Stand ethics. Your opinion wanted.

George D. Stout · March 02, 2009, 07:25:00 PM

Rules are fairly strict on cutting in Pennsylvania. You may want to be careful hunting near his stand if he cut live trees or undergrowth, as it could lead to a fine. I would check the rules on such activity before you get too close to his setup.

Probably all of the deer in the area know where he is also, so you would be better off to find a skirt area from bedding to feeding and post there. If only two of you hunt the area, then there should be no reason to hunt on top of one another.

cooncrazy · March 02, 2009, 07:50:00 PM

just rember the more people there the less chance you have of seeing anything it hard enough just to cover your scent up no less other people if there hunting close to ya i would move dont waste your time there other spots ive had guys come in on me before and see me and then go up wind of me like 50 yards and talk and smoke be cause i was in there so call spot some people are asses just find a spot to your self then you can injoy your hunt

Swamp Pygmy · March 02, 2009, 09:54:00 PM

they take dozers back here every couple of years. They don't really care what you cut as long as you don't need a chain saw.

But like I said this area has no oaks on it, thats what makes it so hot. They are all coming through this one area to get to where they are. Hunting somewhere else would be hunting pines. The area to hunt is the neck of this funnel. And where they feed is private property.

BD · March 02, 2009, 10:45:00 PM

If the oaks don't drop food every year, the spot may not be good every year. I would look around a bit more and find some other crossings, then carry your stand in and out and if he is there, hunt somewhere else, if he is not, hunt it. I used to give a lot of distance to other stands, but have found that many of them are from gun hunters who only hunt a few days a year. If you can get ahold of him, you could at least find out if he is a bowhunter or gunhunter. Another thing is that a lot of guys only hunt evenings on the weekends so if you can hunt during the week or mornings on the weekends, you might just have it to yourself. Good Luck!

George D. Stout · March 03, 2009, 10:17:00 AM

I think you are assuming too much. Look the area over really well and I'll bet you will find another very good spot.

crossstickspro · March 03, 2009, 11:55:00 AM

6 one way half a dozen the other, The way my grandpa told me was, First in first choice, step lightly, and be considerate. I believe that if we all fallowed this then we wouldnt have to have this conversation.
I take my stand out every time and try to get back to a good spot befor any one else and if there is some one there walk quietly around and find another spot

Ia Hawkeye · March 03, 2009, 03:44:00 PM

Apparently it's legal in La to leave stands up as long as one wants on public land.????
In many states one has to bring in and take down stands daily. You cannot leave stands up over night or longer.
I'd check into it (I'm sure you have)! Then, who ever got to the place first gets the right to hunt it!

Good luck!

Swamp Pygmy · March 03, 2009, 05:37:00 PM

george I think you might be assuming too much. I know the area. The way the property is cut it forms a point of pines that lead into water oaks on an adjacent property. They funnel through this wood line to get to them in the evenings. It's a great spot because it's the funnel. The other area is the bedding. And they bed in numerous directions.

hawkeye
The deal with stands here is you can leave them up, tagged with your info on it for the game warden. But two weeks after season they are supposed to be gone, however nobody bothers them if you leave them up. They might get burned during brush clearing though.

rg176bnc · March 03, 2009, 08:22:00 PM

I really wish states would pass a law that would prevent the leaving of stands on public land.

It is extremely rude to leave one up and claim your spot. 1st come 1st serve boys and girls.

Since its legal I would try to stay 50 yds away at least but then again if they are in a bottle neck I like to hunt Im setting up.

I hate to see guys prune the @#%#$% out of everything.

bowmaster12 · March 03, 2009, 08:36:00 PM

not sure the laws in yoru state but in wisconsin it is illegal to leave stands in the woods on public land they must be brought out with you every day. I hunt alot of public land i once had a guy climb a tree less than 30 yads from me with 30 minutes of hunting left! What i would do is one either find out where he parks and check if his vehical is there before you hunt or have a back up spot sneak in to the area if he is there quitly sneak out and go to spot two. Personaly if i dont know the other hunter i try to stay at least 100 yards away out of respect. another option is to keep walking the trail back finding the bedding area and cut the guy off but thats for sure not the best option. good luck

Don Stokes · March 04, 2009, 08:47:00 AM

If you leave a stand on a WMA in MS, it has to have your identification on it. Also, you can't put up a stand more than a week before the season, and it has to be taken down by a week after.

Shleprock · March 05, 2009, 09:55:00 PM

In Illinois it's illegal to leave a stand on public land for I believe more than 2 weeks. I know rangers that will confiscate them. Public land is getting harder to hunt here with out walking quite a ways. There are no atvs allowed. Execpt for all the ablebodied guys we see with disability tags. No matter though, doing your homework just lets others cheat off you. You almost have to find a place no one can ride to and you can barely hike to.

tarponnut · March 05, 2009, 10:12:00 PM

I hunt a late season Archery Only place in the 'glades that until this year only I hunted
(at least from a stand).
This year there was a stand in just about every hammock I checked in late archery season. Not once did I see another hunter in any stand. They were probably rifle hunting somewhere else because it coincides with late archery. I didn't hang a stand for fear of crowding anyone but next year I'm hanging my stand where I please.
They can move.

Pete W · March 06, 2009, 06:32:00 AM

It's all about greed. hanging multiple stands and not using them . Making them and the good spot inaccessable to the other hunters when they are hung on the only decent tree near a good trail, is just not right. It is just a seat in a tree, so what if someone sits in it.. No need to hog the area by hanging stands and not use then yourself, plus they make it imposssible for anyone else to hunt there. Greed,it's all about greed.
One place I hunt has a great corner that has been monopolized by a guy for over 10 years, yet he may only hunt there a couple times all season. He told me he has 19 stands set up !

Pete

BigAl · March 06, 2009, 11:31:00 AM

The above post is why, IMO, permanent tree stands should not be allowed on public land, and a portable left in place is a permanent. That's the way it is here in NY.

A couple years ago, I got a permit to hunt a nature preserve. They allow deer hunting so that the deer don't overeat the place, which they do, of course, if left unchecked. The only rule they had regarding tree stands was that you could not use a stand which punctured the bark. Well, upon scouting the area, there were more ladder stands in all those good spots than you could shake a stick at. I would have continued hunting there if the state land rule applied.