Do it all the time, some time's I'll have2 or 3out at a time, public land is all I hunt.

Seems reasonable to me, especially if you lock it down good. And I KNOW about the "mountains" in OHIO, trust me. That walk is probably more like 2.5 miles once you figure all of the up and down and around this and that to get there.

Hang it and leave it, I do and it's on public land about the same hike as you have in. If they find it and want it more power to them.

I'll leave yours alone if you leave mine alone.

I wouldn't leave it if I wasn't returning in the morning. Mine is also outside all the time so scent has never seemed to be an issue with me. Aint no mountains in N lima so you must be traveling, sounds like H.H. area. Pile of info you've given out, you might have company. I even know how dar off the road it is. I'm excited too. jk

Definetly wouldn't leave it if I wasn't in the area. Learn to pack light. I know the officers go through the woods and remove stands, locked or no.

Could also get some critter chewing on it when your not there making it unsafe to use and that could possibly be in the dark.

I've done it before and probably will again. I've hung stands and taken all the steps outfrom the bottom 12 feet. I then will hide a set of climbing sticks in a blowdown or something on the route into the stand. Hanging a 12 foot section of a stack'em stick is a piece of cake in the dark and then have the screw ins the last few feet. Cuts down on the yahoos that might use your stand. A determined thief will still get it if he wants it. I've also brushed in and hid my climber many nights but only when I was coming back the next AM

Bob , Look at it this way,as hot as this place sounds you will probably only need to hunt it once or twice before you whack the big one.
And any slime ball that would steal it is gonna be to lazy to carry it out any ways.[]

I am thinking along the same lines as David.Light hang on,screw in steps if they are allowed.Pull the last 3 or 4 steps and stash them close by.How likely is it that someone is going to find your stand if it is as difficult to get to as you are describing?

Bob, we would do that frequently over here ... as far as I know, there would be zero issuessince you are not damaging trees and you plan on coming back for it ...

I guess i'm one of the few that leave their stands on public land up. I've banged thru the woods in the dark with a climber and it's a drag. I will also admit to using screw in steps when I should not. I even cut shooting lanes and clear limbs that might mess me up.
I don't know believe we have to pull our stands here but I do know I'm not supposed to damage treesDon't know how to break that habit.

I use the GPS to find my stands but use Bright eyes to pinpoint the tree. That give me the option of approaching from any direction dependent on the wind of the day..

You really need to look into getting a Tree Saddle.