Blind Stolen - Public Land

catman529

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Nov 10, 2010
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Franklin TN
I hate thieves more than anything.

But I also hate when people leave stands and blinds on public land.

I hunted Yanahli the other day and got to an area I wanted to hunt. Nearby was a climbing stand left at the base of a tree.

Luckily, the person who owned the stand didn't show up during my hunt. But what if he/she had? Is the person claiming this tree and/or this hunting area? Would they hunt in that tree despite me sitting nearby? Would they pull that stand while I am hunting, making noise in the process?

I hunt from the ground, but if some other person came there to hunt and wanted to hunt from that same tree? Would it be ok to move that stand in that case?

I just prefer to find only woods when I go into the public woods. Even in very remote areas, nobody should leave blinds or stands in my opinion.
Don't sweat it. Part of hunting public land is having people walk in on you whether or not they left a stand. Try having a guy walk past you right into the bedding area. That happens to me every year, finding a treestand is not a big deal.
 

catman529

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Nov 10, 2010
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Franklin TN
Again, lesson learned on my end. Didn't know I couldn't leave it up overnight. That's my fault for not researching it before hand. Won't be doing that again.
They posted red signs at most of the access areas a few years ago with the new rule for blinds and stands. Some of them have gotten torn up by squirrels though.
 

TNRifleman

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Out Hiking
That stinks man. I walked in at the WMA at zero dark thirt last week to a ground spot I have hunted for years but hadn't been to for 3 years. Sun comes up and this below was 10 yards to my left. Never once crossed my mind to mess with it or take it. I'll just never understand the minds of some people.
4234FE4C-858A-42A2-B62C-B9C672B77EE2.jpeg
 

Ahuntin1

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Collierville, TN
You might want to go look for it downwind of the last storm. I have had a few blow away during turkey season. If it didn't blow away, I would check with the wma manager.
 

artwork001

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Dec 8, 2014
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121
That does suck. I had two ladder stands taken last year one by the warden Because I didn't get it out of the wma by the end of the first day after season closed. One was stolen because it was gone well before the end of the season. It was a spur of the moment stand I put up and I didn't have a cable and lock for it. When I went back to hunt in it all that was there was one strap. It does happen luckily one of those stands and the steps I got on sale so only out 60 bucks on that set lol.
 

TboneD

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Wilson Co.
It was secured pretty well. The Warden's have a remote office close. They probably picked it up. Really not worth fussing with at this point. Oh well...$140 lesson. Thanks for the feedback guys.
Kudos to you for your attitude. It's easy to forget or not realize that the wma manager Tommy Edwards runs Yanali a little different in this regard than other public grounds we hunt in middle TN, or most of TN for that matter.

Since most of the land I hunt doesn't prohibit leaving property in the woods I've given all this some thought. I've come to the conclusion of "live and let live" and "When in Rome..." Public land is just that, and as already pointed out, you could be in the woods an hour before first light with no sign of it being hunted and still have someone walk in on you. That's just public land. Matter of fact, you could say you were being considerate of others by leaving your stand at your favorite spot because you're letting them know it's getting hunted. I know that is what I want to know about an area, because stands left there aren't what makes deer act pressured. Hunting pressure is what makes deer act pressured, and so I'd prefer to hunt where others haven't been lately. What bugs me is when folks leave stands in the woods all year long, but if it's legal, it's legal. And yes, in certain areas it's still legal to do so.
 

DayDay

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Bartlett, TN
When I hunted the Wolf River WMA, I found a larger number of stands in the woods; mostly ladder stands. I carry a climber in and out with me. I've set up before right near other stands including some occasions when I didn't know one was there until after I had climbed up and had a look around. I don't know if any of these stands were properly labeled nor if they were put up with WMA management permission; almost every spot I was interested in had one...
 

Mag

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Nov 12, 2007
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Gallatin
I hate thieves more than anything.

But I also hate when people leave stands and blinds on public land.

I hunted Yanahli the other day and got to an area I wanted to hunt. Nearby was a climbing stand left at the base of a tree.

Luckily, the person who owned the stand didn't show up during my hunt. But what if he/she had? Is the person claiming this tree and/or this hunting area? Would they hunt in that tree despite me sitting nearby? Would they pull that stand while I am hunting, making noise in the process?

I hunt from the ground, but if some other person came there to hunt and wanted to hunt from that same tree? Would it be ok to move that stand in that case?

I just prefer to find only woods when I go into the public woods. Even in very remote areas, nobody should leave blinds or stands in my opinion.
I used to hunt the Gallatin Steam Plant alot and would leave my stand attached to a tree and brushed up if I stayed till dark and was coming back out the next day. One morning as I was walking in, there was another hunter already in a tree within 50 yards of where I had my stand. When he flashed his light I just turned and decided to hunt on the ground somewhere else.
 

Lost Lake

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Middle Tn
Kudos to you for your attitude. It's easy to forget or not realize that the wma manager Tommy Edwards runs Yanali a little different in this regard than other public grounds we hunt in middle TN, or most of TN for that matter.

Since most of the land I hunt doesn't prohibit leaving property in the woods I've given all this some thought. I've come to the conclusion of "live and let live" and "When in Rome..." Public land is just that, and as already pointed out, you could be in the woods an hour before first light with no sign of it being hunted and still have someone walk in on you. That's just public land. Matter of fact, you could say you were being considerate of others by leaving your stand at your favorite spot because you're letting them know it's getting hunted. I know that is what I want to know about an area, because stands left there aren't what makes deer act pressured. Hunting pressure is what makes deer act pressured, and so I'd prefer to hunt where others haven't been lately. What bugs me is when folks leave stands in the woods all year long, but if it's legal, it's legal. And yes, in certain areas it's still legal to do so.
Actually, page 43 of the Hunting and Trapping Guide states that all WMA's have rules against leaving treestands or personal property unattended for more than 24 hours without Area Manager permission. Most people just turn around and leave when they see one, and nothing is done about it, and it happens over and over again.

No offense to the OP
 
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Euro10

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Aug 30, 2019
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Shame on me...I left my pop-up blind on public land too long (2-weeks) and it got stolen. In an attempt to let it "soak" and the deer to become familiar with it. It may have gotten picked up by the Warden but I highly doubt they'd do that during the season and where it was, the Warden would've had to of been lost. Regardless, I had it brushed in pretty good about 3/4 of a mile walk into Yanahli. Whoever took it had to of stumbled on it by chance. Took my chair and all. Just pisses me off that there are people like that out there. Lesson learned on my end. Good news it...my son and I got to hunt out of it twice, his first hunt, and have good memories. Again, I just don't understand what possesses some folks to take something that isn't theirs. Hope they enjoy it.
Yeah it's sad that we can't trust our on people in the woods... I have a few cameras out for scouting preseason and got one stolen as well. My buddy had two tree stands stole out there last year. All at yanahli as well. I guess they couldn't afford a $25 camera so they had to steal from someone else. Karma is a b****. Sorry that happened to you as well.
 

TboneD

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Wilson Co.
Actually, page 43 of the Hunting and Trapping Guide states that all WMA's have rules against leaving treestands or personal property unattended for more than 24 hours without Area Manager permission. Most people just turn around and leave when they see one, and nothing is done about it, and it happens over and over again.

No offense to the OP

No new news, there, friend.

Most of us here have likely read that in the hunting guide. It's been in there for many years now, and most of us likely checked with the manager of the particular area they hunted to find out stands left in the woods were fine as long as they were removed at the close of the hunting season. I have no intention of trying to get in contact with three different managers every year to learn any different than they told me last time.

And lastly and unfortunately, not all public ground is a TWRA WMA. There are stands on trees in Cedar Forest that have been there for years, many not looking like they've been used for years. The forestry division simply doesn't give a rats rump. I even know where a shooting house is that a guy hauled in October before last. He even left his name and TWRA# on the door.
 

DRSJ35

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Dec 5, 2012
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I've had one taken before myself. The wardens that is in charge of the WMA's will take blinds and stands I know for a fact. Cause I talk to my local one from time to time. What they do is auction them off I didn't think to ask where they auction them. Then they take the money and buy equipment they need to manage the property. If you put your name and phone number plus TWRA license number on equipment they will call you first.
 

Cedar Ridge

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Mar 19, 2016
Messages
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Shame on me...I left my pop-up blind on public land too long (2-weeks) and it got stolen. In an attempt to let it "soak" and the deer to become familiar with it. It may have gotten picked up by the Warden but I highly doubt they'd do that during the season and where it was, the Warden would've had to of been lost. Regardless, I had it brushed in pretty good about 3/4 of a mile walk into Yanahli. Whoever took it had to of stumbled on it by chance. Took my chair and all. Just pisses me off that there are people like that out there. Lesson learned on my end. Good news it...my son and I got to hunt out of it twice, his first hunt, and have good memories. Again, I just don't understand what possesses some folks to take something that isn't theirs. Hope they enjoy it.
You're a better person than me because I would hope a tree falls on them the first minute they spend in it. I hate a damn thief.
 

Bone Collector

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Sep 9, 2009
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Murfreesboro, TN
You're not allowed to leave stands or blinds on that WMA over 24 hours. Could have been the area manager or could have been stolen. Either way sorry you lost it.
This is technically true by the book, but I can tell you from experience you can leave stands, and blinds for more than 24 hrs with area manager permission. The attitude I have encountered from area managers is that if you ask, you get permission, because they do not want to deter anyone from hunting, especially in Mid TN. I do believe you have to have your TWRA # on the stand or blind (not 100% sure on that).
 

younggun308

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Cleveland, TN
Don't sweat it. Part of hunting public land is having people walk in on you whether or not they left a stand. Try having a guy walk past you right into the bedding area. That happens to me every year, finding a treestand is not a big deal.

Not at all directed at the OP or anyone, but I am simply astonished at people's rage during turkey season and even waterfowl season that someone could be 200-300 yards away from them on a walk-in, public property. You either get the gobbler or birds to come to you or you don't. If they go to the spot 200 yards away, how can you blame someone else for them not coming to you? Try hunting the opener on a public impoundment. You're lucky to have more than 100 yards' distance. But you can still kill birds. And for gobblers in the early season where there aren't terrain features to hide you in the leaf-bare woods, good luck "running and gunning" without busting them. Had a guy basically flashing people from the edge of the parking lot, evidently hoping he had half a WMA to himself. Not even 300 yards from where the nearest flock of turkeys were roosted.

Sure, I didn't enjoy having a dude walk by me 3 minutes before shooting light in the muzzleloader opener, toting his chair and thermos. But it is what it is. Just wish people knew they were hunting public and chilled out when they are getting a half-decent radius of it to themselves.
 

Woodman

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Aug 18, 2000
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Blount County, Tn
It may have gotten picked up by the Warden but I highly doubt they'd do that during the season and where it was, the Warden would've had to of been lost.
Sorry you lost your blind..............but, I think you are greatly underestimating the Game Wardens. They know a lot more about the WMA's than they are given credit for IMO.
 

Safari Hunt

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Nov 6, 2020
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Bradley County
One of the things i never have and never will understand. The line of thinking is truly unbelievable. If i have any stands on public usually have a GPS Tile glued in an inconspicuous place and painted over to blend. If anything of mine goes missing ill be making a visit somewhere.
Where does one get the GPS tile? A Bond movie had a tracking device in a Faberge egg.
 

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