Just this year I decided to hunt public land. A co-worker of mine put me onto some really good wildlife management property in southern Ohio. I scouted and put up 2 stand locations about a mile back into the woods in May. I have checked my cameras once a month ever since then. September 1st I make the trip back to pull my cards and change batteries. One of my locations was completely robbed. I lost my Stealth cam, climbing sticks and my stand. Now keep in mind that this land is NOT open to ATV traffic and both my stands were locked on the tree. So i ask you, what kind of low life does it take to find a stand and see that it is locked, make a trip back home to get bolt cutters and then return to cut down a stand that he knows doesn't belong to him. Some people are just Scum.
Can't believe how people can do things like that. Last year I had my trail camera stolen on private property and I looked around to see if I could find anything and there was a pile of empty bottles and food packages and snares on a game trail.
Unfortunately he probably didn't have to go back to get bolt cutters. I'm guessing that was their intention all along to go out and steal stuff. I'm sorry that you had to deal with that.
That's why my stand goes in and out on my back and cameras go high or areas people will seldom venture, if you leave stuff on public expect to deal with theft, it's unfortunately the world we live in.
See up here in Canada it's just the opposite. I probably have over a dozen stands on public land that I have not taken down for years. No one touches them. Nor does the game wardens care. They know all the local groups that hunt or the usual people that come up from the city. I set up cameras and I see atv and hunters etx go by. Everyone has the same mutual respect. This spots taken, move on. And no one messes with one another stuff. Now when I'm down closer to the city hunting private land. That's a whole other topic. One jackass has permission on a property like a mile away. He travels the woods all the way down as if it's still his property. I have items stolen down by my own house annually. Stands, cameras, etc. This year I've been dealing with someone sitting in one of my stands and drinking Palm Bay mix drinks and leaving the cans al over my stand. And I find joint butts and zig zag packages etc. but they were not stealing anything. Well finally I got HER on camera. It's a lady in her thirtys.... I was shocked when I saw that. She's walking along with a Palm Bay in one hand and a joint in the other.
I'd print her picture off and write a note(or make a meme ) and hang it on the stamd where she'll see it after she climbs up. Something like "Listen $@%?!, if you're going to disrespect me enough to sit in MY stand, at least have the decency to clean up after yourself. PS.. think twice before doing anything else foolish. I'm not the only one with an image of your likeness"
This describes the scum that stole my CABLE LOCKED LW sit and climb from PRIVATE property a number of years ago. It's an ugly feeling when you arrive at the tree where you KNOW your stand SHOULD BE and it isn't! On the flip side of things, I've put 2 trail cams out on Public land for the last 13 years and haven't had one stolen, YET. lol
Here, the law says you can't leave any stand on public land. It must go up and come down the same day. I know some people around here that go out on stateland just to steal stands/sticks as a way to teach others a lesson for go against the rules. I'm not saying it's right or that I agree with it, just saying I know of a few dirty people that do it. Public land or not, it's a risk you take leaving your stuff out.
never had a problem on the public where I go. but these low lives don't have the sh#* to hunt the terrain I do let alone steal my stuff. better eat your Wheaties to go where I go! if they steal my stuff they will soon be regretting it when they have to carry everything on the way out. all I wished for when I had a stand stolen years ago was, I hoped it broke on them while sitting in it and they didn't have a harness on and broke there legs when they hit the ground. then they had to sit there in the dark in pain and wait for someone to find them.
people like that are not HUNTERS. the title of hunter comes with a mutual respect for other hunters and land owners.
As much as I would like to hunt public property this is exactly why I avoid it. I am so thankful we have our own property with minimal trespassing issues
I had a set up stolen in the same type of place years ago except it was on private property. By type I mean distance from the road. It is a terrible feeling to show up ready to hunt and everything is gone. I've walked by stands before on public land. Never once thought about taking them. I usually try to figure out what made them hang it in that tree.
Around here it happens a lot and why whether I am using my LW handclimber or LW Assault they come back out with me. I have heard stories of some guys stealing them "because the person was trying to claim a spot on public land." In fact it was here or AT a guy posted once he did that and he took SD cards from cameras because in his mind leaving stuff on public land meant it was free to use for anybody. Crazy. Thieves are scum plain and simple.
