Aholes at it again!!!

Boo · Post by **Boo** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 12:44 pm

Three Rivers has in their catalogue an "Ezy Step Folding Detachable Step". They are $8.50 each with a 250lb limit. You can leave the scr

wabi · Post by **wabi** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 1:04 pm

I used to have some steps that had a keyhole slot that you hooked over the head of a lag screw. I'd hang enough of those to get well off the ground, then switch to regular steps when I was out of reach. You simply unhooked them and took them with you when you left. You could also use them at more than one location by putrchasing only more lag screws.

chris4570 · Post by **chris4570** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 1:49 pm

wabi wrote:I used to have some steps that had a keyhole slot that you hooked over the head of a lag screw. I'd hang enough of those to get well off the ground, then switch to regular steps when I was out of reach. You simply unhooked them and took them with you when you left. You could also use them at more than one location by putrchasing only more lag screws.

I have them in this particular tree. Only three but I removed the step portion plus one or two above that. But I guess if they went to Ecoasters tree first it wouldn't have mattered much as they would have a sack full of steps already.

kendo kid · Post by **kendo kid** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 1:51 pm

I gather most folks think it is other hunters taking the tree steps. However, I have experinced more city folks "out for a stroll in the country" during the past few years. I think non-hunters would more inclined to steal stuff than hunters. Spotting a tree stand, shooting lane or access path is not rocket science. In many case our access paths lead folks right to the stand.

Now I just chaulk it up to part of doing my hobbie. I might suggest removing the bottom three steps as a less difficult task.

joeumholtz · Post by **joeumholtz** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 5:17 pm

Had a similar situation a few years back on public land here. I put out three stands with ladders, everything locked on. The other bow hunters in the area new about my stands and knew they had permission to hunt then if I wasn't there. I started to miss little things, like say the ratchet strap that held the stand or ladder to the tree, rope for pulling up bow, step for hanging gear on, etc. Figured it wasn't the other guys, we had all been hunting the same area for years, so for about two weeks I became a ground hunter, in close proximity to my stands. Sure enough, just before quitting time one day, here comes a teenager totin a shotgun. He stopped at my stand, looked around, set the gun down, didn't see me and proceeded to start up the ladder. When he got to the top he started to remove a strap on a step until he noticed I was standing below him holding his shotgun. When he came down, we had us a mighty interesting converstaion. I wrote down his id, unloaded his shotgun (shootin hours over by then) gave it back to him and followed him all the way out of the woods where I got his plate number from his vehicle. Let him know that if there was anything else missing, some of my local cop friends would be knocking on his door. Never saw him again. never had anything else ever missing.

Don't know if he was bright enough to figure out that since I was a bowhunter...he'd never hear the shot.

huntman · Post by **huntman** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 5:53 pm

chris4570 wrote: No it would not be illegal to hunt from the stands, although it is still our property, no less so than our vehicles. Wouldn't you think??

Stealing our steps, is not legal.

I'd be really pissed to find someone sitting in my stand. The stand that I either bought or made. The stand that I lugged out into the woods and secured to a tree. The steps I bought and put up the tree. The scouting efforts I made. The placement of the stand to most benefit from those scouting efforts. Trimming shooting lanes. I am not a guide so my work is for myself and Ecoaster.

Imagine hunting bear over bait. You've spent weeks gathering rotten food, donuts, replenishing the bait pile on weekends so when you take your hard-earned weeks hunting vacation you chances of success are high. Only you get there to find footprints in the mud leading to your stand and a gut pile a little ways from the bait. Didn't happen to me, but this is not fiction.

Where is our etiquette and respect these days??

Well, if you found someone sitting in that stand you may be pissed but you couldnt tell him to leave. I dont think he would have to leave, perhaps it would be the right thing to do but how many times do people do the right thing>? If infact he had the "onions" to sit in that stand in the first place he probably wouldnt come down. As for the bear hunting sceniaro if that took place on public land the hunter would have nothing to say nor complain about. Remember when hunters hunt on public land it is a chance your taking that someone else is not there before you. Just like fisihing on the river if you want to fish a specific pool and there are guys there before you.... you cant ask them to leave because thats where you fish. Whats the difference??

Golden Eagle · Post by **Golden Eagle** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 6:05 pm

Sorry about your loss. Nothing is safe in my neck of the Woods either.
Times are changing and for the worse Im afraid. Years ago, people in my area didnt even lock their doors when they went to work. Not any more.

Grizzly Adam · Post by **Grizzly Adam** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 9:40 pm

That is a shame. Sorry it happened to you.

I do feel like I ought to say that not every area is full of people who steal stands and such. I have a ladder stand up on my eastern woods edge that is plainly visible from the dead-end road I live on ... you could drive a pick-up to it ... and it's been there three years. No one has bothered it.

Every year, there's a guy who puts up another ladder stand a 1/2 mile away down our road on the corner of another woodlot ... right by the road, about 10 feet away ... he always leaves it up for three months or so ... no one has ever bothered it.

I have heard of a few such thefts in this county, but that sort of thing is very much the exception, I'm glad to say.

Sorry for those of you who live where it's the rule.

Crockett&boon · Post by **Crockett&boon** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 11:16 pm

me and a friend had it happen on a draw hunt we went in late the day befor the hunt and put up our stands up went back in a hr befor day light to see our stands(tree lounge) has been stolen so i feel your pain

crazyfarmer · Post by **crazyfarmer** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 9:00 am

on land I know that others hunt, ill usually leave the bottom 3 tree steps out and put them somewhere where I pick them up on the way to my stand, or just carry them in my pack. Im usually lucky since being tall, I have a huge space between my steps so no one can even climb into my stands LOL. Ive had 2 stands stolen of mine over 15 years and I knew pretty much who did it each time. Half the time, its someone you know. More than likely they took the steps since no one could prove it to well. Or like said, it could even be a non hunter out causing trouble. Espically if houses or the public is close to the area you hunt.

I'd leave the bottom steps out next time. It only takes a few extra minutes to re place them. But if someone wants to steal something bad enough, they will get it no matter what extrreme you go to. It would be nice to put a camera close by to take pics, but more than likely they would see that and steall it to, or break it into peices:(

DesertRat · Post by **DesertRat** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 9:02 am

LOL John, "big guys" is an understatement!

ecoaster · Post by **ecoaster** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 9:16 am

I used to remove the bottom few steps, but this stand was well off the beaten trail, so I didn't bother. It was there most of the season with no trouble. Lesson learned, will know for next year.

Mike P · Post by **Mike P** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 10:19 am

At our farm we no longer put out ladder stands as they are stolen all the time. Our barn has been broken into and hunting equipment stolen. We have had three automated feeders stolen.

The house has an alarm system and we finally had to have one installed on the largest equipment building.

You can pretty well gather from what is taken that a hunter or hunters are the ones that are doing the stealing.

Every year we catch numerous "hunters" hunting on our property and claiming they thought they were on some other property.

And on and on and on. I don't know what it is about hunting but it seems that there is an inordinate amount of theft that takes place by hunters stealing from other hunters. And why are normally law abiding citizens so willing to ignore posted signs and trespass on private property?

I don't see golfers stealing each others clubs? Don't hear a lot about bowling balls coming up missing. Have yet to find a vegetable garden illegally planted in the middle of one of our fields. We never have to boot trespassing fisherman from our ponds. But hunting equipment will disappear faster then you can say game violation.

I don't know what conclusions to draw. But it does make one think.

speedball · Post by **speedball** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 4:31 pm

yes i too have had my ladder sticks stolen this year, just the sticks cause the stand was locked, bastards!! i will have stuff welded together by a freind so they cannot steal it so easy next time,{and locked}, this is my second set of sticks and ive had three stands stolen in the last 3 years, i'm going to logging chain and massive locks too, have fun with bolt cutters cause the case hardened chain will break the teeth!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

saxman · Post by **saxman** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 5:37 pm

Sorry to hear of your trouble.
I know what it feels like.