love it when people get jealous

[crazyfarmer]

I decided to hunt one of my stands I hunted last week yesterday and when I went to climb up it I noticed some idiot had taken the screw in steps out(just the bottom 4 of 7). The hunt club hunts this land also(dogs) and I know they went down there Saturday. Its just common that people go to this level. Ive already confronted them about this. I had my stand locked to the tree to I'm sure thats why that wasnt taken. The bad thing is, I know these people but now I cant trust them at all. Most of the land is private down here with a handful having permission. Posted land borders it all around and I'm best friends with all of those guys. Its bordered by marsh on 2 sides so they couldnt even get to my stand if they wanted to. People are brave this day in time with the abundance of trail cameras in the woods also.

Even had one club whichI was a member of threaten another club not to let me join since if I did certain members would cut out their land they had access to because we the owner of one tract of land we farm decided to post his farm this year for insurance reasons. Hunting season brings out the best in people here every year LOL

Jealousy is the biggest reason behind it 90% of the time. People just cant believe you can actaully kill deer without dogs running them to you. I use to love dog hunting, and I supported it 100%. Now with the actions of a few idiots they have lost one of their big supporters. The farmers are the big supporters of dog hunting in our state. Without them pushing to keep it, that past time would be gone.

needless to say, one farmer isnt to happy right now

even though land is posted here, you can still want on foot to get your dogs. No weapons or anything. Im 100% sure one of them walked over there 200 yards across the cutover and decided to annoy me since they cant hunt the land.

Needless to say, since I couldnt hunt that stand that day, I decided to set on the edge of the bordering field. I had very good results and got something I had been after. Ill share that story after I cool down! I actaully need to think the idiot since their plan backfired on stopping me from chasing a mature buck

that aside, its been dirt slow here. I dont know where the deer went or what has happened to them. Im finding deer dead in the woods from this summer. Im waiting to see what the game and fish reps say after hunting season but im expecting to see the doe hunting all season done away with. The deer numbers are just way down here. I want to shoot some doe, but im gone frm seeing 7-12 per day last year to 2-3 per week here! Im actaully worried about taking one. We do have a abundance of small bucks this year though.

[weezy]

Sucks dude.Lock a cheap trail camera to a nearby tree sort of hidden and try and catch them.
I bought a game camera at walmart for real cheap,$40-60$ I think,and set it up and caught the idiot who was taking my screw in steps.He was the only other guy who had permission to hunt the woods along with me and I had no idea it was him till I seen the pictures.I showed the landowner and now that guy is no longer allowed to hunt there.

Oh ya,what did you get that you've been after I take it that its not a deer from what you described above.A coyote maby?

[DuckHunt]

We do have a abundance of small bucks this year though.

Boy do we. I've only seen one decent (>6pt) buck all year. I've probably seen thirty bucks and passed on a dozen shot opportunities. I never do that. Three of the antlerless deer I took ended up being button bucks and one was a spike. You can't eat antlers, but it would be nice to see a decent rack every once in a while.

DuckHunt

[TrophyBuck]

Sorry to hear you have to go through such things as people stealing your steps. I have never had this happen to me "knock on wood" and if it did I would be pissed. When I helped my friend set up his ladder stand we used nut and bolts just to make it harder for someone to steal and like you locked up the top portion. What goes around comes around and I bet they wont like it when it happens to them.

[xbowholic]

CF; sorry to hear about the steps; some people are just not happy unless they are causing trouble; my hope is that in some way, you can catch them;

The number of deer are seemingly up for us; our problem is that the buck to doe ratio is way off; the game and fish commission estimates 20 to 1 in our area; you can't convince the hunters to kill doe; it's a real problem here;

Hope you can connect on your trophy; good luck to you and all others.

[GaryM]

I've got a friend that had his screw steps stolen several times. He had a unique solution. He bought some heavy lag bolts, then welded nuts on the head of the lag bolts. He screwed those into the tree. He bought 4" bolts that screwed into the nuts and carried these with him and screwed them into the nuts as he went up and down to his stand. Just to make sure no one could use it, he bought nuts and bolts with left-handed thread from McMaster. He never had another problem. Gary

[secret]

Is it "LEGAL" to screw steps in trees you dont own? Does the farmer know you use them? Why not sticks?

[Rich]

The deer numbers are just way down here. I want to shoot some doe, but im gone frm seeing 7-12 per day last year to 2-3 per week here! Im actually worried about taking one. We do have a abundance of small bucks this year though.

CF,

I am experiecing the same situation in deer sightings. They keep very good stats at the base I hunt and there are a lot of small bucks being taken, however, the overall majority of them have been 2.5 to 3.5 year old bucks. In fact, there have been a handful of 1.5 year old inch button bucks checked. Last years poor acorn crop and harsh winter seems to have really affected antler growth this year. Also my deer sightings on the stand have averaged 2 deer every 3-4 sits. The entire base has killed less than 250 deer so far this season and we are half way through the season, 1200 is the normal harvest per year.

The 2 reasons I keep hearing for the decline in sighting is: 1. Severe winter kill last year. 2. Abundance of acorns has kept the deer in heavy cover. Maybe some truth to both of these.

Even as bad as it seems, I'm sure you'll be able to tag a 20" plus scrub buck or two .

Rich

[secret]

Maybee you guys "Wiped" them out last year!!

[crazyfarmer]

Is it "LEGAL" to screw steps in trees you dont own? Does the farmer know you use them? Why not sticks?

Its legal here to use them.. I use them since 6 usually get me up 18 ft. 12bucks is also a cheap price.

I am the farmer btw:)

The pres of the club had a meeting and made everyone aware that stupid crap like that wouldn't be allowed also. Glad to know he did that!

[Cossack]

Sorry for your troubles, man. Luckily I hunt private and managed land. What a treat. At just days from turning 70, I've turned in a " ground weasel." Do the majority of my hunting form the ground. Makes me hunt harder but smarter. My 61 yr old hunting partner's 20' fall (which he survived miraculously but shattered both femurs) convinced me that trees and my age don't mix.

[j.krug]

A bummer for sure that you have to go thru this nonsense.
Hopefully the pres speaking up will help out the situation.