Opinion on hunting stands on Public Land

esoxpirate · Oct 28, 2016

Ok,

So this was a long discussion last night. What is everybody opinion on bow hunting someone else's tree stand on state and public land?

My opinion that is if your not in-it, I am going to hunt it as long as its safe, and in an area where the deer are moving through the area.

Now if its your stand, and you ask me to leave, I'm out. I will thank you for my time and move on to one of my stands or ground blinds.

deleted_account · Oct 28, 2016

There's no way i would ever even consider hunting someone else's stand that i came across.

BrokenBackJack · Oct 28, 2016

I agree with the Wagmeister.

Fly Carpin · Oct 28, 2016

I'm with Wags. Just because it's legal doesn't mean it's not a shitty thing to do

Duckslayer100 · Oct 28, 2016

There has been a stand on public land where I hunt that hasn't moved in 10 years. I've never once seen someone in it, and it's locked to the tree with heavy chains and a padlock.

I've never hunted it because I don't want to fall and break my neck. But I wouldn't feel bad about it, either. There's a reason those things aren't supposed to stay out there overnight.

Kind of like "marking your territory" with a trail camera. If I'm there first, tough. Just because you throw a stand up doesn't mean you automatically get to hunt that spot if someone beat you to it.

Public is public.

Bowhunter_24 · Oct 28, 2016

I would never ever consider that. that's messed up. I would maybe put a stand up in the next tree but hunt from someone elses stand?

I don't like confrontation. Hunting someone elses stand is just asking for it.

Enslow · Oct 28, 2016

A couple years ago I was walking into my ground blind and there was dipsmack sitting in my blind and he had a decoy sitting by my baitpile. It was so bizzare I didn't even get mad. The guy ran out of the blind and tried to hide in the grass. He spewed out several lies before running off haha.

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I would Never sit in someone else's stand unless it was a friend who knew I was going to sit.

SDMF · Oct 28, 2016

Why are they called stands if you sit in/on them?

dwos03 · Oct 28, 2016

Only if i had permission from the person who put it up. Otherwise its not yours so don't touch it. My .02

Duckslayer100 · Oct 28, 2016

Per ND regs: Tree stands do not preempt hunting rights in the vicinity of the tree stand.

Just throwing that in the conversation. I'm not going to climb into a stand a hunt on public property, but I damn will hunt by the tree if that's where I want to be. And I'm probably not going to move just because the stand owners comes by after I'm already there. One of my favorite spots is a funnel my uncle and I nicknamed "The Triangle of Death." It's been my go-to for years and years. If someone suddenly erected a tree stand there, but I got there before the tree stand was occupied, tough damn luck. I'm not going to suddenly tuck tail and run because someone apparently called dibs by putting up a stand.

I mean, by that logic, you could throw a stand up every 100 yards and basically hunt-block an entire public section.

Screw. That.

pluckem · Oct 28, 2016

I wouldn't hunt anyone else's stand. It wouldn't stop me from putting up my own stand in the area. If its an old abandon stand or one that is never taken down, then report it to G&F or if obviously abandoned, take it down yourself.

Public is Public and I take a first come first serve stance when hunting areas. Seems reasonable.

However I also realize some people have no problem hunting other's stands on public so I haven't left a stand more than a day on public in years. I take it in and out on most hunts. Its a pain in the ass and a lot of work, but unfortunately that's the price you pay chasing deer on public.

In my eyes leaving a stand on public leaves you open for a number of things.
1.) stolen
2.) someone sitting in it and spreading scent all over the place and ruining the spot
3.) some other hunter (pheasant, coyote, etc. ) seeing the stand and having a light bulb go off that wow this would be a good deer spot and then hunting it in the future.

deleted · Oct 28, 2016

Bowhunter_24 said:
I would never ever consider that. that's messed up. I would maybe put a stand up in the next tree but hunt from someone elses stand?

I don't like confrontation. Hunting someone elses stand is just asking for it.

I agree...........I equate that with going into your fish house without your permission.

Skibbys bottom · Oct 28, 2016

If indeed it is located on federal public lands I would get in touch with the appropriate land management agency and inform them of this. There is laws pertaining to semi permanent structures on public lands. In Montana you must remove your treestands at the end of the season. If you don't they are supposed-ed free game to anyone who finds them after the first two weeks on the end of the season. you might want to check out and see if this same rule applies to N. Dak. Even though I consider my self a N. Dak. Resident (was born and raised there and still consider it my home). I am not up on the regulations concerning tree stands left on public lands. Remember public, means it belongs to all of us not just a few.

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In looking at the NDGF regulations you should turn this in to the appropriate law enforcement agency. Below is the section covering tree stands on public lands as written by the NDGF department. I hope that this helps you.
Tree stands and ground blinds. No person may construct or use a permanent tree stand or permanent ground blind on any wildlife management area. Portable tree stands and portable steps, screw-in steps, natural tree stands and portable ground blinds may be used. Portable tree stands and portable steps are defined as those that are held to the tree with ropes, straps, cables, chains, or bars. Screw-in steps are those that are screwed into the tree by hand without the aid of any tools. Ladder-type stands that lean against the tree are portable stands. A notched board placed in a tree crotch is a portable stand. Natural stands are those crotches, trunks, down trees, etc., where no platform is used. A metal or plastic tag must be attached to each tree stand and portable ground blind. This tag must display the owner’s name, address and telephone number or the owner’s hunter education number. Tree stands and ground blinds do not preempt hunting rights of others in the vicinity of the tree stand. Tree stands, steps and ground blinds may not be put up before August 20 of the year, and they shall be taken down by January 31 of the following year. Stands, steps and ground blinds not removed by January 31 are considered abandoned property and are subject to removal and confiscation by the director or the director’s designee. Any person who violates this section is guilty of a noncriminal offense and shall pay a $100 fee.

Sum1 · Oct 29, 2016

Hunting public land hurts my brain.

esoxpirate · Oct 31, 2016

This is why I ask these question.

The stands are on land owned by the state and the county, not federal. I did locate on of the owners this weekend, we spoke about the stands placement and deer we saw. The 2nd stand he says has been there for 3+ years.

Esox

Obi-Wan · Oct 31, 2016

Years back we were hunting the sandbars S. of Washburn for geese and dug a couple pits and put blinds over them because we repeatedly hunted this sand bar. One morning we show up and there was the local game warden and another guy hunting from our blinds. We had a short discussion with them and ended up hunting another sand bar that morning.

wildeyes · Oct 31, 2016

So, I've hunted public land for 41 years. I've seen alot of tree stands pop up mostly ladder stands in the past few years. beings I hunted this area for so long I know how the deer move. My stand is portable so i set the stand and generally it doesn't stay there for more then a few days because deer are great at patterning you i will use the site again but i wont make a scent hiway to it. I've set stands next to a ladder stands that nobody is ever sitting in and i'll get there early the next day for a good hunt and guess what the guy the ladder stand belongs to shows up 1/2 hr after the sun comes up makes all kinds of noise and planting his A** on that stand right next to me and stares at me like i stole something from him. So when it comes to stands being on public land for o 3 months if it looks like its not a hiway walking to the stand i dont have a problem sitting there. if i see stands after the end of all hunting seasons I Do CALL the game and fish to remove them. If i see they are still there i cut them down myself as far as i know the guy moved or died. if nobody get the stand after jan. i will drag it to the nearest road. F**k them. Screw these people that think just because they have a stand sitting there does mean they own that section of land. lazy SOBs that set a stand and leave it there year around. My hunting style has changed now i sit where the stands are not because the deer are moving in a different pattern away from the stinky hi way and to be honest with you it works for me.

bigbrad123 · Oct 31, 2016

Can I use your car without permission since it's sitting on the street and you left it there overnight with the keys in it?

H82bogey · Oct 31, 2016

Enslow said:
A couple years ago I was walking into my ground blind and there was dipsmack sitting in my blind and he had a decoy sitting by my baitpile. It was so bizzare I didn't even get mad. The guy ran out of the blind and tried to hide in the grass. He spewed out several lies before running off haha.

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I would Never sit in someone else's stand unless it was a friend who knew I was going to sit.

So you were baiting on public land?

Duckslayer100 · Oct 31, 2016

bigbrad123 said:
Can I use your car without permission since it's sitting on the street and you left it there overnight with the keys in it?

Park it on public property where I want to hunt, and I'll crank the sucker up. Nice heated blind plus I can listen to the radio to pass the time.

Good idea! :;:howdy

Opinion on hunting stands on Public Land

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