Forgotten treestands

[Bones]

So I’ve been hunting a wma with my climber this bow season, I’ve seen a good amount of deer and a couple decent bucks plus it’s a beautiful area and the landscape is relaxing to look at from the stand.

With my little hunting buddy wanting to go deer hunting I put up a double ladder stand for buck week for the two of us. Everywhere I look there’s 35 stands within 50 yards of each other, most are sun bleached and look like they have been there for 10 years. A lot are 15ft single ladder stands that look like they were put up and forgotten.

I’ve been watching a spot over the bow season and haven’t seen anyone go back there I even put a camera on a trail to see if I got any foot traffic but nothing over the last month.

I put the stand up two weeks and haven’t had any notes left on it. What’s the chances guys will be in them during buck week?

 

[DBuck]

4 minutes ago, Bones said:

So I’ve been hunting a wma with my climber this bow season, I’ve seen a good amount of deer and a couple decent bucks plus it’s a beautiful area and the landscape is relaxing to look at from the stand.

With my little hunting buddy wanting to go deer hunting I put up a double ladder stand for buck week for the two of us. Everywhere I look there’s 35 stands within 50 yards of each other, most are sun bleached and look like they have been there for 10 years. A lot are 15ft single ladder stands that look like they were put up and forgotten.

I’ve been watching a spot over the bow season and haven’t seen anyone go back there I even put a camera on a trail to see if I got any foot traffic but nothing over the last month.

I put the stand up two weeks and haven’t had any notes left on it. What’s the chances guys will be in them during buck week?

 

Just be there first and flash them as they come walking in.

 

[Greybeard]

Ladder stands seem to never get taken back down.  Hang a stick on the steps.  If it's still there at the end of the season, it's abandoned.  

[Mountain Goat]

My experience is they will not be used in any season.  Just don't use them.  Many are dangerous. I have seen lots of vacant ladder stands that are not used.

[Bucksnbows]

34 minutes ago, Greybeard said:

Ladder stands seem to never get taken back down.  Hang a stick on the steps.  If it's still there at the end of the season, it's abandoned.  

That's a great tip right there. 

[Pathman]

46 minutes ago, Bones said:

So I’ve been hunting a wma with my climber this bow season, I’ve seen a good amount of deer and a couple decent bucks plus it’s a beautiful area and the landscape is relaxing to look at from the stand.

With my little hunting buddy wanting to go deer hunting I put up a double ladder stand for buck week for the two of us. Everywhere I look there’s 35 stands within 50 yards of each other, most are sun bleached and look like they have been there for 10 years. A lot are 15ft single ladder stands that look like they were put up and forgotten.

I’ve been watching a spot over the bow season and haven’t seen anyone go back there I even put a camera on a trail to see if I got any foot traffic but nothing over the last month.

I put the stand up two weeks and haven’t had any notes left on it. What’s the chances guys will be in them during buck week?

 

95%

[NJ Predator]

41 minutes ago, Greybeard said:

Ladder stands seem to never get taken back down.  Hang a stick on the steps.  If it's still there at the end of the season, it's abandoned.  

A hassle to put up and a hassle to take down sometimes. 

[hunterbob1]

Haven't been to my double ladder stand in five or six years. It was my bear stand! Bout a 1/2 mile west of the end of long lake parallel to Berkshire valley road down the fire rd. It's on a knob looking South up the mountain to picatinny arsenal. It's in a big pine tree. It must still I put more chains and cables on it than you can shake a stick at. The bottom ladder section could never disappear. There ain't none. I cabled and chained an aluminum extension ladder to it. Permission granted to anyone who wants to use it!

[kanigie]

1 hour ago, Greybeard said:

Ladder stands seem to never get taken back down.  Hang a stick on the steps.  If it's still there at the end of the season, it's abandoned.  

I tie the toe rope a specific way to check if it's been used.

[Lunatic]

3 hours ago, Bones said:

So I’ve been hunting a wma with my climber this bow season, I’ve seen a good amount of deer and a couple decent bucks plus it’s a beautiful area and the landscape is relaxing to look at from the stand.

With my little hunting buddy wanting to go deer hunting I put up a double ladder stand for buck week for the two of us. Everywhere I look there’s 35 stands within 50 yards of each other, most are sun bleached and look like they have been there for 10 years. A lot are 15ft single ladder stands that look like they were put up and forgotten.

I’ve been watching a spot over the bow season and haven’t seen anyone go back there I even put a camera on a trail to see if I got any foot traffic but nothing over the last month.

I put the stand up two weeks and haven’t had any notes left on it. What’s the chances guys will be in them during buck week?

 

Who the he’ll knows, the guy may show up for six day only or never show up. Maybe he left it there years ago or maybe he has 10 stands out there. Hunt the area. 

[Bucndoe]

Anyone can go in it if it is on public land. I've hunted lots of state land during bow season and never saw a soul. Once gun season comes in people come from all directions.

[Kype]

its ridiculous really. leaving stands up on property that is to be shared by others. or leaving stands up all year to "mark your territory". i have been saying for years that all wma and state/public lands should be carry in and carry out. if you have private land then call tree house masters and have them build the most badass stand there is for all i care. 

 

[Bones]

Leaving a stand up that you use is ok it’s the ones that are just cluttering up the woods having me 2nd guess.

I use my climber during bow season but shotgun my daughter likes to go so I need something for us to sit up in.
 Hopefully I don’t have any issues I don’t want to have a issue while she’s there. 

[Hitemnasty]

My big question has always been, at what point is it ok to remove the stand as trash? Is it steal stealing if someone left it there forever? Just like if you see a old tire or air conditioner, you know all the other crap people leave on public land. Can you pick any of that up because its trash or are you stealing because someone left it there and you just not sure why?

[deadonshot2]

2 minutes ago, Hitemnasty said:

My big question has always been, at what point is it ok to remove the stand as trash? Is it steal stealing if someone left it there forever? Just like if you see a old tire or air conditioner, you know all the other crap people leave on public land. Can you pick any of that up because its trash or are you stealing because someone left it there and you just not sure why?

Did you ever remove an old wooden stand? Then leave the metal one alone also. I found what looks like the first ladder stand ever made. It was round pipes which I had never seen before. It was super rusty. And there it still stands. I also know where a climber has been sitting at base of a tree since opening day of 6 day last year. And there it still sits. Not mine so I don't touch it. Want to know if it abandoned--do something to find out like a couple suggestions in this thread. Would you be okay if say you had trail cam out year round and it went missing because nobody ever saw you there changing batteries/sd card? Hey I thought it was forgotten/abandoned.