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Wow...is all I have to say. Walked state ground the last two days and it's amazing all the mineral sites that people are hunting over. And before anyone jumps to conclusions, yes stands are still hung over some spots I have found this year and years past. Also found 2 stands still hanging in one spot today. One of which had screw in steps! The nerve some people have amazes me. Called the DNR officer of my county and awaiting a call back. What is everyone's experience with reporting this? Do they actually do anything about it? Talked to neighboring land owner and he said family member picked up a salt block last year under a stand. I know they are not his. He also mentioned someone stopped by and asked if he hunts there and if he had stands up. He told them no but said it sounded weird how the asked like they were asking like they were from law enforcement.

On a side note, I did find a nice set on a well traveled piece of state land yesterday! To bad I was 2+ years late. :mad: Was overgrown in a clear cut section with overgrowth all on top of them. Only 2-3 inches of tine showing and totally missed the match a foot away half under a small branch! Post a pic after I find a few more, tough sledding this year!
 
I know of a place in warren county thats full of stands that never leave. Co never found time to meet me to show him. Seems like they don't enforce the law very much.
 
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Yep, lots of stands stay up year round on public. Frustrating! Wasn't there legislation recently on a law to require hunters to have identification of some kind on treestands?
 
How does everybody view treestands that are on public outside of the allowed season? Free for the taking? I'm personally not interested in taking stands down and keeping them, but I don't necessarily see anything wrong with it. If somebody can't follow the law, they must not want their stuff. Not trying to start an argument, just asking the question.
 
Lyon,
Rationalization is just like masturbation your only screwing yourself!
Why would you want to become a thief?
 
Dingo said:
Lyon,
Rationalization is just like masturbation your only screwing yourself!
Why would you want to become a thief?
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So the guys who work their tails off packing stands in during the heat of the summer/early fall and out during the cold and deep snow should just let the lazy POS keep their stand up year round? Do I then get to sit in it next year because he left it up year round? I usually give the hunters until mushroom season. If it's still there and CO hasn't had time to get to it I've taken some down and dropped them off at the parks office or the Park rangers house. Not saying it's the right thing to do but if there was a valid reason they were still up they can contact the park official and try to get their stands back. When I lived in Fayette a group of UIU students went out during June and had the back of their truck full of stands. I don't steal them, but I also don't trust someone else not to either.
 
Dingo said:
Lyon,
Rationalization is just like masturbation your only screwing yourself!
Why would you want to become a thief?
Click to expand...

Haha. Maybe you missed the part where I said I'm personally not interested in taking down stands and keeping them. But, just for fun, I don't think it's rationalizing. Is it stealing if you take a stand or camera that someone, without permission, put up on private property? I believe we would all say no. Same goes for stands on public land. They are on PUBLIC land, illegally. I wouldn't say it's much different than picking up trash, it shouldn't be there so remove it.
 
Aside from it being against the law (yes I know most important) what does another grown mans property left on state land have anything to do with your hunting?!? I never understood why so many guys as of late worry so much about others. Almost like they are getting some treatment you're not?? Whose to say why those stands are left up, could have gotten sick, had a death in the family, gotten hurt, moved away last minute, compelelty forgot it was there (God for bid someone forgets). Insane to think some of you guys operate this way.
 
Booner said:
Aside from it being against the law (yes I know most important) what does another grown mans property left on state land have anything to do with your hunting?!? I never understood why so many guys as of late worry so much about others. Almost like they are getting some treatment you're not?? Whose to say why those stands are left up, could have gotten sick, had a death in the family, gotten hurt, moved away last minute, compelelty forgot it was there (God for bid someone forgets). Insane to think some of you guys operate this way.
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That's why I give them to the CO. And the reason I do it is because I don't like to crowd in on someone else hunting. Just because they leave a stand up all year does that mean they have "dibbs" on that spot forever?
 
I myself have left stands up for a while. Not by choice. One year I had heart surgery on January 2nd and a couple years was swamped at the farm. I am not big on leaving them and if I do I wouldn't be mad if they were gone. The rule is they must be removed so it's at your own risk. I know of guys that have come a long ways and put up stands without intending to take them out if they don't get back. I also have seen ladderstands during the summer, or stands close to private that have been in for years. Those guys seem to be staking claim. I disagree with that. Also wouldn't take down a stand and drag it out to give it back to some bum. I don't take them, most of them are locked anyway. I lock mine always and take the bottom sticks out. Tree steps annoy me, if I see them I will remove them. Oh and I have had no luck getting a response from a c.o. wonder if Northwoods Law is for real? Those wardens answer for the smallest call on that show.
 
This was discussed at the Johnston DNR meeting. The suggestion was to give people longer since ladder stands may be frozen in. That seemed reasonable and April 1 was suggested which I support. After that, I would certainly call a CO and if they won't get them, I would cut them down and take to the CO or let him know where to find it. The main reason (claiming a tree/spot) has already been mentioned. The other is damage to trees as they grow - especially with chains.

Booner- it is certainly fine to have a different opinion, and to express it, but I see no reason to call someone's thinking "insane" just because you disagree.
 
Rjack said:
T

Booner- it is certainly fine to have a different opinion, and to express it, but I see no reason to call someone's thinking "insane" just because you disagree.
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You're absolutely correct, way to harsh for the Bernie Sanders world we apparently live in.......

Ashamed, that's more godly right?? I'm absolutely ashamed to what ends some of you guys will go to ruin something for someone else. I'd bet there are a lot more underlying issues to why stuff gets left on public. If the stand isn't hurting the tree (which is illegal from the get go) then there's absolutely no reason another hunter (non law enforcement officer) has any right to stealing another hunters piece of equipment. Regardless of the rules or law, taking what isn't yours is still stealing. Leave it up to the COs to deal with, if they don't then so what who gives a rats a$$ it's public land, deal with it.
 
Booner said:
Aside from it being against the law (yes I know most important) what does another grown mans property left on state land have anything to do with your hunting?!? I never understood why so many guys as of late worry so much about others. Almost like they are getting some treatment you're not?? Whose to say why those stands are left up, could have gotten sick, had a death in the family, gotten hurt, moved away last minute, compelelty forgot it was there (God for bid someone forgets). Insane to think some of you guys operate this way.
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This is where I ran into problems this past season. There have been the same two stands in the same trees for the last 5 years. The treestands are now stuck in the tree as the trees have grown over them. So I put a stand up on the ridge of the hill where the other two were on the bottom of the ridge. My stand only stayed there untouched for two days before some asshole decided that was his piece of public land and decided to cut my straps steal the ladder support bar and cut my seat cushion straps off. So when it comes to stands being left on public land I will start taking them down and going to the CO..... This is public land and everyone has the right to hunt where they want. So that being said those two stands that are grown into the trees will be cut out and delivered to the CO.....
 
I hung a stand on some public last week of the season this year with a buddy. We left them up, planning on going back and taking them down week after the season. Well it was like -20 that weekend so we went the following and we get back in there and find my stand gone with a dnr card nailed into the tree. Call the number on the card and said I can pick it up, but have to pay a $91 ticket, or fight it in court. Who's got time for that?? It's about a $250 setup, so I'll just pay the fine, and learn my lesson. Always pack in and out same day.
 
Booner said:
You're absolutely correct, way to harsh for the Bernie Sanders world we apparently live in.......

Ashamed, that's more godly right?? I'm absolutely ashamed to what ends some of you guys will go to ruin something for someone else. I'd bet there are a lot more underlying issues to why stuff gets left on public. If the stand isn't hurting the tree (which is illegal from the get go) then there's absolutely no reason another hunter (non law enforcement officer) has any right to stealing another hunters piece of equipment. Regardless of the rules or law, taking what isn't yours is still stealing. Leave it up to the COs to deal with, if they don't then so what who gives a rats a$$ it's public land, deal with it.
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What is your suggestion if it is hurting the tree (e.g. chain starting to cut into the bark)?
 
My Local CO said he would not deal with it, said it was fair game to anyone the moment it passes the deadline.. So I dont think I would classify it as "Stealing" now morals would play into this, but again, if the CO would tell me take them all down and keep them, I am doing as the law says right.. (side note, I never have nor will I ever take stands down on public, however they end up on my ground, I will take down and leave notes)
 
Rjack said:
What is your suggestion if it is hurting the tree (e.g. chain starting to cut into the bark)?
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DIRECTLY FROM IOWA HUNTING RULES AND REGULATIONS 2015-2016:

TREE STANDS​
You may not construct a permanent tree stand on state public hunting areas. You may not drive or in any other way place any nail, spike, pin, or any other metal object into a tree on state public hunting areas to construct a blind or to provide hunting access to a location above the ground. Tree stands may be left on a state public hunting area from 7 days prior to the start of a​
deer season until 7 days after the final day of that season.

If the chain is affecting the tree, then it's illegal. Rules states that, if the chain isn't affecting the tree and it's been left on state land past the deadline then I guess that's up to the CO for that county and how much time he has on his hands. I'd like to think taking tree stands down off state land is wasting time and wasting $$$ when there's plenty of other things that seem to get overlooked during that time frame (Jan-May) Coyote hunting groups who trespass or shoot out windows. Shed hunters who trespass, walleye fisherman who flocked to the damns and keep over their limits, turkeys getting shot out the window with high powers, the list goes on and on and on. It seems all these young CO's have a name to prove and yet they seem to be MIA when the public really needs them.....
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I am well aware of the regulations. I asked what you would specifically do if you saw a tree stand chain cutting into a tree on public ground. From your earlier post it seemed to me that you viewed that sort of illegal as different than the leaving them up too long. I was just curious as to how you would handle a "tree damage" situation.
 
Rjack said:
I am well aware of the regulations. I asked what you would specifically do if you saw a tree stand chain cutting into a tree on public ground. From your earlier post it seemed to me that you viewed that sort of illegal as different than the leaving them up too long. I was just curious as to how you would handle a "tree damage" situation.
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I would walk by the stand and shake my head in disappointment. See my JOB title doesn't allow me to punish those for doing illegal actions so I leave the justification of what is right or wrong and how they will be punished up to those go get paid to do that job.

The tree stand isn't mine, the land technically isn't mine (though it's public property) and the tree isn't mine. I care about wildlife and natural resources just as much as the next guy, so I see a chain embedded in a tree as bad but not something I'm going to lose sleep over.

And let's get real here Sir, this thread has to do with grown men crying over things they shouldn't be worrying about........

Old nasty, wooded/homemade welded stands, that are chained to trees on public land isn't what majority of guys are griping over........:rolleyes:
 
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