RE: do you leave your portable treestand in the woods?
I hunt on public land as well and come the 1st of Sept. I'm out there putting my stands up like everyone else and thats where they stay until the end of the season.
All of my climbing sticks and treestands have my name and address etched in them and I always lock them with a cable locks , one for the top and one for the bottom.
If someone wants to steal them that bad , they'ergonna have to work for it.
I might move one some time in mid season but when I do it will be lock - up again until I'm ready to take it home.