Stolen treestand?!?!?

[LakeDocktor]

I have a cabin just west of Hackensack. We left last Thursday morning to do some bowhunting before the gun season got into full swing. As we made our way to the woods to set up for the evening hunt, my buddy mentioned, "wouldn't you be pissed if your stand wasn't there?" I kind of shrugged it off, thinking it was locked to the tree and it would be a pain in the a** to haul it out of the woods without some help and people seeing.

As I drove up to the entrance of the Woodtick Trail, I didn't see it from the road and started to worry. I thought maybe the blind I put around it just blew off and that is why I couldn't see it. I was wrong, someone climbed the tree, cut the lock off and stole my two-man ladder stand. I just bought it two weeks before so my six year old son, who was begging to go hunting with "daddy", could sit with me and watch and learn things about bowhunting. These scum bags tore my blind off and threw it to the ground. I know that it had to be more than one person to steal and take this heavy stand out of the woods. I have talked to a few local guys in the area and they gave me a vehicle description of a truck that was parked at the trail that leads to my missing stand. If anyone was going into the Woodtick Trail off of Cnty Rd 122 between Monday Oct 30 and Thursday Nov 2 and saw anything suspicious or a vehicle within 50 feet of the entrance, please let me know.

Whatever happened to "Minnesota Nice"? I just hope that the Cass County Sheriffs Department catches these (Contact Us Please) before I do!

[almostthere!]

Two things comes to mind. It is either a frequent hunter, who has seen your stand, or a neighbor who stole it. Either way, just keep your eye out on the local hunters, as hunters like to stick to "their" hunting spots.

[Studer]

That really sucks!!!! We had some randoms in our 200 acre private hunting land and when my cousin shot at a deer off the trail these guys took off running to their trucks and took off!! Also a couple years ago my dad was out and saw some guy in one of our treestands and had his kid with him. My Dad said to the guy, "That is a great way to teach a kid to hunt. Here you go kid, just find some land and hunt." I think a light went on in the guys mind. That ticks a guy off when you see people breaking the rules. I hope you find your stand.

[BuckRuttinFool]

If it was on public land I'd call the CO and see if he's got it....they've been taking them left and right up here...you can't leave a portable out on public land over night.

[BKB]

As long as it is not in a WMA you can leave it overnight

[ec30_06]

That sucks about your stand. I had 2 stolen already just this year. I have to pack my stand in and out with me every time now, and I hunt on a large piece of private land that is somewhat inaccessable.

[KOTTKE]

I also hunt private land and have stands taken on me. I now take a 6' piece of chain and run it thru a 1/2" pipe foam insulation, it takes any nosie out of it. If someone now wants one of my stands they either shoot the lock or have to come back. I haven't lost a stand since I started doing this.