Portable Stands

[rather b hunting]

For a lot of us who hunt on county lands where permanent stands are no longer allowed, how many of you are nervous till you reach your stand to make sure it is still there?

I am trying be be a law abidding citizen and I think portable stands are the way to go now, but it still makes me nervous leaving a $250 alone in woods with some of the idiots in the woods. I vote for a lifetime ban from hunting if you are caught stealing somebodys elses hunting equipment of any kind, be it a stand, decoys, ATV, whatever.

And the land I am talking about is county land not a WMA so it is legal to put it up and leave it.

The idiots who steal are the ones who cause all the other problems as well. Drinking while hunting, shinning, hunting over bait, leaving trash in the woods.

[96trigger]

By a cheaper stand, that way you aren't out so much if you lose it. I only by ladder stands that are less than $70. If you carry a padded seat with you they are everybit as nice as the other ones. Good luck.

[walterman]

Buy a couple tree stand locks and you shouldnt have anything to worry about.

[mwal]

Locks only work for honest people. i had a stand stolen that was chained and locked. They brought in saw of some sort and sawed thru the chain. Now I never leave stands.

Mwal

[metrojoe]

I didn't think it was legal to leave stands on any public land?

Where did you find the Regs on this?

[metrojoe]

I found it....I think?

It doesn't say you have to remove them every day/evening, but it doesn't say you can leave them either.

It does say that any personal property left unattended for 14 days will be considered abandoned.

[rather b hunting]

The regs state that only in WMA's or state parks are stands

not allowed to be left overnight. But here is a good question. When the DNR states "Public Land" in the regs does that mean only WMA,FedWaterfowl, Parks, State Forrests, etc. What aboutland that is privatly owned that is not posted so you can legally enter it, such at Potlatch land in northern MN. Or how about the acres upon acres of Tax Forefitted land owned by Co up north? Is that public

or private that you have permission to hunt. The reason

I ask is what about some laws that are diiferent for public vs. private. The one example I have the law no longer exsists but there was a time when you were only allowed to use spinning wing decoys on private land through the first 2 weeks. What would Potlatch Land be?

[chris63]

Hey metro,stealing is stealing.I just had a thought,oh yea claymores are not legal either.c63I just HATE theives.Stupid because the owners of the property are walking out in the woods with a silent bow or a high power rifle/shotgun.

[decoy]

I have a few sides of the debate for you.

1. If I were walking through a WMA and I saw an abandoned rifle leaning on a stump. I would pick it up and it would come home with me. Period. Is that right or wrong. I would most likely take it home, and call the Sheriff to report that I found the rifle.

2. The rules about no stands over night in a WMA are there for everyone to abide by. In my opinion, the moment you break a rule like that, you have no right at all to be upset that your stand has disappeared. You take a gamble and you loose.

I just bought a new climber to use on a WMA and there is no way I would leave it on a tree for someone to as you say, "Steal."

What you call "stealing" someone else may very well refer to as "Finding."

I would never leave my rifle on state land, and hope it's there in the morning.

Also, I do realize there are different rules for different areas. It is our job to kow and abide by the rules.

I agree, it's not right to take other peoples property, but it is also just as wrong to leave stands where they don't belong. Both are equally wrong.

Thoughts?

[Rotwieler]

i think the best way to secure my stands is to use heavy steal cable, like the kind on an ATV winch, with a lock that doesn't exspose the locking rod. the puck shaped type. they are a lot harder to cut with bolt cutters. also if you use screw in steps take out the bottom 8 feet worth. i also camo my stand a little when i leave by putting a big pine bow, that i cut while putting up the stand, on the platform so it isn't as obvious where my stand is.

[Dave]

Quote:

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i think the best way to secure my stands is to use heavy steal cable, like the kind on an ATV winch,

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Winch cables are soft and can be cut with just a chisle and hammer. I'd use some hardened chain.

[almostthere!]

I have another question. How about leaving your stand on the tree during lunch break? (I would never leave a climber but I have a ladder stand and a hang on which would be a pain to carry out and put back up.) If when I return and finds a fellow hunter sitting in my ladder or hang-on, do I have the right to ask the hunter to get out of my stand?

[eyefever]

The regulations clearly state that stands left on public property are the property of the public. That to me means that if you leave your stand out it is fair game. Not to say that I agree with it, but that is how I interpret it. I personally saw a very nice climber at the base of a tree on friday before opener on state land and did not touch it. People who take other people's stands don't have much respect for other hunters.