I think just about everyone who has hunted much has had stands stolen or destroyed. I lock all my stands but if someone wants them bad enough a lock and cable want stop them

Ah, I remember the one and only stand I've ever had stolen. I was 15 years old and worked all summer to save up enough money for one of those new "climbing" tree stands. At the end of the summer, I didn't have enough for the tree lounge that I wanted so I got another one that was almost as good. I set it up in our back yard (40 acres) and hunted out of it for several months. Then one day, I went out back, and my stand was gone. I was sick. All my hard work was gone. Since then, I've always chained my stands to the tree and locked them. If folks want to take them, they at least have to work for it now.

its low life enough to steal and destroy but i would think running a rope
at neck level could be considered attempted murder. i knew some one that got killed when he hit a cableon a 4 wheeler that had been strung across the trail
without any markings. id definately talk to the law.

I hate theives also. I only hope that I would be able to control myself if I ever caught one. With the chain and locks I use on my hang on stands the only way they could be stolen would be either to cut down the tree or damage the stand beyond repair.

Ive been lucky and never got one ripped off but one property I hunt the farmer patrolsit three times a day checking his cattle and lives on a hill overlooking it and I pity whoever he catchs without permission

well here where i live i have 3 stands and if they want 2 steal them they would need a chainsaw and an ecsavator because they are 25 ft telephone poles 6 foot into the ground filled with concrete, and the platform is an old floating dock. if they steal that ill give them the thumbs ups then kick their arse

With all the new battery powered tools even cables,hardened chains and padlocks aren't gonna stop a thief with a hand grinder.

Personally I would go past the DNR and talk to the local Police/Sheriff Dept...apparently they are trying to phsyically harm you by setting traps out on your property...if one of my Kids would be walking through the woods and got hurt because someone set a trap I would be waitingin the woods for them to show up and kick the SOB's arses! [:@]

Sounds like some of them 'hunt saboteurs' to me. they've got websites and videos all over the net.

that really sucks, fortunately I have yet to have anything stolen of mine I know most of us will at some time or another...[&:]