Thoughts on finding tree stands??

[Kirby86]

My struggle with finding other stands is whether I setup near it and try to take advantage of the stand being there, or whether I just find somewhere else because of the chances that the guy shows up and messes up my hunt.

It ain't cheap, but being mobile has really paid off for me. Plus, at the same time I have no idea how the guy who hung that stand hunts it. Did he pay attention to the wind direction? Did he care about access routes? I'm blessed enough job wise that I get to hunt mid week so the chances of someone else showing up tend to be less, but my gut is to just push on to somewhere else.

In the age of digital scouting, if the spot looks good from google earth/OnX, chances are there will be a stand near that spot. Deer pattern hunters more than we pattern them, so I've had to put myself in the deer's mindset. If I wanted to move past that guy's stand without him killing me, from point a to point b, how would I do it?

Sometimes it can be less than 40 yds that makes the difference.

[justletmein]

Deer pattern hunters more than we pattern them, so I've had to put myself in the deer's mindset. If I wanted to move past that guy's stand without him killing me, from point a to point b, how would I do it?

Sometimes it can be less than 40 yds that makes the difference.

Bingo

[Low Fence]

If I go into a spot to hunt and there’s a stand there …. With nobody in it. I hunt that spot from my stand that I have with me anyway. I won’t take their stuff…. But I will hunt an area. They don’t own the land anymore than I do

If they are there… then that’s just the nature of the game and I have to move on

[Rick]

I would just mind my own business and leave it alone, my decision on where to hunt would not be influenced by seeing a stand. But that is all in theory since i never hunt public land lol

[tdwinklr]

So if a stand is still up after 72 hours can you legally dismantle it, haul it out and claim it as your own?

No. TPWD personnel at the area's office will ask you to just report them, how many and locations. They're supposed to take them down themselves but don't know if that ever happens.