Hi Everyone.

Just wanted to get on to say that Hunters who steal from other Hunters should be ashamed of themselves. YOU are a low life scumbag who needs to take a good hard look into a mirror.

Waited months for opening day to come. Weekend prior I go to make sure everything is all set. Lanes are good....the area seems perfect.

Can't hunt opening day, so i decided to take the next day off. I go out there to get into my stand and it is GONE. At first I thought I was in the wrong area....but once the realization hit me that I was a victim I had to sit down and feel all sorts of angry, sad and confused. I mean i did everything I could to prevent this. I locked up my stand and each and every ladder section. It was nice of them to leave the locks for me though.

So now due to the fact that I'm waiting to close on a house I can't afford to buy new gear so I'll have to do the rest of my hunting from the ground. Spot and Stalk here I come.

Sorry just had to vent this. I hope everyone out there is aware that it can happen to you. YES this was public land but it was only out there for the weekend.

thanks for reading.

Mike

That is really terrible. What happened, did they cut the cable or was it a chain? Did you ever consider a climber? Bring it in and out with you if it is that bad around there. I am a very small Lone Wolf Tree Stand Dealer and would be willing to give you one at my cost to help you out. PM me if interested.

That sucks, dude. Unfortunately, sooner or later this is bound to happen anywhere the public has access to it. Once I lost a hanging stand to theft and they took my locks too...not sure what good they'd do without the key. It's at that point that I decided to use only a climber or pack-in ground blind on public land. I sleep better at night knowing I have all of my gear under my control at all times. Also, Joe Schmoe is much less likely to stumble on my spot and decide to set up 30 yards away because he was lazy and found a ladder chained to a tree.

The best rule of thumb on public land is to leave no trace for anyone else to find, and you'll preserve your spot that much longer (assuming you didn't put it in an obvious, easily accessed spot to begin with). I save my ladder stand, etc for private property. Besides, in most places it's not legal to leave a stand on public land overnight.

Live and learn...

edit: Definitely take the previous poster up on his offer if you can! I'd kill to get a Lone Wolf at cost :drool: They're awesome stands and is the next thing on my must-have list (will have to wait until next year...bought a new bow this year).

Because it's not legal to leave your stand on public property overnight maybe you should ask the game warden if they took it.

I had a stand and ladder sticks stole once but what pissed me off the most was they left my harness hanging in the tree and I could not get to it. I hate a thief!!

Couple years ago I had two stands stolen. Both were 12 ft tri-pod stands that cost around $260 each. I discovered the first one about a month before hunting season. This stand was locked up with chains. I went to the second stand and added three chains to it. A week before the opener I found that this stand was stolen too. Im not sure how they did it unless they spend a long time with a hack saw.

Cordless sawz all. I doubt they'd use a hack saw.

Ryan.

Take this fine gentleman up on his offer and remember, it is, in the end, public land and obviously you will learn from it. I have a Lone Wol Sit&Climb, use it every year. Great climber and at cost it will get you back in the woods right away.

I've had a couple of stands stolen over the past few years. One was a hang-on stand with strap on steps. It was on public land and was not there long maybe a couple of days. I came in on opening day and it was gone. It was a long way back in the woods and honestly, I think a brother of one of the guys that went scouting with me that day took it. The other was on a private farm I had hunted for years, of course it was in the same spot for a few years as well. It was a 2 man ladder that I took my kids hunting with me in. I hate a theif too!!!

Had two stands sprout legs and walk away on me. Private land had them sitting there until I could get out and hang em, and one of the other guys hunting the land walked away with em.

Live and learn.