Ethics of using someone else's treestand?

[smithkl42]

This thread got me thinking:

https://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,240355.msg3217828/topicseen.html#new

I didn't want to thread-jack it, so I thought I'd bring it over here.

I've occasionally run across someone's ladder stand on public land - usually in a spot where I've thought, "Man, yeah, that's a great spot."

Off season, just scouting, I've sometimes climbed these stands, just for a sit and a look around, and hopefully nobody minds that too much. (Hopefully.) But I'm curious what folks think are the appropriate ethics and/or etiquette when it comes time for hunting.

Would you ever use someone else's stand to hunt from? Have you ever?

Now, obviously:

(1) It's someone else's stand. It seems to me obvious that *if* one were to avail oneself of someone else's stand, and that someone else showed up, you'd get down, quickly and politely.

(2) Ya don't damage other people's stuff. It would obviously be wrong (not to mention illegal) to damage or steal the stand.

Related to the ethics, of course, is the pragmatic consideration of maybe pissing off a guy with a weapon deep in the woods :-). If someone comes along and finds you in their stand, I could imagine them being either cool with it (provided you were polite and friendly), or being pretty grumpy.

If it was your stand, how would you respond if you came across some guy sitting in it?

[KFhunter]

I've come across a number of tree stands being left in the woods, but never had occasion where I'd even want to use them.


Typically the stands require bait to be active, if the stands are 'freshened up' with bait then they're being used and I don't want to hunt there anyways.
If the stands have been sitting dormant and there's no bait then they aren't worth sitting in. 

What I wouldn't ever do is freshen up someone else's stand with bait, I'd make my own if I wanted to do that...I don't.

Not to mention safety factors, I don't know the age and condition of the straps or chains.   I've found some stands grown deeply into a tree and others nearly falling down.  I just mark the stands on my GPS and make a note of the age/condition and active use or not.


As for ethics, I think it would be unethical (for me) to sit in a stand that someone had recently dropped bait and running cameras.   
I'm not that desperate for hunting areas. 

[JKEEN33]

If you came back to your camp and I was in your tent sleeping in your bag, what would you say? If I was polite and left when you came back, would you still be mad? I kind of look at it the same way, but that’s just my opinion.

[Timberstalker]

If you came back to your camp and I was in your tent sleeping in your bag, what would you say? If I was polite and left when you came back, would you still be mad? I kind of look at it the same way, but that’s just my opinion.

Spot on.

[Odell]

i've never done it but I would in a heartbeat. Public land. The beauty of it is that you are free to do what you want within the letter of the law. If the guy who put it there shows up, I would give it to them and wish them luck. But if I'm in the woods and see a stand or blind unoccupied and I feel like sitting in it then heck yeah.

But I'm a duck hunter and I am used to sitting in blinds someone else made

[KFhunter]

Letter of the law doesn't account for rudeness or slob hunting either.   

Nor would be illegal for me to start hunting coyotes right near my stand you're sitting in, so I'd blow on predator calls all.day.long.   
It's not my fault my coyote howl sounds just like a wolf 

edit: nevermind I just seen you would leave the stand and wish them luck     

[h20hunter]

Easy.

Not mine. Move on. Leave it alone.

[KFhunter]

Easy.

Not mine. Move on. Leave it alone.

 

why I mark it on my GPS, so I can better avoid it. 

[Alchase]

Easy.

Not mine. Move on. Leave it alone.

 

why I mark it on my GPS, so I can better avoid it. 

Never would even think of using someone else's stand for a couple reasons:
1. I can't sit still long enough to get the benefit from a stand, LOL
2. It belongs to someone else. (emphasis on the period)

[idaho guy]

Easy.

Not mine. Move on. Leave it alone.

 

why I mark it on my GPS, so I can better avoid it.

   

X3 I have found lots of tree stands I just hunt somewhere else. Too many other places to hunt. Leave other people’s stuff alone seems like common sense to me

[bowhunterforever]

Easy.

Not mine. Move on. Leave it alone.

 

why I mark it on my GPS, so I can better avoid it.

   

X3 I have found lots of tree stands I just hunt somewhere else. Too many other places to hunt. Leave other people’s stuff alone seems like common sense to me

[Rainier10]

i've never done it but I would in a heartbeat. Public land. The beauty of it is that you are free to do what you want within the letter of the law. If the guy who put it there shows up, I would give it to them and wish them luck. But if I'm in the woods and see a stand or blind unoccupied and I feel like sitting in it then heck yeah.

But I'm a duck hunter and I am used to sitting in blinds someone else made

I was wondering if anyone was going to use the duck blind similarity.

I can’t stand to just sit very long so I don’t think I could do it even if it was my stand.

If I did and the owner came along I would do the same as you and move on.

[smithkl42]

As for ethics, I think it would be unethical (for me) to sit in a stand that someone had recently dropped bait and running cameras.   
I'm not that desperate for hunting areas.

I agree, that scenario seems wrong, and intrusive.

[idaho guy]

Besides just the ethics of the situation making it a bad idea there are other reasons not to do it. I know a guy who found someone sitting in his stand and the stand squatter ended up with 4 flat tires. I know of another situation where a guy tried chopping the tree down with the stand poacher still in it. I don’t agree with doing that either but you never know the mental state of the hunter who owns the stand ha ha . I know both guys and if you met them on the street nice guys but there are some Idaho hunters who are psycho when it comes to their elk spots. I respect others property in the woods because that’s how I want my stuff treated but pissing off the wrong guy could end badly and they might not let you leave politely 

[Doublelunger]

In eastern Oregon during general archery elk season you can't hardly find a water hole that doesn't have a tree stand on it. Guys will leave them up for the whole entire season and only sit them a couple of times/weekends.  Does having a tree stand on one of these spots reserve it for the entire season for these guys? Ive never sat in someone else's stand but I wouldn't blame a guy for sitting in mine if I weren't there. Would it be ok to set up your own stand or ground bling on the same water hole?