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What would you do?

203ntyp

203ntyp

PMA Member
Went out to replace the batteries in my trail camera this past weekend & take down a couple of hang-on stands. All I found was some evidence that someone else was snooping around the property. When I got to my trail camera & glanced up at my stand all I seen was a piece of the strap dangling 18' up the tree where my stand use to be! The stand was there a week ago but gone that day, along with the set of climbing sticks.

Needless to say it made me furious & sad at the same time that there are other hunters that are so disrespectful & would stoop that low! I removed the camera for fear of it disappearing as well even though I'm missing some photo opportunities. I'm tempted to set it up on a ladder stand that showed evidence of a visitor also to see if I can catch the culprit that way but can't afford to lose any more equipment. What would you do?
 
I have had stands stolen too, it really burns me. One question though, was it on private or public ground??? If it was on public ground you might call the local DNR to see if they confiscated them. I think the Iowa law says that all tree stands on public ground have to be removed within 2 weeks of season close? Just a thought.

IaCraig
 
203ntyp,
I feel for you, I myself have had 6 or 7 stolen. Hell I get so frustrated I lost count.
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The only thing that seems to work is the good ole trusty master lock. The losers only steal your steps that way.

I don't know if this is true or not, but I was told by a P&Y scorer that had 12 stands stolen in ONE season. He claimed them through his insurance company and payed no deductible. They replaced all 12 with Lone Wolf's
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,which I saw in thier boxes in his basement. I haven't checked into it yet but I will be. I will be talking with him soon and get the real scoop.

I don't know if I would take the chance with the camera stunt. I just find it hard to believe that a shed hunter or anyone for that matter would do that.

Nonres
 
In the past I have had several stands stolen, both from private and public ground. When they were stolen on private ground, I used to, have a fit and I would walk the ground from which I suspected the thief looking for my stand. If found, i got destructive on thier stands. Anyways, I have since matured and do everything I can to minimize the loss of treestands. One thing that has helped is using padlocks with heavy chains. I have also started using API Skyhook steps. All you do is drill in a lag screw and hang the step which can be removed at the end of the day. I usually do this for the first five to six steps. This has really minimized the loss of stands I only see a few times a year. Also, if you hunt as high as I do, most people are not crazy enough to make the climb. Just a few thoughts to pass on
Shredder220
 
1.Use cable. Cable is lighter and harder to cut.

2. Make the lock visible from the ground.

3. Mark the stand boldly with your name & phone. (bottom side facing the ground)

4. Use climbing sticks that attach to the tree in SEPERATE sections. Remove the bottom section when not hunting (ensure the second one is beyond jumping height.

5. Be able to to ID your gear beyond any doubt! I suggest hiding an ID tag inside the tubing of the stand. Make it undetected so it won't be altered.

As a side note. I grind an X in the end of my screw in steps with and angle grinder. I have relocated them in machine sheds and pickup beds. I just let them there and file the info in the computer.

An ounce of prevention is with a pound of cure!
Most thiefs are horrably lazy. They seldom have the ambition to return with tools needed to remove your stand.
(so they shoot @ it instead)
 
I had a stand stolen on public property a few years back. A conservation officer lived 400yds. from were it was taken. The stand had a name tag on the bottom visible from the ground, it was a hang on 14 ft. up in the tree( I carried the sectional latter in and out with me), It was a 1/4 mile hike to get to the stand on public property, but through the officers property or his neighbors it was only 100yds. I dug around in the grass and found the piece of chain that someone had cut with a bolt cutter. When I asked the county officer that lived by and showed him the cut liink he basically said to bad maybe you should hunt somewhere else. Now I carry a climber in and out with me. Al
 
Scout is all over this one. Lost one this year on private ground after the neighboring landowner saw my nephew sitting in it during late MZ season and sat watching him. Surprise, it turned up missing last weekend when I went to get it. It's pretty obvious where it went. I'll start marking things permanently like scout suggested with a die grinder or dremel tool. I've been using cable for several years and after leaving my padlock keys in the truck once I can tell you it's very tough to cut. This guy probably could have gone back for a tractor and saw though, because he really must have wanted it.
 
Yes I would have to know if it was on public ground or not anything left on a tree after 24 hours is public property it is not right to take it but it is legal. I have taken a couple over the years because 2 guys would follow me on public ground and set their stands up on the 2 places I scouted. On over 6,000 acres of public ground they couldn't find anywhere else to hunt but to set up on me. I never took the stands I just carried them out to the place they parked their vehicle and left a note that said the next time they set up on me for months at a time their stands would become public property and become mine. It wouldn't have bothered me if they would have approached me and said "Hey we like the spot you hunt do you care if we hang a stand in there also?" I would have said no problem but when you watch someone in the afternoon through binoculars and spotting scopes and then go in there the next morning and hang 2 tree stands where I had my climber the night before you ruin everyone's chances by people coming and going into that spot at different times. Oh well live and learn.
My advice is buy an API climber I absolutely love mine. I still hang about 20 stands a year on private ground but most are far enough off the beaten path no one messes with them.
When you really want to get aggresive with the deer on your setups a climber is the ticket you can get in a deer's bedding area and go up with a climber in a matter of minutes.
Then when you are done you put it on your back and take it home where it is safe and sound.
With one $200 climber(usually cheaper go to Cabela's bargain cave) you own unlimited number of stands and no steps to buy. When at Cabela's pick up a Gerber tree saw and carry with you comes in handy to trim little branches that get in the way of that climber's chain.
Good Luck!
 
To Scout I'm new to the site and your posts are very well thought out before they are posted good info. on the advice you give. While looking at your profile I saw the upclose shot of that deer you have by your posts What a deer!! How did you take it bow muzzloader or shotgun? I guessing bow. No matter what weapon what a trophy. What year did you get?
Congrats!!
 
AW rattle em in, don't do that!!!!! He's hard enough to live with the way it is! Any more posts like that and we'll have to bow when we see him. Maggs:)
 
Sorry Maggs I just can't get enough of whitetails and the stories behind them
 
Thanks for all the great advise! The property I hunt is private, I earned the right to hunt the property by offering to help maintain the farm by bush hogging & doing a lot of manual labor all year long for 12 years. I guess that's what really fuels my fire. No one else seems to want to work for a good place to hunt but have the nerve to tresspass, litter & steal personel property.

I've hunted there all these years with out any problems. I did purchase some Gorilla cable locks for 3 of my hang on stands this year after buying some new ones. I have a climbing stand but there are no trees sutable for a climber so I rely on hang-ons & ladder stands. I guess I can't blame anyone but myself for not locking that particular stand & not removing them imediately at the end of the season. I never expected anyone to be in the briar patch 2 weeks after the season closed, my guess is that it was not the first time they were in there.

No matter how many years we hunt or how much we trust people, there's always a lesson to be learned, some the hard way. Not only do we have to hunt smart to outwit the deer, now we have to outsmart each other!
 
All,

These scoundrels can really piss a guy off!!

I had a portable stolen (along with all of the steps) on private land a few years back. My homeowners insurance did cover the loss (minus the standard deductible) after giving a thorough description of the location. Still grinds me, but at least I was able to get a new stand to replace it.

NWBuck
 
I had a place I hunted for 4 years, and one day I went out there and one of my tree stands were gone. I said , well I have another one on the east side of the woods. That one was gone also. I looked at the new hunting signs on the property and there was 2 names on it. The second guy took them down and had them at his place. I was fit to be tied. If I would have had my cell phone with I would have called the sheriff. He didn't own the land but he thought he could do anything he wanted to. He was related threw marriage!
 
One more piece of advice you may want to try.
I do this once in a while to avoid a lost stand.When you find that perfect tree and the climber just won't work I try to carry 10 steps with me in my pack and insert the steps and either pull your climber up or carry in up on your back and then set up the climber when you get in the tree then after the hunt take it back down the tree and then if someone does decide to take our stand all they would be able to take would be your steps.
 
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