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Tree stands on Public lands

I have been bow hunting deer and turkeys in Nebraska for the past 20 years.

What I have noticed is that more and more tree/ladder stands are being left year around in SWAs especially since a more food plots are be developed on these lands.

I know there is a regulation that states that stands on public land need to be removed just after the season but it seems this reg is not be enforced.

Anyone else notice more stands being left year around on SWA?

Paul

I have found a few ladder stands in out of the way places on the area I hunt in the SW. I found one last year in this little ribbon of trees that was very close to the boundary. It was a brand new 2 person ladder stand, I am guessing someone with access to the neighboring private land brought it in and set it up.

I first hunted Nebraska in 2010 and only saw one ladder stand that had been left in the woods. It appeared to have not to have been used in quite awhile. Each year since then there have been more and more stands left up from the season before. i very seldom see any other hunters and can only assume that they belong to gun hunters. i have never seen a stand more than 100 yards from a road or field edge. the most unusual set up I have seen was two stands facing each others about 15 yards apart.

If you found a stand on a tree that you would like to hunt from do you hunt from the stand? Seems to me it would be okay since no other hunter has the right to put a permanent claim on a tree that is on public land.

I saw 6 stands in two hunts this year (evening and morning). Some were in quite a ways and two hanging stands were definitely bowhunters. Much more than years past but most were probably for the gun season. I would not hunt from someone's stand but I may hunt close if I think they are using it for a later season or it seems like it was left from a previous year.

I recently spoke to one of the Nebraska Regional wildlife managers and he stated, it has become an issue of enforcement as they do not have the time to check them all out and/ they do not know who owns them. We have had the same issue here in Colorado on Public Lands and now it is required to take down the stand within 10 days at the end of the season and also, to attach one's identification to the stand so it can be read from the ground. This includes ground tent blinds as well and tree stands.

It is also required to take the stand down in Nebraska at the end of the season, but no id is required to be placed on the stand.

my best, Paul

I believe 30 days after season that they become abandoned property, but you should double check on this.

I like them as I hunt out of them during the week. Never had an issue and shoot deer out of them every year.

The issue is that they are being left in place year around. Regulations state, may not be installed, used, and left in place from Feb 1--Aug 15 on SWA. And the only way to find the owner is to make one post their ID on the stand which is not mandatory at this time.

I see many stands (left in place on SWA) while turkey hunting in April and May.

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