Stolen Ladder Stand

[Smiley]

My 10 year old son asked if we could go hunting this morning, so I woke him up at 5a and we headed down to try our luck. Got there before light and walked in carefully only to find someone has taken our two person ladder stand. Of course, I left the ground blind at home since we were going to hunt the ladder stand. It was pretty disheartening to have to explain to him that it was stolen, but we got some Chick-fil-A on the way home and he was better.

While he is better, I am pretty pissed. My company has owned the land for quite some time and recently purchased more. Many of the locals have just gotten used to no one caring that they were trespassing and hunting the land. I guess they figure it was theirs by proximity. We have had a lot of theft and dumping, so I am fencing in the entire 375 acres.

One grouchy old jackass in particular is pissed that my development is messing up his hunting. Even though, his stands all sit close to the property line facing our land. I have tried to be understanding and make sure I don’t cut people off from their access to areas they may hunt. I even left the road, that we own, in tact, and routed my new fence to leave access on parts of old power easements I have had removed.

After this morning, I am reconsidering my care for the community surrounding. We have tracts that are on the other side of the river I have left alone, most probably don’t even know we own it. I know they are hunting it, I have seen their stands on the power line. I obviously need a replacement…

 

[Mr. Goodbar]

Find all the stands on your land and take them, people don’t care and are selfish, you’ve been too nice with YOUR land

 

[wolfmanrogers]

Scorched Earth on those assholes. Screwing up a kid's hunt is unforgivable.

 

[Horsehat]

Early lessons in the house I grew up in included a learned respect for peoples‘ property. We hunted other folks land but never without permission. Dad also offered help bailing hay, cleaning fencerows, whatever needed for allowing us to hunt there.
Different world today.

 

[Boogar Presley]

I came out and found someone had set up a ladder stand on my private property two years ago. I left them a note and came back the next day. The stand was still there chained to my tree minus the note
I cut the chain, took the stand and gave it to my neighbor

 

[Smiley]

It’s been pretty eye opening. We bought a horse farm and a few houses, some that were down right rough. Within a few weeks there wasn’t an air conditioner left. Within a few months, almost every house had been stripped of wiring, plumbing, and anything of value. People have dumped truckloads of what I can only determine is foam insulation from who knows what.

What’s bad is it’s no different than my development downtown. People have taken just about everything they can and then have dumped garbage there. It never ceases to amaze me.

 

[Stubrew]

Many hunters do help themselves to the private property of others, or abuse the privilege when granted permission. I learned my lesson on this long ago. I allow hunting permission to a select few people, and they may only hunt if I am on the property hunting. I patrol and make sure I am seen or heard, and kick all trespassers out. A local reputation as a consistent hardass is the best security.

 

[24on48hunting]

Cell cams up high in bear boxes…..get some faces on photo, turn over to SO or PD.
Once charges start getting made, folks will cease to be an issue. Ask me how I know.

 

[Granite3]

Also, speak to your local Green Jeans and make them aware of the situation. We have them checking our acreage regularly, and after 2 arrests word got around.

When folks kept duck hunting our swamp, I removed the valve stems from their vehicles and had them towed. 2 rounds and all done for.

 

[basstracker89]

Sorry to hear that OP. Thing is if people want in, they will find a way. Best you can do is have law enforcement patrol the property regularly and post signs all around property line