Using other people’s stands?

[fivepaknh]

Is it impolite to use a stranger’s stand if you stumble across it? I know every deer season I have a few out and it wouldn’t bother me if someone was in it when I arrived, provided they understood it was time to go.

[Musketeer]

After reading this post http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=263730 I would be hessitant to climb into any stand that I had not set up myself. Then again I am not really a hunter and wouldn't want to go into any stand. I just think it would be better to know it was put up right, by myself, rather than trust another's work.

[Wild Bill Bucks]

I think most hunters would not be to happy to see someone else in their stand.
Sometimes it takes days to locate just the right spot for a stand, and then requires hours of work to put it up and get everything just right for the hunt, only to find someone else sitting in it the next morning.

Putting up a good stand requires a lot of mental work, thinking about wind drift, sun location, scent distribution, game trails, and a lot of other things. It's not as easy as just hanging a stand on a tree, so I'm sure a guy that did all the things neccessary to have a good hunting stand, would not be pleased to see someone else in it, or even coming to it the next morning.

It would be kind of like, wandering through a resturaunt, and eating some ones steak while they were in the restroom. It would be hard to explain that you just found it laying there, and nobody seemed to be useing it.

[tyrajam]

Without the stand owners permission, NEVER get in their stand. It is beyond rude to find someone's personal property, that they hung and are waiting to use, and go stink it up with your scent.

[bswiv]

Let's expand the question a bit.

I'm assuming we are talking public land, which is where I do almost all my hunting. That being the case I do not climb anyone elses stand but I also do not think if another hunter choses to that he is doing anything morally wrong.

I see it like this. We use portable stands almost exclusively. Carry them in and out every time. So imagine that I've found a spot and market a trail and then a few days later I carry my stand out there in the dark and climb my chosen tree. Suppose also that someone else has set up a permoinant stand very close to me and I have not seen it. In the thick woods here in Flroida this does happen.

Now supose he comes along and starts to get into his perminant stand at the same time I am at the bottom of my tree putting my stand on. I got there a few minutes before him but he has a PERMINANT stand,,,,,,,so who leaves?

This is one of the problems with perminant stands on public land. In reality he should leave............but how often will the responce be, "hay my stand is alread up over here."? Yes it happens..............

The problem with perminant stands on public land is that invariably the owners of said stands view the area around those stands as THEIR spot. This can lead to problems.

Again, while I always stay away from places I know someone has a perminant stand I also know that I am entitled, so long as I get there first, to set my portable right next to there perminant. And I'm also entitled to ask them to leave when they show up after me.............but I avoid this type thing.

And then there is the issue of guys who will set 4 or 5 or more, and yes they do that here too, stands. So when I go to the woods there are all these spots that "belong" to the guy who set the stands? That will be his perception in many instances. How do you deal with that?

The whole issue of permanant stands on public land is frought with the potential for confrontation unless those involved are willing to compromise and ocassionally be inconviencensed.

Actually it would be, IMHO, a good idea if there was a stated code of ethics about such. Maybe taught at the same time as Hunter Safety..........

[JWT]

If you didn't put the stand up and don't have permission then it's definitely not proper to use someone else's stand.

[Fremmer]

It is someone else's stand, not yours. And who knows whether Joe Smith got it put up correctly, or whether it is rusted out, broken, etc. I'd leave it alone.

[taylorce1]

Doesn't this get you shot?

In all seriousness I personally would not use someone elses stand. I hunt public lands for elk and private for deer and pronghorn. I've never seen a stand used in Colorado on public lands for I'm sure this exact reason. If you leave a stand up in Public lands the first person there would probably use it so your better off not to use one or set up your stand every day.

Any permanent stand on public lands that you find should be reported to the DOW and let them handle it, public land should never be viewed as personal property or hunting area. The first person in that spot gets first hunting rights that day. I think building a permanent stand on public lands should get the person doing it a fine at the very minimum.

The other thing is if I come across a stand of any type while hunting I'm probably not where I supposed to be. I've accidently wanderd onto someone's private property or lease; and I'd better be finding out where I am and where I should be. Tresspassing is tresspassing be it accidental or not and I'm sure not going to make my situation worse by climbing into a stand and hunting from it.

[davlandrum]

+1 to Taylorce. I am pretty sure it would be a hefty fine in Oregon to build a permanent tree stand on public land due to the logging industry. Even after the stand has rotted away, those spikes would make it in to a bandsaw at a mill and destroy equipment and maybe people.

[The Tourist]

Would you sit on my parked motorcycle?

[bswiv]

We don't have regulations about setting permanint stands. In fact ladder stands are abuot as common as climbers. They are permanant in that most guys will set them for a season.........sometimes more.

The idea you guys out west seem to be stating, that permanint stands are not allowed on public land sounds like one we could well do with here in Fl.

Of course I do feel for the older and less physically able who may not be able to use portables. There is probably some compromise that would work.

[fivepaknh]

Thanks for all the replies. Point taken. Don't use other people's stands for serveral reasons. Don't want to get shot, and the stand may not be safe.

In NH you can’t build a permanent stand on public land.

[Rembrandt]

Using another persons treestand is like using someone elses toothbrush....

[Hawg]

Even after the stand has rotted away, those spikes would make it in to a bandsaw at a mill and destroy equipment and maybe people.

Sawmills use metal detectors now that will shut the mill down before the log even gets to the debarker. They use big circle saws to slab and gang saws not band saws to cut boards

[FirstFreedom]

Man, I don't even use my friends' stands - people are funny about their little spots in the woods, myself included. I don't want someone making noise, leaving their scent, or most importantly, harvesting MY big buck at my stand (that I so painstakingly set up for at the *perfect* spot to get said buck). So, no way do you use someone else's stand without permission.

[The Tourist]

Originally Posted by FirstFreedom

Man, I don't even use my friends' stands - *perfect*

This could be the one exception.

For example, as I type this, a 'home visit' dog groomer just took care of both of my mutts. She also mentioned her scissors were dulling...

You could do this for your friends. Your wife might make great tollhouse cookies. You might be a handiman for a friend who is all thumbs.

If his spot is *perfect* then work off your debt.

[Dallas Jack]

In Texas it is not proper to hunt anothers stand without his/hers permission. It can get you kicked off a lease in a hurry.

It's also considered bad manners to hunt another feeder or feed plot.
Dallas Jack

[ActivShootr]

In TN, no stand or blind may be left overnight on public land.

[davlandrum]

Of course I do feel for the older and less physically able who may not be able to use portables. There is probably some compromise that would work.

I suppose you could use one of those semi-portable ladder stands and lock it to the tree. That way an guy could have his buddy help him before season set it up and take it down after the season (or tags were filled). At least that way there is something worth removing, as opposed to a bunch of 2x's.

Of course, if it gets ripped off, that is on you. I had a hand-on type stand on public land in MD right out my back gate, with a lock, that got ripped off.