I had a feeling this was going to happen

[Thunderflight]

Well shoot....

I got into my off base stand around 4:30 pm. On the way in I noticed a set of foot prints going in and coming out of the woods. I became very suspicious, because as far as I know I'm the only one with permission to hunt this patch of woods.

I get on stand and sit down. Ten minutes later I heard deer coming in. I start to stand up and the dang ladder stand creeks. Both deer took off, but I didn't worry about it because I could just stand up for the remaining 45 minutes of legal shooting time.

Ten minutes later a nice size grey fox cruises by.

As I'm watching the fox I look up an the edge of the power line and see an orange hat. Yelp, it's another hunter heading to my stand. I wave, he sees me, and leaves. I guess that explains the foot prints eh?

Ten minutes later another fox comes in, but again I let him go.

Wednesday evening when I hunted that stand I couldn't figure out why that dang doe kept looking at my stand. I wasn't moving and I had plenty of back ground cover. That was also the first time I had hunted it in two or three weeks. I'm guessing that someone else has been hunting it too and the deer have caught on.

Tomorrow I'm going to stop by the property owners house to find out if anyone else is hunting the place too. I'm going to pull the ladderstand and replace it with a lock on. This spot is too hot to just give up and if someone wanted to steal my stand then I'm sure it would be gone by now. I will however remover the first three or four screw in steps and hang the lock on a good 20 feet up too. I'm not worried about the feeder getting stolen. I've got "mabye" $30 wrapped up in it, but as soon as it's empty (I just filled it yesterday with 200 pounds of corn) then I'm going to take it out.

TF

[OHBOW76]

Thats too bad, but definitely sounds like someone has been using the stand. Might want to leave that stand up in the same place, and put your lock on about twenty yds away from it, and set it up like you said. Maybe the deer will stare up at the ladder stand and be distracted. Use the situation to your advantage.

[Thunderflight]

Actually that's not a bad ideal at all.

[unluckyman]

using another mans stand is like using another mans woman....I would set in all camo hid really good and wait for the hunter to come back when he comes ask him not to use your stand.....but if he starts off at the mouth smack him around a little bit.....just like you would your woman!!!!:)

[epe]

If you are going to pull the steps, you should use what I use.. I use 10 inch long 1/2 inch grade 5 bolts.. I use a 5/8 inch wood auger bit on a cordless drill to drill the hole.. (slanted down) and can slide the bolts right out.. We usually take the first 5 or 6 steps out during gun season...

[Thunderflight]

I'll just use the screw in steps. I'm not sure what to do though. I thought about pulling one of my stands on base and hanging it there, but the logistics are a pain in the butt. I may just hunt the "back 40" stand on base tomorrow morning and pull it when I'm done. On the way to the Toys for Tot's 3D shoot I could hang the new stand.

I called the property owner today. Come to find out he was just a manager, but the owner told him I could hunt there. He also quit working there two weeks ago so I'm going to have to contact them on Monday to find out if anyone else is legally hunting it.

I'm really leary about leaving that ladderstand though. It's a friends stand and I'd hate to see someone steal it.

[SP Scout]

I had to do the same thing TF. The landowner gave permission for someone else to hunt the woods I do a few years ago and the man assumed this meant he could use my stand whenever he felt like it. I used to see a group of, and im not kidding on this, 20 doe every time I hunted this stand. After that guy hunted it a year I have never seen a single deer there once in the past 3 years. He lived close to it and just lived on it. Never asked me. So I had to take the steps out but the stand is just junk now. Deer want nothing to do with it. And what the heck is your problem TF? Man, if I ever get a shot at a fox with my bow I am taking that lil sucker. Be a beautiful mount.

[RandyB1986]

I had this happen once....I knew this guy was using my stand but I couldnt catch him red handed. It was a wooden ladder stand with 2 x 4 steps.....I know this is mean and very dangerous.........BUT I replaced the top 2 steps on the 14' ladder with "break- aways".....nailed them in with 6 penny nails that barely held them in place. Needless to say when I returned the top step was laying on the ground, I can only hope that rude hunter followed it down!!!

[swantucky]

Maybe I'm just rotten but I like the way you think RandyB1986. I have not had any problems like that in quite a while but I think your trick is a gem!!!

[Thunderflight]

Fox's don't come into season until January 7th.

[CStan]

Rigging up your stand is a bad idea, what if the guy falls and is paralyzed or killed?

[coonskinner]

i have to agree cstan,i am not out to kill a guy cause he uses my stand,that just not make any sense to kill somebuddy over that...

[Thunderflight]

I would never do that.

[Spring fever]

That would be a hard one to live with if the guy got permanately hurt, especially if he has a family. I'd rather confront him face to face.

:) --Matt.7:13

[RandyB1986]

Originally posted by CStan
Rigging up your stand is a bad idea, what if the guy falls and is paralyzed or killed?

I agree its very dangerous.....but so is going where you dont belong and using or destroying personal property, on private property. I had bad experiences with people using and breaking my stands. I could never catch them in the act, I would have much rather faced them.......I was the only one suppose to be on the farm hunting deer. Maybe we should all carry "climb at own risk" tags for our tree bases, lol.

I even went as far as rigging screw in steps so they would pull out when stepped on......by using a smaller, shorter lag bolt and lightly sticking in hole of real step.....then as you come down from a stand that you dont plan to return to for several days replace the top 2 or 3 steps with "pull outs".....I know this has to hurt ;)

So if you dont like these kind of tactics........dont climb in a stand without asking and knowing whos stand it is. If you do climb in stands without asking......LIKE MANY GUYS DO......think of me and other idiots like me everytime you do and then climb at your own risk.

[geezer]

Randy - your lucky your not in court being sued - i especially wouldn't brag about doing something as stupid as delibertly trying to injure someone - geeze how bad do you want to hunt that area anyway - just take the damn thing down and move it - what area of being a sport hunter does booby traping a stand fall under anyway - just my two cents

geezer

[mullskinner]

and do the scouting and putting up a stand and some @#$% pig climbs up and makes himself at home ? thatz bull $##t... what a slob !! if that happened to me i would think of rigging it ...but i would not ...i would leave him a little note !!! if that didn't work i would $##t on the seat and hope he climbed up in before day light !!! lol and another lol whatz that smell ? pig !

[geezer]

Well i don't use other peoples stands - but i don't poop in my own either

[SP Scout]

Sounds like a bad hobby you have Randy. Someone could get severely hurt or killed if you do that, especially doing it to the top two or three steps. What if they manage to get up in the stand without one falling out, then on the descent the top one falls out, it is hardest to get in and out of the stand than climb. They could easily fall and break their back. I dont believe any amount of property can account for human safety. Try leaving a letter like previously mentioned. If that doesnt work, try being a man and confront him. If that doesnt work, call that game warden.

[coonskinner]

2 ways...detachable steps and if your stand will fold up when in the tree fold it up and lock it.i have done this,twice i got bullet holes thru the base of the stand,guess they were a little disgruntled i did this ...

[RandyB1986]

Hey guys. Sorry if I made some of you fellars mad. I would feel terrible if someone got permanent injury but I would not feel responsible, I am sorry but I just dont think a person has the right to stroll in and treat anyones property like its his own without first asking.

Like another person said.....when I was deer hunting heavy I would spend months scouting, sitting in stands, I would put more time in my stand June-Sept then most licensed hunters spend in the woods the entire hunting season. And then some of you think I should just give up and walk away after 20+ years at the same place.

I know its 2005 and people can sue you for anything.....I mean hot coffee, getting fat, falling over your garden hose, tripping over a log while robbing your home...we are all targets for that crap, regardless of whether you protect yourself or not. They cant get blood from a turnip ;)

Anyhow....its been many years since I did this and granted I probably would never do it again and I am glad no one ever got hurt by it.

Take care all!

[dsump]

This same **** happened to me the week of gun season. I don't hunt gun week, but have been keeping away from a certain stand because I had spooked a 16 pointer. Iv'e been hunting this buck for the whole season. The last day of gun season, I went to my stand and there were human prints all over my stand and around my tree. I looked around and followed thoses footprints to a pile of guts. The guts had a ***** and scrotum in the pile. I was freakin pissed. This was probably my buck. My stand, my property. Those damn footprints also went all the way to my backyard at the edge of the woods. I'll tell you that I probably would have kicked this guys ass if I would have caught him red handed. I will put up some cameras and try to find out who has been roaming around. I checked with checkin stations but they only list the counties where killed not the locations (no 16 pointers checked in, but a lot of people like this don't check in anything). This gets me so mad that I sometimes just want to quite hunting.

[Caribou Dreamer2]

Don't worry Thunder happen ever year more and more come in.Wait untill next year that buddy will tell his buddy then that buddy will tell a guy at the bar and then that guy will tell his wife and before you know it WAM!!!!!!!!!!! your woods are infested!!!!!!!!!!Like coach roaches.
Happens to me all the time,before you know it it will become a walking zoo.
Just hang on for the ride sometime it get good!!!!

http://www.londonstimes.us/toons/cartoons/joel_cockroach.gif

[geezer]

Hey Randy - i agree that no one has the right to tresspass or destroy another persons property but stuff happens - and that this is one of the real frustrating parts of modern day hunting - out hunt them -

Being sued because of hot coffee, falling over a garden hose...etc. is a lot different that being proscuted for a PREMEDIATED ACT designed to cause harm or injury to another - you might not be able to get blood from a turnip - but - you might be eating turnip soup at your new residence several times a week - a careless act could change your life forever.

I'm glad to hear that this was in your distant past and that you probably would not do it again.

Well in the case you describe you might have to carry in a climber to protect your spot - i know thats sometimes a pain in the butt but i'm pushing 70 and still carry in a climber to certain locations.

Well maybe someday you will be able to talk to that tresspasser and get things straightened out - stay cool.

I hope the rest of your hunting season goes well

take care
geezer

[Freedomrules3]

that is the growing problem... people taking this sport way too seriously. so some slob sits in your stand.. big deal. sure they shouldnt do it but you shouldnt try to kill them . i have stands located all about public land. i have never had one stolen but i'm sure they have been used. if i come by and someone is there , i simply move on. no bone on any head of a mammal is worth hurting someone over, even if they are a holes. i've heard plenty of new stories about slashing blinds stealing cams and other nonsense, stuff you would never hear or even think of before. all over some damn calcium deposits lmao. i say leave a note or just live with it.

[dsump]

Freedom, Are you for real? I am not a wealthy man and when I save up to by hunting equipment and take all the time scouting and asking permission to hunt. I would like to be able to enjoy my work with the reward of using my equipment and using my scouting in bagging an animal. When some piece of crap comes walking in for only one week of gun season, uses your stand, your foodplot, your land WITHOUT your permission. Then there is a big time problem. I have hunted areas where I knew of good places and went there only to find someone else sitting in my favorite spots. That is no problem, but when someone is sitting in your stand, that is bullcrap. Have you gone to a sporting goods store and seen what the costs of stands are, my god 200.00 plus. It just isnt right. Ethics are serious and should be used by everyone.

[coonskinner]

there always will be bad guys...

[Freedomrules3]

I understand all the costs of hunting etc. I just think it would be better to maybe catch them and turn them into the gw rather than cut steps or use short nails. i'm not siding with the criminals just not siding with someone hellbent on hurting an intruder. what i am seeing more and more of is people taking this sport way too seriously. i would never jeapordize someones health for a deer , just that simple.

[dsump]

Your absolutely right, I too would never hurt someone over a deer. I would probably hurt someone who maliciously uses my stand, trespasses, steals, and shoots near my house. Forget the deer. Its about property and safety. I primarely hunt for the peace I recieve when I am in nature, by myself. With my career, I need a stress relief, but when I get to my spot to see that it has been tampered with, my stress just goes back to the roof. It is just frustrating to be violated in this manner. By the way, one game warden per county is horrible. I can not imagine the case load on this guy. Before reporting to the game warden, one should obtain more information other than, "Someone was in my stand, trespassing". I see your point, I hope you see mine. Enjoy your hunts.

[geezer]

Well i don't think anyone maliciously uses another person stand - i think they are just lazy - tresspassing and stealing are another thing you got the right to protect you property but be careful of using excessive foce - i gave some guys permission to hunt small game on my property and the next thing i knew they were 20 ft. from the side of the house trying to kick rabbits out of the fence row - i went out and had a little talk with them and they got the message - it never crossed their mind about hunting that close to the house - a lot of hunters are so horny during deer season that it clouds their judgement.

take care
geezer

[SP Scout]

Well said geezer!

[ron]

dsump.....thats a bummer.....sure hope it wasnt the buck you
are after. I would be real pissed also.

[Thunderflight]

Talked to the actual owner today. He confirmed that I'm the only one supposed to be in there and he doesn't want any guns either. He told me to run off the next person I see and have them contact him.

BTW, I hunt a new stand behind the ladder. There's evidence of someone being in it (safety rope moved and hanger moved).

I'm pulling it this weekend. The new stand is MUCH better anyways. It has more cover and better shooting lanes. I also took the first four steps out too.