Contributors to this thread:
Seems like it was just the other day on Facebook someone shared a link to a article some magazine about treestand theft and how to avoid it. Well how fitting was that this morning when I talked my wife onto taking a hike with me and our almost 3 yr old son to go get my hang on stand out of the game lands. A nice 45 minute hike to my tree where it used to be. God I hate scum bags. I found my screw in bow holder and one peg about 10 feet from the tree that they must have unscrewed and threw down but couldn't find it in the snow. Last weekend I had luckily pulled my camera out of there since the batteries had died and im assuming the same people had tied a orange ribbon above it. Im sure they would have cut the lock off that too n taken it. They didn't even leave behind the lock that they cut off the stand... such a shame people have to go to that level. Since there were 2 sets of tracks last weekend and 2 this weekend im sure it was more than one person. No one bothered the stand 100 yards up the ridge from mine that doesn't have a lock on it though. Sorry for the rant just very irritated right now
Do you think it had anything to do with breaking PGC regulations?
I think they changed that a few years ago, Hawkeye. Now treestands can be left there until 2 weeks following the late flintlock/archery season.
Hmmmmmmmmmm what part of state?
Would not be surprised if the owner of the stand near by took your stand! Happened to me on state land before, I found out that the guy hunting in the same area I was hunting in was taking my cameras to try to deter me from hunting the area. Happened to talk to one of his friends that confronted him about what he was doing to bully others out of the area. Turns out the guy did not even use the cameras after he took them he just threw them in the creek.
Mike
you have no reasonable right to expect unattended property left on public land to be there after you leave it. we don't live in that kind of world. its just common sense. Protect your personal property like YOU own it and you will not have to do w/out it. Treat it like ANYONE can own it.....someone else will.
you have no reasonable right to expect unattended property left on public land to be there after you leave it. we don't live in that kind of world. its just common sense. Protect your personal property like YOU own it and you will not have to do w/out it. Treat it like ANYONE can own it.....someone else will.
Northeast pa. Game land # 35. Almost 8000 acres... the other guy that has a stand up there is from bucks county. Im pretty sure he didn't take it. Just sad thats its been there since October and no one messed with it. Sucks you cant leave anything un attended without worrying about it. This is a small town where everyone basically knows everyone. I guess it would be someone else who travels up here to hunt buty guess is not since they had marked where the camera was. Just a pathetic world we live in I guess
....... if I leave a ladder or such on public land, i just consider it "expendable" and if someone takes it, then its just my fault. I try to buy cheap (but safe) stuff for just this reason. I expect it will get lifted....trail cameras, same thing....if I leave it unattended....its my fault if it gets lifted. just the way it is. its public land after all and I guess once you leave it unattended in a public place it becomes available for public use whether you approve of it or not. I leave other people's stuff alone.....but many will not offer the same courtesy. big horns make people crazy.....shame what this sport has come to.
Stick n string, Matt,
You are not wrong. You cannot enter the cambium layer of the tree, so there is at least one violation with the bowholder and probably numerous other violations with the "pegs".
Perhaps it was a PGC warden doing Matt a favor and saving him some fines and not a "numskull". Matt, just read the regulations if in doubt. I wonder if Matt's stand, pegs and bowholder were marked with your name/contact information so that he could contact him.
They do make strap on steps as well as bowholders for this very application. I think this rule if fairly consistent across the states.
Imagine if it weren't the case.... Every tree could be pegged....
Just sucks when you sit down and think about it. Right around 200 bucks gone. Not a lot to some people but working 60 hrs a week to be able to try to put some meat on the table for a small family is where it hurts. A sad realization of what my son will have to live with the rest of his life. Working to pay for the rest of the people that wont.
Yeah, you guys are right there. We can't damage a tree's cambium layer. I was thinking more along the lines of leaving stands up. Sorry.
I had a camera stolen on private property I hunt this year. The property owner never cared who hunted there so it was open to anyone. When I told the lady and her daughter about my camera being taken, they told me to post the property for them and that no one else was allowed to hunt there but me.
It's a very good property, I killed my bucks there the last two years. It's to bad that some scumbag had to screw it up for the other guys over a $70 dollar camera.
I'm sure whoever took my camera, knows why the property was posted too. The owners told me they have had a bunch of people ask for permission since I posted it ( no one ever asked before it was posted ) and they tell them all no because of someone decided to steal other peoples stuff there.
Ben
It doesn't matter what it is or where it's at. If you leave something unattended it will grow legs.
I've had stands stolen. It was my fault for leaving them there. No one to blame but myself.
Use a climber and take it out with you each time.
I guess I was in 2 violations. Ill call the local office and tell them that to see if it was a warden. If I get fined for that then ill pay it. The hole tree wasn't pegged. There was a cheap set of sticks up to it. Just the bow holder and a peg to hold my pack. However im guessing it wasn't a warden since the only tracks down where you park were from a dually and the one here drives a SUV. Actually I talked to him the first day of early season when I was headed out and he was taking a road kill bear in.
I know of one area the PGC went through and removed stands after the season. They had too, to keep a war from breaking out. It was a great hunting area that one family "owned".
Lost plenty of stands.Someone took a 2 person ladder stand from the property across street from my house which is crazy.I see other peoples stands all the time,and just wonder when they will lose theirs.Think the only way around it is to use a hang on and take your lower sticks/steps out with you.Though some guy who wants it bad enough will just bring in a set of step to take it.But I think it would deter 70% because I feel most thieves are lazy opportunist just a sad fact of our Pa public ground hunting
I've had success with hunting out of a Trophyline TreeSaddle and some Cranford rope on steps on public land in Ohio. Along with a strap on system that has hooks for my calls, pack, and bow, I am mobile and silent. And to top it off, no chance of anything getting stolen.
Check out the following website to learn about getting a system like this: www.saddlehunter.com
I just got the book out and read the treestand section. The way that reads sounds like you can't even use a climber on state land? Says including portable climbing devices?
Matt, sorry to hear about the theft. No matter the circumstances or the letter of the law, it stinks and that's all there is to it. Anyway, all of this is a part of the reason why I no longer use any type of stand. Best to you in the future.
Matt,
There are some climbers out there that won't damage the cambium layer of trees. See Lone Wolf or Summit selections for example. I believe their cable is wrapped or encased in some rubber type material, thus protecting the tree. I don't think you would be able to use one that has metal teeth on the backside which would enter the cambium layer.
Similarly you can't use tree spurs to climb a tree which I would consider a portable climbing device.
I would suggest a call to the PGC to answer your questions.
Just wondered if i shouldn't be using that new summit climber I just got either
"It doesn't matter what it is or where it's at. If you leave something unattended it will grow legs. I've had stands stolen. It was my fault for leaving them there. No one to blame but myself.".......red
I have to disagree with this Red. I don't blame myself if I get a camera or stand stolen. Same way I wouldn't blame myself if my locked truck got stolen while I was out hunting. Just because it's unattended doesn't give anyone the right to take something that doesn't belong to them. I blame the CRIMINAL who took it along with their parents for not teaching them any values while they were growing up!
Ben
I was taught to value the natural solitude and privacy in the woods... so I feel compelled to smash every trail camera I see with a baseball bat :^)
I wouldn't leave anything in the woods without half-expecting it to be gone when I got back. It a sad reality that many sportsmen aren't sportsmanLIKE.
This is a big reason why I use a portable climber and take it in and out with me.
Ben
If everyone was honest there wouldn't be a problem. Knowing that there are scumbags in the woods, it is certainly our fault if our things are stolen. Locked trucks in a parking lot is a poor example of leaving something out for someone to steal.
I wouldn't say I would be to blame, exactly. But indeed, part of the root cause is that I left it there. Instead I would say that with today's caliber of hunters out there, along with the competitive environment often present, if I didn't expect a camera or stand to grow legs on occasion, I'd be ignorant or naive.
But since I'd half expect it, I wouldn't be surprised or get too upset about it.
Mike when I was the security manager at a center city philadelphia university, we told the commuter students that if you want to get rid of something just leave it on the seat of your car. In west philly it would be wise to leave your car doors unlocked, if you do, so your windows don't get broken.
I spend more on security boxes, pad locks, and cable locks, than I do on the cameras I try to protect them with. Pretty pathetic.
It bothers me to hear people say it is your fault if you have something stolen. Like it's a crime or wrong to have a little faith in your fellow man. I know it's rough out there but there are still plenty of good people too. When I see a trail cam I point directly at it and smile. The message is "I saw your camera and I'm a not a thief"
I hate thieves in our woods. I knew a guy years ago who told me he stole a stand. I also knew who it belonged to although I didn't tell him that. I gave him two choices: Return it and say you are sorry. Or simply return it anonymously which he did. I think he was surprised that I felt so strongly about it. it was almost like he felt he hadn't done anything wrong. Like something left unattended was free for the taking. God help a guy I see taking a stand or camera that doesn't belong to him. Two wrongs won't make a right but It will ruin their day!
What is this world coming to? I wonder if the native Americans stole each others trail cams? lol
I agree. For a while some people had me feeling like I was w criminal for leaving it there, with a lock on it at that lol
thrives are great, I think they just need our help to get on the right track, I am all for just giving them everything they want. It's my fault my stuff gets stolen, is that better? Happy now? Ridiculous!
Mike
You're already giving them all the help they need. What more could you do? Load your stuff into their trucks for them? lol
Well Treerat, I think you know how I feel about my own accountability. I prefer to take ownership of whatever is within my control, good or bad, no excuses. And who controls whether my personal property is left in the woods, where, and when, available to scumbags?
Guess how much stuff I've had stolen in the last 35 years of hunting heavily hunted public and private property?
Zilch.
Matt, I was to harsh with my opening statement and I apologize for that. Losing a stand hurts. Some where in this thread is a lesson.... Take care, Jeff
Jeff that's one more reason why your my hero!
Back in the 90's someone broke into my house, stole some of my guns a very nice Nikon camera with a 300mm lens, my video camera and some money. I guess I need to take ownership for that, after all I live in a rural area, at the time I had no neighbors, I was the only occupied home within 1/2 mile, no homes on the whole road on the opposite side of the road from me. Living there I am just asking for someone to break into my house, after all there is know one around to see what is going on while I was at work. Bad job by me for buying that land and building my house there. I should know better to put my valuables in such a vulnerable situation, I need to own it, if I would have build in a nice gated community I would probably not have to worry about my house being robbed. Right?
YOU go ahead and let the thieves win by letting THEM dictate what you do with your property, I will go on living my life the way I want, I'm not going to change the way I hunt for instance because I need to worry about someone stealing my cameras or stands.
You go ahead and give all your reasons why I'm wrong or stupid for leaving my stuff in the woods, I don't care I'm done with this besides know one has ever won an argument with you on the bowsite in the last 15 years I've been on here, don't expect it will start today either, some people are always right and Allways do the right thing and others are human like me.
Mike
Good grief. Here we go. You guys are something else. I'm not playing your games with the drama and personal attacks and stuff.
Listen, let's be reasonable, I hate that stuff gets stolen too, it's 100% wrong. I too was raised not to touch anything that wasnt mine... period. And if I ever caught some thievin ba$!&+* stealing my stuff... it wouldn't be pretty. But that doesn't mean that in the end I shouldn't wonder how I possibly made it easier for them, and think of ways to help keep it from happening again.
I had a truck stolen once with a bunch of tools in it and my turkey hunting stuff, including my first gun, a present from my dad. Yep, i felt violated. They caught the guy. But I learned a lesson. I never left my truck at my place of work overnight again.
Not change anything at all because I'm good and they're bad? I'm right and they're wrong?
" I wonder if the native Americans stole each others trail cams?"
Nah...they just stole each others women and children to use as slaves. As well as horses, furs, weapons, and just about anything else they thought would come in handy.
So I imagine if trail cams were all the rage back then, I'm guessing those cameras would be going from one tribe to another quite regularly.
They didn't have batteries back then.
They didn't have batteries back then.
Probably solar powered eh horsethief? lol
Here's a question for anyone who thinks a guy got what he asked for if his personal belongings get stolen: Did the thief get what he asked for if he gets caught and get a through butt whoopin? Maybe even ends up in the hospital? Or is that unnecessary roughness? Against the law so unacceptable?
I wish we were allowed to rig our stuff with explosives. I would like nothing more then to go check my cameras and find fingers laying around the woods:)
X2 Ben.
Have a nice day Mike.
Man, you guys are really looking to kick some butt today.....'specially that Benny Farmer guy. :) I hear he puts up claymore mines up next to his cameras. One tug on his deer surveillance device and you are red mist! ;^)
I would like that even better Rog! I was trying to be nice by just blowing off fingers:)
Mine, mine, mine!
BOOM!
Take THAT, socialist scum! How 'bout we redistribute your appendages for the common good? :^)
Funny how this place is dead for months... now we're friggin' blowin suspected thieves body parts all over the place... hypathetically of course :^)
Peace, love, and beads, my fellow sportsmen.
Hey Stick, what happened to 'love thy neighbor' and 'turnin the other cheek'? :^) I know, I know... you only 'thought' about it :^) Oh wait...
Ben that's funny. We could be related. lol
Our camp near Cook Forest used to get robbed all the time. One time a state trooper was there writing up the report. Like a dummy I had left all of my carpentry tools there that week and they stole it all along with everything else that wasn't nailed down. I asked the trooper his thoughts on me rigging up a shotgun so that if someone opened the door it pulled a string and they got an interesting surprise. He said it wasn't legal. My reply was what you'd imagine.... well, if they weren't robbing the place they wouldn't have put themselves in that situation.
So instead we started leaving the back window open a little bit "by accident". They had come in that window before. That window was high enough from the floor that when they lowered themselves inside they have to let go and drop about two feet. Below the window I put several 2 by 12s with a million 12 penny framing spikes sticking up out of them. My dream was to show up and see a nice blood trail to track. But it never happened.
I've thought long and hard about exploding trail cams. lol
Mule, I like that idea with the nails! We might be related:)
Wonder why they don't make these cameras come with a pass code to un lock them like cell phones are? That way they would be no good to the person that takes them without the pass code.
Of course, it still wouldn't stop the guys who were taught to smash them with baseball bats:)
I remember going to a fishing camp in Quebec one time and asking about all the firewood stacks along the back roads. I wondered why the wood didn't get stolen. The locals said there were two things you don't mess with............ a man's woman, and a man's firewood.
Well this thread went round and round with nothing really resolved but I believe we can all agree on a couple things.
1. Treestand thieves are the lowest form of humanity.
2. We can't totally trust that our stands will be safe.
3. Knowing that all "hunters" aren't as honest as we are, we should do all we can to safeguard our stuff. That could mean taking it out with you or locking it up.
No one makes us leave our things in the woods. In the end it's a gamble whether our stand is where we left it, or hanging in someone elses garage.
I've had 4 stands with sticks stolen. It ticked me off to no end. I wrongly assumed they would be left alone. I finally got smart and started using a climber more and hunting from the ground. I have taken resposibility for my things.
Short story. Leased a small lot and had a camper on it. One weekend late 80's early 90's state troopers went back and forth all weekend. Seems a hunting camp owner blew out the back wall of his camp with his wood burner. Another camp owner was tired of his wood being stolen and threatened to put dynamite in a log. The first guy would never admit to stealing wood. The second never admitted to drilling and hiding dynamite. No one hurt and no charges filed.
just thought I'd chime in.Soon as I read about the screw in stuff I was glad that stuff was pulled.I just saw same situation on SGL, about 4 pegs and bow holder in tree with stand.Found two stands in bear season with about 20 pegs going up and this was I believe on federal government property where AT goes thru SGL.looks like it has been there.Can game commission govern that property?
Is it stealing if you move it to another tree on the same SGL?I find stands left year round.Ladder stands mostly rusting away and sometimes chained to trees and chains growing into the tree.Those IMO should be "stolen" since they are unattended,damaging trees and removed.They got so cheap noe people can afford to just leave them in woods year round and clutter up public property.
In the jersey threads. There's a couple of guys that they caught. They we're arrested. I guess they'll end up with records
Waiting to see the outcome
Ben. In anger I went through the same thought process. For one minute and realized it's wrong and could you imagine being liable for that bums care?
I think the best way is to catch em and prosecute. You'll need multiple cameras ,serial numbers and maybe GPS tracking devices
My admission. I always wanted to put an exploding dye pack in one but with my luck it would detonate on me or knock him out of the tree at the base of my stand. Oops
Bill v