permanent ladder stands on public property?

[Fingerlakesman]

I recently hunted Sampson State Park for the first time in a bout 20 years and was amazed to see that the park allowed ladder stands to be put up and left in the park all season.  There were over 50 stands set up throughout the park.  I never hunted a public area where this was allowed.  Personally I think this is wrong as it takes away spots from everyone else. I hunted there for 2 weeks and never saw anyone in any of the stands.  I must say here I dont hunt weekends so I assume thats when the stands were being used.  I asked a park official about this and he said he didnt like climbers and the stands were allowed on a first come first served basis and had to be registered with the park.  He said to me that "you cant expect people to set up a stand everytime they come to hunt".  Really?  Ive been doing that for 40 years Ive been bowhunting.  Id like to here what the rest of you guys think about this.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

If it is allowed I see no problem with it. It is allowed on any state land I have been on. I think there is a time frame where they must be removed by the end of the season.

 

When you say you "have been doing this" for 40 years do you mean carrying in and setting up ladder stands every day you hunt?

[Fingerlakesman]

Lol!  no.  I use portables, either climbers or hangons.  I dont own a ladder stand.  I believe in being a "leave no trace" hunter.

[growalot]

As long as it's in a time frame of little growth were they can't damage the tree I wouldn't see a problem...but I also don't think anyone on public land should be too surprised at someone else using their stand either...I suppose that would be the benefit of being a week day hunter... I though the new climbers made now did no damage to mature trees...why wouldn't the ranger like them?

So glad I have land....

[Fingerlakesman]

It just seems odd to me that the state lands wouldnt follow the same rules as federal lands, whereby you cant leave a stand overnite, or damage a tree by using screw in steps.  Public land, whether it be a wildlife refuge, National forest, or State Park, is for everyone to use, not just hunters. Ive encountered non hunters hiking during hunting season on public property and most of them are very uncomfortable with us being there in the first place.  I dont see how having permanent tree stands everywhere helps our image with the general public who want to use the same land.

[shawnhu]

As far as I'm aware, any stands that screw in or damage the tree is prohibited from state lands. Maybe this property is excluded?

X-Calibur Lighting Systems

http://facebook.com/XCaliburLightingSystems

[Woodjr55]

I've seen the same 3 stands on state land for the last 3 years a hang on and two latter stands. Never see anyone in then thou

[WNYBuckHunter]

Just because its a ladder stand, doesnt mean its permanent. On state lands you are allowed to leave your stand as long as its gone after the end of the season, as Culver said. Screw in steps are illegal though.

[Fingerlakesman]

I'd call leaving a stand there from sept to january permanent for the entire season. Maybe its just me but it seems hunters have gotten alot lazier through the years, or the powers that be want to try to make things easier so people will hunt, I dont know.  All I know is if there is only 1000 acres to hunt its pretty discouraging to see stands all over the place on public ground.

 

Edited January 8, 2014 by Fingerlakesman

[WNYBuckHunter]

Thats not what permanent means. Theres nothing against it in the rules. Why does the presence of a stand there ruin the spot for someone else? Want to hunt that area with your climber, simply use a different tree and hunt away.

[Fingerlakesman]

Thats not being realistic........  so I like this spot, no one is in the ladder stand.   I put my stand up 20 yards from the ladder stand like you say..  The guy who put the ladder stand shows up a couple hours later...........If everyone was using portables, its not an issue.  The johnny come lately just moves on when he sees Im hunting there.  but because he has a stand already up he has claimed the whole area for himself and wants me to leave because Im violating HIS space....now we have a problem..........you see what Im saying?.

[WNYBuckHunter]

No, if you are there first, tough luck to him. Hes the one using the stand thats less portable. Not your problem. Its completely realistic. Ive hunted state land and had guys come into my area wanting to hunt it, but leave because I was already there. Whats the difference?

[josephmrtn]

No, if you are there first, tough luck to him. Hes the one using the stand thats less portable. Not your problem. Its completely realistic. Ive hunted state land and had guys come into my area wanting to hunt it, but leave because I was already there. Whats the difference?

+1

[Arrow Flinger]

I've had guys with climbers come in and set up right next to me, so that's not gonna make a difference. Chances are, if theres that many stands in there he would go hunt another one of them if you were set up there already if he had any common courtesy. If it were me, I would just find somewhere else to hunt, I try to hunt where others don't. If I'm scouting an area and I see signs that its being hunted, I just move on to another area. Try to find the spot in the park where there isn't a treestand, that's where the big old smart deer will be, especially if theres thick cover. BTW, I know of one public area in NY that allows you to leave a stand from Sept1 till Feb1 as long as your name and address is on it.

[Fingerlakesman]

I agree with buckhunter  100%. But you know what the ranger at Sampson State Park told me?  That I  was being unethical to put up my portable that close to a ladder stand even if  the guy was not  there!!  That really got me.  As far as Im concerned , anybody who puts up a stand on public ground for 3 months and only hunts it a couple of times is the one being unethical. He sure as hell isnt concerned about me or anybody else but himself and thats whats hurting hunting and hunters in general.  Whats so difficult about just using portables?  We do it in Montezuma, and the Fingerlakes National forest, never had an issue. Personally Im not going to hunt where there is already a stand up, person in it or not.  and Im sure as hell not hunting out of someone elses stand.

Edited January 8, 2014 by Fingerlakesman

[JimmyDaSavage]

I was told by a dec officer in the woods that I could leave a treestand up all year round on state land on long island.

[bowaholic]

I was hunting county land by me last week and found a large wooden box blind (for sure permanent) as well as a large wooden ladder stand that was screwed and nailed into the tree.  This is for sure County land and I think like the OP said its wrong because it takes away the land from other hunters. 

High poaching area as well, found and reported a large buck with a neck shot and the antlers cut off 75 yds from the road while hunting the day I found the stand and blind.  it was last Friday we found it so if it was a muzzleloader kill (remember it was a neck shot) the person would have found it and took it or even if for some crazy reason they didn't find it that day the coyotes would have for sure.  the deer was completely all there and not eaten by anything at all, not even crow pickings...

Edited January 8, 2014 by bowaholic

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Huh...Unethical to shoot at moving deer. Unethical to put a stand up following all regulations. Unethical to try and fill all your tags. They way these threads are going could one of you guys, that know just how things should really be, please make up a list of the unethical things. Better yet. Make a list of Ethical things. Apparently that list will be smaller

[WNYBuckHunter]

If you dont hunt the way they do, its unethical.

[Fingerlakesman]

Ive found that most of the time, the whole ethical and unethical argument starts when YOU posess a skill or a work ethic the other guy doesnt.

[WNYBuckHunter]

LOL, here we go....

[Arrow Flinger]

Dude, get over it. Just go hunt!!

[growalot]

The only person wrong in that case is the DEC range...Go hunt there in your climber and hope the guy comes in pushing something to you...if he comments to your being there say tough tites or shrug and keep hunting ...... as far as the county one...you should have reported it all and stood there until they showed up and knew you were clear on the fact they needed to remove it per the law...some times one needs to put a foot down...

Edited January 8, 2014 by growalot

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Ive found that most of the time, the whole ethical and unethical argument starts when YOU posess a skill or a work ethic the other guy doesnt.

 

 

I have found that most of the times it is the ones that THINK they have a skill or a superior work ethic are the ones that as so quick to pull out the "Unethical card"

[CuseHunter]

Well many people here believe that hunting from another persons stand on public land is not right. I understand this argument, I personally know of a few stand left on public land that is NOT allowed to use stands left over night. I don't use them, because I like hunting from the ground. I do not think it is wrong though to use another persons stand they set up on public land. You are not stealing it. They do not own the land it is on, and I know if I left a stand on state land, I would understand if someone used mine when I wasn't there. I don't mind when someone uses a ground blind I made from deadfall, it did tick me off once when I went there and there was cigar wrappers and trash though.