I've hunted this tree for some eight years. Last season I noticed a ladderstand about 75yds. away. No big deal. Just this past week I noticed the same ladderstand about 10yds. away. Now its a big deal. The other guy has no idea I hunt there because I use a climber, and take it out every time I finish hunting. Maybe a fixed portable that I could leave there would have prevented this. I guess I'm gonna ask the guy to move politely and see what happens.

I did leave my portable stand up this year and had almost the same problem as you midwest.I was after a big buck I had seen earlier in the season.Another hunter would show up in the evening with his portable, walk past me and I could here him set up his stand about 75yds from mine.I even moved my stand about 200 yds away,and sure enough here he comes in the evening and sets up not far from me.I told my wife I thought he was following me.So sometimes even if you leave your stand up guys will set up where ever they want to with no regard to other hunters.

You hunting with a club or on private land Mid? He may not know you are there. Hopefully by telling him politely, he'll move over..Good luck

Its private. I don't want to make to big of a deal over it, and I don't want to get the owner involved. Even though we get along excellent, I have seen him get very moody and get very nasty. He is older and he is from Sicily. I've been called a MFer a few times!<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

This archery season I would set up behind my house on my property every evening at about 2, at about 5 every night the same idiot would walk in and set up on my neighbors property about 80 yards from me. He always scared deer out when he was moving in. He was comming in too late. I got fed up with it and let those woods alone. I am glad I did because I started hunting a patch of woods that nobody else hunts and it was full of deer.

Good Luck This Season: Buck Magnet
P.S. Only Chuck Adams can sit at home and see deer so get into the woods. =;^)

Sorry to say it Midwest, but that is just par for the course when hunting in NJ. If this is the first time it's happened to you, you are truly blessed. Leaving the stand in place will not assure you of anything, except that it has a better chance of walking away.

I've been dealing with this problem for over 20 years, even when other hunters know where my stand is. They set up near portables, permanents and ground blinds that are easy to see, it just doesn't matter. Some guy's will move if you ask them, some will get an attitude. I've had people tell me that since I don't hunt my stand every day, they thought it was okay to use it on the days I wasn't there. I actually had a guy build a permanent on private ground in the same tree that my stand was alread built in. He just went about 8 feet higher. Good luck, and welcome to NJ deer hunting.