Some deer stands may require a building permit
Updated: 11-17-2003 11:43:15 PM
A judge in western Wisconsin recently ordered the owner of a deer stand to tear it down or face fines. It' s a ruling that could possibly affect every hunter, whose stand is more than some 2 x 4s nailed to a tree.
This case raises at least two interesting questions: What' s the definition of a deer stand? And when does a deer stand require a permit and become subject to taxation?
Western Wisconsin' s natural beauty convinced Cloann Proulx"™s family years ago to purchase a cabin in the area and property in the woods.
But it' s this man-made structure her son built for hunting that' s caused an ugly court fight.
" It' s our land, what' s it hurting?"
" We don' t consider this a deer stand."
Jim Johnston says his office received an anonymous tip months ago that Proulx"™s son had been living in the structure. Upon inspection, they found all the amenities of a home.
" The size of the structure in this case doesn' t matter. What we went on was someone was living there."
Despite Proulx"™s denials, a Polk County judge ruled this is not a deer stand, and ordered the family to pay a fine, tear it down or purchase a building permit.
The state of Wisconsin, by the way, has no regulations for deer stands on private property.
" If it was a deer stand, and they were using it for a deer stand, there would be no problem."
" These pictures were all taken within a five-mile radius of our deer stand."
Proulx believes her family' s stand was singled out among hundreds of others.
" I don' t see much difference between these and ours."
But she only has a theory as to why.
" I think they' re looking for money, fines, taxes, whatever they can get out of it."
Polk County officials adamantly deny this case is about money. They also say they are not actively looking for other structures that might be questionable. They do say, however, they will investigate any similar tips.
RE: deer stands may require a building permit???????
fng, the enforcing agency in this case is not the DNR, it is the County Building Inspector. The DNR would have no jurisdiction in such a matter unless it had enviromental impact and that is not the case.
I don' t have a problem with our DNR. I think they do a great job in wildlife management and enviromental control. I believe you to be a smart fellow and Im surprised you' d blame them for some type of inappropraite action here if any.
This entire matter seems to be a neighbor problem of some sort and I think Polk Co. authorities are foolish to letting themselves be used in such a matter. You can always force the " anonymous " caller to come forward to complain or drop the complaint.
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Now you have to picture a combination of PeeWEE Herman and Wally Cox but with less muscle tone, trying to be intimidating None of this is funny! Message edited by Cougar Mag -- 1/7/2005 1:16:42 AM >/b]
RE: deer stands may require a building permit???????
Every few years you here about some similar type case across the USA. Most of them I' ve heard have been kids playhouses having to be torn down since they weren' t built to building codes. Somewhere in Wisconsin a few years back there was a little kid (I think 4-5) that was arrested for riding his little electric " monster truck" on the sidewalk. Under the letter of the law, it' s a motor vehicle and he didn' t have a licience, and the little monster truck didn' t have all of the correct saftey features of a real car.
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RE: deer stands may require a building permit???????
Jorgy, Im sure something like that may have happened but no 4 or 5 years old ever got arrested in WI for anything. No one under 7 years of age can be detianed or even judged delinquent. Even if it was a 15 year old it would only be a citation issued and the child turned over to the parents. Children are only detianed when they are a risk to the community and or the parent or legal guardian is not avialible to take custody. That is not an arrest.
Now WI is a tax hell and we have a liberal Governor and a lot of screwed up politicians but we don' t run around arresting children.
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Now you have to picture a combination of PeeWEE Herman and Wally Cox but with less muscle tone, trying to be intimidating None of this is funny! Message edited by Cougar Mag -- 1/7/2005 1:16:42 AM >/b]
RE: deer stands may require a building permit???????
All governments will seize any opportunity they can find to stick it to you in the wallet!! This is obviously such a case. But since the great majority of hunters don' t LIVE in their tree stands, this guy is cooperating with those who claim it' s NOT a deer stand!! Does he have a Certificate of Occupancy? A toilet? A septic system? Heat? Running water? What an idiot!!
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"Bitte, trinks du das Wasser nicht. Dahin haben die Kuhen gesheissen."
deer stands may require a building permit???????
