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Squirrels chewing or stand sabotage?

Discussion in 'Bowhunting Talk' started by LittleChief, Oct 1, 2025 at 9:14 PM.

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  1. LittleChief

    LittleChief Administrator

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    I discussed this on here way back when it happened, but I can't being to remember when it was.

    Years ago there was a time I decided to hunt out of a lock-on or hang-on (whatever you call it). I bought a Lone Wolf Alpha and six sticks.

    I had only hunted out of it a few times before I went to Kentucky and hung it a week prior to the opener. The tree was 30 yards from a property line, and on the bordering property there was an old weathered wooden ladder stand. I'd never seen anyone use it before.

    A week later I went back on opening morning and when I went to hook up to the lifeline I glanced up at the strap on the first stick. It looked like it was "chewed" almost all the way through. I looked up with my light at the second stick and it was the same, and on the same side in the same position.

    I ended up moving to a climber on another property for opening morning. When the sit was over I took my climber back to that tree and pulled the bottom stick and started to climb. Every stick strap was "chewed" the same way, almost all the way through but not quite. As I climbed up I tossed the stick to the ground. When I got to the stand the straps were the same. "Chewed" almost all the way through but not quite. Then I went to take the lifeline down. It was the same. "Chewed" almost all the way through but not quite.

    Now, I'm no genius, but for every strap to have the same damage only in one place sounds suspicious. I took everything back to my brother's house (he lived there then) and showed him. He assured me that no-one would actually try to kill me or hurt me and it had to be squirrel damage. Besides, if someone wanted to kill me or hurt me they'd have only cut the top straps.

    My question is this: I know a ton of you folks use lock-ons and sticks. Have you ever had squirrels chew your straps like this?

    After this I bought new straps and gave the Lone Wolf Alpha to my son and swore I'd never use one again.
     
    LittleChief, Oct 1, 2025 at 9:14 PM
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  3. LittleChief

    LittleChief Administrator

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    I ask this because @virginiashadow is coming up on the 8th and 9th and we're going to put up two lock-on stands. I've ordered two life lines, a new harness, two linesman straps and whatever you call the strap you connect your harness to when you're in stand. Still, if squirrels chew on these straps like that are they safe?
     
    Last edited: Oct 1, 2025 at 9:39 PM
    LittleChief, Oct 1, 2025 at 9:28 PM
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  4. Suncrest08

    Suncrest08 Grizzled Veteran

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    Never had squirrels chew straps. I have lone wolfs and other lock ons out all the time at the farm. Most of the time it’s up and down the same sit outside of the farm. You gone done pissed off the squirrel nation! Just wear a linemen belt up and Down and no problem. Replace anything that is chewed.
     
    Suncrest08, Oct 1, 2025 at 9:43 PM
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  5. camo75

    camo75 Die Hard Bowhunter

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    Thats an odd thing to happen LC. I have had stuff lightly chewed but nothing like that. Nothing a bear would have done climbing up that tree would it? I know I hook up to my life line and put most of my weight as if I were hanging to check it for that reason. If something chewed my lifeline part way through, it wouldn’t be much of a lifeline!
     
    camo75, Oct 1, 2025 at 10:38 PM
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  6. LittleChief

    LittleChief Administrator

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    I've always thought it was possible that someone intentionally did this. I've never understood, however, why someone would climb all the way up and damage every single strap and also damage the lifeline at the top.

    Like I said, if someone wanted to hurt or kill me they would have just damaged the lifeline and the stand straps at the top.

    I just don't know.

    It makes me feel better knowing that no-one else has encountered this, but it also makes me feel like someone there didn't want me hunting that tree.
     
    LittleChief, Oct 1, 2025 at 11:11 PM
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  7. LittleChief

    LittleChief Administrator

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    Isn't the point of using a lifeline to prevent you from having to use a lineman belt? :lol:
     
    LittleChief, Oct 1, 2025 at 11:12 PM
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  8. Suncrest08

    Suncrest08 Grizzled Veteran

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    If you worried about stuff getting chewed or cut then the same thing can happen to the lifeline rope.
     
    Suncrest08, Oct 2, 2025 at 5:57 AM
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  9. Holt

    Holt Grizzled Veteran

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    I also never had anything chewed before. I would guess it was a person. Probably not trying to kill you personally, just the hunter in general.

    Its illegal for someone to intentionally do that. This just happened to a guy in the last couple years. He put up his stand and left a camera pointed at it. Sure enough a guy came by within a couple days and climbed up and cut each strap just enough to the point it almost broke. The guy checked camera and was able to find out who it was. The guy was arrested. Dont remember the actual charges.

    Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk
     
    Holt, Oct 2, 2025 at 6:36 AM
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  10. MUDSHARK

    MUDSHARK Grizzled Veteran

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    It sounds like someone didn’t want you that close to the line of the other property.
    Idk for sure though

    what about porcupines
     
    MUDSHARK, Oct 2, 2025 at 6:41 AM
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  11. Westfinger

    Westfinger Grizzled Veteran

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    I’ve never had any issues like that. Definitely sounds like someone did it deliberately. Consider taking the bottom one or two steps with you to prevent people from climbing up your stands etc.
    It’s pretty disgusting really. You could have been killed.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
    Westfinger, Oct 2, 2025 at 6:47 AM
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  12. Holt

    Holt Grizzled Veteran

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    Think this is the video

    Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk
     
    Holt, Oct 2, 2025 at 6:56 AM
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  13. Holt

    Holt Grizzled Veteran

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    Holt, Oct 2, 2025 at 6:59 AM
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  14. arrowflinger1

    arrowflinger1 Die Hard Bowhunter

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    For me they always have chewed the seats so I took them all off. Every now and again I have had then chew the excess ends of the straps but never the part that’s tight around the tree.
     
    arrowflinger1, Oct 2, 2025 at 7:04 AM
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  15. pick00l

    pick00l Die Hard Bowhunter

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    Perhaps you are thinking about the wrong rodent? I can share firsthand experience that porcupines cause me damage every year. I have had them chew my pull rope, chew the plastic off my third-hand bow holder, and chew every bungee cord they can find when I leave my climber on a tree. I can not recall them chewing my step straps though.
     
    pick00l, Oct 2, 2025 at 8:02 AM
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  16. LittleChief

    LittleChief Administrator

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    Oh yeah. Good point. :lol:

    I was pretty tired at that point last night.
     
    LittleChief, Oct 2, 2025 at 9:13 AM
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  17. LittleChief

    LittleChief Administrator

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    Oddly it makes me feel a little better knowing it was probably someone and not squirrels. Still, I’m sure I’ll be checking the integrity of the set every time I climb up, at least for a while.
     
    LittleChief, Oct 2, 2025 at 9:18 AM
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  18. 0317

    0317 Grizzled Veteran

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    Ive had straps nibbled on, but not enough to worry about ... seats were a different story, even with rain covers on 'em squirrels or mice would get to 'em ... I took all the seats/covers off the stands and just carried one in when I hunted that location ...
     
    0317, Oct 2, 2025 at 10:10 AM
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  19. RugerRedbone

    RugerRedbone Die Hard Bowhunter

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    I've got several loc ons with sticks out, been out for several years each. Never had any straps chewed on. My guess would be human. Not a good one either.
     
    RugerRedbone, Oct 2, 2025 at 10:28 AM
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  20. Mod-it

    Mod-it Die Hard Bowhunter

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    I absolutely think it was a person. Too many coincidences of the same damage in the same spot on every single strap.

    I have a ladderstand that I leave up on my property year round. It has been up for a good 7 or 8 years now (yes, I check the straps every year and replace them as needed). And during our roughly 7 week season I also have a climber I leave out on the property. I have a lifeline on the ladderstand and usually two or three more on climber trees I want to hunt that year, but I do remove and take the lifelines home at the end of the season.

    Neither stand's straps nor the lifelines have ever had any kind of damage like that. We have squirrels, chipmunks, and porcupines.
    I have definitely had some foam seats chewed up, perhaps even birds get them for nesting material, but I think mainly it is squirrels. Like some of the others posted, I now take the cushions from the ladderstand home at the end of the season as well.
    Someone wanted to discourage you from hunting there for sure and didn't give two shakes if you got injured to get that message.
     
    Mod-it, Oct 2, 2025 at 10:30 AM
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  21. camo75

    camo75 Die Hard Bowhunter

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    Maybe you’re dealing with someone that doesn’t have that much common sense.
     
    camo75, Oct 2, 2025 at 11:19 AM
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