So it turns out Massengill isn’t the only douche in the world.

[Apostolic Outdoors]

Hear me out.

I get it. Ok. I get it. I wasn't supposed to do it. I get it.

So back in August I went and hung a set where I killed the big 8 point 2 years ago. It's on public. Yes, I know, you're not supposed to do that. I guess I gave in to the "if you can't beat 'em join 'em" mentality. I planned on waiting to hunt it until the wind, weather, and timing was right.

That was today. EVERYTHING was right.

Well, unfortunately "was" is the key word in that sentence.

I am walking up to the tree and I notice something's not right.

Are you kidding me?

I waited until I got in the stand to take a picture.

What a douche!! You know good and well they saw my lock on. Probably why they put it there.

And of course, not a lick of sign anywhere. Nothing. Zilch. Nada. They blew the whole oak flat wide open!

Oh well, guess that's what I get for thinking it was ok.

Lesson learned.

Man that broke my heart.

Ok. I'm done whinin'.

Have a good evenin' everyone.

P.S. Don't be a douche!!

 

[Hduke86]

Well I'll be the first to say I don't care if a stand is there. If you're NOT there I'll be in that tree I was eyeing. I used to find a different area BUT I have no idea how long that stand has been there so now I'll hunt wherever. Prime example, there's been a ground blind up at Yuchi I know for 3-4 weeks at the beginning of a good draw. Yuchi is a quota hunt so it's not like they hunt there every week. I say all that to say if you're not in the tree then fair game.

Ps that ladder stand looks like it's leaning downhill. You may find them dead next time you go to the stand

 

[Apostolic Outdoors]

Well I'll be the first to say I don't care if a stand is there. If you're NOT there I'll be in that tree I was eyeing. I used to find a different area BUT I have no idea how long that stand has been there so now I'll hunt wherever. Prime example, there's been a ground blind up at Yuchi I know for 3-4 weeks at the beginning of a good draw. Yuchi is a quota hunt so it's not like they hunt there every week. I say all that to say if you're not in the tree then fair game.

Ps that ladder stand looks like it's leaning downhill. You may find them dead next time you go to the stand

I completely agree. I sat the evening till dark. And yes, the seat is leaning very bad. No way I'd sit in that stand set up like that.

I get that it's public. I personally try and leave people to their spots. There's plenty of other places to hunt.

 

[backyardtndeer]

Ps that ladder stand looks like it's leaning downhill. You may find them dead next time you go to the stand

Thought the same thing, sure doesn't look right at all.

 

[Hduke86]

I completely agree. I sat the evening till dark. And yes, the seat is leaning very bad. No way I'd sit in that stand set up like that.

I get that it's public. I personally try and leave people to their spots. There's plenty of other places to hunt.

Oh I hear ya, maybe they sat it up in the cover of darkness and that's why it's leaning and they didn't see your lock on or maybe they said "must be deer here with that lock on". Who knows

 

[EastTNHunter]

What makes it "someone's spot?" The public land that I hunt is small segments, and many times there are only 1-2 trees in any given area that can be used. I carry my climbing stand in and out as I hunt, and I've had people hang lock-ons and ladders in the only climbable tree in an area. You'd better believe that I'll use that stand or setup near it if it is in a place that I've scouted out to hunt… unless I truly think that they've ruined the spot

If I go in to hunt an area I want to do it with the right wind for how I've scouted it, but some people believe that they can wear scent killer clothes and sprays and hunt whatever wind they want. It's sloppy, silly, and frustrating, but it's public land hunting. Some people can only hunt when they can hunt, and they will try to make something work even when they SHOULD know that it will not work

 

[Apostolic Outdoors]

What makes it "someone's spot?" The public land that I hunt is small segments, and many times there are only 1-2 trees in any given area that can be used. I carry my climbing stand in and out as I hunt, and I've had people hang lock-ons and ladders in the only climbable tree in an area. You'd better believe that I'll use that stand or setup near it if it is in a place that I've scouted out to hunt… unless I truly think that they've ruined the spot

If I go in to hunt an area I want to do it with the right wind for how I've scouted it, but some people believe that they can wear scent killer clothes and sprays and hunt whatever wind they want. It's sloppy, silly, and frustrating, but it's public land hunting. Some people can only hunt when they can hunt, and they will try to make something work even when they SHOULD know that it will not work

"What makes it "someone's spot?""

Nothing. It is public land, 100%. I guess I see it more as a courtesy between hunters. If I see someone setup I go a fair distance away or to another spot. I get it that not everyone is like that.

 

[EastTNHunter]

"What makes it "someone's spot?""

Nothing. It is public land, 100%. I guess I see it more as a courtesy between hunters. If I see someone setup I go a fair distance away or to another spot. I get it that not everyone is like that.

I see what your saying, and I'm not trying to argue, but I take my setup with me when I go… this way you won't know if it's "my spot" unless I leave a lock-on or ladder. So I am at a disadvantage because I don't try to claim a spot, but really my courtesy to others is to not claim a spot. The tracts that I hunt don't allow for wide berth

 

[Apostolic Outdoors]

I see what your saying, and I'm not trying to argue, but I take my setup with me when I go… this way you won't know if it's "my spot" unless I leave a lock-on or ladder. So I am at a disadvantage because I don't try to claim a spot, but really my courtesy to others is to not claim a spot. The tracts that I hunt don't allow for wide berth

That's the way I have been till this year. This was my first attempt to prepare a spot before season. I won't do it again. This was the first lock on I've hung since starting to saddle hunt 5 years ago.

 

[MickThompson]

Oh I hear ya, maybe they sat it up in the cover of darkness and that's why it's leaning and they didn't see your lock on or maybe they said "must be deer here with that lock on". Who knows

Ain't nobody ever put a 2 man stand up in the dark and lived to tell about it

 

[Don'tDrinkTinks]

If the only thing I had was public land, I'd quit hunting.

 

[megalomaniac]

Wait.... you basically put up a giant sign saying 'hunt here!!!' on public and are upset that someone followed your directions???

 

[ImThere]

That's awesome!

 

[ImThere]

Btw that's a decoy stand. He's bumping you out from where you need to be. Lol.

 

[rem270]

Well the way the stands leaning and how far down they put the stabilizer bar I doubt they are in one piece very long.

 

[ImThere]

Well the way the stands leaning and how far down they put the stabilizer bar I doubt they are in one piece very long.

They'll never hunt it. That's not why it's there.

 

[Apostolic Outdoors]

Btw that's a decoy stand. He's bumping you out from where you need to be. Lol.

That crossed my mind too.

 

[Ski]

Btw that's a decoy stand. He's bumping you out from where you need to be. Lol.

For what purpose could make all that effort worthwhile?

 

[kornbread]

Btw that's a decoy stand. He's bumping you out from where you need to be. Lol.

Bingo

 

[Apostolic Outdoors]

For what purpose could make all that effort worthwhile?

They know what I know. They probably know I harvested the one I did 2 years ago out of "their" spot and don't want me repeating this year. Only problem is I've seen him. He's taller and just as wide. I ain't going nowhere. I'll just stay mobile in my saddle. That's how I got the first one. I just got lazy and thought I could get a jump on him. I learned my lesson. All in all it was a positive experience. Well worth the cost of tuition. And I graduated. Trust me. Just glad I did it before muzzle loader. Just sayin'!!

 

[Ski]

They know what I know. They probably know I harvested the one I did 2 years ago out of "their" spot and don't want me repeating this year. Only problem is I've seen him. He's taller and just as wide. I ain't going nowhere. I'll just stay mobile in my saddle. That's how I got the first one. I just got lazy and thought I could get a jump on him. I learned my lesson. All in all it was a positive experience. Well worth the cost of tuition. And I graduated. Trust me. Just glad I did it before muzzle loader. Just sayin'!!

Hope you get him and the jersey doesn't. I couldn't imagine trying to screw with someone else's hunt over any buck. Once a man spends his I integrity, it's gone. Mine is worth more than a deer.

 

[FLTENNHUNTER1]

You know what would be funny if they set up that POS stand at night and didn't see your lock on. When they come back to hunt it and see your stand they think your are the douche!! LMAO.

 

[ImThere]

You know what would be funny if they set up that POS stand at night and didn't see your lock on. When they come back to hunt it and see your stand they think your are the douche!! LMAO.

I've had a lot of out of area guys come and hunt near my stands on public land. They assume I done the scouting so they set up on it.

 

[Apostolic Outdoors]

You know what would be funny if they set up that POS stand at night and didn't see your lock on. When they come back to hunt it and see your stand they think your are the douche!! LMAO.

I took my lock on down and brought it out. They can think they won. I'm still going to hunt that buck, just not from a lock on.

 

[Hduke86]

Ain't nobody ever put a 2 man stand up in the dark and lived to tell about it

That's no joke, those suckers are the devil to try and put up even in the daylight

 

[MidTennFisher]

I wouldn't care if I saw a lock on stand and 4 trail cams there. If nobody is in that stand, that means I got there first and it's my spot for the morning or evening if I really wanted to hunt it.

Last year I killed a deer in a WMA spot that had a trail camera and lots of flagging tape. Of course, I removed the litter (flagging tape) multiple times and it kept showing back up. Obviously someone else was quite interested in that spot but as long as nobody was there before me, it was my spot for the day. And I did wind up killing a deer in there on an October afternoon last year.

One time I literally used my climber and went up a tree with a lock on that was like 25ft up. I only climbed 15ft or so, but that was the best tree in the area and I was there first. I've got no real issue with someone leaving a stand on a WMA, if it's legal in that state, but to think that means they have any sort of claim to the area is beyond ridiculous.

 

[WilcoKen]

Being mobile is the best strategy. Hope you get your buck.

 

[UTGrad]

Sorry bud but it is public land. I pack in and pack out every hunt. I've gone in on a key spot I have hunted on public to find someone hung a stand, which is against the WMA rules. I set up my Lone Wolf 20 yards from that stand. I was hoping he would walk in with no stand on his back to find I was sitting right there. What's he going to do? Tough chit bud its public land that you don't own. If you hang a stand, don't assume you own that spot.

 

[redblood]

ladder stands have no business on public land. no stand should be left in the tree- to me that littering (on public land of course).

 

[DeerCamp]

The few times I've run into existing stands on public, I don't let it affect my hunt unless someone is in it, in which case I bounce back the way I came as quietly as I can.

I grew up hunting out west where it would have been uncommon NOT to spot other hunters. One time I watched these 2 guys across a canyon both shoot at the same deer and get in a fight about which one had killed it. Good times.