Portable stands on public land

[dillon]

Are portable stands left up on public land in MN considered public or private property? This weekend a friend went to use my ladder stands and found them occupied. The occupants would not leave and said first come-first served. I know permanent stands on public property are public but unclear about portables.

I had planned on taking them down that day. If the stands are occupied I'm not about to wait around while someone else finishes using them.

[Code-Man]

they are considered public...first come first serve so to say. I know it's not right but that is what happens when you keep them out there on public.

[jbell1981]

If you leave a portable stand on public property, they are condidered public and can be used by anyone. You need to take them down each day to avoid this problem.

[lunker651]

I talk to a CO last year and he said that any stand portable or permanent left/ built on public land will be consider public for anybody to use.

[CaptainMusky]

Just start taking it down with the other hunter in it or tell them to move over.

Of course I am kidding, but it would be kind of funny.

[chucker34]

On one hand, they have every right to be there since it is first come, first serve. That you have no control over.

On the other hand it is your friend's property and he and you have control over that. And I can see nothing illegal or wrong about you telling them to climb down because you are taking the stand with you to another spot or back to the truck.

[Code-Man]

heres what ya do...With a platform stand get a bike lock. Pull up the platform so it's flush with the tree and lock it that way...Like to see them try to sit in it then. Or take the bottom 3 steps out and come in that morning and put your screw in steps back in. My 2 cents.

[gorrilla]

If you are physically able, get a climbing tree stand. I love my Summit Goliath, I'm over 300 pounds and have never had a more comfortable and stable deer stand.

[bearplott]

I wouldn't suggest removing only three steps as some individuals are extremly proficient at bear hugging a tree and could potentially leave you looking up at your stand with only three steps in your hand when you needed ten to get too the stand.

[LoonASea]

If My memory serves Me correctly,,,portable stands can not be left up over nite on public lands,,If You choose to leave it up it could be assumed that it is permanent and the first come first serve rule would apply ,,If You choose to attemt to take it down while occupied I would be sure to have Your name engraved on the stand to prove ownership,,I am just talking from experience

Randoid

[dillon]

I fail to see the logic behind personal property left in the woods over night becoming public property. If that is true then the camper that these individuals leave on public property when they go back to the TCities for the week should also be considered public property. Maybe when they come back I should be occupying it and point out that its first-come first-served and continue to occupy it. And when they would like to take it home with them tell them that I'm not done using it yet. This makes as much sense as them taking over my personal property. And yes, my name is on all of my stands.

Just needed to vent a little.

[art]

I don't like the idea of my portable stand becoming public property on state land either. It's not a permanent stand that is there for the year. I put it up, hunt a few days from it and take it out. It's not easy work putting up the stand and tree steps. It also is not a silent procedure. I wouldn't even want to think about trying to put it up quietly in the dark of the early morning. I'd also be very [PoorWordUsage]ed if anyone was sitting in it when I got there. I guess I'd just start pulling all my tree steps out from under them since they too would be public property. Then I would go sit up on the hillside and wait to watch them try to get down from 20ft in the air.

[CC Hurl]

Dillon and Art I could not agree more with you guy's. Art I like your idea. That would be good humor and almost worth finding someone in your stand. Some people just find it easier to be lazy and disrespectfull. I personally do not choose to live that way.

Good luck to you in the future Dillon. With the bad comes the good and I bet you will have good times in the future.

I hope things went well for you the rest of the season.

CC HURL

[dillon]

Thanks CC. Things did go well this year. My girlfried shot a nice 8 pointer opening weekend and I shot two 10s during the second week (yes, there is another member of our hunting party). We saw lots of deer including a few smaller 8 pointers. It seemed like you either saw lots of deer around here or none. Thanks again. Hope things went well for you.

[SupaMan]

If I was in this situation, i would demand for the person to get off my stand because I am taking it down...He can sit on the ground. I bought it, it is mine, and Im taking it home. I dont have time to wait for him to be done...

[Shoot2Kill]

Quote:

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I don't like the idea of my portable stand becoming public property on state land either. It's not a permanent stand that is there for the year. I put it up, hunt a few days from it and take it out. It's not easy work putting up the stand and tree steps. It also is not a silent procedure. I wouldn't even want to think about trying to put it up quietly in the dark of the early morning. I'd also be very [PoorWordUsage]ed if anyone was sitting in it when I got there. I guess I'd just start pulling all my tree steps out from under them since they too would be public property. Then I would go sit up on the hillside and wait to watch them try to get down from 20ft in the air.

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I'm really confused here. I'm pretty sure that on page 102 of the reg book it states that all portable stands must be removed at the end of each day. I don't agree that someobody should sit in a stand they find on public land, but I also think that if you follow the regs your stand wouldn't be there for them to sit in!

If putting up a stand is not a silent procedure for you then I suggest investing in a different stand. Ever heard of a Long Wolf? They can EASILY be packed in and put up and taken down every time you hunt with the use of the climbing sticks. With a little pre season scouting, you can have multiple stand locations already prepped so all you have to do is walk in, put up your climbing sticks, hang your stand and hunt. From the time you get to the base of your tree to having a stand in place is honestly no more than 10 minutes tops and this can be done very quietly. I set it up and take it down in the dark every time I go out. I sugggest getting a new stand and packing it in and out, that way nobody will ever be sitting in it, no need for locks, and you never have to worry about it getting stolen. Just my .02.

[Swill]

I agree, the long wolf stands are perfect for public land hunting. I own the alpha hang on stand and climbing strap sticks and it is very easy to pack in and take down each time.

I take gps points for of my stand locations on public land. I record best wind direction, best tree stand to use (climber or hanging) and best time of day.

Seems to work ok for me...plus I now my stands are safe ready to hunt in each time i go out...

[LoonASea]

Years ago while bow hunting I set My stand up in the morning ,,hunted the morning left for lunch,,,upon returning I found My stand occuiped by another bow hunter ,,I questioned the ethics of this with a CO a few days later ,,He very diplomaticaly told Me "You dont have to like the LAW,,,But I strongly urge You to obey it"

I have since quit hunting on public land not just because of this experience but a host of other bad things like a guy coming with in 50 yards of me 30 mins after sun up yelling "did Ya see any thing" and the list goes on

Randoid

[Shoot2Kill]

I agree with ya man....public land is very frustrating. It doesn't even matter how far off the road you get sometimes either. I try not to hunt much of it if I don't have to.

[dillon]

Shoot2kill, the reg. on pg. 102 refers to state owned Wildlife Management Areas only. On a lot of public property stands do not have to be removed each day. Also, where in the regs. does it say that a stand that is left up becomes public property. I'm not disputing this, I just can't find it in the regulations.

[wingnutken]

This is one of those laws that are rediculous and one that I don't personally follow. I would never sit in another mans portable. If I found a person in mine he would have a few moments to get out or we would have a problem. He can have the tree but the stand is mine. A law like this one just creates the probability of a confrontation and this is one that should be removed from the book. We don't need to have angry hunters with guns. Putting up ANY portable can be a hassle and it is nice to put one up the day before the opener and take it down at the end of the trip not the end of the day or when you go back for lunch. Its like going at or below the speed limit at all times or not waiting for the green turn arrow when you are the only one on the road at 3 am. Or how about fire crackers on the 4th of july? Some laws are just wrong so they get bent. MHO Ken

[LoonASea]

Dillon

Check page 108 of the regs under elevated scafolds,,it may clear things up

Randoid

[Nels]

This was my first year deer hunting. I was only going to be hunting public land (both WMA's and State forest.) I went to scout the area 2 weeks before opener. There were 2 spots I came to (clearings in the woods) that I thought would be great for my portable when the season opened. But, after looking around for the best trees, I found 1 area(on WMA) had a portable already up, and another area(SF) had a permanent up. The one on the WMA really ticked me off, because I knew that wasn't legal. But, I didn't like the idea of somone already having "claimed" either of these area. I didn't want to get into an argument opening morning with some guy who complains that I put mine up too close to his. And I'm guessing several out there who are complaining about the law would also complain if they came out to their stand, but found somone up in another stand within 50 yards.

As for the SF permanent I came across. I climbed onto it, and it was obvious nobody had cared for it this year. (Although the plywood ladder looked newer that the platform). But, I also didn't want to have the same argument with somone if I was to use "their" stand. So I left some branches on it the day before opener. I checked on it mid-day on opener and nobody had moved the sticks. So, I used the stand several times over the next 2 weekends.

I scouted 2 other spots (1 WMA, and 1 SF)I used one spot on the WMA opener. (Yes, I brought my portable in with me opening AM around 5, and was all set-up 1 hr before shooting time.) I took it down that evening when I left.

The Second weekend, I left my portable up on SF land for 3 nights, but I was fully aware of the law and prepared to let somone else use it if they found it. I had several other areas/options, (like the aforementioned perm. stand on public ground) or try stalk hunting. Would I have been thrilled to find somone else using it? -No, but I had read the regs, and prepared myslf for that.

Other dissapointing discoveries left on public land:

WMA: A plastic lawn chair with a heated seat pad on a prime corner of a field; A ladder stand with a bear Bait station.

SF: Tarps and camping stuff pre-stashed before opener; Garbage left after opener(not just cans and bottles, but big stuff - A pizza maker, broken truck topper etc..)

Other than that, my first deer season was enjoyable.

Even though the only buck I saw through 3 weekends was at night driving home, I was thrilled to have tagged a deer this year.

I got a button buck on a WMA opening AM.

I am hooked.

Nels

[Shoot2Kill]

Quote:

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Shoot2kill, the reg. on pg. 102 refers to state owned Wildlife Management Areas only. On a lot of public property stands do not have to be removed each day. Also, where in the regs. does it say that a stand that is left up becomes public property. I'm not disputing this, I just can't find it in the regulations.

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Dillon,

Good to know...I was not aware of that. I thought it was the same for all public land.

On page 111 is the reg about stands becoming public if they are on public land. That IMO is an insane reg. Somebody else clearly took the time to set it up, carry it in, cut shooting lanes, etc so I just couldn't bring myself to sit in someone elses stand unless it was absolutely clear that nobody had hunted out of it for a few years and showed no signs of returning. It's a fine line to walk either way.

[JollyT]

The whole pupose of the stand on public land being considered public property is to prevent squatting on hunting spots. To keep guys from feeling that they can't hunt a spot because someone else already put a stand there.