ManofTheFall

My son and I hunt on two different farmers land that are side by side. Other hunters also hunt on these properties. Well, we have had some small inconveniences happen to us which I am sure some of the other hunters have done. The first one was my pull rope was was balled up and really tangled up in some branches by someone. I fixed it no problem. This morning I climb in my stand and I noticed the seat was cut open and someone pulled out the cushion and took the padding out of the seat. I have had a few minor run ins but everything always had seemed to be resolved. Now I wonder if they really were. This has all happened since I shot my buck. I wonder if there is a little jealousy going on. I don't want to say anything to the landowners because they said if there are any problems there will be no more hunting. I don't want to accuse the other hunters because I don't know for sure which one is doing it. What would do?

HuntingEd

You sure an animal didnt do this?

WhitBri

I hate hearing stories like this. Hope it gets better for you but unfortunately it probably won't as its just another hunter probably trying to run you out of the property. I've got a similar situation where the landowner keeps letting more people bowhunt his land we are all trying to make it work but its got to the point there just isn't enough room and its making everyone mad. I can tell one of the guys is getting real upset and seems to be the type that is going to do something stupid so I may just move on. Not worth the headache. I wish some landowners would realize more isn't better when it comes to hunting.

dpj1030

probally a tree gooat

englum_06

Could very well be a person but also could be an animal. I found my pull rope all bunched up and in a tree the other day, but it was just the wind. I've also find my cushioned ripped off only to look down and found it chewed up by coons and laying on the ground. I guess they didn't want me hunting there!

daveyrock

I agree these occurrences can be explained by other factors, did the wind ball your cord up getting it tangled in the branches around your stand? Its happened to me before. As for the seat cushion, was the hole a clean slash as made by a knife or was it torn open as by claws?

Not trying to go against you here but simply playing devils advocate before you do or say something, look at all the possibilities. If the fact is that someone did mess with your stuff, don't include the landowner since it is not his problem, his property wasn't damaged no need to include him. That being said, is there any way to reconcile with said vandal? Not accusing him of anything but simply taking the higher road? If that can't or won't be done, who is to say what you should do, battle royale???

ManofTheFall

I always tie my string up on my treestep. As far as my seat goes I've had them ate by animals before. It was there yesterday and gone today. There was a nice smooth cut down 2 sides of the outer lining definitely made by a knife. This was definitely a person.

LittleChief

Based on the information in your post I believe the best thing to do in your particular case is to replace your seat cushion and let it go. Judging from you and your son's earlier posts, you've put a lot of time, blood sweat and tears into your hunting property. As has been said, you shouldn't involve the land owner, and as you said, if you do, you might lose access to the property.

It's human nature to want to find out who it was and thump some heads, but again, this would probably get back to the land owner and once again, you might lose access to the property.

It's just a seat cushion - easily and not too expensively replaced. If I were in your position, I would, as suggested before, "take the high road" and just let it go.

Besides, there's always a chance that there are a bunch of squirrel nests in the trees around that stand that are now lined with chewed up foam from your cushion. They were probably all up there watching from their leafy little houses and laughing about it.

UPHunter08

Another thing you can do is just use a climbing tree stand and haul it out with you every time. I hunt some public access land, and I've found that I have more peace of mind by always having my equipment under my full control. Sure, it's more of a hassle to have to drag it in and out of the woods every time I hunt, but this way I don't have to worry about someone trashing my stuff when I'm away (as has happened to me in the past on other properties that I've hunted). One other nice thing is that if another hunter wants to use 'my' spot, he has to move his own stand in there and can't take the easy route by using my stand during my absence. On one of the place where I hunt, the other hunters know the general area I'm in, but couldn't even pinpoint my location because I leave little trace of where I've been.

This reduces the possibility of conflicts with someone else, because there's nothing there for them to damage. Most people won't confront you face-to-face, so this pretty much eliminates most of the conflict.

crutch

Well if you have an old trail camera that you could possibly do without...lol You can put a trailcam up and maybe get some photos of whats really going on. Just hide it in a place that is out plain view.