rybohunter

OK here's the deal. I have a new property to hunt, that's hunted by a good number of other people. Exactly how many I have no idea, but I do think there's fewer in archery than gun season. However there are stands hung EVERYWHERE across the property. Judging from the looks, they are probably put out buy 1 or 2 guys as they are all almost identical. If I tried to give a buffer to every stand hung, I would basically have to hunt from the middle of one of the fields. I ran into one guy scouting, and he was cool, said I could use his stands if he wasn't in them, but the areas he described them to be are much fewer than where i have found a bunch of other stands. I have never really run into a situation competing with other hunters, so I don't want to cause problems.

jetblast

If you are using your own stand, it's 1st come 1st serve. If I go in before daylight and a flashlight starts blinking at me, I move on. If there's no one signalling, I go where I want.

BagginBigguns

I personally absolutely hate when people set up next to my stand, but if I had a stand for every acre of property, I guess I'd just expect to have some overlap. Under the circumstances you described, I would personally perfer to find a different area altogether. But if you're stuck there, then I'd say don't worry about. Just hunt where you wish to hunt and if you end up intefering, then I agree with jetblast. First come, first served.

cardeer

Tough ,Myself I would find somewhere else to hunt.

nubo

Sometime's it's hard to find land to hunt that there isn't already someone hunting, and when you don't have another location to hunt .I have this problem on one of my hunting spot's and it's my favourite spot to boot .This season The owner's son had decided to bowhunt and he made it clear to me that I was still more than welcome to continue to hunt thier property when ever I wanted ,and if I wanted to use his stand's that that was fine as well.
I appreciate the hospitality ,since they could have told me that they didn't want me to hunt there at all this season. So when ever I was going to hunt this spot I would contact him in advance to let him know, so that I didn't walk in on his setup,or be on one of his stand's before he arrived, this is what I'd reccommend for you as well get to know the fellow and phone him in advance to let him know of your intention's to hunt there so that you don't mess him up . This way he'll know your there and you's both can come up with a game plan just in case he had plan's on hunting there as well .When you comunicate with other's it make's thing's a whole lot better for both of you's ,you might even get yourself a new hunting buddy ,That's what happened to me on my favourite spot .I even ask him to join me when i go to some of my other location's ,it sure make's thing's good between us .

nubo

Jack Ryan

I've hunted situations like that before. It was private ground and at least four of us were hunting it. Everybody felt it only fair to have first dibbs on a stand you put up but after that who ever want to hunted out of what ever was out there. The better you work/hunt together the better for everybody. If one guy can't stand to sit long and you know it and everybody else does, that's a good thing to know when you are getting frustrated, haven't seen a thing and are cold by 9:00. You know "candy a$$" is going to get up and start moving them for you, LOL.

Really, it can be a great way to hunt if everybody respects each other and makes an effort to treat each other the way they would want to be treated.

First off on the descrepancy between what you saw and what he talked about. My first guess is two or more guys worked together designing, gathering material, and maybe building those stands. ie the similarity.

You were talking to ONE guy and he was discussing stands he put up or that he considered his of the bunch out there. He doesn't want to speak for everybody and you need to talk with the others for yourself.

I would expect similar reactions from the others but there may be one who is a little more uptight about it, explaining the reason for reluctance to speak for everybody else.

Assuming this all works out and you want to fit in at this camp, you need to get busy on your own contribution. I'd recomend an equitable design comparable to what they are using if you can feel comfortable with it. Get out there and find the best spots left and or the new trails deer have been "forced" to start using.

Next time you run across some others from this crew you have something to offer as well and it will be a much more "comfortable" situation for all.

rybohunter

thanks for the advice guys...to explain/answer a little further......

the place is close to home and I was asked by a co-worker who owns it and farms it, to come kill some deer. I backed off this entire bow season because I hadn't had the place properly scouted and didn't want to mess others up. There is a potential for some giant bucks to be taken off this place. Most of the stands are ladder stands and IMO too out in the open and too low. Some are in good spots, others not IMO. I would rarely see me hunting one of these even if given the go ahead. I have a whole year to run into guys and get to know them and see how things go. I'm not a fan of dealing with people, but this place is so close to home and an incredible property, not to mention that I was asked to come kill deer. I want to give it a legitimate effort.

Jack Ryan

If you don't want to use their stands any way, I'd make mine tiny tiny and very high. Put the steps far apart and hard for an old guy to use. Especially about ten feet off the ground.

Then just tell them they are welcome to use them if they want.

or just use a climber and carry it back and forth all the time.

handyhaver

I have to agree with first come first serve. I hunt some properties with stands everywhere also. Just because somebody placed a stand there doesn't give them exclusive rights to that area. If I like the area, and I'm the first one in, I hunt it. You can just assume that since there is a stand here that this guy is going to hunt it every morning & evening through-out the season. If I walk in on somebody hunting an area I was planning to hunt, I move on. I wish more hunters in my area did the same.

Mark

MasonsRidge

Really, the guy(s) leaving their stands hung in the trees aren't very smart. Alot of so-called hunters in other parts of the country would probably steal a nice stand they found un-attended. Myself, I would probably set my stand where no one was and later if someone came near, I would let them know that I was there first and for them to go elsewhere.
Good luck.