Well woke up this am and went to go hunt and both of my stands on private posted property were stolen. Looks like I'll be hunting from the ground next year. Gotta love people.

Hate a crook!

Some guys around here have a dozen various tree stands that they put out. I often wonder how many were stolen. During the season the guys that do most of the bitching about people walking around and getting close to their staked out places, also seem to know where everyone's tree stands are.

demoralizing. many years ago I had a hang on way up in a maple tree on an oak flat way back in the mountain that stand was there for years & then gone. changes your opinion of folks. I actually found out who took it & got it back. very few hunters ventured that far back in the mountain so the detective work was not that tough

One time a friend of mine told me someone stole his stand and a few weeks later we were traveling down a backroad and he slammed on his brakes and stopped. Lo and behold there was his Treestand hanging within 50 yards of the road so he just went and took it down. It had my friends name on the bottom of it.

I can't stand thieves and hate to hear you lost your gear, but I won't hunt any other way but on the ground.

Makes me wonder if the one I put up on my sisters farm is still there! Haven't hunted there since 2012,but was planning to next year. My wife and I are the only people allowed on that farm....but you know how that goes.

I had one stolen 2 miles back in a wilderness area. I had a week long backpack trip planned and went in beforehand and hung a stand on a distant ridge only to find it gone when I returned .. i have since used a cable lock and I pull the bottom 2 sections of my climbing sticks and lock the top one to the stand with it’s cable lock .. so far so good, but ground hunting is awesome, I just got in from having 4 does within 20 yards for 10 minuites while on a stool tucked in a cedar tree.. yesterday I had a big wide buck at 20 yds at the same spot. No kills yet here , but I love hunting off the ground

When I tree stand hunted I made my own hang on stands, and although I hunted private ground, I considered the loss of a stand a "cost of doing business". The sad truth is that if you leave something of value in the woods (a treestand, blind, trail cam, etc.), it's not a matter if IF it'll be stolen but WHEN. People suck.

I now ground hunt and use a ghillie suit, so I essentially "wear" my blind. It's made hunting SO much less stressful.

It happens don’t give up.

Did you ask the property owner if he/they knew anything about your missing stands?

You will like hunting from the ground. I have hunted that way for 5 years now. Love having deer 5 yards from me.

That's the exact reason I hunt from a climber, one year me and a buddy went into a good spot and hung 2 stands to hunt the next day, hung them at dark and came back and hr before daylight and both tree stands were gone.. So whoever took them had to be in the woods at almost dark watching us and took them as soon as we left.. Carry climber in carry out when leaving, screw a bunch of thieves. Theres guys around here I think that make a living during deer season doing nothing but walking the woods cutting down stands then selling them on the classifieds.

No matter if I use a climbing stand or a hang on stand I always carry my stands in and out with me. I don't want anyone hunting out of my treestands, and I don't want them stolen.

My neighbor had his stand stolen from his own property. He went down the road (where the thieves live) and asked them to help him find his stand and offered a reward. Two hour later he had it back for $20.

Had a hanger stolen once, sumbitches used a wrench and unbolted it from the locked chain. Climbed up in the dark, hands on chain, reached around with my foot and **air** but no platform!

Nowadays I hunt mostly from the ground, prefer the mobility and I'm cheap...

That’s unfortunate about your stands but it seems that it happens allot.

Until you can get replacements though, enjoy the ground hunting, it can be the most rewarding method of bow hunting.

Can't stand a thief. They should be publicly whipped if caught.

I’m a climber guy as well. It seems silly to leave stuff valuable for just anyone to take. Everyone that’s left em gets em stolen. Use a climber. Buy one stand and move w your deer. Two stand wasn’t even close to enough anyway but I’m sorry for your loss

I have a climber for spots and another hang on I didn't have out this year. I have 3 small kids and my wife is in school full time for nursing so this season was more of a get out when I can so I had left 2 stands set to be able to just get in as quick as possible and easily....also my old man is getting older and the past 2 years hasn't hunted much, having a stand set for him to be able to just go and get in was a big help for him. Not having to pack in a climber for him was a big perk. Just a slap from a fellow "hunter" so next season I'll just stick with the ground in this area to eliminate any more loss.

If on private land I build them into a maple.

Talk to the neighboring hunters, after you see if their stands were stolen.

I've had 4 stands stolen from me over the years. 2 climbers and 2 ladder stands, all on private property where nobody should've been. I hunted the ground for at least the last 10 years or so with some high points. I bought another ladder stand this year and had a ball with one deer killed. Lots of close encounters too. Man, you can get away with so much more movement off the ground. It has kindled my interest again and I can't wait to hunt the late season after Christmas. Guess what I'm trying to say is don't give up or just make a commitment to ground hunt. Take a break from the tree's and see how that goes. Then if you feel like going off the ground again, go for it! Variety is a good thing...........Nimrod

Given the endless stream of warnings about climbing trees, compounded by the laziness of age, I decided to try a commercial ground blind. The problem is that once you set it up you don't want to break it down. It is warmer and you can move about a little. A very cozy experience but does increase one's laziness. I have at least a half dozen tree stands and they are very likely to start spending more time in the shed. Actually, I forgot the point: this all started when I lost my $200 favorite stand, off of private property where only neighbors who don't even hunt were likely to be. I put up another with a chain lock, but it did sour me quite a bit at that point. First stand lost in 25 years so I guess that I am lucky.

Hidden cameras.

Many years ago I lost 7 stands one season. Posted private as well.

Theft stopped when I joined clubs. And hunting got way better as well.

I like to bait em. I put some stands out with the bolts missing..

No one has stolen any of my brush blinds yet.

leaving a stand out , you are taking a big risk of theft. Shouldnt happen, but there is a chance it will.

I worry about sabotage more than theft.

Buddy left his out only to climb up one morning to find a steaming pile of human feces

ruined his day

The closest thing I have to a stand is my Niff-t-seat, and it stays on my belt if not in use.

Ryman Cat, you had seven stands stolen in one year? Dude, it takes you a while to catch on eh? ;) Great googly moogly.)))

Best to just carry 'em in and carry 'em out each day if your area is overridden with thieves like that. Yikes.

Nothing worse than a thief, but look at the bright side...ground hunting is VERY LIBERATING and rewarding! Make yourself a nice little folding stool and you'll wonder why you didn't do it sooner. Best thing of all is as far as I know nobody's ever been killed or maimed falling off a folding stool;)

Yeah I have had them stolen from me also. Nothing worse than going to your stand before daylight and it's not there. Better watch the old hang on stands with cables that hold the platform. A buddy of mine had an old one up and he got in and did a little bounce test and they both snapped at the same time.

Only had two stolen in all the years however I have had sabotage which I consider worse when someone can get seriously hurt. My straps were cut partially through so when you stepped onto the stand it would break. Good thing I saw it climbing up in The dark. Now I have chain on stands I lock and extra ratchet straps. Haven't had a problem since.

So sorry to hear this. It is so sad that we have reached this point in our society. Not much I hate more than a thief. Sad statement on humanity. I will say this though. There are many, many good people out there. Unfortunately, the bad ones get a lot more attention. Hold your head up brother. Enjoy your days in the field whether it is from the ground or in a stand. I may try a ghillie suit next year just to see how it works. Good luck!

That does suck. I am not sure why no one, in the last 8 years, has not helped themselves to the 7 or 8 abandoned ones like this out in the 3 county sections across the road from my house.

Best to just carry 'em in and carry 'em out each day if your area is overridden with thieves like that. Yikes. Or build them to stay put...

Or, this could happen. (This is one of my alltime favorites seen posted on LW).

Or, this could happen. (This is one of my alltime favorites seen posted on LW).

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