# Is this ethical?



## Methuselah (Sep 5, 2008)

Is it unethical to take a deer stand that was left on a WMA? I came across one tonight and decided to leave it, but when I told a few people they all said it wasn't stealing if I took it. Just for clarification it is illegal to leave a deer stand out over night on a Waterfowl Management Area in MN. This may be a hot topic, but what is your opinion?


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## honkerslayr (Dec 14, 2006)

Ummmm? NO!!!

First of all if it was your stand would you like it if someone took your stand you left on public land??? Jeez this seems like a rhetorical friggin question. And how can they claim it's not stealing? What else would you call it borrowing it??? I don't think so! Leave the stand! :roll: :eyeroll:


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

It would make me feel like I was stealing. I wouldn't take it and keep it, but if it is up night after night I might take it and drop it at the game wardens office.
As years go by I run into more and more duffuses. I feel guilty posting, but I did post a quarter this year. It's not mine, but belongs to a friend. I have never used a camera before so decided to take one from my back yard and try it for fun. Someone opened it, turned it off and yanked my memory stick. They didn't take anything, but they did delete all the pictures. 
Two days later a stand shows up ten feet from where my camera is at. The guy drove a four wheeler a half mile through corn and sunflowers and built a stand. He must be afraid of height because he has eight four inch screws in each one foot section of 2X4 that he is using for steps. Then he uses 14 steps in three rows to climb ten feet. What's up with that?
So the landowner asked me to bring as many posted signs by as I wanted to and post anything I want to hunt. I could have posted a lot of land, but I only posted that quarter. 
Since posting another guy put up a ladder stand. I know he is using it because every other day there is another five gallons of corn. I know there are four different guys hunting that belt now and none have permission. It gets a little worse every year.
I think I will hide a camera to take a picture of the first camera to see who is messing with it.


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## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

Tresspassing around where your hunting is at an all time high this year. Even up north my friend called and said someone hunted one of his posted fields for the youth weekend and there are only 4 people who has permission on it and we were all in MN.

Leave the stand.


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## Methuselah (Sep 5, 2008)

That is why I left the stand in the tree. I beleive in the golden rule. If it would have been on my private land I would have taken it in a heart beat. Speaking about trespassing, I did have a horse rider go by me the other night on my land and he had absaluytley NO right to be on it. I have takled to this person multiple times and this will be the last time. Next time the local CO is getting a call. I'm sick of ruined hunts. Back on topic, Is is unethical to use the stand if it's on state land then?


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## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

Yeah I would say not use it, unless you find out the owner and talk to him/her because if they put in the work of scouting you you just use it. Doesn't seem fair to me, but then its just me. Do what your gut tells you to do.


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## Methuselah (Sep 5, 2008)

I normaly wouldn't have used it but it was actualy in the tree I had cleared earlier this season for my stand. It was even at the right height for my shooting lanes. I'm not gunna lie, it was nice having a stand pre hung in the tree. I know I would be a bit ticked if someone was in my stand, but I know it's just part of the state land game.


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## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

I know, its hard, but sometimes its better to just walk away.


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## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

I am just taking a shot in the dark here, but I bet you already knew the answers to your questions before you posted????


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## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

Sometimes is nice to see what others would have done.


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## Methuselah (Sep 5, 2008)

I never said I didn't know what I felt, infact I did say what I both did and felt. I was just wondering what other peoples opinions were on the subject. I like discussing controversial topics and I guess this is one of them. Keep the opinions coming in.


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

Heres something to think about...are you sure it was left overnight? Your sure it wasnt hung this morning?

Just saying.

Ive had guys sit in my stands on private land and it gets me spittin mad.


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## NDTerminator (Aug 20, 2003)

Yes, it's not only unethical, but a crime to take it. The proper thing to do is report it to G&F and let them deal with it. That's what they get paid to do...

I've run across this twice. Both times I marked the stand with GPS, gave the coordinates to NDGF, and they seized the stand.

Amazingly, no one came in to claim them...


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## Chuck Smith (Feb 22, 2005)

Never take the stand. But call the CO. These people are breaking the law.

Now I would not hesitate one bit to use it. Then I would tell them that they are in violation of the law for leaving the stand over night.

Plus I am not 100%on this but look in the regs. But if a stand is hung on public land over night it is open game for anyone to use.


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## buckseye (Dec 8, 2003)

I would absolutely never take it or anything else ever. And to be honest I don't tell the GW either, I've seen many stands of about every style you can imagine on public lands. If there were more active ones I would probably complain though.

Some are older than me, the funniest one I have seen is the 5ft stepladder leaning against a tree. Of course I stood beside it one rainy day to check it out, lo and behold a doe walked right up to me, it is in a decent spot I guess.

Best to leave what isn't yours alone. :beer:


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## MN goose killa (Sep 19, 2008)

i woulda took it and turned it in.


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## Hamm (Dec 10, 2007)

Methuselah said:


> Is it unethical to take a deer stand that was left on a WMA? I came across one tonight and decided to leave it, but when I told a few people they all said it wasn't stealing if I took it.


Those people must have an odd definition of stealing. If you have a problem with it, you should report it, or if you're really ambitious take it down yourself and take it in.

Somewhat of a side note: I think it's kind of silly you have to take your stands down every night. Putting up tree stands can be a real pain in the rear. Having to do it 20 times a season would really suck.


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## texcl (Oct 6, 2007)

I would consider that stealing, leave the enforcment up to the officers.


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## honkstopper (Dec 23, 2007)

well if you do go out and use it better take it with you b/c a CO sees you walk out with out guess who is getting the ticket. How you gonna prove it isn't yours call the CO and have it removed and mention to them if no one wants it i will tkae it off your hands. That is what i would do.

And it is stealing in the eyes of god but not in the eyes of the law anything left on public land is then considered public and anyone can use or remove it. Personally i would have taken it down i am going to hell for murdering all those poor defenseless animals anyways


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## buckseye (Dec 8, 2003)

> i am going to hell for murdering all those poor defenseless animals anyways


Like the rest of us active hunters you answer a call unheard to the human ear. It is a call of tender, enduring care for God's creations. Something within us knows we have to stay connected to the living breathing side of nature while many others are down a very different path.

The feeling of hunting and to know you are a predator among predators is the true connection we seek. To kill is not even near the top of our concern, our utmost concern is to leave the resources in a better condition for all generations that will follow us into eternity.

And you are doing that my friend, I thank you and wish you the greatest of success in your life as a steward of God's garden.


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## Methuselah (Sep 5, 2008)

Awesome post Buckseye! That is EXACTLY the way I feel about hunting, God, and nature in general.


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## ImpalaSSpeed96 (Aug 25, 2008)

I have a lot better things to do then worry about someone's stand left up on public ground. I think its a pretty retarded rule to begin w/ anyway. But I'm definitely not going to take someones stand nor am I going to concern myself w/ turning them in over it...


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## 308 (Jul 10, 2007)

What if it was a stand left on your property within sight of your house. And the guy didn't even ask you if he could hunt. Would that be stealing if you took it?


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## Steelpuck18 (Sep 16, 2008)

yeah it is the law that they cant leave it there. i would wait until the season is over and then if nobody has taken it then you could take it becaus if they leave it there over the winter and expect it to be there in the summer they are pretty stupid.


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## Methuselah (Sep 5, 2008)

If it would have been on my private land I would have left it up and caught the guy that was using it and pressed charges. I have no time for trespassers.


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## Methuselah (Sep 5, 2008)

Heres another one for you guys. Last winter I was out ice fishing on a public lake and I came across a couple goose decoys frozen into the ice. Instead of trying to get them out I decided to wait until the ice started to thaw. Upon returning in the spring I was amazed to see over 5 dozen duck decoys floating along with the goose decoys. Now these decoys weren't in front of a house or even close to the road. I proceded to pick them all out of the ice and bring them home. Was this wrong? I personaly don't beleive it was stealing. If they were stupid enough to let 5 dozen dekes freeze into the lake and leave them all winter I can't help it. What do you think?


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## kase (Jan 23, 2005)

i woulda done the same thing. seems to me that it was pretty evident that nobody was coming back for them! i dont even waterfowl ha....i think leaving them there would be a form of littering...?


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## holmsvc (Nov 26, 2003)

If it is on public land where it is supposed to be pulled out every night and it is left year round where you want to hunt, I guess I would either sit in it if no one is there.

If they show up when you are in the stand explain to them that they are supposed to pull it out nightly and you thought it would be easier to sit in their stand rather than pull it out to put yours up for the night.


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