When to remove a lock on that is...
 

Somewhere it shouldn't be? If at all?

Recently I went hunting with a friend and we did a deer drive that led us to some state land next to a major highway. We had started the drive on a mutual friend’s private property. On the way back we came across a lock on tree stand that was put up recently. It was in a very desirable spot. It was about fifteen feet up a tree with a lot of limbs to climb to get to it. The tree was just about twenty yards away from some gnarly, twisted, thick-limbed bushes that offered excellent cover for deer. A great ambush spot!

Anyway, my friend thought it was appropriate to climb up and take it down and back to camp with us. I didn't agree with it, but my friend had said that another two hunters out of our hunting group had a trail camera stolen from around that same location very recently. It was actually stolen the night they put it up! Maybe this was payback. I am not as invested into this property personally although I do hunt there quite often. Ironically, in the end the landowner chastised my friend for taking the stand down and leaving footprints from the stand site back to his place. I would have left it there myself. How about you?

RE: When to remove a lock on that is...
 

I would of left it! BAD KARMA!

RE: When to remove a lock on that is...
 

i would never take anything on state land. but on my land, i will take the stuff, but leave a number to be reached, if they wantit back. that way, if they want it back, they will have to come talk to me and explain how they missed the no hunting signs on there way in. also if something goes missing, you have an idea of who has been on your land before.

RE: When to remove a lock on that is...
 

In Wisconsin it is Illegal to leave a stand on public land over night. I would leave it you don't need to start a pissing war. If you think that guy stoled your camera call the dnr and report the stand and the camera issue.

RE: When to remove a lock on that is...
 

Your friend had no business taking the stand down . If he had a problem with it being left there , he should have reported it to the authorities .

RE: When to remove a lock on that is...
 

The way I read the story, the land you were on didn't belong to anyone in the hunting party so it should have been left there without question.

RE: When to remove a lock on that is...
 

Your friend is a thief plain and simple. If you take something that's not yours, no matter how you try to justify it, your a thief.

RE: When to remove a lock on that is...
 

State property I would have left it alone as a member of the general public. I would have contacted who ever ws in charge of that area though.

On private property, its down. I have removed a stand 2 years in a row from the same tree on private, posted land. See if the the guy comes back 3 years in a row.

RE: When to remove a lock on that is...
 

I didn't agree with it, but he is a grown man and makes his own decisions. He had rationalized it by saying the landowner hosting us would be happy with his decision and want us to take that action. I still thought he should have just left well enough alone. Years ago I had a lock on taken from me. I remembered being all pumped up to conveniently go jump in it for a morning hunt only to find it had been stolen.

Still, I wouldn't feel just in taking down a stand that didn't have anything to do with me. Why would I bother?

I do agree if it is on private property then there is a case for taking it down.

RE: When to remove a lock on that is...
 

So, was the stand on private property or state property?