One down three to go

[capuzzi2]

Season hasn't even started and already one of my four stands has been swiped from a property that I have permission to hunt. Any advice on how to prevent a determined thief from making off with a stand.

[crabby and son]

You can buy a cable lock and lock them to the tree. I lock my climber stand to a tree but it is hard to lock a ladder stand. You can lock the top part. A DETERMINED thief will get it though.Be careful as if somebody got one at a location, they might get another..............Gary

[BLUEYZWAITN]

buy a trail camera , if you have other stands they will get swiped. Maybe you can catch the Bastard in the act.. Picture is worth Gold if you get a good one... I had one swiped last year by the Landowners Son ....

Seems he had a Little issue with Substance abuse...

[crabby and son]

buy a trail camera , if you have other stands they will get swiped. Maybe you can catch the Bastard in the act.. Picture is worth Gold if you get a good one... I had one swiped last year by the Landowners Son ....

Seems he had a Little issue with Substance abuse...

Sounds good but if they take a tree stand and see the camera..........well there it goes too...........Gary

[joshfkntaylor]

yah haha, chances are they are doing it at night and they could see the flash or red. and that would suck to lose a stand and a cam

[kwb23vb]

Be in the stand waiting for them and blast their sorry ass!!

[h2oboss]

not a whole lot you can do other than buying a heavy chain and lock. I recently lost a peice of preprty and had to remove a few cheap chain on's that had been in tree for years. Tree had grown around the chain and it wasn't easy cutting chain even with heavy bolt cutters. Another trick is to take out your first 4 or 5 steps. Sorry that sucks, had it happen to me, although not recently.

[hollywood9s]

I use cables and locks on all of my stands, fixed and climbers. Learned my lesson after one got stolen that i thought noone would find because it was so far back in the woods. Had the padded seat, padded armrests and railing, and a pull rope stole off another stand that was locked to the tree, no doubt they'd have stole the stand if it hadn't been locked to the tree. I'm amazed at how many hunters are thieves, i've NEVER even had a thought of taking a stand i've come across in the woods. I'd love to catch one of them in the act.

[uncljohn]

Have you spoken to the land owner? Maybe he took it down for a reason. The land I hunt is managed by someone from the DNR, and he surveys every stand prior to the season and removes questionable stands (safety-wise). Also, know of people who were given permission to hunt land w/o knowing others had permission, and someone moved his stand to a "better" location.

[Rod Bender II]

I hear of this happening more and more every year. Sucks to see hunting coming down to this...and fishing the same way. People are getting their gear stolen from their boats. This economy is making broke people go crazy!

[Gaffman2]

I use krypton cables 6’ long and master locks from Lowe’s. I install one cable at the top around the tree through the loc-on-stand and through the ladder rung. Then the other cable around the base of the tree and through the ladder rung. For 4 stands and ladders you will need 8 each 6’ cables and 8 locks keyed the same. If you have leaning stands just get 4 each 6’ (top) and 4 each 15’ cables (trunk) and 8 locks. Note: this will only keep honest people honest. Good luck!

[Bug Guy]

I had one stolen too once. Just missed the guy...followed his footprints through the previous day's snow to the road...I'm thinking it was a neighbor but he walked into road with no snow. I think for most situations, it's a crime of opportunity. Removing the ladder to the stand would be the best bet in addition to some major locks. In my situation - the stolen stand wasn't locked and all locked stands haven't been touched since that day. Maybe take a couple drives around the property at night to see if anyone is parked on the road up to no good.

Not to get off topic, but as I write this, I remember that I was about 17 when my stand got stolen. I had bought that stand with my own money when I was like 13. I shot my first deer out of that stand (at the spot too - not sure why he took it down, it was an awesome spot). I had always thought hunters were good guys - that there was a code between hunters. I actually left the stand there with the ladder thinking that my buddies in the area could hunt it if they wanted to. Oh well - what can you do.

[hollywood9s]

I had always thought hunters were good guys - that there was a code between hunters.
I found out real quick that this, unfortunately, isn't the case. I have a group of really good, ethical guys i hunt with, but there are alot of absolute dirtbags out there too. It's ashame, you'd think that outdoorsmen would have more of a moral base.

[night nurse]

Had the same problem several years back. I thought I knew who the theif was so I went over to his place and warned him that someone was taking stands from the property. He said I should just find another place to hunt B/C it would most likely happen again. I told him I doubt it because I set a trap to catch the theif. I also told him not to worry, It wasn't going to kill the guy , just blow his balls off. He ask how and I said you don't wana know. I then told him where each one of my stands were.

They were never touch after that. He is still scared of me today.

TED

[crabby and son]

Had the same problem several years back. I thought I knew who the theif was so I went over to his place and warned him that someone was taking stands from the property. He said I should just find another place to hunt B/C it would most likely happen again. I told him I doubt it because I set a trap to catch the theif. I also told him not to worry, It wasn't going to kill the guy , just blow his balls off. He ask how and I said you don't wana know. I then told him where each one of my stands were.

They were never touch after that. He is still scared of me today.

TED

Where are your stands Ted. I have a kevlar jock.:hysterical:..........Gary

[PlaynHooky]

LOL.....nice....I will have to remember that one!

Try using removable ladders for the first ten feet......http://www.bowhunting.com/shopping/Products/Stagger-Steps-Single__CR0101.aspx

[Doggydaddy]

In the last twenty years three lock on stands & steps have been stolen from me, I felt like it was done by teens on four wheelers illegaly riding in the watershed...now as old & fat as I am I use a climber don't think the dumbass will try & steal it with me in it.