Finding out-of-season deer stands while scouting

[_Dario]

Here in PA you are allowed to set up stands 2 weeks prior to the season on public land and must remove them within 2 weeks after the season ends.

I generally ignore people’s stands that they fail to remove when I find them scouting or hunting.

I found a really good “generally overlooked” spot in one of my usual public land spots while scouting a couple weeks ago. It is a creek bottom bordering private property lined with walnut trees adjacent to a small oak/maple island in a field. It takes a bit of a hike to get to this spot. I saw a ton of sign and bumped a bedded deer while I was there.

I also found that someone else likes this spot because they left two separate extension ladders, one of which has a hang on at the top. I assume this guy just moves his one hang on between the two spots.

I really like this spot. I don’t know if I should just do what I always do, ignore the stands and hunt it how/when I want. I am thinking maybe leave an anonymous voicemail to the park office of the location and have them remove it? Talking to a ranger there last season he mentioned they were cracking down on left out stands but I haven’t really noticed any difference. A drawback to that is if they decide to remove the stand close to the season they could really blow that spot out for a while. I am not inclined to touch this guys stuff, although I believe it is public domain if not removed two weeks after the season ends.

Obviously we all deal with this scenario, how do you guys handle it usually?

 

[Topdog]

Illegal Ladder Stands on Public Land

So, I put about 3.5 miles of hiking in on a piece of game lands near me this evening and found 8 ladder stands. You're only allowed to have them up on game lands two weeks prior to the season opener of archery and then they must come down two weeks after the last season which ends in January...

saddlehunter.com

 

[_Dario]

Awesome thank you - I missed that. And I think I know exactly what I am going to do now. I am going to make a creek crossing bridge with one of those extension ladders and name it the @Weldabeast highway.

 

[Weldabeast]

Awesome thank you - I missed that. And I think I know exactly what I am going to do now. I am going to make a creek crossing bridge with one of those extension ladders and name it the @Weldabeast highway.

Just don't cuss me too bad if u fall in....

 

[TreeCreep]

I found a similar “year round” stand this year overlooking a pinch point at the end of a small ridge I thought had no stands.
I try to do something slight and in no way unsafe to see if owner / other hunter has visited it.
Example: Move pull up rope to a higher step,
Lay a decent size branch on bottom one/ two ladder rungs or steps.( I think this was mentioned in other post above)
I find most of these belong to gun / infrequent hunters.

 

[_Dario]

I found a similar “year round” stand this year overlooking a pinch point at the end of a small ridge I thought had no stands.
I try to do something slight and in no way unsafe to see if owner / other hunter has visited it.
Example: Move pull up rope to a higher step,
Lay a decent size branch on bottom one/ two ladder rungs or steps.( I think this was mentioned in other post above)
I find most of these belong to gun / infrequent hunters.

That’s a great idea. That reminds me of a scene (I think) from one of the old school James Bond movies where Sean Connery rips out a hair and fastens it across the door jamb. If the hair is gone when he gets back then he knew someone was there. So you’re saying hunt like James Bond…can’t argue with it..


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[raisins]

I would not touch it myself. I would either drop the anonymous dime on them, or I would hunt the area but take into account that the guy is likely bumping deer movement with his ground or air scent. Set up accordingly. In WV, you can't leave a stand more than a day or so on public. But people leave them up all year to "claim" areas, especially when they live near the public land. I just mark them on OnX and move on.

 

[_Dario]

I agree with not moving the stuff. If you think about it you are potentially going to intersect with this person at this point with some form of a weapon in hand. They already showed that they don’t respect the rules we all have to follow so what else do they not care about? Probably a far stretch but I always play it safe because a lot of people are crazy out there and you have to be 2 steps ahead.


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[TreeCreep]

That’s a great idea. That reminds me of a scene (I think) from one of the old school James Bond movies where Sean Connery rips out a hair and fastens it across the door jamb. If the hair is gone when he gets back then he knew someone was there. So you’re saying hunt like James Bond…can’t argue with it..


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I’m bald as a fruit bat but I follow your analogy. I might be more Sean oconnery than Bond….
“ I’ll take Schwords for $500 Alex”

“= it’s S- words you moron.”

 

[Zero One Actual]

What’s the worst that could happen? I say take a torch to all of them. But watch Deliverance first.