I believe any stand on public land without a hunter in it, is public. By law, not my personal beliefs. I hunt private, but if I did hunt public, I’d have zero desire to sit someone else’s stand.
If you’re leaving a stand on public, overnight, I think you have to be open to the chance that that stand disappears. Sadly.
I should add I used to have an uncle who was DNR forestry and come deer season, warden or not, all hands on deck. He would say if a call came in about a stand altercation on state land that none of them “wanted” to go cause it was usually already a fist fight involving angry men with guns. Someone would go, just wasn’t looking forward to it…
He had some crazy stories….
I had someone bring in a chainsaw and cut down a 12 inch tree for one of my stands that was locked to the tree.
DT
I have been hunting a small piece of public land for 17 years and put up portable stands. I mainly hunt the weekends so I will put up the stand the Friday before opener and then remove on Sunday and repeat the following weekend.
6 or 7 years ago a buddy and I were hunting this spot and we left the stands up throughout the week because we were returning. Both had steel braided cable and locks on them.
I understood the chance that someone could be sitting in our stands or used them when we were away, but I didn’t expect them to get stolen.
My stand was stolen, my buddy’s stand they attempted to take it, but 4 shots through the lock and the cable didn’t get the stand free so it was spared. There were 4 bullet holes in the middle of the top step where they must have rested the lock and cable while trying to shoot it off. Not very bright.
In this same area there has been what I believe to be an archery hunter’s stand for like 15 years. Never been touched. There have been other stands over the years and even trail cameras, none of which are every locked and they are never touched. I respect other people’s stuff, I just wish everyone felt the same.
I think they cut the tree down on mine because I removed the bottom steps to make it harder to get to.
DT
When I hunt public if I intend to leave a stand out I’ve got a couple a stands from Menards for about $30 that I basically consider as disposable stands. Haven’t had one taken yet though.
Will
When I hunt public if I intend to leave a stand out I’ve got a couple a stands from Menards for about $30 that I basically consider as disposable stands. Haven’t had one taken yet though.
Will
Understood, it isn’t about the money, its about the fact that people have no respect for others anymore it seems. My stand wasn’t overly expensive, but I would never touch someone else’s stuff. It isn’t too much to ask of others.
When I hunt public if I intend to leave a stand out I’ve got a couple a stands from Menards for about $30 that I basically consider as disposable stands. Haven’t had one taken yet though.
Will
I wish I did that. Mine was an API Baby Grand with the swivel seat. 
DT
Understood, it isn’t about the money, its about the fact that people have no respect for others anymore it seems. My stand wasn’t overly expensive, but I would never touch someone else’s stuff. It isn’t too much to ask of others.
By no means am I excusing that lack of respect Musky… But I definitely am planning around it.
I wish I did that. Mine was an API Baby Grand with the swivel seat.
DT
No wonder they wanted it badly 
When I hunt public if I intend to leave a stand out I’ve got a couple a stands from Menards for about $30 that I basically consider as disposable stands. Haven’t had one taken yet though.
Will
I do the same with cheap stands. But it sure is sad that no one can trust any one anymore.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Will Roseberg wrote:</div>
When I hunt public if I intend to leave a stand out I’ve got a couple a stands from Menards for about $30 that I basically consider as disposable stands. Haven’t had one taken yet though.Will
I do the same with cheap stands. But it sure is sad that no one can trust any one anymore.
OK, in the spirit of full disclosure, I don’t hunt, and I live in IL, so my outlook on the world is probably different than yours. But is there really an expectation that you can leave property on public land, and expect it to be there when you return? Would you leave your boat at a public dock for a week, and expect it to be there when you get back? Leave your Honda generator outside of your ice shack, come back next weekend to find it un-touched?
Really? HRG
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Bearcat89 wrote:</div>
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Will Roseberg wrote:</div>
When I hunt public if I intend to leave a stand out I’ve got a couple a stands from Menards for about $30 that I basically consider as disposable stands. Haven’t had one taken yet though.Will
I do the same with cheap stands. But it sure is sad that no one can trust any one anymore.
OK, in the spirit of full disclosure, I don’t hunt, and I live in IL, so my outlook on the world is probably different than yours. But is there really an expectation that you can leave property on public land, and expect it to be there when you return? Would you leave your boat at a public dock for a week, and expect it to be there when you get back? Leave your Honda generator outside of your ice shack, come back next weekend to find it un-touched?
Really? HRG
I believe most folks who leave a hunting stand on public property are leaving it to essentially attempt to “reserve” that spot for themselves. Kind of the same as going into a public park and putting a table cloth on a picnic table and leaving it there the entire summer.
It is still “public” but leaving the stand or the table cloth there, tells everyone else, you consider the spot “yours” now.
OK, in the spirit of full disclosure, I don’t hunt, and I live in IL, so my outlook on the world is probably different than yours. But is there really an expectation that you can leave property on public land, and expect it to be there when you return? Would you leave your boat at a public dock for a week, and expect it to be there when you get back? Leave your Honda generator outside of your ice shack, come back next weekend to find it un-touched?
Really? HRG
When a guy sets a stand, it’s in a tree, sometimes a mile from a road, sometimes more. You wonder, is there anyone out there that desperate and ignorant to walk way out here and go through the hassle of stealing a tree stand???
Answer: yes. But how???????
By no means am I excusing that lack of respect Musky… But I definitely am planning around it.
No worries Will, I knew you weren’t.
I believe most folks who leave a hunting stand on public property are leaving it to essentially attempt to “reserve” that spot for themselves. Kind of the same as going into a public park and putting a table cloth on a picnic table and leaving it there the entire summer.
It is still “public” but leaving the stand or the table cloth there, tells everyone else, you consider the spot “yours” now.
Not at all my case or anyone I know for that matter. The stand is left there for convenience not having to haul it back and forth 1/4 mile each direction.
I don’t consider it reserving my spot, if someone beats me to it, have at it. Just leave it be when you are done using it is all.
I know people have sat in my stands before because I found their trash left in the pouches and below the stand, too lazy to even clean up after themselves so I shouldn’t expect any more of them than to not steal it.
Besides, having my stands up hasn’t stopped others from setting up 3 stands surrounding my son with the farthest one being 75 yards.
When a guy sets a stand, it’s in a tree, sometimes a mile from a road, sometimes more. You wonder, is there anyone out there that desperate and ignorant to walk way out here and go through the hassle of stealing a tree stand???
Answer: yes. But how???????
What I think it is people who think like huntindave where they feel that people who leave a stand on public property are laying claim to a spot and so they are more trying to send a message than to take it because they are desperate for one.
It was funny I talked to a couple guys in the area we hunt the year after my stand was stolen and they had 8 or 9 stands out and like 5 or 6 cameras. None of which were locked. These were probably the type who have stolen everything they used and just leave it all over the place.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Bearcat89 wrote:</div>
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Will Roseberg wrote:</div>
When I hunt public if I intend to leave a stand out I’ve got a couple a stands from Menards for about $30 that I basically consider as disposable stands. Haven’t had one taken yet though.Will
I do the same with cheap stands. But it sure is sad that no one can trust any one anymore.
OK, in the spirit of full disclosure, I don’t hunt, and I live in IL, so my outlook on the world is probably different than yours. But is there really an expectation that you can leave property on public land, and expect it to be there when you return? Would you leave your boat at a public dock for a week, and expect it to be there when you get back? Leave your Honda generator outside of your ice shack, come back next weekend to find it un-touched?
Really? HRG
Yes I do expect it to be there when I return. Just like my fish house when I park it on the lake months at a time.
deer stand vs fish house = non comparable.
A fish house can’t be on a lake all year around and a fish house can only claim a small area.
A deer stand can get put out and never pulled, and can “claim” a large area.
A fish house is licensed and owner is identified, not so much with a deer stand.
It’s like when a small town has a parade and people put their blankets out a few days early to reserve their spot. What a bunch of A-holes. Some towns now don’t let that happen.
INHO, Same thing with deer stands.
When on public land you are rolling the dice, plain and simple.
I use a climber on public, in and out, no worries !
Eelpoutguy,
I’m not going to argue the similarities or differences of deer stand vs fish house…that’s quit obvious. The point is I own them both and both going on public areas and both “claim” a spot. But with either one, others can use the same area.
It’s quit simple…don’t take either one! They are not yours.
Eelpoutguy,
I’m not going to argue the similarities or differences of deer stand vs fish house…that’s quit obvious. The point is I own them both and both going on public areas and both “claim” a spot. But with either one, others can use the same area.
It’s quit simple…don’t take either one! They are not yours.
Amen Brother!
Smaller plots of public land can be like this. I hunt on a very large piece of public land (it covers a large portion of 3 counties) and I’ve found out that the further you get off the beaten path, not only will the hunting be better, but you have less to worry about in terms of running into other hunters or someone using your stand. Placing it within walking distance of a road or trail is bad news. I also know that someone could be in my stand on opening morning or steal it if they wanted to. Its a risk, I accept it. The original poster has a right to be worried about safety.
I will be in 100% blaze orange – not sure how I could physically add any more orange unless I started making flags out of blaze and waving them.
Additional to wearing blaze, if I’m in an area others are also hunting it is good to hang some orange around you. I typically use extra hats and gloves and hang in trees nearby and/or on outside of blind.
I wear full blaze too, but i usually hunt concealed to some extent. Additional blaze can help. That’s what I meant.
Sorry it is few weeks late.
It was funny I talked to a couple guys in the area we hunt the year after my stand was stolen and they had 8 or 9 stands out and like 5 or 6 cameras. None of which were locked. These were probably the type who have stolen everything they used and just leave it all over the place.
Talk about calling the kettle black.
Just what “kind” of guys are they? Can’t they have 6 or 8 stands? Can’t they have more than one camera? Have to be thieves, eh?
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>CaptainMusky wrote:</div>
It was funny I talked to a couple guys in the area we hunt the year after my stand was stolen and they had 8 or 9 stands out and like 5 or 6 cameras. None of which were locked. These were probably the type who have stolen everything they used and just leave it all over the place.Talk about calling the kettle black. What an A hole.
Just what “kind” of guys are they? Can’t they have 6 or 8 stands? Can’t they have more than one camera? Have to be thieves, eh?
Sure, there is nothing wrong with owning multiple stands or having multiple cameras, but let me ask you this, would you leave this stuff in plain view on public land unlocked if you shelled out hundreds of dollars for it? I had my stand stolen which had a steel braided cable and a military issue padlock.
I don’t know anyone who would do this, but maybe you would? It would be safe from me taking it, but there are others who will especially a camera since only a couple feet off the ground.
I used to padlock my stuff. They cut the locks and chains or cables anyway. It was just added costs that were also destroyed. Now I just hang my stands and pray they are still there when I go to take them down. Unfortunately theft of stands, cameras and the like is just a sad fact. And it’s not just relegated to public lands. I’ve heard of guys on private having things disappear as well.
Most deer hunters shot by another’s rifle while deer hunting, are covered in orange… meh.
And it’s not just relegated to public lands. I’ve heard of guys on private having things disappear as well.
Part of the problem is that the value of stuff that guys are leaving in the woods has gone way up. It used to be that a deer stand was some reasonably sound 2x6s salvaged from Uncle Bob’s redo of his deck and then nailed in a tree in a reasonably sound manner.
Now, you’ve got guys putting out trail cams, ground blinds, deer stands, tower blinds, etc. Is it any wonder thieves are out looking for this stuff now?
A guy that lives across the street from my parents had a whole bunch of stuff stolen from his property. They got 8 trail cams, 4 Mr. Heaters, and a decent ladder stand. The thing that blew me away was that they just leave the Mr. Heaters up in the tower stands from before the season to sometime in December when the last guy is done hunting. None of the cams were locked in lock boxes.
This property fronts a county road and it’s obvious that it is a seasonal use hunting property and the parking spot is right off the county road so it’s totally obvious when someone is on the property.
I’m not saying anybody deserves to have their stuff stolen, but I guess I kind of assume that if you don’t keep stuff locked up, sooner or later the perps are always looking for an opportunity.
Grouse
Just reading through some hunting threads and thought I would respond as well. I hunt private land adjacent to public land and put out a ladder stand so I could get up it more easily and not make any noise getting in. I hiked in about 1/2 mile for bow hunting in the dark with 2 bad knees and yep my ladder stand was gone. This happened a few years back and I still hunt the same area and almost every time I go down there I look around to see if I can find it. Just couldn’t believe someone would take a 100 dollar ladder stand and hike it out. When I put it in I could drive within a few hundred yards of where I placed it (private very rough field road) but I always hiked in to hunt. I have a couple more ladder stands now and I think I will weld one together and cable/lock to a tree. I think I will also leave a note saying this is a private stand on private land owned by a disabled vet with bad knees. If I’m not in it please don’t take it. Thanks
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