Stolen stands (2) and digi trail cam city hunt arlington road

[matthothand]

Today was not a good day for myself and a fellow hunter. We hunt a zone in the city that borders arlington road. My comrade had his stand stolen and the culprit also took the climbing sticks/ ladder. I had a river's edge stand and nice bow hanger that was stolen (after cutting through my gorilla cable lock) as well as the moultrie 4.0 digital trail camera that my dad got me for christmas. It was off the beaten path and locked as well. Call me a fool for leaving that stuff on public property. I guess I always thought it'd never happen to me. I had two other stands out as well but pulled them and will hunt the rest of the season re-hanging every time i want to have the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors and maybe see some deer. Oh yeah and to help manage the city's deer problem at my cost. If anyone knows of a good deal on a climber stand please e-mail me at [email protected]. I bet the guy that puts the pickle on our cheeseburgers makes more than me...I just can't afford a climber at retail price but that's gonna be my most practical way to hunt the remainder (the good part!) of the season. I'm going to file a police report and do what I can but am pretty confident our stuff is gone for good. I'm not about to give up bow hunting because some wise guy is hunting for gear...it's fall and during fall I hunt.

[Wade Joseph]

Not much in this world I dislike more than thieves.

Sorry to hear about your stuff.

[Nate McVey]

Matt, that is bu*****t......I'm sorry to hear that. There are few people that I hate in this world, but unethical theives are at the top of my list. I am heading over to my parents house in the UP this week and I have a climbing stand there. If you don't have another option by then, I will grab it and you can use it for the rest of the season.

Email me at nateatgrandsuperiordotcom if you this is an option. Again, crappy situation, and I'll keep my ears open.

[Tom Linderholm]

Never ceases to amaze me. Last year I had stuff pulled on private land. So it's not just people poking around public. Hope you find your gear.

[jimmy4218]

I have a friend that hunts near Arlington- I'll ask him to keep his eyes and ears open. There's nothing worse than a theif and I REALLY hope you catch them or at least get your stuff back. I had a storage space on Rice Lake road a few years ago and someone cut the lock and stole all kinds of camping gear and wedding gifts (I'd just gotten married) and the sad part was that the owners of the storage space didn't tell us that it had been broken into and just replaced the lock- we found out two weeks after the fact that our space had been burglarized. They said that it was probably just an ex-husband looking for his ex-wife's storage space- Sounded kinda fishy.

[Surface Tension]

Thats too bad. Seems to be a lot of theft within the City Hunt. Sad, a guy has to take everything out with him.

[Heartman]

I suppose I'll be viewed as the antagonist here, but isn't it unlawful to leave portable stands up on public land overnight? I thought the synopsis said all had to be taken down each day. Private land is another story - it's ok on private land.

Maybe I'm wrong?

[Shack]

Ya I think it is! I just read post for the first time and scrolled down and read the last post!

I can recall someone having his deer stand taken from public property (WMA) and filing a report with police and then local DNR, only to find out he was littering and DNR had taken Stand and other items. I do not know if he got the stuff back from DNR or ever got a ticket!

I would check with local CO to see if he has your stuff!

Ya, I just found it in the regs. Page 102 and 103!

Quote:

---

• Hunting, Fishing, and Trapping Equipment: Boats, decoys, and

other equipment must not be left unattended

overnight, with the

exception of traps in areas open to trapping and fish houses or dark

houses in certain designated WMAs.

• Blinds and Structures: A person may not construct or maintain

any building, dock, fence, billboard, sign, or other structure on any

WMA, except that temporary waterfowl blinds may be erected,

but

may not become private property or be used to preempt

hunting

rights. Any materials brought into a WMA for the construction of

a blind must be removed

each day at the close of hunting hours.

PUBLIC LANDS & WILDLIFE REFUGES

2007 Minnesota Hunting Regulations

102

• Elevated Stands: A person may not construct, occupy, or use any

elevated scaffold or other elevated device for the purpose of hunting,

watching, or killing wild animals, except that portable stands

may be used if they are removed each day at the close of hunting

hours and do no permanent damage.

---

Not to make your situation any worse! Sorry about your stuff! Check with local CO and see if he has your stuff!

[fishermn]

This is part of the reason I use climbers. Sorry to hear about your misfortune there, but I know those zones lost a big number of stands last year too. Its sad that some ppl will stoop to such disgusting behavior...

A friend also had a couple taken out of zn 6. That is the first time we have had a problem over there that I am aware of...

[Heartman]

Shakbush -

Checked the City Hunt reg's, and there is a provision for leaving stands out all season on city land for this hunt, which apparently overrides the state regulations. Just plain old bad guys here - bad for us all.

[Shack]

Sorry, I had never heard of city hunting reg.'s before. You know us country folk .

I would still chat with local CO and see what he knows. He might have an idea of who took it!

[hayseed]

Matt, email sent. Accutally attempted. Had all kinds of problems.

[SFBOY]

The world is full of butt holes. Sorry to hear about your stuff. Makes me nervous since I will be setting some stands up by Hibbing next weekend. I wouldnt want to get caught doing it.

[Jim Hudson]

Matt

I have an older model API I believe, not getting any use that I could sell pretty cheap... I think I used it like 3 times... Practically brand new.. Shoot me an e-mail or give a call to my cell...

[fishermn]

Matt, shoot me an email to dsmaki at yahoo. I have some info I wanted to share from observations from the stolen stands in zone 6.

[matthothand]

Thanks for all the replies guys! I'll be going through the e-mails and replying soon. As far as the regs go- certified participants of the city hunt may leave and use up to three stands in the zone or private property they are assigned or granted permission to hunt. No hiking trails where I hunt or anything to lead me to believe somebody stumbled across the gear. Whoever did this had been watching and made his move when he felt the time was right. I'm altering my game plan and now he's the hunted! Just frustrating having to deal with this and compete also with the coyotes (possibly wolves too!) in an attempt to stay on deer (a booner!). This whole deal was a wake up call to me though and hopefully others in the city hunt (and elsewhere) realize that this is becoming a more common occurance. "This could happen to you" is the message I want to get out there. If anyone sees any suspicious activity or people accessing huntable public property without a pink armband and ID number please make note of the place, vehicle, time, and description of person(s) as it may be helpful information to someone at some point. Thanks again guys. I'm still amazed that "it happened to me."

[elevatorguy]

Hey Matt I have an Ameristep grizzly climber that I don't use. Shoot me an e-mail I may give it away or really cheap or you can just use it. So shoot me an email at elevatorgod at hotmail.com.

[Northlander]

Dont be amazed at all Matt. It was bound to happen to a FMer in the city hunt. If you remember last year there was a rash of stands stolen. A guy even had his deer he shot stolen. Go figure.

Take your stands in nightly or risk them getting stolen. Just like my truck or boat. When they are on the street Im risking some dork stealing something out of them or the whole works.

This is the times we live in. Hit the Pawn Shops and you might find your stuff. Then ask the owner who pawned it and notify the police detectives.

[jaybirdd]

I pulled my stands (so did my Bro) and we will hunt exclusively with climbers the remainder of the season. Forgot to tell you Matt I had left my bow holder and fall restraint in the tree as well....gone ofcourse.

[biff]

Speaking of leaving the boat on the street...my dad did that this year...left it hooked up to the truck to fish the next morning and took everything of value out, depth finders, etc...someone still came along and ripped out the depthfinder cords and left them...just destroyed them for fun I guess One day I would like to just stay overnight in the back of the truck with some goodies in the boat and see who comes along and give them a surprise

[Down Deep]

It is just plain disgusting that someone can't leave a stand or anything else out overnight without having an armed guard looking after it. Most people in Duluth talk like this is the safest and crime free city in the nation, but there is a lot of this kind of crap going on daily. I think you and the Hunt Supervisors should contact the Duluth News Trib. and get them to report on the theft. Especially if there have been multiple thefts of stands and other equipment.

I wish I could help you out with a stand.

[Northlander]

This was all reported on the news and paper last year. Whats that going to do? Its old news and like I said its the times we live in. Take it out with you or risk losing it. Heck we have people stealing stands and practice targets off of private land.

[matthothand]

What a great community we have here online. Thanks again for all the offers of stand sales/use. SkippersKid offered me the use of a climber for the season and it will come out of the woods with me every day. Speaking of leaving the boat on the street...a few years back someone stole the evinrude off my boat. Fortunately I got it back. It is now locked...along with everything else I still own. Now I just need to get back in the game and let loose some arrows!

[bigyooper]

Isn't this a bunch of crap, I have a guy who yells at me everytime I go into the woods. I wish the news trib. would run another article on why we have the city hunt. I am sure the guy wouldn't mind me hunting if he knew the odds of him smacking a deer with his perfect little mini-van. Anti-hunters, can't live with them, and can't hunt them! If you want your stands back,I would knock on a couple of the doors around your area. I am guesing the person who took your stuff isn't even a hunter and has no intention of using your stands. Good luck on getting your stuff back.

[Down Deep]

NL - I would just like to see the DNT start doing more to focus the public on just how much of this kind of theft goes on in this city. The more awareness the more people begin to think there is a problem. Without the publicity then the community and the politicians never get motivated to do anything about it.

[SKIPPERS KID]

Matt I am more than happy to help but people just do not think that some one worked hard to enjoy what you payed for. I think they think it is Xmas early for them I would not like to get caught on this one I would like to see the one that got five of mine last year .

[Northlander]

DD it dont work with the drug dealers and gang bangers or repeat DUI Offeneders why do ya think it would help with a hand full of tree stand stealers? I know what your getting at but I really dont think the general public would get too worked up over stolen tree stands.

[Shack]

If I would like to catch some one in the act, do like the news channels do. Video them! They have some great outdoors, motion activated, inferred bright video cam devices on the market for reasonably cheap! I would place it tree stand height a couple of trees over, Tilt it down ward and get it adjusted, move stand back to original tree and keep a watch out. Some of these cameras even have remote control or Satellite notification devices, to let you know when activated (might require a large aux. battery).

Also try the system that seemed to work for the ice fishing guys. A neighborhood watch type program with FM stickers to apply to your stands, stating “these stands are being watched by an organized group involved with Fishingminnesota.com"

That or torch, engrave in large letters, water jet or other cutting method your name and address in stand's metal. It is hard for a thief to pawn off something with former owners name cut right into metal. Make it very noticeable for thief to easily see, or police to identify when you or buddies find your stand in woods down the line

In the end, bring stand in with ya every time. Its what I would do, unless I did not care about what I left behind! Sign of the times now a days!

Good luck!!!

[Nate McVey]

I like the neighborhood watch idea. I can't afford to buy a climbing stand right now, so taking my stand out of the woods is not an option for me. I'm in 19-A and know the other guys in my zone, but I can't trust the other people that may be out in the woods. Anybody else interested?

[Papa Woodie]

This may be totally stupid...but maybe not?

Place an ad on CraigsList and the DNT for wanted items: Cheap and inexpensive deer stands. God only knows how many calls you might get of people wanting to get rid of their stands. Go view all the offers you get, and see if you can pick yours out!

Might be far fetched....but who knows.