BOWHUNTERCOP

I hunt on public federal land here in New Jersey. I've hunted the general area for the past 8 years with archery, muzzleloader, and shotgun. Last year a few days after the regular shotgun season ended, I was walking to my stand in pre-dawn darkness for the one day permit either sex hunt. I get to my tree, and my stand is gone. I had it buried in a heavy gauge plastic garbage bag, and had pine branches on top of it. Well for whatever reason I walked to where I gutted a black bear I harvested a week earlier, and there I find my stand, in the bag with the branches on top of them. So I climb my tree, about 7:20am I see a hunter walking towards me, but he doesnt see me at all, he walkes to the spot where I found my treestand, he looks around with a puzzled face, then he sees me. Walks over and says to me "THATS MY STAND, CLIMB DOWN AND GIVE IT BACK, AND I WONT CALL THE GAME WARDEN!!!" Well Iam laughing to myself, so I climb down, undo my jacket, go into my knappsack and pull out my wallet that has my badge in it. Guys if you could only see hes face reaction I just wanted to laugh!!!! He still claims the stand is his. I order him to show me both his hunting license and and ID which he does. Little does he know, I engraved my name on the metal under the foam padding arm rest. So from there I called the local game wardens with his info, they picked up an hour later, he was arrested for stolen property, and crimes on federal property. Went to court, this guy has a family to take care of so a fine would not do any good in my eyes, so asked the judge and he agreed to ban his NJ license for 5 years. We have enough problems with the anti-gun,,anti-hunters, we need to stick together.

adams

The look on his face.....Priceless

Jbra

I wish I could be a game warden just to do something like that. Glad you got your stand back.

I dont care who you are, THATS FUNNY RIGHT THERE!

JZarr

I've had a bunch of stands stolen over the past few years or so. Some here locally by my house, others way out in the middle of nowhere on private property. Ladder stands, fixed position stands, climbing sticks, tree steps, you name it and I've had it stolen.

I still leave stands up for extended periods of time in a new spot out in the middle of nowhere where I haven't had problems with theft yet. I lock up my good API, but my cheapo Gorilla stands are unlocked. Close to home here in the 'burbs I lock all my stands that I leave up for extended periods of time, which amounts to all of 2 stands anymore. My two Lone Wolf stands go in and out of the woods with me if I'm going to be gone for more than one night - i.e if I hunt that night and plan on coming back in the morning, I leave it. They never get left alone in the daylight - they're too expensive for that.

It sucks that you have to do it, but some people are just bass-turds.

RustyOlRanger4x4

Never had a stand stolen but Ive had feeders stolen[:@]

Ragsbo

Did you report the theft? Might not do any good but at least there would be a report and if they show up they know who to call. Always mark them if you can. If you catch the puke, kick him once for me!

george_s

i havent lost one yet, but my friend had his ladder stand stolen on his own propery. i use 1/2" coiled cable locks, the kind that mount to the frame of a bicycle. that way, they are always mounted to my stand. i suppose it is no match for a set of bolt cutters, but i rarely leave them for extended periods

StealthyOne

As I stated on another post, I had a stand stolen on private property. I got it back undamaged and left the idiot undamaged as a result. He went over to climb my tree and found the bottom 7' of tree steps gone (I always do this). So, really pi$$ed off, he went home for a ladder. When he climbed the tree he found a heavy chain and lock...making him even more bitter. He went home, got his chainsaw and cut down the tree!!!! Just goes to show you that if someone wants it, they'll get it.