Tree stand etiquette

Heetrie · Jul 12, 2009

As I've been out scouting I came across an area about two miles from the nearest road that someone spent a considerable amount of time building two tree stands. It looks like they have been there for at least a couple of years.

The area is really good- water, food, and what seems to be a major thoroughfare. I'd put one up myself if these weren't already there. So my question is, would it be ethical for me to use theses tree stands? What if the original builder shows up? Would I have to vacate? Would it be dumb of me to leave a note on them to see if anyone else is planning on using them?

buckfvr · Jul 13, 2009

I'm out here in Minnesota where everyone hunts from treestands. I will NEVER sit in another persons stand unless I know them and have permission. I have been on the other end, where I have gone to a stand of mine on private property only to find another person sitting in it. Let me tell you, nothing burns a person more. There is also the issue of safety. If you don't know the person that built the stand, you don't know their carpentry skills or for sure how long they have been there. If this is publib land, put your own stand up, but stay away form building a permanent stand, stay mobile.

SMELLYBUCK · Jul 13, 2009

It's hard to apply the golden rule to this etiquette question.

Do you abandon a public hunting area just because someone else put up their stand? That seems a bit rediculous since a tree stand doesn't constitute land ownership.

Do you put up your own stand just in case they show up the same morning? That's almost as inconsiderate as poaching their stand.

Not really a right answer here.

I have never found a stand that is temporary. My understanding is that permanate stands are not allowed on federal land. I had a friend that worked for the Forest Service who said they are supposed to tear down every stand they find. If a guy makes a permanate stand that sits out year after year, he should realize that the property is not his. Someone might sit in his stand or it might get torn down and he has no legal recourse. He'll get mad but he can't do much more than swear at you. (In which case I would call the the Forest Service and they would go and rip out his work.)

Temporary stands are different. They should be respected if they are up a couple weeks before the hunt and don't hog the entire season.

If the owner of a stand put a note on it and contact information, I would completely respect it. I might even contact him and work something out.

troutsniffer · Jul 13, 2009

I would not sit in someone elses stand. I would leave a note, and hang my own if they didn't call within a few weeks.

grizzly · Jul 13, 2009

I wouldn't sit in somebody else's stand, but you can't reserve an entire waterhole by hanging a stand months or years earlier. If I find a permanant stand, I usually hunt from an adjoining tree.

Typically leaving a vehicle at the head of the ridge/trail will tell the next guy that somebody is already on that hole for the evening, and they will respect it.

I was in a stand once and had a guy come down, set up a stand next to mine and sit in it. When I asked him to leave, as I was there first, he said that it was a secret waterhole and that he was the only one who knew about it, so I must've spied him walking into it in the previous weeks, or I wouldn't have know where it was. This was in Logan Canyon. Not exactly a secret area.

I left for the night, and my stand was stolen while I was gone.

The jack@ss now owns a treestand company...I see him at tradeshows. I hope he fails.

Grizzly

adamsoa · Jul 13, 2009

I wouldnt get into another persons tree stand because I dont trust their construction. I would up one right next too it though. It pisses me of when guys put up a stand and expect everyone else to know and respect that it is theirs.

Lambo · Jul 13, 2009

Ya unfortunately it takes all kinds that are rude and inconsiderate. I paid a trespassing fee to hunt on some land owners property once. I was sitting in a treestand that overlooked a waterhole that both deer and elk both frequented. I got there one evening about four pm got up in the stand and was prepared to sit it out.At about six pm that night two camo clad hunters came down the canyon and stood at the oposit end of the waterhole. I wistled at them and waved to let them know that I was already huntin there for the evening. well they sat up two different blinds on the other end and sat down. At that point I figured that with all the added scent disturbing the area I would just get down and leave, thanking them for their consideration. Oh ya, I left feeling much better, and with an EMPTY bladder.
I would never do that to someone, and I hope that it dosent happen to anyone else
Lambo

Longbow6360 · Jul 13, 2009

If it's a permenant treestand, sit in it or tear it down. Either way it shouldn't be there. Besides, how do you know if the hunter has abandoned the spot or not? You can't build a treestand and claim a waterhole for life.
If there is a temperary stand hanging in a tree, I would just back out and not hunt there. Maybe you could be first next year.
That's my take on things.

oakbrush · Jul 13, 2009

If you feel like you are intruding, then you probably are. What if you get to the top of the ridge in the morning and there is already someone glassing from the point you wanted to be on? How is a tree any different. If someone beat you to it, then you should have gotten your arse out of bed earlier. Unless you are the type of guy that sits down 20 yards from a hunter that was there first. If you think that is ok, then I am wasting my time with this response.

What has happened to common respect for other hunters. We have forgotten. What you should do is ask yourself what would grandpa do in this situation? He would have said "well looks like someone is already there, lets go find another spot".

Is it really this hard?

oakbrush

LuckyShot · Jul 13, 2009

Hey, not a big deal on this issue. Answer, in my mind is pretty simple. It's public land so you have every right to hunt it. But that's not the right thing to do. Leave them a note with your phone number and ask them to call you. They should respect that and give you a call if they are planning on hunting. If they dont call, have at it. If they show up during the hunt, give them back the stands and let them hunt. You can go somewhere else....hopefully you've scouted other areas. Now, do I think guys should be building major permanent stands on public land as a way of claiming it as "their territory" and everyone else get the !!$&!! out. No, thats not ethical. I have no problem with guys finding locations that are promising and putting up a temporary stand to hunt it in a few weeks. And if I came across a location where someone had hung a stand with the intent to hunt.....I should move on and respect the hunter who got there first. Go find a spot of my own to put my stand up and hope for the same respect from other hunters

rugarm77 · Jul 13, 2009

LAST EDITED ON Jul-13-09 AT 10:59PM (MST)[p]The way I look at this is simple. If you want to hunt from a stand then put in some time and do some scouting. My hll the forest is big enough you should be able to pick your own spot.

I would not sit in somebody elses stand.

If you like the area put up your own. Don't be lazy.

SMELLYBUCK · Jul 14, 2009

Luckyshot +1

adamsoa · Jul 14, 2009

I agree dont sit in someone elses stand. However, several people have stated that you should find another spot anyway. I think thats crap. I have several friends that put up multiple stands that cover a lot of the good watering holes in an area. They might not even hunt these stands but they are up as just in case places to hunt. A lot of other people wont even hunt there becasue of this and they know it. If someone is in the stand I wont hunt there. But no one is there and I want to hunt the area I'll put up my own stand. I dont feel that there is anything wrong with that. Just because someone puts a stand on the tree doesnt mean that they "own" the spot for the season, or forever. Be just like me pissing on the sign at the trail head and saying that I now own the canyon and that no one else better hunt there because I pissed on the sign first.

ohiohntr · Jul 14, 2009

LAST EDITED ON Jul-14-09 AT 09:46AM (MST)[p]Just because a stand is there does not mark ownership of public land. If you see a temporary stand in a spot, I wouldn't sit in it, but there is nothing wrong with putting up your own and sitting in it, as long as the person is not in his stand. I feel a person in the stand holds a spot, not the stand itself. You never know if or when the person who put the stand up even plans on hunting it, or if it is abandoned.

I have a piece of public land I hunt on occasionally that one guy has put about 6 or 7 portable stands up scattered throughout the place. One night I was hunting near one of his stands, and I see him about 100 yards off walking to one of his other stands. He sees me and turns and comes up to me and asks what I am doing hunting there next to his stand. I told him it is public land and I can hunt anywhere I would like to. He got mad and said me sitting there would mess up the deer movement going to the stand he was planning on sitting in. I basically told him I was in my stand first, and that if it was going to mess up his hunt, then he could go elsewhere. He then threatened me and basically called me out of the tree. I picked up my cell phone and told him I could just have the sheriff come out and settle it for us. As I was calling, he swore and took off for his truck.

I know most hunters are not that big of jerks, and if he had planned on hunting the stand I was by, I may have left. But at least where I am from, the first person in his stand on public land gets the spot.

Heetrie · Jul 14, 2009

Let me clarify one thing as well- These are NOT temporary tree stands. They are build out of plywood, joists, and are pretty good sized. The one is big enough to easily lay down on and could hold 4-5 guys comfortably. Nothing temporary about either stand.

I think I'm going to post a note with my number on it and see what happens. Hopefully whoever built them has some respect for other hunters.

I'll get some pics of them next time I'm up there scouting!

wackandstack · Jul 14, 2009

So, If I find a old perminant tree stand above a water hole and plan on using it. Then I go in and there is a portable one no more than 4' above the permanant one in the same tree. Should I use the old one or what. The same portable one was in a different tree last year. No cameras or anything around water. What do you think?