Silver Fox

I hunt public state game lands in PA 99.9% of the time. I use a ladder and strap on's and do not like to carry them in, or put them up each and every morning and evening that I hunt. It is so much easier and quieter to just walk in and enter your stand. I am ready to take my ladder stand out now, although I will wait till closer the beginning of the season before I hang my hang on stands. I have had fairly good luck by only losing 1 to theft but still have to worry about them all the time. I do cable lock them to the tree, but if someone wants it bad enough they will come back with bolt cutters. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to deter this low down behavior by those few ---$$--- hunters that think they are sportmen.

johnch

I use a length of chain diped in liquid rubber to keep it from making noise with a cutproof padlock. The other thing that I do is to run a cable thru the rungs from top -bottem. I had a ladder stolen and the stand part still chained to the tree 16' up.

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justhrowit

I make sure to have good cover...ahrder to see the stand from the ground. Also, I'm somewhat tall...so , I make the steps farther apart making it harder to climb. One last thing. The bottom 3 or 4 steps I use large nails and take them out of the tree when I leave. Make the holes big enough and deep enough in the tree to put them in and take them out. That works for me too. Lastly...lock it to the tree of course.

J

springgobbler

All good suggestions, but as you said, if they want it bad enough they will get it. I have had the misfortune of having two stolen. One thief was determined. I had taken out the last 4 steps and locked the stand to the tree with a coated chain. The thiefs shot the lock off!

Good luck!

Rickmur

Best way is to not leave it over night on public land, remove it if your not in it for a period of days, it might be a pain but it will be less costly. It will even disappear on private land as many here can atest to. I lost my game cam on private land.

Fieldmouse

It's a shame that you have to worry about this. It could be worst and in other countries you would have a lot of other things to worry about. The only thing I could suggest was lock ons and steps.

I prefer my climber but a freind has dozens of stands all over the county lock on to trees. He must do well against theft because every year he may take me to a new location with a comment like, you hunt in this area. I'll be accross the street. I have a stand I put up two years ago. I don't know if it's still there. After the hunt he'll confirm it was still hanging. For the steps he got a two part system, a screw anchor and a detatchable step. When you leave only a numb is sticking out where the step attaches.
The lock on can be any brand but I couldn't help you at all with the steps. I think the company he used went under but I thought anouther picked up where they left off. Maybe someone else has seen these types of steps around. Last thing is the fact it helps to hunt a very high hieghts 30'. That also is a detterent but also a must where I hunt do the the amount of deer moving through the area.

Good luck.

gobblergeter

I realize you don't want to be carrying stands in and out every time you hunt...but...The best way to stop ,stand theift , is to use a climber and take it with you.....I have about 10 different portable stands that I hang every year...(Private land) But I always see more Deer when I'm hunting from my climber!!! Why????? Because I'm hunting a different area each time!!!!
I noticed that the first time I hunt from a portable is when I see the most Deer. The more I hunt a stand, the less I see...It pays for me to move around, and a climber is the answer for me!
Just my

neck4752

There is no way that I will carry my stands in and out every morning, not the hike I have. I will just try and hide them well.
I would invest in a climber, but the woods I hunt here arent very climber freindly ( lots of branches lower on trees)

Anyway theft sucks. If I lose a stand I will go looking for it.

Buckslayer1

I hunt the game lands in PA. I use a self climber I carry it in and out . It's against the law in PA. to damage any trees with nails or srew in steps on the game lands.

VAhuntr

I lost 2 stands this past year to some SOB, so I know how you feel. I had them padlocked and the steps were removed. Like has been said if they really want it, the stand is gone. What I am going to do this year is use my climber more and I bought a set of Lone Wolf Climbing Sticks. The climbing sticks are very quick, quiet and easy to use.