I was out shed hunting the other day and I went to the place were my pop up blind has been set for two years now (shame on me I guess) on private land that only a hand ful of people are allowed to hunt. When I came over the hill there was a big bare spot where my blind used to be. I definatly know the person how took the blind because I know everyone that hunts or can gain access to this property. It is kind of secluded property that is landlocked so it's not like you can just get in from anywhere. The worst part is most of these people are family. Go figure. Oh well, not real sure where I'm goin' with this I just know it made me real mad and makes me sad that the world is coming to this. We are truly a dying breed.
Yeah that pretty low!
.....Kyarcher
Bad as it gets.. A thief is the worst.
If I knew the person that stole it,,, I would have it back.
I know 100% that I know the person, I just don't know which of the people took it. It's not like it was just some random person walking through the woods. There are only a few people it could possibly be.
Definitely contact them all. Ya may get it back with a cheesy excuse like "I thought someone left it" or something...never know.
Could of been a lot of things, ya never know. Whens the last time you were there? has there been a big wind storm sence then maybe someone did you a faver and folded it up and are waiting to contact you. Or maybe there is just a bad apple in the bunch and they just took it.
Yeah, I'd have to talk to the people. Anyone who stole from me I think I would get back what was mine, then write them off, family or no family.
There is the possiblity that someone came into your secluded hunting property from the surrounding grounds.
What kind of shape was it in the last time you saw it. IMO..2 years in the elements could ruin a blind..bhfp
Once upon a time, a friend of mine had rights on a private farm, and had close to 20 treestands hung throughout the property. We hunted there mostly on weekends...
One week, someone snuck on to the property and stole every single stand. My buddy called, mad as a wet hen: "I hope the SOB falls out of a tree and breaks his (blanking) neck!"
Another friend tried to calm him down: "Now, Bob, you know you should pray for him...."
After some thought, Bob said, "OK, I PRAY the SOB falls out of a tree and breaks his (blanking) neck!" :readit:
A thief sucks as a human. Hope it was just a misunderstanding.
Forget about it and you will be better off. I worked in a prison for 26 years, the thief will let you know he took it, just be patient. They can't keep thier mouth shut.
if you know who it was, give them a call.
may have thought was forgotten after seeing it there for 2 years
no harm in saying , "hey you know that blind over the hill?" someone took it?
You positive it didn't get blown away??
That's why I buy the cheapest one that will do the job. I've come to believe that it's inevitable that my stands will disappear, even on family property. If it's not inside a high fence, you might not know who has been there.
I've thought about poking a couple of holes in the blind at the center of one of the hubs, and using a cable to lock it to a tree. I have my Yukon Tracks set up now for turkey hunting in the river bottom a half mile from my house, and I'm surprised every time I go back and it's still there. "My" spot is on family land, but it's open to anyone who passes through. I've already lost a game camera and a ladder stand in the same area.
I just don't get it. Most hunters and sportsmen are the type of people I would expect to trust and share my campfire with anytime. But I have had two treestands stolen on me already. And believe me, whoever stole them needed to know they were there and had extra large chain bolt cutters to break the chain locks I had on them. These were stolen from two different states, so not even the same people.
Buckeye... I feel your pain. A few bad apples...
I don't use blinds but I even tell you how many lockons I've had taken In 35 years of deer hunting.So I can see how easy a blind would be to steal.It has turned me into a ground hunter.[5] years now.A small reason but it helped.
Here's what did about 7 years ago.I knew who took a stick latter an lockon.And I did'nt want to just confront him with out evdvence.I know the out come of that.Did that a few times.
So I went to this guy and said look I know you took my stand and latter.I had that problem before there at that spot so got your picture on my trail cam.So you give it back or I give the picture to you know who.
Worked for me and also the friend that told me.
Sorry to hear about the theft of your blind, nothing worse then a thief.
Although, reading your post begs the question: Why did you leave a pop-up blind in the woods for 2 years? The weather alone would destroy/ruin it pretty quickly.
I know how you feel. My API climber was stolen this last season. Left it on a tree in the middle of no ware. First day of rifle season it was gone. Shot the cable lock off. Dam thing is I don't hunt the rifle season much, just go for time in the woods. Got some ideas who took it. But you know what I am not going to dwell on it.
5 or 6 years ago, I had a homemade hangon stolen. I had all of $5.00 in it-bedrail bolted together with a 3/4" plywood seat and attached to the tree witha ratchet strap. They left my screw-in steps that were more valuable than the stand. I now carry a hang-on and use strap on steps. My stand leaves everytime I do.
I have fewer stands stolen on the state land I hunt occaisionally than on the private land farm I normally hunt. Not to mention the 12 point I shot a couple years ago that I had to leave overnight. I feel for ya,anger and frustration, you know who did it but can't prove it.
Up to this point I have never had a stand or ladder stolen. I can only imagine how frustrated I would be though if I was walking to my stand before dawn only to find it gone. I have heard that the pop up blinds are really being stolen alot though. Not to be dumb but who is stealing these stands? Are they other "hunters?????" and I use that word losely. These are the ones who give us a negative perception with the public at large. I am going to go out on a limb and say they are the ones shooting into homes, road hunting, etc. Not sure how to reconcile having these type of "hunters" in "big tent" way of thinking that we all need to stick together .....
Maggots....Bastids.... :mad: :saywhat:
Hear more and more of this. Used to be you could put up a stand etc and no one would even think of touching it. The NE Missouri Bowmen club does a 3d shoot monthly on public land. They get a permit from DNR to do it. Used to setup Fri night and take down on Monday. Now they have to setup Sat night and someone has to camp there, and take down Sun afternoon otherwise you guessed it, people steal the targets. So that cuts out the winter shoots we used to enjoy. Not enough daylight time.
I think I'd ask people, however, since there's the outside chance someone thought they were doing you a favor or even borrowed it. One 3d target got returned a year ago by a guy who borrowed it to practice. When we called his wife was home and she knew he had it and made him feel like **** for doing that and he brought it back. Jerk.
Sorry. As the Lord said "forgive them for they know not what they do" Some people are really clueless
Let it go and move on
sam
After two years sitting in the woods I'd expect it to start falling apart. Maybe it was and someone else took the "trash" out of the woods and is sitting home wondering what sort of a jerk would leave all that crap in the woods....
Just a thought.
Having had two stands stolen and also my truck broken into during a move and all my guns stolen, I feel your pain but two years is asking a lot. I'd probably consider it abandoned. I wouldn't take it, but I might throw it away if it was falling apart.
I hunted on private property and lost all my stands over the winter. I should of took them down and put them away. I am going to buy a Gullie suit and see how that works out then I wont have to worry about it. :banghead: :banghead:
As said above you can't possibly know who comes and goes on that place when you are not their. Nothing against coon hunters but their dogs don't care about property lines and then their are just thieves. I am truly amazed how many people leave a 250 dollar climbing stand in the woods I here that all the time. I know a guy who had a 15 foot tripod stand stolen off of private property,now that is work. I don't blame you for leaving it their if the property owner does not care but you just have to realize it just might get stolen.
The blind was actually in good shape. It had been sheltered by overhanging trees which kept most of the rain and most importantly sunlight off of it. I had just been there to check on it about 3 weeks before. Although being that this was the first blind I had ever used I do appreciate the info on not leaving them out. It's really hard to understand how the property is laid out without seeing. It couldn't have possibly just been some random person walking through. Any way that wawsn't where I was going with that. I just needed to vent. :campfire: I'm not going to worry about it or let it bother me. I just know betterfrom now on.
By the way Buckeye, I wasn't saying YOU are a jerk, just that someone who finds an "abandoned" falling apart ground blind or tree stand in the woods might think badly of whoever "left" it there depending on the situation.
Kinda funny how both sides of a situatuation might leave people feeling frustrated about the other side.
Either way, since you say it was in good shape, my whole initial thought is kinda irrelevent anyhow.
No offense taken Dave. Didn't think you were calling me a jerk. I see where you're comin' from though and to be hanest I never really thought about it like that. Maybe someone is just as mad at me as I was at them.
Either way, since you say it was in good shape, my whole initial thought is kinda irrelevent anyhow. [/QB][/QUOTE]
I had the same thought.
A thief is a thief..no way would I call them a hunter. No more than I would call a poacher a hunter.
We always have to learn some leasons the hardway when it comes to human nature.
Lord protect me from my friends because I know who my enemies are. :biglaugh: