# How would you approach someone in your stand?...



## scrollmaster (Nov 15, 2004)

If you've hunted for long as many here, in all likelyhood you've faced trespassers. Either they are on the land illegally or actually using a stand they know isn't theirs. In view of the recent tragic event I think it is appropriate to ask... "How should it be handled? Does this event change how I will handle things in the future?"

My partner & I are both hunters and this was a hot topic at work Monday morning even among non hunting employees. And I don't mean hot with temper but with concern and interest. My 16 yr old son asked about it this weekend and how I would handle someone in one of our stands.

In all the years of hunting I've only faced someone actually sitting in an active stand of mine 3 times. By active I mean a stand that I work or hunt in the current year, obvious that it is not abandoned. I've always got their attention with "Hello to the deer stand" and make sure I'm recognized then let them know I want to approach because they are hunting my stand. I've done this in a friendly manner and so far never had and incident get out of hand. *In my opinion, *I doubt this would have made any difference in what happened in the Wisconsin incident but I don't feel the need to change any more than I've felt a need quit going to the Post Office or sending my kids to school after Columbine.

The other issue is finding someone's stand illegally on my personal property and I'm including that which I also lease for the purpose of hunting. I do as my Dad did and remove the stand from the tree if possible and leave it on the ground with a note that it is here without permission and please remove. After a time if they do not remove it or especially if I find it back up then I take it home and consider it mine until they come to me personally.


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## Remmi_&amp;_I (Dec 2, 2003)

> How would you approach someone in your stand?...


Apparently, very carefully and wearing a Kevlar vest. :******: :******:


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## dakotashooter2 (Oct 31, 2003)

I've only had a couple of encounters with people in my stands. One was an ex hunting partner and that is one of the many reasons he is an ex. Had he asked I probably would have let him hunt it. The other, was his son and I wasn't going to hunt it that day so I let it slide. The landowner eventually booted them both off the property and solved my problem. Most all of my stands have my name painted on them in a contrasting color that is easily seen from the ground and I remove the steps from the portables. The name gives me ownership and helps identify my stands to the landowner if there is a problem. My portables (homemade) are also pretty small to keep the profile down so most guys are not comfortable in them. The paper this morning said this guy had a history of threatening or violent behavior. His hunting weapon of choice was a SKS with a 20 rnd mag. I wonder if 20 rounders are legal for hunting in Wisconsin?


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## Dakota Kid (Aug 17, 2002)

Here is MN all stands on public land are just that, public.

I had an interesting story this past September. I live right next to a piece of public hunting ground and put a treestand up in a tree that appeared to have had a portable placed in it the year earlier. I did this about a week before the 18 September bow opener.

About 10 days later, I arrived to hunt that stand at 0530 to find a two-page note tacked to the base of the tree I was going to hunt. It read, "Dear fellow bowhunter." The writer, sarcastically thanked me for taking the "tree he had been hunting out of the last three years." In the letter, he informed me that since this was public land, he was going to hunt my stand whenever he wanted. The letter did have a serious tone of cooperation as he did not want to get into a "pissing match" with me over this so he listed his name and number and wished me good luck.

I had no idea what the hell to do with this so I called him. We both vigoursly voiced our opinion on the situation but in the end worked it out. He really wanted to know who was hunting there as he had been hunting in the area for some years. I did let him know that I respected him for writing the letter and signing it but that I considered him to be whining. I would have been way to embarrassed to write a letter and would have just chalked it up to being too late.

The guy was so upset about me beating him to the tree that he went home and slept on it for a few days and then wrote the note and drove 20 miles out to post it on my tree.

I still have not met him nor have I caught him in "my" tree. However, I am glad that he wrote the note and tried to head off any ugly field discussions. As hunters, I think we need to do more communication in the field, instead of acting like we don't see the other there.

f


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## Goldy's Pal (Jan 6, 2004)

> remove the stand from the tree if possible and leave it on the ground with a note that it is here without permission and please remove. After a time if they do not remove it or especially if I find it back up then I take it home and consider it mine until they come to me personally.


scrollmaster, you just described what I had to do for the first time this year.

As far as if he or she were sitting in a stand of mine on my own property I would get their attention in the stand in a friendly manner. A hand wave and a hello maybe. Then I would ask if they knew who's land they were on and explain this is posted private property and that permission was not given to anyone. If they seem to be difficult, have an attitude, or if the response is anything other than an I'm sorry, I didn't know, it won't happen again, or something to that effect I would simply walk away and call the county sheriff or conservation officer and explain the situation. Let them handle it, it's what they get paid to do.

If someone is in a stand of mine on someone elses property I would ask their name, let them know I put the stand there, and just check with the landowner to see if anyone else is supposed to be on the property. If permission was granted to this person there isn't much you can do other than next time leave the house a little earlier letting them know you are not just going to roll over and hand this spot to them. If they don't have permission, again, get the authorities involved. Hopefully they have the respect for you and your stand and they find another area to hunt next time.

Portable stands on public land in Minn. need to be removed when you leave the woods after each day so it wouldn't be an issue.


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## Bob Kellam (Apr 8, 2004)

I am not trying to be sarcastic but *Another* advantage to hunting ND is that where I hunt there are no trees, at least none big enough for a stand. You can see other vehicles a mile away. 

Bob


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

It is frustrating when you spend a few years hunting and learning an area and then someone else starts hunting right on top of you. I've been on both sides of the coin and if the guy acts decent and convinces me hes been hunting the spot I move on or ask him where he parks so that if hes in there I can go to a different spot if hes there when I get there that day.
Bow hunters should have enough class to treat each other with respect. Gun hunters are always wanting to fight about it I think its because the seasons are a lot shorter.


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## WARDEN247 (Sep 7, 2004)

I too hunt some public land during rifle season.. 6 years back my party built a stationary stand. 3 years ago while checking stands and sign before rifle opener we went out to that stand. There was a bow stand 6 feet about the stationary stand. On this guys portable stand was a note stating. "I am a bow hunter and will not be out here during rifle season. This stand will be taken down before rifle opener." I was alittle ****** the first time I approached this stand only to find a bow stand placed above it. It wasn't like this stand was just off the road either.. Probably a 700 yard walk from the nearest road in deep forest. I have never met this person but he has had his bow stand there ever since. So this works out for us.. He bow hunts it and I rifle hunt it.. I believe we have both killed many deer off this same spot and have never had a dispute.


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

Yep thats a good arrangment we should all strive to get along. Available hunting spots are getting fewer and fewer. With deer hunting like water fowl the animals are going to be in smaller areas within the available habitiat so conficts will always arise we as hunters will have to learn to deal with each other in a friendly manner.


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## Remmi_&amp;_I (Dec 2, 2003)

I say, if someone was in my stand it would give me another excuse to be out chasing roosters! But take that comment with a grain of salt because it is official that...... I am the all time worst bowhunter because I can't sit still in a tree freezing my a$$ off.


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## Gunner (Oct 30, 2002)

Goldy's Pal said:


> Portable stands on public land in Minn. need to be removed when you leave the woods after each day so it wouldn't be an issue.


If they are on wildlife management areas or state parks open to hunting, they have to be removed daily. If they are on state forest land you can leave them overnight, but any one can use it just like a permanent stand. I discussed this with a CO and if I left my stand overnight (or for that matter anytime) and someone was occupying it I would have to wait until they were done hunting to remove it (it's a moot issue anyway since it's a climbing stand and I padlock it to the base of the tree).


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## Dakota Kid (Aug 17, 2002)

> Portable stands on public land in Minn. need to be removed when you leave the woods after each day so it wouldn't be an issue.
> 
> Depends on the type of public land. On Tax forfited land stands can be left up all season.


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## Dakota Kid (Aug 17, 2002)

> Portable stands on public land in Minn. need to be removed when you leave the woods after each day so it wouldn't be an issue.


Depends on the type of public land. On Tax forfited land stands can be left up all season.


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## Goldy's Pal (Jan 6, 2004)

Thanks for the clarification on the state land. I don't hunt it anyway (to many Hmongs) so I don't pay close attention to some of those regs.


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## Dakota Kid (Aug 17, 2002)

Is there really to many Hmongs or are you joking?

One thing I can't can't used to is the ATV usage in MN. Seems like everyone has one and its permanetly attached to their ***. One guy who bowhunts public land close to my house rides his ATV right to his tree. Duh!


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## Goldy's Pal (Jan 6, 2004)

No joke. The atv thing is really big here too. I might be one of the few around who doesn't have one. I prefer the quiet approach myself.

Bob K; Pay attention while in class please. :lol: Ok, what would you do if someone was parked in their truck (gun pointing out the window) and on your land?? :roll:

So you don't have your woods logged on occassion I take it. :lol:


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## Bob Kellam (Apr 8, 2004)

GP the only woods on the land I hunt are classified as "Buck brush" :lol:

Nothing like sittin on a nice big hill with the spot scope gun bi-pod thermos and just enjoying the peace and quiet. 

Bob


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## Goldy's Pal (Jan 6, 2004)

Some of you old prairie dogs should get east a little and sip on that coffee cup with some corn fed giants snortin' down your deer trail. :lol: I'll supply the bib and some extra in case you spill. :lolM headed your way Bob, I got a good story for ya.


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