Have you ever had a tree stand stolen ?
I have had 2 stolen

Boy some people really have a lot of nerve

well myself personally havent but my dad and uncle have

No choice for those who haven't. I have been fortunate considering the number of 4-wheeler riders through the area (live along a river with many trails). Some of the stands are right above the trails. I hunt on private ground, not owned by me, but if I did the riding would stop.

Well it wasn't really stolen but it would have been better off it had.
Many years ago I had left one of my stands on public land two weeks after the season was over.
When I went out to get it I found that it had been vandlized beyond belief.
Because I had it cable locked they couldn't take it off the tree so they destroyed it.

RDhunter, thats unfortunate, and obviously takes a real classy person to do such as thing.

how the heck did they vandalize a steel stand but werent able to remove it?

In the old days (the late 60's & 70's for me) bowhunters were truly a brotherhood. You had to look long and hard to find another bowhunter, most people looked at you kinda funny when you said that you were a bowhunter and local archery shops were rare. You could leave your stand in the woods unlocked and all your gear outside at camp with no fear of loosing it. Sadly that changed as bowhunting continued to gain popularity. I have had several stands, gear and two bucks stolen. I now lug big chains and locks into the woods because of these theives calling themselves bowhunters. I've often wondered how the conversation goes with his buddies..."New stand Charlie?" "Yea, I came across it in the woods and nobody was around so I took it. Pretty neat huh?" or what does he tell his wife or kids. "Where did you get the stand daddy?"

I make my own stands, both hang on and climbers and it really gets me when I losoe one. The first time it happened, I used to dream of coming up on the guy in the woods up a tree in my stand.............and I start the chain saw........

Yes, I had a Lone Wolf climber stolen on private land and I had it cable locked![:@] Now I won't leave a stand in the woods unless I know I'm going to be there before first light the following morning!
In Pa your not supposed to leave stands in the woods on public land but I will if I'm coming back first light the next day.

I haven't but the guy I hunt with has 3 times. Ya know the money is one thing but they also ruin your hunt. It usually too late to go to another location and be there on time. The guy I'm refuring to is 72 years old and really can't get way back in the woods so his stand is usually easly seen he just loves to be out bow hunting and really dosen't care if he ever shoots a deer he loves seeing them and his partners to get one. So if you are reading this and do steal stand think about this old guy who's hunt you may be stealing.And (God Forbid)mabey it would have been his last.

Nope , I never leave anything behind but footprints , too many dirtbags patrolling the woods these days .