My grandpa and I put up our stands today. Or I should say I put up our stands today. lol. My question for you guys is how comfortable to you feel with leaving your stands and trail cameras out in the woods on public land? Up by us, unfortunately we have a lot of bad hunters who steal stands and cameras.
I hunt public land and have 2 cams out. I haven't gotten one stolen, yet (8yrs). I try to place them where most folks aren't likely to be passing through. Placement/location is key to not having one stolen on (active) public land. As far as leaving a stand in the woods on public land, I don't do it! The only exception is when I know I'll be back at first light the next morning.
I leave have left one out for 4+ years without issue. It is in a metal bear box locked and cabled to a tree everytime I leave it. Seems to deter pretty well. Have gotten some interesting pictures of folks waiving to the camera though. Guess that is the nature of public land.
Don't leave them on public land. People will take them. They feel it's OK to take other people stuff when something is left on public land not to mention there are plenty of bad apples that call themselves hunters out there.
I have one cam out in public land. No lock and no cable. Now you guys got me worried! Just kidding, I don't worry about it. I was thinking about taking a picture of me in front of it with a clenched fist while holding a sign that says. "You may have stolen this camera but I have another that watches this one! I'll know your face and Im gunna kick your @$$ if you don't return it!". After entertaining the thought I figured I'd just put that extra effort into hiding it well. BTW I'm all bark and no bite. I'd probably use the "at" symbol and 2 "$"s opposed to swearing.
There is no way I would leave one of the lone wolf stands ($220) or one of my bushnell trail cameras ($200) out on public land for someone to steal.
pretty sure u cant leave stands up in wisconsin public land over night anyways cameras i had no problems but i would read up on the stand situation because last time i read the rules it said you had to take it down every night
Down here there is one spot I have found 2 stands in there that have been there since at least last october when I found the place. Niether are locked and both are probably in the best 2 spots on the whole place. But all in all I really don't think a lot of people deer hunt it since it is an archery only section. And it seems like there just aren't that many bowhunters around where I live. I know on the private land that hunt that I am the only bowhunter for at several miles in every direction. Makes it nice that I only really have to worry about cars taking the deer out until rifle season. Then everybody and their brother is out. The Pumpkin army.
No, the rules have changed in Wisconsin. The rules now is that you can leave a stand over night if you don't alter the tree in anyway ( meaning no cutting branches or adding screw in steps ) and you have to leave your customer I.D. number on you stand somewhere. I didn't believe it myself but then I've read it in the book. It is illegal to: leave a tree stand or ground blind unoccupied during legal hunting hours unless the owner’s customer ID number or name and address have been attached in a manner that is visible and legible to a person on the ground or near entrance of ground blind.* • damage trees. Cutting shooting lanes and use of screw-in tree-stands or steps are considered damaging and are illegal. pg. 36 in the book
