thats 3 for me so far,, this one was special though which is why it was 100yds behind my house, it was so comfortable with the arm rests and foot rest a gorilla kong that was too nice to resist for someone, and all the treesteps too!!! usually they don't bother unscrewing all the steps from an oak tree but this time they did which means its a local hunter who wants me gone, a lefty at that by the way he was swinging the axe while standing on the steps.
they used an axe or hatchet and beat the heck out of the chain until one of the links broke at the weld and folded in then just unhooked it.
so one stand was stolen when I used one of those cable locks which was easly broken by someone using pliers or a leather man and they just kept squeezing while twisting until all the cable wires broke. 2nd stand was veery very remote, very cheap and dangerous stand at that but it wasn't locked. and 3rd which was locked but I guess the chains need to be thicker now.
okay so heres the kicker, I love chain on stands so I go to Dicks to buy the typical cheapo chain on stand and they don't sell them anymore,,,, its the same 45.00 stand but now with a web strap which we know eventually breaks especially a strap form china.. so now I have to have a chain welded on this cheapo and then have ALL the joints welded too ( no squeaks and easy to carry) and have this all done and hung in a week.
Sorry to read about these thefts Ted. This kind of thing makes my blood boil.
I just hung my stands yesterday. So far I've been lucky but I do fully expect to one day find them missing...sucks!
I will keep an eye out in this area for anyone selling stands on c-list or other advertisments. Maybe we'll get lucky.
A Gorilla Kong with probably a replacement chain or strap?
Good luck this season!
I hate a thief. sorry for your troubles.
I don't have much experience with screw in steps but why not remove the last few on the way down and take them with you? My dad used to do that all the time with steps he made himself. Most thieves wont go through the extra effort to steal it that way. Hope you find your stand regardless.
Setup a trap stand and a hidden trail camera and then you'll know what to do.
If you don't have a camera I would buy one of these covert black 60's. If they are stealing them in the dark they will never see this camera go off. Money well spent to catch a crook.
http://dlccovert.com/product-extremeseries.html
thanks for the tips and posts everyone,, Mark I hope you made it online this morning to get any extra doe tags,, that website was sloooowwwwww..
but TJ your absoulutely right! somneone else was telling me that nowadays everyone has to set their cameras up across from the stands, high up maybe sitting on the first branch and then use a rubber door stop to wedge down into the top so it moves the camera angle down towards the base of the tree where the stand is... also make sure the stand itself is not in view so you don't keep setting the camera off. finally use a couple tree steps in the camera tree to get it height about 7-8 feet and then unscrew the steps and hide them. this gives good angles on animal pictures and the thieves are busted big time!!
just stinks that I have to use the cheapest stands money can buy, and then chain them because anything decent gets stolen.. also here on the local forum theres other posts of this happening,, its getting out of hand and seriously I think its the same people over and over and I bet its not just to steal the stand but also to deter whoever hung the stand on coming back. around here hunters have lost so much land that its became kinda cutthroat out there so to hang a stand and kinda claim the area pisses people off I guess.
I have a note I took off another one of my stands a few years back that I can take a picture of for you guys but the guy wrote
"I have been hunting this area for 4yrs and you have til tuesday to get your stand out of here or I will put a broadhead up your A$$"
signed T.S.
which I think was a guy named Smitty based on the initials and what people told me BUT someone can be putting down someone elses name trying to instigate fightss between other hunters so who knows,, I had a 410. derringer with the 3-ball buckshot I carried whenever I was in those woods after that just in case but soon they tore all the woods there down and made some huge tracker trailer storage depot and then posted everything.
buy a chippewa wedge lock and the wood pecker drill system and they won't even know you are there. I use mine in areas were i have problems.
Are these stands being left on private or public ground?
If private you may have some more leverage with trespassing and theft.
Mike
I cary in and out each hunt. Sweat more but I lost to many stands... ground hunt when I can set it up right. Not the answer you ate looking for i'm sure but maybe something for thought. Till I was on my knees behind a small 3 sided blind with a buck clueless buck I at 4the Yds... I would've believed it...
Sorry to hear about this.....makes me sick for ya. Ive had stands stolen....with zero closure as they didnt leave me a note (an invitation!) I'm guessing the crimal is not so inteligent, leaving a paper trail like that. Im getting away from using stands, but still have them and may use them hear and there depending on the situation....and if I do I may use a camera....we'll see. If Im in someones area and encrouching, let me know.....Ill surely leave. If someone just wants to be an a**hole about a hunting spot, let me know....I will most likely leave still. Steal a stand, damage my vehicle that sort of thing and let me catch you....you better hope you are simply young and stupid and can be dragged to your parents by your ear. You think a Kodiak bear makes your hair stand up before it does what it was created to do?! :scared:
I use a Dremel tool and engrave: "Stolen from __________". I also add my telephone number.
I engrave the stands in 2-3 places and chain them, as you have done. The bastards have taken my tree steps but they usually pass on the stand when they see my name and phone number.
I read about a new camera they have that you can set up that has another part to it that you can set up 40 or 50 feet away and the camera will send a signal to that unit. That way if someone steals the camera, you can go and get the hidden unit and still have pictures of them. This way you can get the camera back that they probably stole because there picture will be on the hidden unit. They are rather expensive but may be worth it. Every year someone duck hunts on our property and we are thinking of getting one of these. We leave our decoys back in the brush and when we get there they have shot our hole and just left the decoys out along with there empty shell casings. I have had the pump running since Sept. 26th and lack about 2 more weeks haveing the 80acres flooded. Paying electric bills, paying land taxes, and all the work to keep the land up, and this happens every year. We live 70 miles from the property and never know when they will be there. Can't even find out where they are comming into it. Very disturbing. Check out the camera. May work for you.
This is one of the reasons I'm hesitant to start using tree stands. I recently posted about rattling for blacktails and a couple guys mentioned using tree stands but out here in the West everything I hunt is either BLM or National Forest and I know someone would steal it most likely sooner than later.
Sorry to hear. Nothing ruins hunting more. . . been there. Even had a gun pulled on me once. . . Will never hunt like that again.
Like Mint and others said- there are far better options.
After 20 years the typical way of setting stands and coming back, I have now hunted for 17 years completely portable and never leave a stand- setting up and back down every hunt. One stand system is all you need (20# on your back), you never educate deer-nor hunters, and you can hunt whenever/wherever you need to when weather/ animals/hunter sign changes.
Every guy that hunts with me has had to learn to hunt like this- I have taught/encouraged many. Once they do they rarely hunt any other way again.
Not sure why more guys don't do this- with modern equipment it is the most efficient, economical, and effective way I know.
Hope you resolve it.
Dan
Had a Lone Wolf and Sticks stolen from my PRIVATE land a couple of weeks ago. I think I know who did it, but unless caught in the act it is very difficult to prove.
Look for a pinko, commi, thumb sucking bed wetter, because that is who stole your stand.
QuoteOriginally posted by KSdan:
Not sure why more guys don't do this- with modern equipment it is the most efficient, economical, and effective way I know.
Let me answer that for you..."FAT" AND/OR "LAZY". Peeps have gotten real fat over the last 25 years and they need the big heavy stands that double as recliners to get through a hunt these days.
I hunt the same way you do. But I have two full set-ups so I can alternate between them if I need to. I use climbing sticks and an old Loc on "limits". It all weighs nothing and takes literally 10 minutes to set up in a tree I am familiar with.
As an aside, if you are going to leave stands up on public ground...consider it a Forest Gump moment.
If peeps are stealing your gear on your own property it is only because you allow it. They don't take you seriously. But that's a discussion for another thread.
My dad attempted to hunt some public land last year. He carried a stand 3 miles on his back and hung it, locked it with chains. The very next day he went in and it was gone. Only way someone could have found it is if they saw him go in and followed him and took it shortly after he left. Some people can be real scumbags.
When you have the welding shop weld on your chains have them braze some razor blades on the chain. This might hopefully make them loose their footing when they get cut. Then place 2x4's with pole barn nails driven through them under the leaves at the base of the tree. Hopefully when they fall they will fall on the spikes. This hopefully will leave a blood trail to follow. If blood trail present call the cops and follow it. If you find the culprits ask the cop to have them lay flat on ground with hands out in front of them. Then take your shotgun loaded with #4 turkey loads and blow off their hands. A stolen tree stand is not worth killing someone over.
seriously if you can warn folks around the property about what you are doing, booby traps are a good way to catch or detour theives. I was having a little problem on a place and knew who was doing it. Done caught him once, gave him a good woopin and got stands back. It started again so I took a sawzall to the 5th and 6th step up and left enough meat where it wouldnt break with pulling on your hand but thought it would give way when stepped on, sure enough found steps broke and person doing the stealing with a broke leg a week later in town. Just told the thief everybody likes to play games, you like to steal stands I like to catch folks stealing stands, you done know my last trick so I will have to come up with something new.
Just got to be careful and use extreme caution that no one innocent will be in the area and risk injury. Also I did this prior to having wife and kids that I worried about, so I probably wouldnt do these antics anymore in fear of retaliation that could harm my loved ones.
It is so unfortunate we cannot trust in our fellow sportsmen, let alone other bowhunters. I have found it to be the worst here in Mass, and have often found my stolen stands re set up within a mile from where they took it from me. I have lost over $2000 worth of stands and cameras in the last 5-6 years, all chained, all on private property. It makes me sick each and every time.
I like booby traps too but in today's world you risk losing everything in court even if the scum bag deserves it.
That sucks man. I just went and got a stand I hung on pubic land 2 years ago. Was surprised it was still there
Wapitirod, man you are so correct. I think that is the reason we have so many theives. There is no punishment if caught and prosicuted. Thieves should have a T branded on their forehead to wear on them for all to see the rest of their lives. Kids would grow up seeing this and it might keep some from stealing in fear of having to be branded for the rest of their lives. Fear is a powerful thing. I would like to be able to give every thief I encounter what they deserve but I do not do it in fear. Not fear of them, but in fear of the situation it would put my family in.
thanks everyone for the good words,, I do hunt alot on the ground and do ut back of the house but figured I'd hang one and leave it for when I felt like going in a tree actually got a big ole doe from this stand last december..
I guess I'm just glad I didn't notice it going in early on openign day next monday,, that happened before and it just makes you go home and ruins the whole hunt.
hey i want to thank you all again for the tips on catching people and I hope others get something from all this too.
After having a camera that was chained and stolen, I won't buy again, not worth it.
I left my climber out for a couple of nights once and someone stole the seat part and left the base. I have a very hostile temper when in the face of such belligerence, I wonder if the thief considered that when he took it. i left my ladder stand on public ground and three times during the early muzzleloader season there was someone with blaze orange sitting in it. Unless you are one of the game wardens buddies, the rule in Iowa is all stands are first come first serve on public land, I left him to it, but at least he did not steal it.
I use a tree saddle with lone wolf sticks. Everything comes out with me when I leave. Too many thiefs.
Sorry to hear about the loss of your stand!I hate a Thief! Several Year's ago,I had a Camera inside a protective Steel Box,secured with a Heavy Chain.It looked like they tried everything ,to get that chain to break,but it held fast! So they took a Rock and beat the Box containing the Camera to a Pulp.It must have taken a lot of shots.I tried to salvage the Camera, but the smashed case,put an end to it.If I would have caught them, I would most likely not be here today.Still Bake's my Cookies,when I think about it!(Private Land)
QuoteOriginally posted by Adam S. Daugherty:
When you have the welding shop weld on your chains have them braze some razor blades on the chain. This might hopefully make them loose their footing when they get cut. Then place 2x4's with pole barn nails driven through them under the leaves at the base of the tree. Hopefully when they fall they will fall on the spikes. This hopefully will leave a blood trail to follow. If blood trail present call the cops and follow it. If you find the culprits ask the cop to have them lay flat on ground with hands out in front of them. Then take your shotgun loaded with #4 turkey loads and blow off their hands. A stolen tree stand is not worth killing someone over.
seriously if you can warn folks around the property about what you are doing, booby traps are a good way to catch or detour theives. I was having a little problem on a place and knew who was doing it. Done caught him once, gave him a good woopin and got stands back. It started again so I took a sawzall to the 5th and 6th step up and left enough meat where it wouldnt break with pulling on your hand but thought it would give way when stepped on, sure enough found steps broke and person doing the stealing with a broke leg a week later in town. Just told the thief everybody likes to play games, you like to steal stands I like to catch folks stealing stands, you done know my last trick so I will have to come up with something new.
Just got to be careful and use extreme caution that no one innocent will be in the area and risk injury. Also I did this prior to having wife and kids that I worried about, so I probably wouldnt do these antics anymore in fear of retaliation that could harm my loved ones.
As angry as we may get about thieves, we have to be careful not to breach the law ourselves. In Ontario the booby-traps you have suggested would be a considered a 'Man-trap' and you would be liable for any injury caused by it, regardless of whether the person was on the land legally or not. This is under the Trespass to Property Act here. I have no idea what the laws are like in the US but I imagine there would be similar ones. Just think what would happen if some kid climbed the steps, or stepped on some nails. How bad would you feel?
When we are stolen from we feel violated and angry. That's not a good reason to lower ourselves to the thief's level, especially when there can be serious legal consequences.
QuoteOriginally posted by joe ashton:
Look for a pinko, commi, thumb sucking bed wetter, because that is who stole your stand.
It could just as easily be a regular guy (or girl). Someone you thought was a good guy, an ethical hunter. I've been burned more often by people I thought were 'nice' than I have by people who look like criminals.
If you all are going to leave your stands out, buy a trail camera without the flash and set it up so you get them in the act. Then prosecute, because these idiots will not think of someone puttin out a trail camera.
NOBODY is lower than a damn thief. Unfortunately, there are many of them among us. I hope you can find out who is responsible and can take appropriate action. I don't know if its possible, but if a person gets caught perhaps you should consider both civil and criminal action, pressing for lifetime loss of hunting privileges in the civil suit. Above all, do not do anything yourself that is outside the law. Revenge would be punished far more severely than the original wrongdoing. good luck. Perhaps you need to concentrate on ground brush blinds when hunting this area.
OMG, we are so lucky here in OK, never had anything stolen, my advise is to put a covert II trailcam up to see if you can catch these scumbags.
I had stand I built myself out of electical conduit stolen a few years ago off some of my family property. Been in my family 4 generations no one else in the family hunts and I had the little piece to myself so I thought. I had it changed to the tree but not locked. These thieves didn't have any tools but it must have been during the gun season because they took a 12 gauge and blew the chain off the tree with slugs. I found the tree with 3 bare spots and empty hulls on the ground. Amazing what some idiots will do just to steal. Never caught them. Its frustrating. Best we can do is make sure we do all we can to protect ourselves against it. But it is a blood boiling event when it happens to us or someone we know personally. I like the idea of catching them on camera better than the booby trap because at least you know your getting the right person instead of some passer by whom may just wanna check out your set. Ive climbed up in stands Ive found just to take a look from a vantage point. Hope you catch these guys if you think its the same people!
it really bad around here too. sad thing is 99% of the time its another hunter doing it.
QuoteOriginally posted by SilverTip:
it really bad around here too. sad thing is 99% of the time its another hunter doing it.
Let's pay closer attention to whom we are throwing under the bus. Let's not demean our peers with careless verbiage. Words have specific meanings.
It was not another hunter. It was a poacher, a petty thief. Nothing more than societal trash with an entitlement mentality that stole the property.
They peruse forums like this and laugh at others honest efforts to make thier way through life honorably.
Some food for thought here. If you hunt a area that gets people walking throught it willing to steal your equipment, what about the ones that just tamper with it? It only takes a nick on a belt or a cut through a support cable or a bolt removed to make a stand dangerous. Even with fall protection you could find yourself in a bad situation. You may opt for a climber, at least you would have piece of mind knowing the condition of your equipment and taking it with you.
I prefer a ladder stand for comfort, but with all the jerks running around these days, I go with a climber and always pack it out. It makes me get out a little earlier and home a little later, but nothing gets stolen.
I don't know if anyone remembers the skunk scent that came in two bottles, but I don't know if they still make it. You would mix the contents together, and you got prime skunk scent. Use your imagination on how to use that. If they act like one, they might as well smell like one. Finding them would be REAALLL easy.
:biglaugh:
** Edit ** Just Googled it - someone still makes it - try synthetic skunk scent.
Went to climbers a decade ago and have not regretted it at all.
The stand goes in and out with me every time!
doesn't sound like a hunter ? I could be wrong but this sounds like an anti hunter.
For hang on I use chippewas on my back lite strong quiet and perfect and I use simmons bolts and a woodpecker for hardwoods already mentioned earlier - we don't lose stands - but we don't hunt where people steal them eaither. Happened in an earlier life - so I fell your pain - tough losing equipment - the real lesson here is hunt somewhere else.
Please don't take this wrong but if you walk away from something you can't expect it to be there when you return.
I've had several stands, ladders, steps, even reflective tacks stolen over the years. Yeah, I was pretty ticked about it too. But, in the end, I realized it was my own dumb fault for believing everyone had the same morals as me.
In recent years I was lucky to hunt some private land. I left a few stands with one climbing stick in place and would pull the bottom two after each hunt. Never had problem, but I fully expected to have them stolen. If they were, I would have no one to blame but myself.
If you leave it behind you are asking for trouble. Pull it each time or use a climber.
I agree 100% I think we all have it in the backs of or minds that it might get taken,, I had a buddy who would leave his bow up on the tree all night too and he never even locked any of his stands and he never had one stolen,,,,, seriously this old buddy has stands to this day in the wide open not even hidden from view and not even locked and non of them ever get taken,,,, heres the kicker he died a year ago and his stands are still all out there I seen 5 of them yesterday!!
I do have climbers and use them, but I did buy another cheapy stand to hang in this area but really I'm doing that incase some other hunter wants this spot,,,,, I have heard of other hunters stealing stands to get people out of that spot and just in case I'm not going anywhere except this time there will be a huge chain and I'll remove the bottom 3 steps from the tree.
speaking of other hunters and someone said something about them not taking them but just messing with other stands,,, every year I always find my bow hoist rope cut from a few stands so I know theres other hunters messing around too.
Trail camera,,,, Yes its time for one. its hard leaving a 250.00 camera out there let along a 140.00 Gorilla Kong stand though. but I think I have to catch up to the times a bit and utilize it as a tool now.