What to do when you come across a tree stand?

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Hunting regs change as the provinces do I guess. Guides in BC have areas but they are always open to the public to hunt if on crown land. The above comment indicates this is not always so in other provinces. Do guides have exclusive rights to hunt on crown land in other provinces? As to the OP if you are hunting in a respectful manner on crown land continue to do so where and when you want regardless of tree stand location.
 
Well - One needs to bear in mind that some crown land is leased to hunt camps. I'd think twice about occupying space in their lease area during deer season. Back to the OP, what would you do if the tables were reversed, and you showed up to find someone near your stand?[/QUOTE

I don't own a stand, but plan on buying one for next year. In choosing my stand, I am going to choose one that is light & easy enough to set up and tear down. Will I tear it down every night of hunt week, probably not. But knowing that if I did leave a stand up you bet your a$$ that I will be in that seat at least a 1/2 hr before sunrise.

No doubt that scouting an area before the hunt is a great idea. Those that do set up and leave tree stands up probably did do some scouting. But what about the guys that scouted that same area, & did not set up a tree stand, deciding to find a spot on the ground?

It has been great hearing all of the opinions on this. I have decided that in most cases, I will not be moving if a tree stand owner does show up with exceptions that I reserve to my personal discretion.
 
This is a great topic, thanks for bringing it up new and novice.
I could tell that I would probably have a problem with some of you guys based on your answers.
I for one would never think about hunting around another hunters stand.
Turning this into a race by saying that one guy gets there before the other does not give one the right of passage
as far as I am concerned even on crown land, yes crown land does not belong to any one hunter but is
meant to be used by all, there are no written laws on it's use but it does require that everyone practice common
curtesy and respect for another hunters space, the fact that you are wondering around during hunting season only demonstrates that
you did not put in the time beforehand to scout and put up a stand of your own. It is unknown if the other hunter is there,
you don't know if he is on his way or maybe went for a piss or back to his vehicle to get something he forgot or refreshing
his bait or maybe even gutting his deer 100 yards away that he just shot, I say keep moving or it could get ugly I have seen it.
BB
 
Well - One needs to bear in mind that some crown land is leased to hunt camps. I'd think twice about occupying space in their lease area during deer season. Back to the OP, what would you do if the tables were reversed, and you showed up to find someone near your stand?

They lease a very small portion of land that has the cabin on it. They cannot claim any rights to the land outside of the cabin. Feel free to hunt on the same crown land they are, they have no more rights to it than you. They might get pissy, but don't let it bother you.
 
It gets ugly because one hunter is trying to defend a claim that he doesn't have. When implying that it is his doesn't work he can then resort to belligerence.

Why is a tree-stand hunter's claim to a spot higher than that of a still hunter? Should a ground hunter just put up a sign saying "OK, this is my spot and if I see you hunting around here things are going to get ugly". ?
 
yup!
This reminds me of going to a vacation resort and seeing all the towels on beach chairs all day without anyone claiming them until 3PM. Totally ridiculous and disrespectful. If you're not supposed to leave a stand overnight, don't cry if someone took the general area next day and beat you to it. It's just like fishing, early bird gets the worm. Imagine putting chairs and towels on your favorite fishing spot and expect others not to fish there. So what if you spent the time scouting and putting up a stand. If you're not there, you're not using the area and open to someone else using it. It's public land and no one has ownership right over another unless you are physically there using it. Even then, it's because others aren't allowed to harass you, not because you own the land. If you want to claim ownership over an area, buy some land.
 
It gets ugly because one hunter is trying to defend a claim that he doesn't have. When implying that it is his doesn't work he can then resort to belligerence.

Why is a tree-stand hunter's claim to a spot higher than that of a still hunter? Should a ground hunter just put up a sign saying "OK, this is my spot and if I see you hunting around here things are going to get ugly". ?


Yeah, I think I am going out to climb the 75 foot oak tree in the middle over the forest and play overlord to all of you!
 
Yeah, I think I am going out to climb the 75 foot oak tree in the middle over the forest and play overlord to all of you!

I'm going to buy a ticket for a hot air balloon ride and hover above you. Try to stop me, I don't see any laws against that! No one owns the air! And its virtually silent which makes it perfect for hunting out of too. ;)
 
I'm going to buy a ticket for a hot air balloon ride and hover above you. Try to stop me, I don't see any laws against that! No one owns the air! And its virtually silent which makes it perfect for hunting out of too. ;)

Saskatchewan hunting regulations forbid the use of aircraft for hunting, so check the wind direction. :)
 
Soon people will be scouting out areas and start putting flags up to mark their territory. Too many #######s out there always proving that society is going to ####.

I don't use tree stands. I just hide behind a bush. So if you are out hunting and you see a bush, that's my spot, don't hunt there.
 
I don't use tree stands. I just hide behind a bush. So if you are out hunting and you see a bush, that's my spot, don't hunt there.

I mark my territory in the traditional manner of carnivores, by pi**ing on bushes, grass and rocks . Therefore, if you are hiding behind or otherwise hunkered down behind any of these it would be best to put up a sign or a tree-stand, or a sign with a picture of a tree-stand so you don't get "claimed" at the same time.
 
Agree 100%....If you want to show respect to other hunters, remove your stand at the end of the day!!!
this would be fine if you were only hunting in the evening, but the noise you make setting up a stand in the morning to prepare for a morning hunt would be a waste of time for the hunter if there was a regulation like that.
 
People do strange things on Crown Land, I have seen, no trespassing signs, private property signs, trails blocked with cut down trees, no hunting signs, I just check my GPS coordinates and make sure I am not in the wrong place and just ignore them all.
 
If I find someone camped out right at the bottom of my stand, I'm gonna be pissed.

So what you are saying is that you can "reserve" your prime hunting spot and prevent all others who have a right to hunt there, simple by hanging up a deer stand.. Why not just put up a sign on the tree and say "Reserved for Ignorant Hunter"...

The fact is that EVERYONE has a right to use crown land. PERIOD.. If you choose to put up a stand, then you better be the first one there to sit on it in the morning.. by hanging up a stand you KNOW the risks of having someone else show up first and use it.. it's part of what you have to accept as leaving your property on public land


My rule is this... if it's the first day of the season, I let any hunters who put up stands (or blinds in case of duck/turkey hunting) have the spot.. they spent the time to set it up.. after the first day.. it's first come first serve..
 
So, if someone is hunting on the ground under my stand in the afternoon and I show up for an evening hunt I can't use my own stand? Don't think that is right.

Having respect for fellow hunters is a pretty important thing.

Its public land man. You left and came back. Dont expect to get your "spot" if someone is there when you come back.
And as a side note I wouldent put up a purchased tree stand on crown land to begin with to likely to get stolen.

If I found a tree stand on the property I hunt on that I or my dad didnt put up. It would be removed as it is private property.
 
Does littering crown land with junk give you the exclusive rights for that spot in perpetuity, no. Should you be allowed to leave a tree stand overnight or build a "permanent" stand on crown land, again no. Would I hunt out of somebody's stand, no.
When we duck hunted the unwritten rule was you could post a spot for opening morning and opening morning only. If you chose to build a "hide" in that spot it was up to you. If you came along after opening morning and somebody was in your "hide', guess what...you were SOL.
 
Its these reasons why my interest in hunting on public land is just about gone!

Very little courtesy exsists anymore,That cant be debated for sure!

Can you imagine how bad this issue is south of the border? I shudder to think of it!

I am glad, sooo glad that all my lifetime goals for hunting have been reached! I still hunt, but not much.


I hope my son doesnt have too many issues like this in his future! (Hes only 4)

It can ruin a persons love of the hunt!

Tolerance and manners in EVERY SECTOR OF LIFE is degrading rapidly due to "SELF ENTITALMENT".
 
Public land means anyone can use it. First come first serve on a daily basis. Going and putting up a stand gives you no more right to be there as anyone else. Actually putting up a stand and leaving it there, you could be charged with littering on public land. I can't understand anybody that beleives putting up a stand gives you any right over any other land user. I read some on here telling the OP to move on, why should he and if tree stands are hung all over the woods, are you's telling him to hunt else where. I say to the OP if you are out in the public land and want to hunt where you see stands, go right ahead you have every right to, hell go ahead climb up and use a stand after all it's public land so the stand shouldn't be there in the first place. To anyone who hangs a stand on public land as a land claim and tells anyone he see's to stay away, hey I don't feel sorry for guys like you when you find your tree stand is gone LMAO.
 
You can't kick someone off public land. If you set up a tree stand and show up to find someone using it, you can kick them out. But if you show up and someone is there but not in the treestand then you're SOL because you set your tree stand up on public land. Trying to get them to leave the area would be considered interfering with a lawful hunt because he was there first. That's the risk you take hunting public land. You might own the tree stand but you do not own the tree its strapped to. Ethics dictate being polite and leaving other hunters alone when they were there first, even if that means not using your tree stand that day.

^ x2. Also, that tree stand may have been left by a PETA activist to deter you from hunting in that location (yes it happens). If no one is using the stand and it's on public or crown land, it free game to hunt in that location. I'd advise not climbing into someone else's stand though.
 
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