Well, after 7 years of trying to talk my buddy into hunting, he bought all the stuff this summer. We live in NE Illinois, and state land here is practically nonexistent,so he's hunting Kettle in Wisconsin. He was hunting last weekend, and got a short notice call that he had to come in to work, so he left his stand locked, and took his sticks when he left. Gets back out this morning, and his stand is gone. He's pretty P.O.ed, and I think he's not liking the whole thing. I used to hunt just state land when I was growing up, so I've gone through it. Had close to a dozen stands stolen in the past 10 years. Not much else makes me so angry at other hunters.
Especially for a first-timer. Us that have been doing it for a while know the feeling of the reward when we arrow a good buck, but he has only seen three deer this year, and none close enough to shoot. He was just starting to get pumped about it and this happened. He told me this morning, and the only thing I could tell him was welcome to state land hunting...
I have only had one so far stolen but I am sure I will have many more untill I die! I am going to hunt till I am 110 years old!
You might want to check with the DNR. By rule, you cannot leave any stands on State land overnight in Wisconsin. If the DNR finds out about it they will take it down. Someone could of seen it and reported it. To get your stand back they give you a fine but it is likely way less than the cost of the stand. I don't like to see anyone's stuff get stolen but I will say work short notice or not, it IS against the rules. Good luck.
That sucks but why in the world would you not use a climber if you've had nearly a dozen stands stolen?
Sounds like GFY might be on to something. I would give them a call... let them know what happened, they might even let you slide if it was, in fact, them. Never know unless you call.
Sorry to hear of your loss but please do not call anyone who steals anothers property a hunter. A true hunter is someone who is trustworthy and honorable. Someone who steals from others is just a thief, period! Hope your friend is able to recover his stuff. Blessings.....Pastorjim
Sorry about the loss, I know how it feels. I've only had one stand stolen, and it was locked with a cable lock on private property. It was a LW, so it hurt the pocket. Now, the only time I'll leave a stand is if I know I'll be back in before first light the following morning. The bottom line is, if you don't leave a stand it can't get stolen.
That's a shame. It's especially bad considering it's his first time hunting. I know I wouldn't be happy about it, especially as a first timer.
Sorry to hear that, I just went out to check a camera on public land here in Missouri today. Had it stolen. $100 Primos IR, I guess it is the cost of hunting public land. The sad thing is the more I hunt the less respect I have for most hunters. I talk with guys and they want to buy pixie dust that will magically make a deer come under their stand or they kill whatever walks. I'm not talking deer either, I mean a squirrel and let it lie because it is target practice from the stand. Just stupid stuff. Guys who trespass or kill just to kill are the same losers who stole my camera and stole your buddies stand. Most guys that hunt public land fit this description, after 15 years of public land hunting I am confident of it.
a friend and i had 5 double stand sets for videoing on private land along a river bottom 4 years ago. we went to hunt a set in one set in early january and discoverd snowmobile tracks every where, on the river on the land and every stand gone, later that spring shed hunting we found the only lader stand we had out there tucked under a dead fall. that made us so mad, 9 out of 10 stands gone with no leads, everyone and their dog ride that river from 6 counties. someone had a good day!
Everyone seems to be forgetting they were breaking the law when they left them there overnight. I don't want to see anyone's stuff get stolen but you really have to look in the mirror when you break the law and then complain. Just saying.
