How many stands before you give up on a piece of public land?

[Herd Buck]

I scouted a different piece of public land than I normally hunt today and found 16 ladder stands and other set ups in a little over 2 hours of walking, they ranged from lone wolf to the dicks’s special.

So for the guys that hunt public land how many stands do you count before you move on to a different piece of land? Also I’m amazed how many people leave stands out year round on public land.

 

[Zone35killer]

I don’t hunt much public, but I’m thinking about it this year. I’d say it depends on how close together they are. And if I can get comfortably far enough away from them. But I’d say it really doesn’t matter how many stands if the deer sign is there. 1 to maybe 5 of those stands are serious hunters, that’s all I’m worried about. 

[Ringtail]

I don’t move on I just suck it up and find a tree

[Buck154]

Its probably just 2 guys that are hogging all the land

[Rusty]

3 minutes ago, Buck154 said:

Its probably just 2 guys that are hogging all the land

TRue, those stands could sit empty all year.  I know guys that intentionally buy a bunch of cheap stands just to make it look like an area is being hunted.  

[Greybeard]

Lot of guys are too lazy to take them down, ever, and never return.  Hang sticks on them at the beginning of next year, and see if they get moved.

[Bones]

That’s a good tactic.

I only hunt state land on weekdays I don’t see to many people then.

[Lphunsjr]

I have 2 stands I leave up. No one has messed with them,,,,,,,,yet. There is 1 stand pretty close to me. Left a note once, never responded. I have never seen anyone hunt it. Lucky I guess

[Nomad]

Must be very easy access.  Walked a mountain near me for 2 miles and did not see one stand.  It's hard enough just getting up there, no less carrying a stand.

[megavites]

so here's what I'll say...I just scouted some public today...4+ miles. Found three stands, one in a perfect spot...the others...maybe doe spots. I picked out two to three other spots that I could setup and not encroach on these guys. I bumped about 6 deer, but no sheds found. 

none of these stands were locked. The best one had a nice set of individual sticks. I walked out only with only the knowledge of  where to setup in the future.

[Herd Buck]

It is easy access it’s part of 6 mile run also one of the only public spots in the county... good idea with the sticks, I was amazed because I have always hunted public wma and never saw that many 

Edited February 25, 2019 by Herd Buck

[TouchofGrey]

I recently have been hunting Black River WMA after about a 10 year break. I can't count how many bright eyes and blaze marks I see there. That said I hunted a different area this year scouting during  Pheasant season. I saw at least 10 stands. I tried to get as far away as possible when I made my blinds. Come gun season I didn't see 1 hunter in any of the stands! They can't possibly be only bow hunters. I will say this, there is very little hunting in that area during gun season. Not like it was in the 1980s and 1990s. Most days I was the only deer hunter in the area.

[Swamp_Yankee]

How many people thought that the title implied, "how many stands would you put up with getting stolen before you gave up?"  

[Tuck]

I did!!!!  

[ithaca10]

During the week (bow season) rarely see anyone out hunting.