I would think people that leave their stands in want to be able to slip in and get in them without noise. I hunt public land once in a while.They might have put that stand up in September.I can't understand why people would steal another bowhunters tree stand. It just doesn't seem right to me. It goes against everything I believe about people that bowhunt.
I would just leave it as I found it and hunt elsewere. you would have no idea as to the habits of the hunter. Does he smoke, leave scent everwhere etc?I think it best just to go somewhere else and hunt.