Jump to content

WHats the legality of a treestand on state land?

MACHINIST

By MACHINIST,
in Deer Hunting

 Share

Recommended Posts

MACHINIST Newbie

MACHINIST

Posted
Posted

I was scouting some state land and found some really good spots,I also found numerous stands that are in the state and.I know they can come in at anytime and so can I,but what is the law as in leaving them in for years.One stand I am sure wouldn't some out of the tree unless cut out with a saw,3 others are close as the straps are bound into the tree.I know I will be hunting these spots next year and know I will have a problem with a guy or 2 but I thought you couldn't leave a stand in all year.Am I correct?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
wildcat junkie Contributor

wildcat junkie

Posted
Posted

Can't say anything about NY, but in Indiana any stand on public land had to have permanantly attached tag with the name/address of the owner. I think that was mainly to eliminate conflict.

 

Any stand that penatrated the bark more that 1/4" was ilegal. That eliminated homemade stands nailed into a tree, screw in tree steps etc.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
adkbuck Newbie

adkbuck

Posted
Posted (edited)

Hey there Machinist:

 

Good question!

 

I found this statement on every state forest I am familiar with:   Permanent tree stands are prohibited. However, a tree stand or blind is allowed, provided that it does not injure any trees, is properly marked or tagged with the owner's name and address or valid hunting or fishing license number, and is placed and used during big game season, migratory game bird season, or turkey season, but no more than thirty days in one location per calendar year.

 

See: http://www.dec.ny.gov/regs/4081.html#12999 Sections w4 and w-5

-

I would talk to a CO or phone the DEC to get more clarification because it wasn't totally clear to me.  if I read it one way its says you can have a stand up during the big game season  but then it says you are limited to a duration of 30 days. 

 

Was also discussed here: http://huntingny.com/forums/topic/6739-tree-stands-on-state-land/

 

In any event the guys leaving the stand up beyond the end of big game season are doing it illegally.  They should also have there name, address and license number marked on the stand.

Edited by adkbuck
Link to comment
Share on other sites
MACHINIST Newbie

MACHINIST

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I use a climber on state land,no worries there.I just see the stands growing into the tree and also have had run ins with a few guys that littered a parcel of state land in one area I hunt in 7J that would actually bitch at guys in the parking lot after a AM hunt because they were near their spot and they had a stand there first.Thanks for the info guys!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
MACHINIST Newbie

MACHINIST

Posted
  • Author
Posted

That thread was brought up after I made mine,Never knew it was even on here.I will not touch someone else's stands,they don't belong to me and lets say you go into state land and see someone taking your stand out of a tree.What would you do to him???I can tell you if I went in the woods and someone was taking my stand down(I only have stands on private land) that SOB wouldn't want to come down on the ground with me.I believe in the golden rule "Do to others as you would have them do to you".So I don't want my stuff stolen

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Four Season Whitetail's Newbie

Four Season Whitetail's

Posted
Posted

That thread was brought up after I made mine,Never knew it was even on here.I will not touch someone else's stands,they don't belong to me and lets say you go into state land and see someone taking your stand out of a tree.What would you do to him???I can tell you if I went in the woods and someone was taking my stand down(I only have stands on private land) that SOB wouldn't want to come down on the ground with me.I believe in the golden rule "Do to others as you would have them do to you".So I don't want my stuff stolen

I have had both taken down and also stolen on state land. I never said to rip them off. If they are in that kind of condition as you say then they are most likely not being used and are a hazard.  Call the law. Let them decide or just hunt the area with the group that already hunts that spot.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
MACHINIST Newbie

MACHINIST

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I didn't mean to imply I thought you were telling me to take them,all I was saying is its easy to be branded a thief when your coming down the tree with someone else's belongings in your hands.I have no problem hunting the area,its state land and thats what it is there for.they are indeed in rough shape,one I doubt has been used in years but there was old boot tracks leading right to the tree and back the same way in the snow.could have been a coincidence or a guy with a deathwish.I will be talking to the law,after what ADK posted they are in serious violation 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
MACHINIST Newbie

MACHINIST

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)

Just talked to the DEC officer.He said nothing after the season is to be left in the state land.He also said if its growing into the tree it needs to be removed either by owner or DEC official.He is going to contact a forest ranger and get back to me but asked if I could take a pic next time I am out there of the severity of how bad the tree is growing into it.

Edited by MACHINIST
Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 9 months later...
Core Rookie

Core

Posted
Posted

Okay, time to ask this question again/thread bump, only because I've read a few other threads at hunting NY and there are still conflicting opinions from officers.

 

A couple of people were kind enough to link to NY Dec's website where it specifically addressed the topic of temporary stands left on state land but the link is dead!

 

So here is what we know for sure:

 

1) Stands that damage trees in any way are bad

2) Climbing stands or strap stands are fine

 

Here is what we probably know, but I'd really love an official link somewhere if anybody has it:

 

An approved stand can be left through the big game season. Write your name and address on it.

 

-------------

 

I've been scouting a lot of stand land recently and have seen a number of stands, including a nice new ladder stand left in a highly accessible area. I guess a lot of people still leave them. I was thinking of going with the Dicks' $40 stand and carrying climbing sticks in and out. That way I'm only 12-15 lbs of gear at a time and nobody can steal my stand without their own sticks or ladder. I also suspect the majority of people will not try and steal a stand anyway. I walked under one today with a very visible trail camera and waved. I guess the owner feels comfortable there as well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    No registered users viewing this page.

×
×
  • Create New...