Tree Stand Etiquette on Public Land

[R_burg]

Hey guys.

Whats the etiquette for tree stands on public land out West? Climbers only? Can you put up semi-permanent stands with ladders? If I put up a stand, will others respect it, or is it fair game if I'm not in it?

I know there's other scenarios I haven't thought of, so please lay it on me.

 

[timekiller13]

If you put a stand up on public land, it basically becomes public property. First come,first serve. Personally, I would never hunt another persons stand or blind on public land, but others will and do all the time. Check the state regs about erecting permanent stands or leaving stands overnight. Here in NC it is illegal to erect permanent stands on most public property and illegal to leave portable stands overnight in some places.

 

[R_burg]

If you put a stand up on public land, it basically becomes public property. First come,first serve. Personally, I would never hunt another persons stand or blind on public land, but others will and do all the time. Check the state regs about erecting permanent stands or leaving stands overnight. Here in NC it is illegal to erect permanent stands on most public property and illegal to leave portable stands overnight in some places.

I understand where you are coming from. It would feel weird to me to hunt anyone elses stand or blind as well, even if it was generally thought of as ok to do.

I will check the regs, good call, not sure why I hadn't thought of that.

 

[larryschwartz]

Your first step should be to see what the laws/regulations are in the state you will be hunting. Many do not allow you to leave stands in place overnight on public lands.

 

[R_burg]

Will do...

So since I started this thread, can we discuss my options? Do people use climbing tree stands? Where you can legally leave them up, what is the etiquette?

 

[Bubblehide]

On National Forest you are permitted to put up stands. You can legally leave them for 15 days. After 15 days it is legally considered abandoned. However, do not expect others to be respectful of your property even steal it.

 

[Btaylor]

If I was going to stand hunt i would carry a light hang on stand and a set of sticks if for no other reason than the flexibility in tree choice. If you know you are going to be hunting in aspens then a climber will work well too.

 

[wesfromky]

You might look into saddle hunting vs using a tree stand.

 

[tttoadman]

I don't mind seeing someone's hard work of a stand or a blind. I usually welcome it as free help finding the good elk routes in the area. I don't have any interest in getting in one. If you see an old perm stand, look around for the cut trails coming into it. I know it isn't legal to do all those things, but after a few years, it really just becomes part of the habitat.

 

[R_burg]

Thanks guys, good info. Not sure how comfortable I'd be in a saddle but I'll look into that as well.

 

[ericF]

In Colorado it is very rare to see any treestands either permanent or temporary. The type of hunting doesn't really lend itself well to being stuck in a tree for the day unless you have some private or secluded land and have patterned the animals.

 

[mvmnts]

Really? I've heard of people stealing stands, but not just sitting in them and using them. If I put up a stand and found someone in it, they would not be having a quiet hunt.

 

[elkyinzer]

It really pisses me off when people leave stands and blinds up on public land. Big pet peeve of mine. It junks up the place and whether intended or not conveys the message of "spot reserving".

 

[Blackflht05]

It really pisses me off when people leave stands and blinds up on public land. Big pet peeve of mine. It junks up the place and whether intended or not conveys the message of "spot reserving".

Are you referring to out of season or during? I have seen stands left for both. The year round irritate me, but the ones where they leave it overnight I take in stride. Just try to figure out their entry and exit path(s) and go from there.

Public land here in the lower peninsula of MI is a crap shoot anyway, most pressured hunting according to some.

 

[xziang]

In Colorado it is very rare to see any treestands either permanent or temporary. The type of hunting doesn't really lend itself well to being stuck in a tree for the day unless you have some private or secluded land and have patterned the animals.

I actually found a stand 2 miles in on trail and .5 mile off trail over a water hole I wanted to check out. The screw in steps were gone so no way of getting into it. Still crosses my mind to take screw in steps next time but I never have.

 

[vanish]

I've hunted out of a few stands that people have left up.

Often they are right where I was thinking "this looks like a good spot for a tree stand"

I've never actually had anyone else come along while I was in one, nor have I ever been successful in one.

 

[Upcountry]

Just this past week in the backcountry of Utah I found two permanent tree stands. Pretty simple wooden and metal platforms that were bolted to the tree, and the user had hacked a bunch of the limbs off below and next to the stand. It kind of bummed me out after finding the first one(which I didn't notice until I was on a stalk, so at least he put them in the right place) and even more so after finding the second one about 500 yards away. I don't love the idea of modifying the landscape in such a damaging way. I'm not saying that all tree stands are this impactful, but just telling my recent story.

 

[Desk Jockey]

If your hanging stands and don't want people to use the, consider using climbing sticks. Take the bottom two runs with you so there is 10 or so feet of free space for would be hermit crabs.

 

[Jason__G]

On National Forest you are permitted to put up stands. You can legally leave them for 15 days. After 15 days it is legally considered abandoned. However, do not expect others to be respectful of your property even steal it.

Just had the same sort of discussion on another forum about cameras and there is a difference between national forest rules and wilderness rules. Wilderness is generally considered 'pack it in, pack it out', leave nothing behind when you leave. You can read the full text of 36 CFR 261 and then go to the managing forest and research their individual regulations just to make sure. For instance the Deschutes National Forest states:

"The Following are Prohibited within all Deschutes National Forest Wildernesses:

• Groups larger than 12 persons and 12 head of stock.
• Building, maintaining, attending, or using a campfire within 100 foot slope distance (37 adult steps) of any permanent lake, stream, spring, pond or system trail.
• Leaving refuse, debris, trash, litter, food or human/pet waste in an exposed or unsanitary condition.
• Hitching, tethering, picketing, or securing any pack or saddle stock within 200 feet slope distance of any permanent lake, stream, spring, pond, shelter or system trail.
• Motorized equipment and equipment used for mechanical transport including: chainsaws, bicycles, motorcycles, snowmobiles, hang gliders, aircraft, motorboats, wagons, game carts, baby strollers, wheelbarrows and other non-primitive tools and wheeled vehicles (wheelchairs excluded).
• Camping or being within areas posted as closed for rehabilitation. These areas have been restored to permit natural conditions to return.
• Cutting or damaging any timber, tree, vegetation, unique plant species or other forest product except as authorized.
• Storing or caching equipment, personal property or supplies within Wilderness for more than 48 hours. Geo-caches are prohibited in wilderness.
• Gathering a of forest products, for example mushrooms and berries, except for personal on-site use.
• Commercial use and/or services within wilderness except by special use permit.
• High-use area regulations:
• Campfires are prohibited in many high-use, sub-alpine and alpine areas.
• Some high-use areas require limited entry permits
• Use of designated campsites is required in some high-use areas (Mt. Jefferson Wilderness) (Three Sisters Wilderness)."

Most wilderness areas are the same. Leaving behind anything for longer then 48 hours is frowned upon and in some cases will earn you a citation.

 

[elkyinzer]

Are you referring to out of season or during? I have seen stands left for both. The year round irritate me, but the ones where they leave it overnight I take in stride. Just try to figure out their entry and exit path(s) and go from there.

Public land here in the lower peninsula of MI is a crap shoot anyway, most pressured hunting according to some.

Same here in PA, our hunter densities compete with anywhere in the world as far as being most crowded.

A few years ago the Game Commission instituted a rule on game lands that stands must be tagged and removed X days after the season. It hasn't done much, it is hardly enforced to my knowledge. I see more and more stands every year.

The argument is always "I don't want to hunt where the other guys are hunting". Well that argument is bullshit. Some of these litterers actually manage to leave their stands in pretty good spots. You want a good spot, wake up earlier than me and beat me there. Don't leave your shit in the woods and expect that to reserve your spot.

I've heard too many stories of confrontations arising in such a scenario. I had one the first day 12 seasons ago...first day, public land. Went to a spot that I had a few close encounters in archery. I was proud of this spot, it was my first year hunting away from my dad and I found it all on my own. Climbed my tree in my climber, 1 hour before shooting light. Right before shooting time a dude saunters along and climbs a ladder stand 50 yards away. Shit. I had no idea that stand was there, this was in pretty thick crap.

Well I stayed because I knew I was in the better spot and as expected I whacked a good buck at about 8 AM. This asshole comes and reads me the riot act because I moved in on "his spot" that he had been hunting for years. I was in the tree 45 minutes before him. Mind you I am 17 years old at this point and weighed about 120 pounds soaking wet and he is like 50-something. I was even apologetic at that point. No attitude was given. At this point I was already writing it off as a rifle stand but you bet your ass I was going back there in archery.

The next year in September (the guy told me he only rifle hunted) he put a stand in the exact tree I shot that buck out of, blocking me from even archery hunting that exact tree. I knew it was his because it was the same homemade design as his other stand. In a fit of immature rage I tore effing stand down and scattered its components around his original ladder stand. Kind of regretted that because then I was too much of a pussy to even hunt the general area and I lost a good spot. So now I just give the litterers a wide berth. Not so into confrontation and a decade of adulthood tends to improve your judgement a bit. It's just a violation of the golden rule. We all share public land and claiming spots is an asshole move.