Ok I just got permission to hunt a new farm. It has 165 acres. The first day I go to hunt, without ever walking the property I come over a ridge and see a tree on a field edge. I say to myself, that's where I'm going to hang my stand, so I can observe the most area and see where the deer are moving. Now bear in mind it is pouring rain, and although the farmer said 6 other people, also have permission to hunt this property, i know no-one is silly enough to be in the woods today. Besides where he told me to park there were no other vehicles. So I know I am alone. Now as I get to the tree, I see a stand already there, with tree steps to get up to it. Of course no one is in it. Now is it oK to use this stand in this situation? I didn't, I moved on down the tree line a ways.

So what do you guys think?

I would have done exactly what you did. I have in hunting public property in the past come across the "perfect set up" only to find someone has beaten my to the punch. I know that I'd be upset to find someone in my stand and becasue of that I simply move on. On private land with 165 acres there is plenty of room for 6 guys. It might have been the perfect vantage point but by scouting around you're likely to find a set up just as good. If you're intension was to just scout a bit, moving 50-60 yards away and scouting from a climber or the ground is the proper decision, atleast IMO.

i would have taken out his first four screw in steps, j/k you did the right thing, cause if people start crying or b*tching about what somebody else is doing, the land owner might decide he dosen't want anybody hunting it.

You did the right thing

I think you made the right decision. I wouldn't use another persons stand unless he/she gave me permission ahead of time. If the stand owner should show up while you in his stand you he may take it up with the landowner and you might lose your permission for the property.

Thanks guys. Damn, I hate when I do the right thing . But it was such a nice tree[&o], oh well, the dang thing was so high I'd have needed a parachute instead of a safety harness anyway.

you did the right thing, moving down the treeline a bit. consider yourself lucky, you can now do your scouting and determine deer movement and set your stand to intercept deer on the way to the other guys stand

I certainly hope you were just kidding. Some sorry S.O.B. has done this to me twice on a private lease. Never hunt a stand you do not have permission for or have paid rights to the land.

hey whiskey just kidden, i hate a thief[:@], i've had 3 climbers stolen in the last 5 years

I think I'd have a hard time climbing and sitting in someone else's stand for safety reasons among other things.