mufan

Hi,
I put up the perfect treestand in on a public WMA in Ohio last weekend. I went there today to mark yardage, etc. and it was gone. Somebody had went through the effort to spot it, go home and get a crowbar or something to pop the bicycle chain I had on it off and steal it. I had even removed the bottom three steps so they must have had a friend lift them up. They stole all my treesteps and safety belt as well.

I am really bummed because I have a nice deer on camera here and really was looking forward to hunting that stand. I am debating on putting up another stand in that tree (with a large chain) and hiding some cameras pointing at the tree.

• Is there a better way to prevent theft of lock ons?
• Can you prosecute some one if you have them on camera stealing your stand on public land or are you just at the mercy of thieves?

Thanks,

Deerless 1

use a climber and take it in and out...

Valentine

You had to leave your safety belt behind, too? Was that too heavy to carry all the way into the woods? That must have been some hike into the forest. And what kind of modern Dan'l Boone do we have roaming the woods, that can track and locate exactly where you placed that tree stand, so deep in the forest.

Fella probably has a metal detector all ready, in case you bury and hide the next new tree stand. He seems to have your one and only location, all located real well.

Thanks for warning about them Dan'l Boone fellas.

SecondChance

I use lock ons and on the 2 support bars, I weld a cross piece of 3/8ths bar steel and drill a 3/4" hole. I then put a 10" lag bolt into the tree with a 1/2" drive ratchet. I then put a motorcycle cable around the stand and tree called a Kong Cable. None of my stands are under 20 feet. I know all the work I go through putting it up and if they are willing to go through that much to take it down, then have at it. If they want it, they will have it, just not easily. I hunt private property.
I did find 2 years ago someone was using them while I was gone. I just took the floor and folded it up and locked it with a cable to the frame.

CVG Ohio

MuFan, sorry to hear someone took your stand. But that is Public Hunting ground and that is what you have to deal with. I hunt public land and use a climber, yeah it's a B*tch to carry but I like the Mobility of it and when I do hunt private land I have my climber with me then. When I scout Public land I see alot of red/orange surveyor tape and follow it to the stand sites sometimes I see a stand sometimes not but I cannot believe someone would mark the trail to their treestand. I do this for my own amusment and also to mark this location as to stay away or maybe hunt one day. But never to take a stand. Just my curioisty factor gets the best of me.

CVg Ohio

Frosty452

He just got his stuff stolen and your making him the crook

SecondChance

Just got to thinking and remembered my brother was hunting Shawnee Forest in So. Il during gun season a few years ago. Took a climber in, hunted till his buddy called asking for help to find a deer, left his safety belt on it. Was way out, so he thought. Found deer, went back to finish hunting the day.
On way in, came across a father and son on way out, asking for directions to their truck, was lost. My brother told them they were about 180 out and that he could give them a lift, Just happened to notice the stand on the dads back and then noticed the strap on the stand. He asked about it. Dad said it was his and that he carried it in in hopes of using it. Brother asked about the strap, for his is custom made with braided 550 para cord. Father said it was his and that they would find their way back to their truck. My brother is a big guy and he told the father to take the stand off for it was his and he could prove it, his name is engraved in the bottom of the frame of seat and floor.

The father told him to take a hike, it was his and they were leaving. My brother told him unless his kid wanted to see his dad get his butt kicked for stealing a stand, just keep walking. The dad turned and was semi-pointing his weapon towards my brother, towards the ground, yet his direction. My brother told him to clear and shoulder his weapon and unshoulder the stand.
It was at this time the kid, who was about 11 yrs old, began crying and told his dad to give up the stand for they did find it and it was not worth anyone getting hurt for. The dad mumbled something and threw the stand down and off they went. My brother took his stand, left and drove over to where they said they parked and wrote down all the license plates of the trucks in the area. He turned it in to the CPO's in the area and let them deal with it.

mufan

I actually don't have any markings leading to it. Just a good bench that it's on I guess. I have a climber but you are limited on the trees you can use.

Valentine, huh?

Fieldmouse

My friend has stands all over the place. He hangs them and uses the slip on steps that go over bolts into the tree for the first 6 steps. They are spread at a good distance between them. The rest are regular steps up to his stands. He gets one or 2 stolen a year I think. However, some have been in place for many many years.

I love my climber but won't ever pass up a chance to hunt one of his stands. He always finds the best places.

wallhangr

Sorry to hear about your stand, but leaving anything on public ground is taking a chance. Over the years I have left one thing on public ground and that was a ladder stand that I hauled by cart about 1/2 mile in. I was hunting this property over a 2 wk managed hunt (only 30 hunters were drawn) and was in this stand nearly everyday.

It sounds like you did everything right, no trail markers, taking steps out, chained, etc. There are still some pieces of trash out there that will do anything to get what they want. Keep an eye on Craigslist, especially after the season ends.