StealthHtr22

I've dealt disrespectful hunters, on private land, for the past 4 or 5 years.

I'm now 19, but last season when I was 18, I hung my 1st stand and picked out my own location w/out any input from my father. In the past he always helped me pick a spot and hang my stand, which I have killed two well respected 120-130 class bucks the past 2 seasons.

Well, I was proud to finally do everything on my own and ready to geta chance to kill a nice deer, being able to later say, "Yea, I did it all on my own, and didn't he teach me well." I went home all pumped for opening weekend the next week. When it came to opening weekend, I headed out to my stand in the afternoon after work and found that the treestand I had hung just a week earlier was missing! As you can imagine, I was extremely angry, frustrated, and dissappointed. I had put in all that time into scouting and hanging the stand in 85-90 degree weather, and didnt even get one hunt out of it. That was the first time me or my father had a stand stolen.

The next weekend my father was scouting out the northern end of the woods to find himself a location, he decided to go to the south end where I would have been hunting to check out how good that spot I was in looked. He ended up finding a stand 10 feet from where mine was. Hecame home that evening and told me what he found where I WOULD have been hunting.He told me he was dissappointed in himself forretalliating. Ithought he took their stand, but instead he took outtheir screw-in steps and layed themat the base of the tree to hopefully teach them a lesson, and of course to stand up for his son like most fathers do. My dad is a very respected person and hunter around where I hunt. Most other hunters would probablyhavevandalized or taken that stand and taken the spot back. Instead, I think he did the right thing in making their hunt just a lil tougher letting them know that it could have been worse than them just having toscrew the steps back in to get up the tree.

(While scouting again this season I found the same stand in the same tree. Once again in probably one of the best spots on the property.)

To me if someone wants a spot bad enough to steal, then take my spot, because I will not be like you who can't do the work myself and find a good spot. I just hope if you know who I am to thank me when you kill that wall hanger and see all them deer I would have seen.Who amI anyway?Just a young hunter trying to be successful doing what I love to do most. Thanks, nice to know I'm appreciated.

Am I wrong? Have I done the right thing and stayed away?

crutch

Sorry to here that someone has stolen your stand after all that hard work. Do you think it isthe same person that has their stand in that location now? maybe they found that spot after yours was stolen? If you know for a fact, I think someone on here last year left a note that said they had caught them on their game cam. If the stand was returned there would be no questions asked, if not pay the consequences. I was going to suggest putting out a cam, but they would probably take it too. Good luck to you and have a safe season!

dayna0306

I would have left a note,They and their stand would be gone when I returned if they were guilty.If the stand stayed he was not guilty.

Dubbya

Man, I hate to hear that. Nothing makes your blood boil like people stealing your stuff... I know. Too bad you don't know for sure if that was the person that took your stand. I don't think you're wrong in feeling how you do. I know this probably doesn't make you feel any better, but we started chaining our stands up and using a few climbing stick on the bottom. That way it makes it a little bit tougher to get to the stand, and then when they get up there it takes some serious work to get it down (usually not a lot of poeple tote around a set of heavy duty bolt cutters with them).

kybowhunter423

that would have really ticked me off, i would have probably done more than take there steps out of the tree...lol i probably would have took it all, id say its the same person that stole your stand, but i quess u all did the right thing, sorry to hear that man

cwillard

Yeah man that really sucks. I used to hunt in a big club that had tons of land. I found what I thought would be an awesome spotin the woods and itopened into awesome grass fields. I had seen a bunch of does and a couple of nice bucks around the area. I put up astand in the edge of the woods where I would be able to seein the woods and on the field. I went back to do some work around my stand and I saw another stand within 25 yards of mine. I was very upset and I decided to go talk to the guy who had the other stand. He apologized and promised he would move the stand. He told me that they had seen some great deer around that spot and wished me luck. Well I went and hunted that spot opening weekend and a few more times and every time I would be sitting in my stand, someone (not in our club) would ride (in a truck that was extremely loud) all over my field looking for deer. Needless to say I didn't kill or see deer in that spot.

monster10rackstack

you are not wrong you are doing your best but you say you are on private land and this is still going on whos land is this and why dont you talk to the land owner and the hunters causing the problems

Rickmur

Always hang your stands and make it as hard as possable to be removed by othersother than yourself and never leave a stand on public property unles youhang it the evening before or on the morning of the hunt. It can be done very quietly and rather quickly. As far as removing the steps? Well you don't know it was the person that stole your stand or not. It was wrong IMO to do anything to a fellow hunters stand or setup. You could very well have been the receiver of yourfather's actions and have been completely innocent leaving you mad as hell. Imaginehow this hunter felt if you was not the perp. Be proud of what you accomplished on your own and walk away with a lesson learned.

MichaelT.

I do not own a stand, climber , ladder or hang on that is not locked to the tree with a heavy guage steel cable and lock. You can find some like what I use @ Home Depot. The cables come in different lengths and are plastic coated to be quiet and the locks are built into the cable. It is all one piece. I have never had a stand stolen, and I believe that is why. Knock Wood.

As far as to the idea of " did you do the right thing " , yes and no. I applaude you and your dad for not doing more. Self restraint is a good personalitytrait to have. But your dad did do something ( though it was minor ) and you do not even know if that was the same person. If it wasn't, no! They are probably walking around telling people how some lousy, sorry son-of -a-gun did them wrong and ruined their hunting. Thay are complaining about how sad it is when hunters can't trust other hunters. Or it might have been some kids stand who was going to get to hunt for the first time, by himself, like you, and it was ruined. Was it the same person? Probably, but you don't know for sure.

ANd even if it was .... If a man takes your coat, give him your cloak too or if a man slaps you in the face, turn and show him the other cheek....Sayeth the Lord.

Also, Vengance is mine sayeth the Lord.

I hope the rest of your season get better.

Good hunting
God Bless

hoytarcher1

Yeah, that sux that someone stole your stand. God knows what i would have done if i where in your position. This will be my first year in a stand, and someone better be able to handle what i would do if they stole my stand,lol!