Finally happened

[Wolverine72]

I've been blessed to hunt public lands with very little issues since 2007.
Me and a buddy, in the 17 seasons, have each had 1 trail cam stolen. No big deal as we hung cheap cameras knowing the risks, and the cams were primarily used for inventory pics. I rarely hunt near the cams because they tend to attract other hunters.
But today, we found someone stole my 77yo step dad's locked ladder stand in the last few days. This bothers me the most. We hung his stand in an easy to get to place for him.
Life goes on, but I do hope whoever took it gets found out.
Some people....

And yes, we did talk with the game warden. He knew exactly where the stand was. The week before, I had to report to the game warden someone had dumped a pile of corn 50 yards away which had already screwed up the opportunity for him to use that stand.
Spoke again with the game warden and he confirmed the stand was there late last week.

No questions asked if someone here has the stand. Just put it back where it was. (Not that anybody here would steal a stand... but just in case someone reading this becomes aware of the theft)

 

[rem270]

Hate that man.

 

[backyardtndeer]

I absolutely hate thieves. Wouldn't surprise me if the pos dumping corn is who stole the stand.

 

[Gravey]

Too bad it doesn't have a bad weld that fails once they climb up. I can't stand a thief!

 

[nate17]

I think it's just a matter of time on public land and something like this is bound to happen unfortunately. I have had 1 camera stolen, 1 stand stolen, 2 SD cards stolen, and 1 really nice buck stolen. I had a friend find the deer that I was unable to recover several days later on social media (the deer had a very distinguishable rack and I shot him at close range). I was banking the guy didn't get a salvage tag and I could possibly get it back, instead he used his own tag on the deer and I was told by law enforcement there was nothing that could be done. I now hunt in a new area.

Wait 1 year. Go check your spot on opening day and find who took your stand and dumped corn out sitting within eyesight. Most people that would do something like this aren't very bright.

 

[Antler Daddy]

My personal opinion is that stands should not be allowed to be installed or left on public land. Regardless, someone should not have taken it.

 

[mike243]

Hate it happened, define public, wma tva ? rules are different in all places, I could see a game warden removing a stand in that case if they are not allowed to be left, I wouldn't think he would have to tell anybody

 

[mike243]

I think most of the TVA property around here is supposed to be shotgun or muzzle loaders but its been rare that I see shotguns

 

[DoubleRidge]

Sorry the stand got stolen. Cant stand a thief. All you can do is move on and try to enjoy the rest of the season...and when stuff like this happens to me I try to be thankful I'm not at a place in life where I feel the need to take another hunters stuff...I cant imagine living a life like that?

 

[Snake]

I've been blessed to hunt public lands with very little issues since 2007.
Me and a buddy, in the 17 seasons, have each had 1 trail cam stolen. No big deal as we hung cheap cameras knowing the risks, and the cams were primarily used for inventory pics. I rarely hunt near the cams because they tend to attract other hunters.
But today, we found someone stole my 77yo step dad's locked ladder stand in the last few days. This bothers me the most. We hung his stand in an easy to get to place for him.
Life goes on, but I do hope whoever took it gets found out.
Some people....

And yes, we did talk with the game warden. He knew exactly where the stand was. The week before, I had to report to the game warden someone had dumped a pile of corn 50 yards away which had already screwed up the opportunity for him to use that stand.
Spoke again with the game warden and he confirmed the stand was there late last week.

No questions asked if someone here has the stand. Just put it back where it was. (Not that anybody here would steal a stand... but just in case someone reading this becomes aware of the theft)

Hate it for you brother.

 

[ttf909]

Put one back, like a crappy one and air tag it and hang a camera up in a tree to catch pics of them.

 

[Crappieaddict]

Sorry this happened.

 

[wsm]

Hate this happened,people just do not care .

 

[killingtime 41]

Nothing surprises me anymore on public land. It's all I have to hunt for the most part myself.

 

[Wolverine72]

Hate it happened, define public, wma tva ? rules are different in all places, I could see a game warden removing a stand in that case if they are not allowed to be left, I wouldn't think he would have to tell anybody

Our land manager allows us to place stands 30 days before season and remove 30 days after season is over.
I checked with the manager, as I had given him the GPS coordinates to check on the baiting with corn violation, and he was perfectly fine with the stand being there. He had seen the stand just a few days prior to it being stolen. He assured me he did not take it.
We had put the stand up about 2 weeks before season started.
We did place the stand in the wide open, but that was convenience for my 77yo step dad to be able to get in and out easily.
It'll be ok. I don't wish harm on the person who took it, just be nice if he left it. We know others would hunt out of it, but no reason to steal it.

 

[Wolverine72]

My personal opinion is that stands should not be allowed to be installed or left on public land. Regardless, someone should not have taken it.

I dont completely disagree with your opinion. But in this case, it made it possible for my step dad to get in and out of the woods easily and still have a quality spot to hunt. And the land manager allows stands to be placed 30 days before season to be removed within 30 days after season.
I know of several stands abandoned... and that's what bothers me about people putting up stands. Put it up and take it down within the rules. If you don't, you should have no expectation of the stand being in there past 30 days of season ending.

 

[Wolverine72]

Hate it happened, define public, wma tva ? rules are different in all places, I could see a game warden removing a stand in that case if they are not allowed to be left, I wouldn't think he would have to tell anybody

WMA

 

[DeerCamp]

I've been blessed to hunt public lands with very little issues since 2007.
Me and a buddy, in the 17 seasons, have each had 1 trail cam stolen. No big deal as we hung cheap cameras knowing the risks, and the cams were primarily used for inventory pics. I rarely hunt near the cams because they tend to attract other hunters.
But today, we found someone stole my 77yo step dad's locked ladder stand in the last few days. This bothers me the most. We hung his stand in an easy to get to place for him.
Life goes on, but I do hope whoever took it gets found out.
Some people....

And yes, we did talk with the game warden. He knew exactly where the stand was. The week before, I had to report to the game warden someone had dumped a pile of corn 50 yards away which had already screwed up the opportunity for him to use that stand.
Spoke again with the game warden and he confirmed the stand was there late last week.

No questions asked if someone here has the stand. Just put it back where it was. (Not that anybody here would steal a stand... but just in case someone reading this becomes aware of the theft)

I'm not sure where you are talking about, but on the public land I hunted recently, the wardens were asking hunters to help them find "permanent" stands on public land and they are cutting them down.