What would you do?
 

If you came across this on private property? I got out of there as I had followed fresh footprints to it. I had passed it going up the ridge and must have spooked the guy out because on the way down on the other side I picked up his tracks and followed it here!!
I called the guy running the property and he said take it down and take it home!!. I left the guy a note letting him know I was there, but Im sure he was watching me seeing as how the tracks were very recent!! Ladder is about 20 yards away from feeder. Feeder is full!

RE: What would you do?
 

If in fact it is a tresspasser's stand and feeder on private property, I would do what the guy running the property suggested and take "MY" new stand and feeder home with me.

Actually, my brother has found a couple of stands on our place and has either torn them down or taken them home.

RE: What would you do?
 

Looks like you have a free stand and feeder!

RE: What would you do?
 

He's probably spooked now, but the stand and feeder would be seized. My dad just found a nice rifle ladder stand on one of our farms.

I'm going to use it tomorrow for our last day of the season.:D

RE: What would you do?
 

Congrats on the new stand and Merry Christmas!!!

RE: What would you do?
 

I would take it down.

RE: What would you do?
 

hes on private property with out permission I would take them both.

RE: What would you do?
 

Even though the person doesn't have permission to be there I wouldn't take either.Once I notified the landowner or manager it would be up to them to either pull them and do with them what they want.
I would never feel good about taking someone's elses stuff even if they shouldn't be there.This is just my opinion.

RE: What would you do?
 

Yeah I dont feel comfortable taking it, Im going to give it a few days and see what happens.

RE: What would you do?
 

the fact that he ran when you came through would upset me i proably would have a new stand and feeder he should have maned up !!!!

RE: What would you do?
 

why wouldn't you feel good about taking it? thats stupid, i'd take it and call the warden. where i hunt on small pieces of property ,if a poacher kills one nice buck ,he has ruined that property for the season. put a stop to it,anyway you can.

RE: What would you do?
 

If you don't feel comfortable taking it, then take a sledgehammer to it and bend the hell out of it. Whatever you do, don't leave it. Either take it or destroy it. The more tolerant you are of him, the more he's going to do it. It's your job to control the situation.

RE: What would you do?
 

The biggest problem with just taking it is starting a war and having either your stuff or the land owner's, damaged or stolen. That said, I would take it and leave a note that it can be picked up at the land owner's house or at the sheriff's office. Give them a chance to come clean - could solve problems in the long run (or could serve as a first warning with the next leading to heavier trespassing charges).

Jason

RE: What would you do?
 

Let's look at it like this.

In Pennsylvania, it is ILLEGAL to hunt over bait!

That person was not sinceer about hunting, all he wanted was an easy deer.

If it was legal to be there - it would not have been a problem.
If he had permission to be there, he wouldn't have ran when he seen you coming. The fact that he did run and he left his stuff tells me that he didn't want to get caught. The other half of the story was - was there posted signs on the property lines?

If the land is posted to keep other people out, then he was tresspassing and should be turned in - to keep others from doing the same.

If the land was free to hunt, then it shouldn't have been a problem - because he was not damaging the trees and if it was legal to hunt over a feeder - then he was ok.

If it was my stand and my feeder and I was not doing anything wrong. I would have went back to the woods as soon as you left and got help and got my stuff out of there. The stand was no perminent - so it walked out with him.

The feeder he could have dumped and gotten out just as easily.

For all you know, it could have been one of his neighbors - that had permission to use the property, but not to poach deer. You take the stand and now you will cause hard feelings.

For all you know, that person knows you and if his stand comes up missing, he will come to your house and you will have more damage to your property than what the feeder and treestand is worth!

It sounds more like something that the landowner or the State Police or the Game Warden should be taking a look at and not done by you - which will only get you in trouble.

RE: What would you do?
 

Guys...
There's nothing worse then a thief!
Poacher/trespasser aside, taking something that is not yours is WRONG!!!
A gent in this post suggested taking it to the landowner's or having the landowner take it down and leave a note that the landowner now has the stand. I couldn't agree more. You reported it to the landowner which is good.
IMHO, your job is done after that. Unless you're given written permission to be a representative of the landowner in his absence and/or act on his/her behalf, don't take the stand and feeder. Your integrity as a hunteris moreimportant then gaining a " new stand "!
Hope it works out for you.

RE: What would you do?
 

its not bout this but hey do you ever get on the chat room if you do let me tell you i got banned for no reason soask this specific person ARP why she banned me from there i wasnt even talking to her

tell her that codigray1345 says this




PLEASEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!do this for me!!!

RE: What would you do?
 

I would takeit down and keep it. I would also take the feeder. Since it has no right to be there I would notfeel bad about taking them.

RE: What would you do?
 

Exactly right.....!

I would say that santa came a little late this year!

RE: What would you do?
 

Don't forget part of the reason Landowner's allow people to hunt their properties is to help keep unwanted people off their land. So if you simply do nothing after the landwoner told you to take it down he may find someone next year who will do what he wants. As far aa being a thief for taking it, give me a break!! The thief is the trespeasser who is using the land as his own!!

RE: What would you do?
 

nwMOgsp hit's it right on the head for me.I am not taking someone's stuff and using it as my own,not going to happen no matter what the circumstances are.

RE: What would you do?
 

x2 take them down and take em home i would have already done it

But watch the guy is likly to get very mad at you.

RE: What would you do?
 

the land owner told him to take them down he might get mad if he does not.

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BINGO

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Enjoy your new stand and feeder!!:D

RE: What would you do?
 

If you wont take it, let me know where it is and I will go get it for you. Not saying that I would keep it. Leave him a nice note as to how he can go about getting it back and if he does fine. Then get all his info and have the state natural resources officers charge him appropriatly. If he doesnt, come claim it, then its yours (finders keepers). look at it as safe keeping for him until he doesnt recover it. then it becomes abondoned property

RE: What would you do?
 

we had the same issue on our property. we took the guys feeder, trail cam, and stand, but we left a "no tresspassing" sign where the stand was mounted and a sheet of paper with our contact information on it incase the guywanted toget his stuff back. a week later we got a call from the guy who said he used the stand, feeder, and camera to observe the wildlife in the area, lol. He atleast had the balls to admit it was his stuff when we could have easily prosecuted him for tresspassing so we gave him all of his equipment back. That way he got the point that we are observing our property andwont tolerate tresspassers, while also being good enough neighborsto give him his stuff back. it has worked well until recently whenmy feeder got stolen off of our own property, not 100 yards from our storage facility, on the first day of the season.....now that PISSED me off.

RE: What would you do?
 

I would do like the property owner told you to do. Take them down. Instead of taking them home with me, ask the land owner to have the police come pick them up and then leave a note telling the person that if they want their stuff back to contact the local police. If the person does contact the police for their stuff then it is up to the land owner to decide whether they want to press charges against the person. That way your can wash your hands of the whole mess.

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They would be mine.

RE: What would you do?
 

I like CWnut's advice....that way if you turn it into the Police Dept. they can consider if any warnings or fines could be given to the person who had the stand and feeder on the Land Owners property.....maybe it should be handed over to your local Game Warden?Either way the Land Owner would have to prosecute or sign a complaint if you want the tresspasser to be fined or arrested?