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Tree Stands on Public

Where I hunt these days it is a WMA, public hunting archery only area, and I have found that people seem to leave their stands there year round. Has everyone else seen this practice in the public areas that they hunt? What's your opinion on this matter?

My opinion and (I believe) the law, they shouldn't be left out on public. It's kind of like blinds left over water holes for elk/antelope. Shouldn't happen, but does.

It’s not legal to leave them out all year. Nothing illegal about picking up trash after season...in trees or on the ground :)

That's just I was thinking Michael. I emailed ODWC and told them of the stands and said that if they didn't want them, I do! I'll give them a couple weeks and then help myself I guess.

Jack, per ODW regs deer stands are not to be left on public lands after your hunt is finished. The hunt has a maximum time period of 14 days. With that said, I don't think it's a very good idea to remove/take tree stands that don't belong to you. I think that could be construed as theft. Just my two cents, Gene

Gene, your correct and I wouldn't take property that didn't belong to me. Just curious if anyone else has observed this practice? I sent an e-mail to ODWC to see if they were interested, but really don't expect to here back from them.

I've had the land managers tell me they can stay till after the season closes, at which time they must be removed.

I used to steer clear of areas with stands hanging there out of respect for other hunters until I figured out nobody is using them. Now I'll proceed to hunt wherever I want to on public land unless I can tell there's someone actively using it. I wouldn't take someone's stand but I would participate in telling everyone in the community where some are available to be taken.

Here is the paragraph from the current hunting regulations regarding tree stands on public land: Deer Stands No permanent type stands may be constructed in or on a tree nor shall cleats be driven into a tree to gain access to a portion of any tree nor shall any person hunt from such a stand. Only portable type stands, that do not require the use of any fastening device that has the potential of damaging a tree, are permitted. Stands shall be removed from the tree immediately following the closure of the hunt for which they were used with a limit of no more than 14 days. Stands remaining after this time become the property of the Department

There you go.....!

What that means is that there should be no stands hanging in trees on any WMA land right now but I could take you out and show you 20 of them. I don't think it would be safe or ethical to use them or take them but I still want to hunt the areas where they exist. So I hang my own stands and hunt there because hanging a stand and leaving it there permanently doesn't make someone a landowner.

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