I hunt public land and this is my opinion. If you take a stand that is not yours you are a thief. If you sit in someones standwithout permission, public or private land, you are practicing bad hunting ethics. If the rules let hunters leave their stand up, that hunter has staked his claim on that tree and that tree only. Doesn't mean you can't hunt the areaif the other stand is empty.
Those of you who would sit in someones stand might want to think of this. If the owner of the stand shows up to hunt and is short tempered and a little psyco, you are a sitting duck with nowhere to go.