Illegal stands

[Dewey]

So what's the difference between these stands versus all the trail cams that are left on public? Why are we willing to go through the effort of taking down someone else's stand, putting another stand in the same tree, calling the DNR, etc for a tree stand but we will just shrug off a camera? Because one is legal and the other isn't? There has to be more to it than that to stir up the emotion. Is it because the tree stand is officially claiming the area as their own and you want to hunt the same spot but sitting near another stand would bother you? A cam can be left in the woods year round. A cell cam can be left in the woods year round and you don't even have to visit it to check. I'm not trying to be a smart alec, I'm really trying to understand why one bothers some people so much but the other doesn't.

I'm walking through the woods and pass by a cell cam. Some dude 3 states away sitting at his desk at work just got my pic. My response..."Hey dude, how you doing! Enjoy the pic!".
His ladder stand on a tree 10 feet away..."Look at this lazy SOB!"

In Wisconsin the answer is easy: Cause one is legal and the other is illegal, end of story. I am tired of of people buying $5 stands off of craigslist and hanging them in there favorite spots in hopes of discouraging others from hunting "their" spots. Cameras are legal in Wisconsin so they dont bug me, the endless illegal stand bug me so I usually cut them down and leave them at the base of the tree.

BINGO! This is what drives me nuts too. It's not so much the stands that are being used by folks, it's the fact that so many of them aren't even being hunted. They are purely placed in strategic places to try to intimidate others to avoid the area. Buy a bunch of cheap stands and basically "claim" their area even though they are hardly ever there and only hunt one of them.

I understand that...if it's just straight up illegal year round and those stands have no business being there in the first place.

In Indiana we can legally leave stands up on public from Sept 1 to Jan 10 but a lot of guys leave them out year round. The vast majority are from adjacent land owners. There's no point in even raising a fuss about those. They are going to hunt there every year anyway, just like I would if I lived there. Why call the DNR and make them haul their stands in and out of the woods? There are a few away from private that I know are used every year and I feel the same about those. Most of these guys hunt during gun season. So I'll hunt that area during archery and late seasons and let them have it during gun. But there are a few stands that are obviously abandoned that I may call and see if I can remove or have the DNR remove. They are just junking up the woods at this point.

However, the number of cameras are starting to get aggravating. With the increase in pressure from covid they are popping up everywhere. I used to get fired up to find a big ole primary scrape, even if I'm not going to hunt there, it's just something you like to find. But now my first thought is "where's the camera, I know there's one here". And usually there is...and it's kind of deflating...takes away from the experience. I almost took a leak in front of one, probably would've ended up in jail if I hadn't seen it.

But after hearing that a lot of Wisconsin doesn't allow permanent stands on public, I'm kind of liking that idea...No stands or cameras on public. Leave no trace.

I find ALL of it annoying. The illegal stands, the cameras everywhere year round, the flagging tape, trash, etc. We all have a right to use and enjoy our vast public lands for hunting but with that we need to respect those lands as well as others right to use it and enjoy it for whatever they do without having to see all the stuff hunters leave out there as if they own the place. We SHOULD be leaving no trace, in fact we SHOULD be leaving it better than we found it by picking up the trash we find, beer cans, etc. Seems a lot of hunters nowadays, not all, arent in that camp by the crap i find left out there. Stands are just one aspect of a bigger problem imo.

Agree. All winter long while scouting I’ve been filling my pockets with orange flagging tape and other garbage guys left behind from gun hunting. It’s ridiculous. Nothing but a bunch of slobs. Haven’t found any stands yet. Seems like that problem has finally cleared up.

[MuskieHunterDave]

I came across a ladder stand that had been put up fairly recently during my hunting on Monday. I reported it to the DNR via their "report violations" website yesterday, and today I got a call from the warden, first asking me a question to clarify the location, then telling me he'd found it. This was the first time I've reported a stand, and I found the process very easy and the warden very responsive. I am very encouraged and will continue to report these going forward.

[Dewey]

I came across a ladder stand that had been put up fairly recently during my hunting on Monday. I reported it to the DNR via their "report violations" website yesterday, and today I got a call from the warden, first asking me a question to clarify the location, then telling me he'd found it. This was the first time I've reported a stand, and I found the process very easy and the warden very responsive. I am very encouraged and will continue to report these going forward.

Good job

[Ognennyy]

I'm one of those scumbags. Hung a few stands up in the 'Dacks years ago. You're allowed in NY state to hang stands on public land during the hunting season, supposed to remove them when the season closes. I don't remove them

Fact is I'm not in good enough shape anymore to haul even a lightweight lone wolf stand three miles into the mountains with me. Just not practical. I hung them before I learned about saddle hunting, and they're hung in places where I never seen human sign. Probably I should just pull them.

For now I'll leave them on the off-chance Boogie will ever hunt the Adirondacks and, in case you come across one of my stands boogie: umadbro?

[Groundhunter@1]

Ok, here goes. Pertains to UP, and MI. I am 73, and I have no issue, with you putting up a ladder stand for your Dad... that's nice.... HOWEVER, end of season and they are not gone, well I don't want to hear, the following year, your dear old dad, bITCHING saying this is my area. NO ITS.NOT. If your first in, I give it to you, but leaving it up.for years to claim an area, is BS. I have run into alot of that. We all should simply follow the rules.
... want to claim an area, BUY THE LAND. I DID.
.

[NorthStar]

Gun season on public land in Minnesota was brutal this year. Its so frustrating to go deep into rugged terrain only to find a stand in almost every spot of interest. On top of this, I found trash near these stands and even deer that were shot and never packed out. I marked stands on GPS last year and contacted my CO. I sent them GPS coordinates and photos of the stands and they were still there this year. I am starting to get to the point where I am just going to remove these stands myself.

[NorthStar]

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[ThePreBanMan]

I'm one of those scumbags. Hung a few stands up in the 'Dacks years ago. You're allowed in NY state to hang stands on public land during the hunting season, supposed to remove them when the season closes. I don't remove them

Fact is I'm not in good enough shape anymore to haul even a lightweight lone wolf stand three miles into the mountains with me. Just not practical. I hung them before I learned about saddle hunting, and they're hung in places where I never seen human sign. Probably I should just pull them.

For now I'll leave them on the off-chance Boogie will ever hunt the Adirondacks and, in case you come across one of my stands boogie: umadbro?

If you're not in good enough shape to haul a lightweight stand in, exactly how do you haul your deer out?

[Ognennyy]

I'm one of those scumbags. Hung a few stands up in the 'Dacks years ago. You're allowed in NY state to hang stands on public land during the hunting season, supposed to remove them when the season closes. I don't remove them

Fact is I'm not in good enough shape anymore to haul even a lightweight lone wolf stand three miles into the mountains with me. Just not practical. I hung them before I learned about saddle hunting, and they're hung in places where I never seen human sign. Probably I should just pull them.

For now I'll leave them on the off-chance Boogie will ever hunt the Adirondacks and, in case you come across one of my stands boogie: umadbro?

If you're not in good enough shape to haul a lightweight stand in, exactly how do you haul your deer out?

Packing a stand in happens before the hunt. It's large, bulky, catches on everything, and - I should've been more specific - removes my freedom of how to pack all of my other more necessary gear like extra clothing. Just not my style. Packing a stand in makes me sweat, stressed out, curse non-stop, angry, etc. etc. I don't like what it does to my mental state leading into a hunt. Packing out a deer comes after the hunt and I don't care what mental or physical condition I'm in after that. I just take time off hunting to rest at that point.

[Bowjitsu]

In most states they seem to considered litter if left up past mid spring. Certainly are here. One could say new stands grow on trees

Drop a pin. Check back in during post season scouting. When an economically challenged buddy wants to start, give him the coords to pick a few for himself.