a stand that is set up, but why leave it if you don't want someone else to use it. Seems to me if it is legal to use, why would it be unethical? I really don't like the idea of permanent stands on public land as it seems that they are claining an area that should be public. I think it is first come first served, but would be interested in others opinions on this.

[snapcrackpop]

Public lands and public stands.

I have them and if someone else is there, oh well.

If it is an hour before sunup, I'm a little upset, but gota be friendly.

If I found one to use, I would, but if another hunter came along (and stated in a friendly way) he put it up, I would leave.

[Benny]

The harasment laws are vague at best, but if your out there on the water and some one sets up on top of you just to cause you to have a bad hunt, then it is harasment.

If they set up there not knowing how close you were, or because they are idiots then it is consedered fair hunting.

Benny

[Benny]

No you have no rights to your own stand if you place it on public lands and don't beat the other guy there.

It is thiers to use till they climb down and leave.

If you remove the steps it is harasment, if you sit right next to the tree and cause a disturbance to disrupt thier hunt it is harasment!

You just have to wait them out.

Now I think most hunters would climb down and leave, but there are people who think that because it is the law they will do it and laugh at you!!

Benny

[Benny]

It is my personal view that it is unethical!

I would not use another persons stand even if it was on the most public land around, I was taught to respect others stands regaurdless of where they are placed!!!

Sure it might be legal,and yes I know people who will use any stand they find on public land just because it is legal to do so.

But wouldn't you feel better about your self if you got down and walked away knowing that maybe that person will do the same when they find your stand??

Why cause a confrontation over a stupid deer stand, whether it be yours or some one elses?

Benny

[Powerstroke]

You pose an interesting situation Benny.

The regs read that a "shelter" is illegal, but permanant stands are not exactly illegal unless they damage trees. Very vague.

It does go on to say that any stand left in a state forest is considered public.

I've hunted stands on public land for a long time. I have lost my spot once and I've had someone ask me to get out of their stand once and they took it down right away.

The only unethical thing here is assuming that just cause you made a stand on public land that someone else should "respect" that. It would be more unethical to ask someone to leave your stand than it would to use a stand you found in the woods.

Just cause you were raised with an attitude that you made it, its yours, doesn't bypass the law. Its not about ethics or a sportsmens code, its about opportunity not entitlement.

[jbdragon17]

I tend to disagree with what you are saying. I also feel it is unethical to use a deer stand I know I did not make or get permission to use. I dont care if it is legal or not. I would not do it.

If you know there is a stand on state land, and know someone else built it and intends to hunt out of it, why in the world would you be disrespectful enough to even consider using it? That is unethical.

It would be no different than if you found a trail marked by another hunter and followed it to a tree obviously prepared for someone to hang a portable. I would say it would be unethical if you strapped on your portable and decided to use that tree since you got there first. Unethical all the way. Not against the law but 100% unethical in my book.

[harvey lee]

It is to bad one cannot put a stand up early and still hunt it one day.This is no different than getting permission to hunt on someones land.Some people respect other peoples property and a few dont so the state has to make a new book of laws.

There are a few or more people that think they can do whatever they see fit right or wrong.Even though this is a little bit of a pain I would just carry a stand out in the morning and put it up when you hunt.This is why I am very thankfull that I have private property to hunt so I dont run into these problems.I guess I should be more thankfull as I read these posts.Problems like this can sure ruin a day of hunting real fast.One only has a few cuoices here

1-Get in very early for the stand you built.

2-Have a problem with the other guy and call the CO

3-Or just go somewhere else.

4-carry a portable with you.

I would like to believe that any hunter with some ethics would not crawl up into a stand he did not put up.Yes by law you have the right but by hunter ethics you sure do not.Problem is today some people have decided not to do any scouting and walk in opening morning and hunt.No idea what is happenning with other hunters.I hunted a private hunt once with so many other people that if you stuck one with a arrow you better have hoped it fell in a very short distance or you had better have been a track star.A buddy of mine tracked his bow killed deer and when he found it 20 minutes later another person was gutting and tagging it.What do you do? NO ETHICS.

[almostthere!]

Here is the deal with permanent stands on public land: not all permanent stands will be used by their builders. The guy might have moved on to another stand or zone. There are also wise guys who will build multiple stands just so other people will stay away from the general area...that is wrong.

The easiest way is to leave the permanent stand open to the public. If you built it, have another spot in mind and carry your portable.

Ethics is kind of gray, here. If you didn't build it and knows the builder is going to use it, you are unethical. If you do not know that the builder is going to use it, it is ethical and the law.

[toughguy]

You would have to be a jerk to get into the woods 3 hours before shooting time on opening morning and sit in a stand that someone else built on public land. That being said I have used stands on public land built by others on days after opener that I know have not been used that year, or for a few days. If a hunter would walk up to the stand and claim the stand I would give it up even though the law is on my side. Laws are laws but it would take some nerve to "poach" someone’s stand on opening day. If it's legal to build a stand on the public land you are hunting get out there and build one yourself. Each year we get out and make sure our stands are there from last year, improve them if we need to, and maybe build a new one if needed. For me it’s a good reason to get reacquainted with the land and get away for a weekend of fun with the guys.

You can build stands on state forest and certain county lands. On state forest lands the regs only recommend that you use portable stands. Counties like Crow Wing and a few others have banned the building or using of and perm stands on county lands. I hunt county land that at least last year you could still build stands on. I think there are rules against building giant covered deer hunting mansions in the trees on state forest land.

[almostthere!]

As it stands, the best way is first come first served. I can not recall how many unused treestands I've come across while still-hunting. That is nothing more than public land hogging.

The law should demand that we tear our stands down at the end of each season. This way, all there will be no unused stands hogging up the forests.

[Powerstroke]

On the topic...

I hunt public land 98% of the time. Its what I have access to and it provides me the most opportunities with the least amount of hassle. There are so many stands built in the woods in so many different stages of decay I can't even begin to comment. Frankly I think a new perm. stand with fresh pine lumber in the woods is ugly and gaudy. Almost no one here who builds stands can honestly say you visit every stand you've ever built and can justify saying that no one should ever use your stand. Those who say don't use another persons stand would also probably agree that someone shouldn't set up their portable nearby a permanant. In the places I hunt.....this wouldn't even let me have enough land around me to feel safe bowhunting because there are so many stands dotting the forests.

If you build perms, I would hope that the stands you no longer use get torn down and removed from the woods, but I know that that can't be true. People leave them to decay and rot, ruining the lumber potential of the land and leaving unsafe stands littering the woods.

A place that I hunt in Pillsbury SF. was logged 2 years ago and the only trees left in the clearcut area were the ones with old stands hanging off them. Disgusting. I used to hunt from those stands. I think its more selfish to think you are entitled to build a permanant structure on public land and that everyone else should stay away cause they didn't make it.

Off-topic kinda.....

How hard is it to use a portable? They are less than $100, require no "upkeep", can be used anywhere if the deer change habits, can be set up in a 1/2 hour or less and DON'T DAMAGE TREES. You can still have all the comraderie of a boys weekend, you can still trim for shooting lanes and do scouting. You don't need to slap a dozen 2x4's to a tree with nails.

The best permanant stands are still made the same but are attached to the trees with rachet straps and are removed at the end of the season.

Would I be unethical or a steward of the forest and safety if I carried a hammer and had a "cleanup weekend" every summer to remove stands that have not been maintained recently?

[harvey lee]

You would be a steward if you clean up all the old junk.It would ber just like a lake clean up,great idea.

[Gordie]

powerstroke you trully are steward of the forest and if a clean up the woods takes place I would also like to particapate in that.Be it state or county land,my favorite strecth of woods or someone elses.A portable stand on puplic land to me is the right thing to do. I hunt on county land were permanent stands are illeagle to use and I think its made hunting better,because most guys that use those old stands didnt show up last year.and now were left with soon to be rooting stands in the forest. I think I will join you by grabbing a hammer next time I go scouting.I use a ladderstand. exellent post!!

[outdoor ran]

I know we are talking about building stands. But lets say you are hunting out of your $300 climbing stand on public land one evening and you decide to Leave it at the bottom of the tree over nite because you are coming in the morning to hunt it. You get there and theres a guy up in the tree in your climber. Your telling me its unethical to ask him to get out so you can have your stand back?

[harvey lee]

I would say if you leave a climber in the woods on state land overnight you wont have to worry about hunting it in the morning as someone else will probably be hunting in it elsewhere.I would guess that you might be asking for trouble there unless you have alot of honest people where you hunt.

[Code-Man]

Chains and locks. Only way you can hope it don't grow legs and walk away. A buddy and I put platform stands out on state land and we havent' had any troubles with anyone taking our spots but we also lock them up and put them in spots off the beaten path. Last year though while walking around/scouting I did run across two perminant deer stands that were in the woods. I did hunt out of them and never did see anyone come up to it while I was out there and went out there this year and now this year there all torn down. I don't know if it was the owner or the DNR found it but they weren't there this year which kinda sucks because both were pretty new stands. I don't like hunting out of people's stands but when you hunt a spot every night for 9 days and no one comes to the area I don't see anything wrong with it. Am I wrong? I aint a jerk but if someone would have came up I would have left but I never saw one person in the area.

[jbdragon17]

My party hunts 40 acres if private wich is surrounded by state. We cover somewhere around 500 total acres. There are several permanent stands on the private land and several permanent stands on state land. We all also have portables that we use if the permanent stands are not hot. When our permanent stands on the state land stop producing or get in bad shape we either repair them, or take them down. The permanent stands on the state land are usually the opening morning spots. We all know where they are and exactly how to get there. There is no poking around in the woods in the dark. We often hang portables during the day and rotate to those for the evening hunt or the next morning. However, we use our permanent stands sometime every day of the hunt.

The people who normally hunt the lands near us know the area our party covers. We know where they are. We talk and have coffee often during the hunt. We have a very good relationship with the other couple parties in the area and I have never had to ask anyone to leave the stand I put up (I would ask if it happened). I have had people walk right by me (within 15 yards) and ruin my opening morning hunt. The guy actually scared off three deer my hunting partner was targeting.

A person with any skill in the woods should have a good idea if a stand is being used or not. Why would you use a stand that you did not take the time to locate and build? Especially if it is likely someone else is using it? There is no way getting around how unethical that is.

[snapcrackpop]

Sorry, but I am not a mind reader.

If I come upon a stand in public land, I might use it. If another guy came along and said he built it I would get down, unless he was a jerk.

I live about 450 miles from the land I rifle hunt. I don't have but one preseason trip available or time to keep tabs on the public land.

I too have built stands on public land, and if someone else was in it, I would understand and try the next one...it sucks, but it is public... if they didn't like it they should hunt private land.

Metal stands, portables, etc better be locked. I would never take one, but too many others do.

[elevatorguy]

Okay I writing this down right out of last years regulations.

Page 126 under WMA'S

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.

Page 135 under State Refuges.

ELEVATED SCAFFOLDS:

The use of portable stands is recommended, especially those which can be secured without driving nails into trees. Nails are a safety hazard for woodcutters and harm the forest. Personal property must be removed from State Forest lands. It is illegal to destroy state proprerty, including the cutting of trees of four inches or more in diameter at four and 1/2 ft above ground for shooting lanes. Littering and erecting permanent buildings are prohibited.

Any unoccupied stand or blind on public land is public and not the property of the person who constructed it.

Page 145 under National Forest Lands

Only portable tree stands or blinds that do not damage trees and that are removed at the end of the hunt are permitted. Portable stand anchor devices, screw in steps and minimal limbing of latreal branches to facilitate stand placement are allowed.

The Following are PROHIBITED:

Cutting or damaging of trees(for example shooting lanes)

Constructing or maintaining of any kind of road, trail, structure, or improvement(for example, ATV trail or permanent stand)

Occupying or using a permanent stand.

Now this is right out of the regulations from last year. So I would make sure what kind of public land I am on before using permanent stands. And if I do recall correctly there are some counties that have also banned permanent stands on county managed lands. So I would also check with the county before building or using permanent stands.

I know there are still people who use permanent stands on WMAS. As we have 5,000 acres of WMA around our land. And I know there are stands used in that WMA. We on the other hand use portables when we hunt on the public land.

As for leaving portables I would lock up ladder stands and hang ons. As for leaving a climber at the bottom I think you would be foolish to leave it. Even if for only a few hours. For the extra minute or two to unstrap it from a tree and carry it out why wouldn't you. Especially when my climber is rather expensive and light to carry.

Well I hope this clears some things up. And I think everyone should take a little time and just read the regulations. I know some things a vague but alot of it is cut and dry