huntingkid, what type of public land are you referring to? SGL, SF, or SP? They don't all have the same regulations regarding treestand use. I hunt State Park land a lot, and you can't leave stands (or anything else) in the woods. They must be removed when you leave. This avoids any possible conflict between hunters, which makes perfect sense. Putting up a stand and leaving it on public land is "staking your claim". There are NO claims on public land, first come, first served.