DNR mulling overnite stands on public land

[windsor]

http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/resources-board-to-discuss-letting-tree-stands-stay-ho3dfsf-135436083.html

Looks like they are considering letting hunters keep stands and trail cams on public property over night. I hope they dont allow the stands. I think it would lead to arguments in the woods and stolen stands. 95% of my hunting is public land, the last thing I'd want to see is the landscape dotted with other people's permanent stands.

Trail cams I would like to see able to stay overnight. They dont bother anything and if the DNR were smart, they'd figure a way to help keep track of the deer herd using trail cams left on public land.

[DairyLandDeerHunter]

http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/resources-board-to-discuss-letting-tree-stands-stay-ho3dfsf-135436083.html

Looks like they are considering letting hunters keep stands and trail cams on public property over night. I hope they dont allow the stands. I think it would lead to arguments in the woods and stolen stands. 95% of my hunting is public land, the last thing I'd want to see is the landscape dotted with other people's permanent stands.

Trail cams I would like to see able to stay overnight. They dont bother anything and if the DNR were smart, they'd figure a way to help keep track of the deer herd using trail cams left on public land.

I agree with you in regards to permanent stands, but I'd like to be able to keep my ladder stand up overnight. I hunt public land as well and all of my stands are labeled with my name, address, and phone number on it. Also, during the day I use a cable lock to lock my stand against the tree if I decide to step out of the woods for a bit and return later. I really hope they allow people to keep ladder stands and hang on stands out there. Would be a great help. Just my two cents.

[Bukmastr]

I hate it when guys "claim" spots by leaving up permanant stands. Some of the spots I hunt are a mile out thru cattail marshs to get to a small island ajacent to a bedding area. The reason I get big bucks is cause I do the work. I already have to deal with running into chained up stands on public. Making it legal would just make the situation worse.

[Jslotter]

This is cause for conflict. I wouldn't leave anything alone on public land. Does that mean if I leave a hang on stand on public land, its available at anyone's discretion? I won't be able to remove someone from it if I choose to use it?

[DairyLandDeerHunter]

I hate it when guys "claim" spots by leaving up permanant stands. Some of the spots I hunt are a mile out thru cattail marshs to get to a small island ajacent to a bedding area. The reason I get big bucks is cause I do the work. I already have to deal with running into chained up stands on public. Making it legal would just make the situation worse.

I disagree with you Bukmastr. Like you, I do my homework for deer season. My spots are deep into the thick cover, and I have a long trek back into public land as well. I do chain my ladder stand up as a precaution, and it really is first come first serve out there. If you do the work, scout and find a good spot, and are the first one there to setup, I think there's nothing wrong with setting a stand there. It lets others know that someone is hunting there so you're not bumping elbows in the morning heading out there. I guess I don't see the problem with it, and I enjoy knowing that I have a spot to go in the morning and don't have to worry about somebody else being in the spots that I have scouted for stand sites. Just my two cents.

[kellory]

Last time I hunted public lands on opening day on deer gun, I went in weeks ahead and scouted out ten spots I wanted to hunt and marked them by GPS in order of priority. Come opening day, I was out an hour before daylight, following the GPS, and found another hunter in my best spot. Crap! I quickly headed for position #2, and found another one! By daylight I was still looking for a stop to set up, because every spot I had scoped out was taken by at least 1 or more hunter within 50-100 yards! Some guys I found had slept where they sat! If I had known what would happen in that area, I would have gone elsewhere, or not bothered. It was a complete waste of my time. Putting up a stand would have told me, to move on, saving me the hassle, and wasted effort.

[Dan Salmon]

They are going to make it just like duck hunting. You can setup your blinds/treestand early, leave your name on it so they can fine you when you don't remove it and if someone gets there in the morning before you, they can use your blind/treestand. The only thing you can really do about it is to be a major jerk and sit right next to/under them.

I've been hunting County Forest Land the last 10 years and they allow you to leave stands out overnight. I have happened to hunt in an area where another hunter was within 100 to 150 yards of my stand and I never saw him. If you hunt an area long enough, you know where people set up and they learn where you set up and most people will avoid each other because I truly believe that the majority of people just want to enjoy themselves and not cause any problems.

I'm not saying that I haven't run into the jackass 1% that if they can't have it their way no one will enjoy their day. But I do believe that they are much fewer and far between than most will admit.

You will have confrontations, because for whatever reason, people believe that they are entitled to have it their way all the time. It's no different now, just not with this particular problem.

[jonboy1984]

Waterfowl hunters can leave blinds out why is it not the same for tree stands???

It is illegal to:
• Waterfowl blind (S): Establish a waterfowl blind on state property,
including the bed of any navigable lake, prior to 7 days before the
waterfowl season or leave it established beyond 7 days after the close
of the waterfowl season. No person may maintain, occupy, or use any
blind left on state property during the season unless the owner’s name
and address AND DNR customer ID number in the English language
and in lettering one inch square or larger is affixed permanently to the
blind and shall be readily visible and legible at all times. Remember:
Placement of waterfowl blinds on public land does not restrict others
from using or hunting on the public land where the blind is located.

[kellory]

"They are going to make it just like duck hunting. You can setup your blinds/treestand early, leave your name on it so they can fine you when you don't remove it and if someone gets there in the morning before you, they can use your blind/treestand. The only thing you can really do about it is to be a major jerk and sit right next to/under them. "....Sounds like a man could make a tidy profit by retro-fitting tree stands with remote controlled ejector seats! I will need to see what my shipping costs would be....It would need to be a ridgid bolt on kit and lockable...CO2 should work without a lot of noise (besides the screaming!) Range for the transmitter shound not be a problem as the stand itself would be the attenna, One CO2 cartridge shoul do it, but a back-up would be a good idea if the guy just doesn't get it....Hmmmm, this could be a fun build guys!...

[DairyLandDeerHunter]

Last time I hunted public lands on opening day on deer gun, I went in weeks ahead and scouted out ten spots I wanted to hunt and marked them by GPS in order of priority. Come opening day, I was out an hour before daylight, following the GPS, and found another hunter in my best spot. Crap! I quickly headed for position #2, and found another one! By daylight I was still looking for a stop to set up, because every spot I had scoped out was taken by at least 1 or more hunter within 50-100 yards! Some guys I found had slept where they sat! If I had known what would happen in that area, I would have gone elsewhere, or not bothered. It was a complete waste of my time. Putting up a stand would have told me, to move on, saving me the hassle, and wasted effort.

Glad we see eye-to-eye on this one Kellory