• The SH Membership has gone live. Only SH Members have access to post in the classifieds. All members can view the classifieds. Starting in 2020 only SH Members will be admitted to the annual hunting contest. Current members will need to follow these steps to upgrade: 1. Click on your username 2. Click on Account upgrades 3. Choose SH Member and purchase.
  • We've been working hard the past few weeks to come up with some big changes to our vendor policies to meet the changing needs of our community. Please see the new vendor rules here: Vendor Access Area Rules

So you find some illegal stands while scouting....

Hunter260

Hunter260

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 14, 2019
Messages
1,585
Location
Ash Flat, AR
In my area you have to have your stands out between February and September. I've only hunted this piece of public a few times in the last year, but found a few cheap hang on stands with no sticks in the best spots. I thought dang it, someone else must have this claimed. Throughout the season I continued to walk past these stands and there was never any sign of activity near them. (No marks from sticks, bootprints from walking in). So we're scouting this piece again the other day and I see the stands again and go up for a closer inspection. Now I KNOW that these stands aren't being hunted because there are uncut limbs around the seat which would make it impossible to sit down. Our state requires name address and phone clearly visible on all stands, and these didn't have any of that. What I think is going on is someone is putting cheap stands they don't mind losing up so that they can scare off other hunters. What would you do? I can think of 3 options.

1. Call a warden and report the stands
2. Steal em. (Just a joke calm down)
3. Just hunt right next to them
 
I would say all three would be acceptable answers lol. However take it from me people do just forget stands in the woods. Not sure how many your talking about but could happen. Maybe they put they up with hopes of hunting them and moved, or something happened in their lives where hunting wasn't a priority anymore. Lots of possibilities. I think the game warden approach is best. Just my opinion

Sent from my SM-N970U using Tapatalk
 
I run across that a lot here too. If they're in good areas I've used them as my platform (obviously use your tether and check the strap/chain holding the stand on).
 
I would hunt it in a minute. If the stand was growing into the tree I would cut it down and be ack it out if it’s worth anything. No different than picking up an antique bottle someone threw down a bunch of years ago. You can report it to the warden but they don’t really care if there’s no one hunting it there is no one to ticket. Heck I might would even move it to another tree to draw attention elsewhere.
 
My train of thought on this is that since it is well out of season for hunting, and it sounds like they have been there a long time and are illegally left on public land they are abandoned property. Id cut them down and either get rid of or sell them.

Not your problem if people cant follow the rules, and you shouldn't sacrifice your hunt for idiots who cannot follow simple laws
 
Last edited:
I don't take peoples' stuff as a rule! BUT..., if it's growing into the tree, unsafe to hunt out of, etc., I will remove it and take it out of the woods; if it's possible. The real option would just be to hunt by it if you do not see active people sign during the season.

I found one last year, in what would have been a good spot 5 years ago, completely grown in and unsafe. I couldn't even remove it haha.
 
I've had this happen to me twice. People illegally hunting on my property. Both times I pulled their stuff. If they wanted it back they would have to meet face to face.
Once it was an older guy my father in law had told him he could hunt without telling me... They went to church together and is a super nice man so I gladly gave it back to him and said good luck, hope you get a big one.
The other time, I just happened to get lucky as I was scouting a bedding area and it was pretty thick. Look up and not 20 yards away was Brand new Summit climbing sticks and Lock-on. Still have it to this day. Everybody in my community knows I hunt. Someone was very brave. Or stupid...
 
I would cut it down if its obvious that's its neglected and derelict for years...leave it at the base of the tree and make a mental note that if u wanted to hunt that area again u may not need to carry more that just some sticks....if u run into the owner u can tell him to derelict ur balls
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top