Okay seeking advice. Please read through synopsis before commenting with your thoughts... My father and I hunt a property that is in one of the best locations for bigger bucks in our County. However, this property is one we cannot hunt during firearms season...only bow. We have minimal control over anything that happens at the property and sadly hands are tied pretty much when it comes to habitat improvement (you know that kills me). Anyways, we back out this past week for the onslaught of gunners, as the owner is a way to nice guy and any family member which asks basically gets to come...anyways. The owner's brother in law heads to his 12 foot ladder stand located on the SW corner of the woods owned by the farmer, this stand is actually located just yards from one of our hang on sets...he begins climbing Saturday morning and realizes the stand feels loose, not fastened to the tree tight...so he inspects the strap holding the ladder to the stand....CUT. THE STRAP HAD A CLEAN AS A WHISTLE SLICE THROUGH IT. I have not laid eyes on the strap myself but from all accounts it is a no brainer in that it was made only by a sharp edge and purposefully done obviously. The BIL obviously a little taken back decides not to hunt, takes the strap down and heads back (he did say he glanced up our sticks/stand (27feet) and it appeared to be fine) and shows the owner. Now we just learned about this yesterday and needless to say I'm furious. There is two suspected culprits, one is a hunter who is the son of a neighbor which the owner is we'll say "polite" with but definitely not friends...or a new problem possible in the property just west of this stand placement...as there is a brand new ladder stand just across the line there which can easily be seen from our set and the BIL's set (so obviously vice versa as well). The good news is I do have a Covert MP6black just yards from this stand, but it wouldn't pick up the BIL's stand but does pick up ours....we may have the idiot/jerk/scumbag on camera....or he could have taken the camera as well. Either way here is the advice I was/am going to give the landowner and friend of ours: -One, call the DNR and explain what happened. You obviously just have hearsay and your word against someone else's but the severity of the offense justifies having it at least on file in a report in case future occurrances happen. -I would encourage him to confront the two landowners of the properties the suspected offenders came from. They may have no clue of the behavior or it could have been themselves, get a confession than definitely time to get charges filed. -This option is one that would mean not confronting landowners but baiting another offense. I want to take that ladder stand and put it facing the West (the two suspected offenders are that direction) and hang some desireable rattling antlers I have just for a cherry on top. Then that set, doing this all with the cover of night of course, I would hang a trail camera on video mode at about 15 or so feet high pointed down and at the stand. Thoughts?
Sounds like alot of drama. There is no way to prove it was cut by a certain person. Even if he is on film the camera is not pointed at the straps. I would hunt it, for what it is. A pretty good early season place. Always make sure your stuff is safe and forget about the rest of the drama.
I would bait it. Then you for sure know who it is. If they take the bait you have all the proof in the world to get a hefty fine. Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk
Yeah, we will continue to hunt it, but man I tell ya what now knowing this I will hesitate before every step upon a stand or stick...shouldn't have too. It takes a pretty low individual. It is true it is all circumstantial and even if on film it would only be trespassing proof not cutting of the straps. Won't be doing anything though unless the owner desires us to. We pray some day the land owner lets us loose on habitat work and closing off lines with some of the neighbor's via hinging but until that day we may have to live with drama every year of this variety.
It did just take a bad turn...owner spoke with my father today and he said our stand was tampered with...sounded like they undid the straps holding our sticks to the tree. Now it affects us directly whether cam was stolen or not. So we shall see tomorrow when hopefully owner will let me go check cam...if there it should have caught the tampering to ours.
That sucks! What does that mean if the owner let's you? And i would definitely do a dummy camera, with another high. Maybe even climb a tree next to a stand and face a camera actually at the stand? Bastards! *just noticed where you had the same idea.
WOW, thats some scary stuff. Just imagine what could have happened. I say bait the bastards and hopefully catch them in the act of stealing OR doing damage. There is on the other hand the chance that if you catch them and they end up getting in trouble that you have started a never ending feud. But that could be the outcome already! Good luck.
Ty, it stills seems like too much drama for me to pursue. I have (5) different locations that I like to rotate & I am sure you do something like that also. I just don't think it is worth the headache and would look for something to replace it. I don't like to see these kind of guys win, however I think you might be wasting your time and risking your safety. Take your time and energy that you would be focusing on this property and put it in motion searching for another one. With your repuation you and your father will find something better.
Believe me I am, but this place if we can get owner on board with us has huge potential compared to our small 10 acre spot I grew up with (outside those two we have one other bow only spot that is it)....tough to walk from, especially because no lease payment We are set to open that discussion though...but all that is besides the point now, someone has attempted to bring harm or worse to myself or my father...not cool at all. This mixed in with the lack of landowner keeping the orange floodgates of family members near and far from blasting up the joint has me and my father at our whits end for sure...but neither of us have the ability to get another place unless we fall into another free one. Despite that I am trying to locate some for sure. To Matt who asked why the "if owner lets me". I say that because we don't have permission to hunt during gun season, so I will make sure it's okay I go back there and check over the stand and camera tomorrow mid-day. I will pursue for myself if they messed, stole or destroyed any of my property. It will be strictly about my property though, as the landowner isn't really able to do much (hip surgery has him basically in bed or couch). We will see how this goes. I keep praying God grants me the knowledge of how to approach every possible scenario...if I confront I do so with respect and stay above them no matter what...we shall see. Never thought I'd ever have to experience this type of crap ever. There are scumbags...then this person.
Best of luck finding the creep. It's sad that a few bad apples can taint what is naturally a beautiful and peaceful way of life.
I felt your pain Ty. I had a similar situation happen last year. Sweet area 15 minutes from my house that I had permission to hunt for the last 15 years. Landowner was a "weekend warrior" that only hunted during the gun season so basically I had it all to myself before/after gun season. Last year land owner called to tell me he & his son were taking a year off so I had it all to myself. To make a long story short the neighboring land owners were pissed I was out there all season we got in a big bickering match & I ended up pulling all my sets out of there this summer. Moral of the story, try & be as civil with neighbors as possible. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I agree with frenchbritt, however, that could have been a dangerous or deadly situation had u been climbing your stand in the am before daylight. IMO, that kind of behavior takes it to the next level. I would try to bait the site like u had mentioned, and I would double up with hidden cams or if u can, buy a cellular cam to hide in there. That way if they take it, u will get the pics immediately.
This doesn't seem like a cat and mouse game with your local neighbor. Once you start cutting straps, etc it turns into something bigger and a lot more violent. Do your best to catch this guy and make sure everyone else on that property knows as well. One thing for sure is that I wouldnt be hunting there until you catch that SOB.
For sure - do whatever you can to get it on camera. It is one thing to trespass and to have things stolen (we have had both) but for someone to tamper with equipment that can cause serious injury/death, need to be stopped! I am sure this has not been the first time and probably will not be the last and next time it may go unnoticed - until it is too late. Sucks this is even something you have to deal with. Good Luck!
I would be more pissed it seem more about destroying stuff then stealing. Cutting or lossening the straps doesn't do anything excpet potentially hurting you or anyone that's not paying attention. I'd definitely be doing anything I could to catch whoever it is.
Go cut the straps to the new neighbor's stand. Then when he comes to say something, just say "Yeah that happened to one of our stands. I think there is a poacher out on the woods so you better keep an eye out."
