What would you do?

[fisher01]

Good question. The TWRA Hunting Guide does address this issue.

There is a difference in Access hours verses Hunting hours.

While out in a WMA, my weapon is only loaded during hunting hours.

 

[Laserman1]

" I was here first, my stand reserves the spot,
1 buck 2 buck. " can't we just get
Along?

 

[themanpcl]

Reading this thread, it's pretty clear who regularly hunts public and who doesn't. Public has pretty much been treated as first come first serve. You still have some dudes that will come in and try to sit on top of you after you get in the stand. That's when things get interesting. Stands already being hung don't mean squat. As to the affect of the OP, to me this is first come first serve. I don't care that it's some special hunt. Always have multiple back up plans. This is why I personally prefer being mobile. Just in case an audible needs to be called at the last minute. Plus, with only hanging one stand you're kind of screwing yourself over provided this happens.

Starting last year on IL public, I bring my saddle and platform in with me daily. The Hawk sticks I use for the lock on that I set up the night before the hunt can be removed and toted with me to another spot if necessary. Not everyone can do that but it is my option because I'm not going to argue with an idiot about a stand spot when I'm 4 hrs from home and a 3 day season...lol.. I leave the lock on in the tree (its python locked) and I know he won't probably be back the next day..lol... The public land rules are simple but people don't want to believe that if you leave a stand in the woods on public, it is legal for anyone to use. People take exception to someone else being allowed to hunt "your" stand. Take your stand in when you enter the woods and with you when you exit the woods and voila, no one hunts your stand. These people that drive their vehicles on public (not allowed), set up a ladder or lock on that they cannot possibly move by themselves set themselves up for failure. Just because you don't see anyone when you set the stand in August...lol. My opinion on hunting public land is scout early, have multiple spots, know the regulations and be a sportsman.

 

[Bone Collector]

Just because you leave a stand doesn't make it your spot. You should've got there before him this morning

@Kritter Gitter This is how I feel. I hate that happened to you, but you gotta get there first. What if he knew the spot and thought, if I put a stand there it may tip people off, so then he showed up super early to get there?

Also he could have scouted it saw the sign and then saw your tree stand, which could have prompted him to get there early to beat you to it. Public land should be first come first serve.

Now if it were me.... unless I hunted there all the time and knew that area was good, I would go elsewhere if I saw a stand.

 

[Bone Collector]

The public land rules are simple but people don't want to believe that if you leave a stand in the woods on public, it is legal for anyone to use.

I don't believe it (at least for TN) because I have had area managers (TWRA) tell me that, it is not public property and you cannot get in someone else's stand. I do know the "book" says you cannot leave it for more than 24 hrs, but have also been told regardless of what the book says, it is up to the area manager.

usually they just say mark it with your TWRA #, name, etc. I have also been told If I set it it is not "reserved" for me and if someone goes in and climbs I should hunt elsewhere even if that means from the ground during bow season.

 

[DayDay]

I don't believe it (at least for TN) because I have had area managers (TWRA) tell me that, it is not public property and you cannot get in someone else's stand. I do know the "book" says you cannot leave it for more than 24 hrs, but have also been told regardless of what the book says, it is up to the area manager.

usually they just say mark it with your TWRA #, name, etc. I have also been told If I set it it is not "reserved" for me and if someone goes in and climbs I should hunt elsewhere even if that means from the ground during bow season.

The "book" says manager permission is needed in order to leave a stand unattended for more than 24 hours.

This is what is stated in the Tennessee Hunting Guide regarding WMA's:

Treestands: The use of wire, nails or other metal material is prohibited in the building or attaching of climbing devices or hunting stands. Portable devices or stands that do not injure trees can be used. Hunting from permanent, attached stands is prohibited. Leaving any personal property, including treestands, unattended for more than 24 hours is prohibited without prior approval of the area manager. WMAs require that treestands must be marked with the hunter's TWRA ID number.

 

[themanpcl]

I don't believe it (at least for TN) because I have had area managers (TWRA) tell me that, it is not public property and you cannot get in someone else's stand. I do know the "book" says you cannot leave it for more than 24 hrs, but have also been told regardless of what the book says, it is up to the area manager.

usually they just say mark it with your TWRA #, name, etc. I have also been told If I set it it is not "reserved" for me and if someone goes in and climbs I should hunt elsewhere even if that means from the ground during bow season.

Not sure if you saw that I was referring to the IL public. You are correct that stands must be marked if left on public property. For TN, it is a little gray as to whether you are allowed to be in a stand that is left on public. That's where common sense "should" take over...lol

 

[Squirle hunter]

I have hunted public land my whole life.I have been Elmer fudded and it work for my benefit.most time it don't I hunt the steepest places I can find that have deer on it.most folks don't go in there but if they do their going to hunt cause of the hike in.I have learned to deal with it and move deeper I always hunt from the ground on public.I am very mobile that way and I don't have to carry a stand that way.I do carry metal folding chars in and leave them if you find one mine sit it if you want you probably see deer there it is much easier and cheaper than a stand.a heck of lot cheaper to replace.as far as some siting up close to you I think everyone has had it happen especially on draw hunts that permit gives you full access to the whole area right.i just love when I hear these stories cause my first instinct is to laugh. If that's the worst thing that happen your all good.if it were me I would have passed the spot when someone was parked there I would never have walked in there till lunch to get my stand and move somewhere else.my rule of thumb is if they beat me to the parking spot they got it.I will just go down the road a lil ways hunt something new.I will not argue over public land period.

 

[Headhunter]

I don't believe it (at least for TN) because I have had area managers (TWRA) tell me that, it is not public property and you cannot get in someone else's stand. I do know the "book" says you cannot leave it for more than 24 hrs, but have also been told regardless of what the book says, it is up to the area manager.

usually they just say mark it with your TWRA #, name, etc. I have also been told If I set it it is not "reserved" for me and if someone goes in and climbs I should hunt elsewhere even if that means from the ground during bow season.

Game warden I talked to said if you leave it on public, then whoever gets there first can use the stand.

 

[Bone Collector]

Game warden I talked to said if you leave it on public, then whoever gets there first can use the stand.

sounds like there is conflicting info out there.

 

[themanpcl]

sounds like there is conflicting info out there.

Yup. I would never use someone elses stand anyway but it does make it complicated for those who would.

 

[Lost Lake]

I've got a spot on public I found about 8 years ago. Killed 3 nice bucks and some does out of it over that time. Always hunted out of my climber. Some time later a jack wagon hung a lock on with screw in steps.

I've never seen anyone else in there. Should I abandon my spot because their illegal activities claim the spot?

I was in a similar boat in one spot, and yes, I chose to abandon it. The screwed up hunts that followed with a couple of years of fighting adjoining landowners, YouTube advertisement and ensuing pressure took the fun and enjoyment out of it. Heck, even weekday bow hunting was the same.

Rather than continue, I left. Just part of public land hunting. I still enjoy WMAs, but do what ever it takes to avoid the craziness.

Seems that it's gotten exponentially crazier since around 2010 or so.

 

[Headhunter]

Yup. I would never use someone elses stand anyway but it does make it complicated for those who would.

I agree, but I also believe just because a stand is left on public land then that spot is "owned", NOT. I don't care if it is an area that is hunted one day or all year. Just because you leave a blind, hang a stand, etc. that spot is still open to whoever gets there first. If I am not first I find a different place to hunt, it is really that simple.

 

[DayDay]

If I put a stand up on public land, I'd have no issue with someone else using it. When someone puts a stand on the only tree in the area that can accommodate a climbing stand then maybe they should expect someone else to use it. There is no harm done.

Most lock-on stands that I've seen in the woods were missing the lower section of the climbing steps. I guess the owners usually carry those in and out.

 

[skipperbrown]

Ahhhhh, the joys of hunting on public land .... I'm kinda surprised your stands were still there.

 

[philsanchez76]

When I first started hunting public land I had more issues with Fudd's cuz I was hunting more of the obvious spots. As I put more time in scouting ive had very little interactions with other hunters. I saddle hunt so I bring my whole set up in and out with me every time on public. 99% of the stand set ups I see left in the woods are sitting in a big tree overlooking a field edge or VERY open hardwoods. im not interested in hunting those spots anyway and they don't screw up my hunting. Only 1% off the stands I find are in really good spots. And I usually end up deciding im gonna hunt there based on great sign and terrain features and as im looking for a tree to set up in, boom I see a nicely tucked away stand. And I wouldn't hesitate to hunt that spot if I found it. But for me it's all about the spot. If another hunter worked as hard as me to find that, I wouldn't be mad. He earned it and if he was physically in there first, he can hunt it.

 

[Headhunter]

I have hunted public land my whole life.I have been Elmer fudded and it work for my benefit.most time it don't I hunt the steepest places I can find that have deer on it.most folks don't go in there but if they do their going to hunt cause of the hike in.I have learned to deal with it and move deeper I always hunt from the ground on public.I am very mobile that way and I don't have to carry a stand that way.I do carry metal folding chars in and leave them if you find one mine sit it if you want you probably see deer there it is much easier and cheaper than a stand.a heck of lot cheaper to replace.as far as some siting up close to you I think everyone has had it happen especially on draw hunts that permit gives you full access to the whole area right.i just love when I hear these stories cause my first instinct is to laugh. If that's the worst thing that happen your all good.if it were me I would have passed the spot when someone was parked there I would never have walked in there till lunch to get my stand and move somewhere else.my rule of thumb is if they beat me to the parking spot they got it.I will just go down the road a lil ways hunt something new.I will not argue over public land period.

I don't agree on avoiding a spot just because a vehicle is parked there. I have parked next to many vehicles on public land hunts and rarely if ever see a hunter in the woods. Hard to know where someone is hunting just because a vehicle is parked there.

 

[themanpcl]

I agree, but I also believe just because a stand is left on public land then that spot is "owned", NOT. I don't care if it is an area that is hunted one day or all year. Just because you leave a blind, hang a stand, etc. that spot is still open to whoever gets there first. If I am not first I find a different place to hunt, it is really that simple.

Oh I agree, there is no "yours or my spot" on public. If you are there you hunt and if I show up later than you, I can choose to hunt my stand or go to another spot.