I live in a fairly suburban area, but my yard butts up against some wooded land belonging to the University. There are houses all along the fence line to the west, where my house is, and a hospital to the south (up the hill) just about 100 yards. To the north the woods continue down the hill to a corn field, about 1/2 mile away, and to the east there are more houses about a mile or two away.
I needed to dump some ashes from my smoker, so I went just a little ways into the woods to dispose of them there. There I found a tree stand attached to a tree no more than 25 yards into the woods. From the base of the tree I could see the upper story of my house.
We have thrown out corn for the deer periodically for some time, and we often see deer, turkey, and other wildlife just on the other side of the fence from the house. I am really uncomfortable with someone hunting the deer that I have lured in from a place within sight of my house and on land that is supposed to be closed for hunting.
First of all, it isn’t your land. So it would be wrong to touch it.
Secondly, is it illegal for someone to hunt in those woods? If it concerns you, I would simply check w/ the university. Maybe the university gave someone permission to bow hunt or something.
If it is not legal to hunt there, then it’s a legal matter if someone is hunting there. You are not a cop/Fish & Wildlife agent. You don’t know someone is hunting there. Maybe someone set up a tree stand to take pictures. Report it to the proper authorities. They can investigate to see if it’s being used for illegal hunting, or for another (innocent) purpose.
If it’s legal to hunt there (which is weird…is it common to be able to hunt near communities, or is this a really rural area?), leave it alone. They likely have permission to hunt in that area and you’d be damaging their property. If you’re concerned, call your local hunter’s association and ask.
ETA: Didn’t see where you said it’s supposed to be closed to hunting. Report is to Fish and Wildlife and leave it to them.
I agree with Johnny L.A.. Contact the University and tell them you’re concerned about people hunting near you property. Ask them why it’s there. It could easily be for someone doing research, studying the wildlife, not hunting at all, so don’t destroy it.
If you see someone using it, you could play dumb, and ask them what they’re doing (friendly, not confrontationally).
This reminds me of the ‘Nerd Wolves’ The Far Side cartoon. A couple of wolves are hidden, ready to attack some prey. A nerdy-looking wolf comes up behind them and shouts, ‘Hey! Hi, Guys! What are you doing?’ (In a Jerry Lewis voice, in my head.)
The land belongs to the University farm and they used to run cattle back there. I used to work for the University, and I know that hunting is not allowed, but I’ve heard of people doing it before. What bothers me is that it’s so close to my and other houses.
I heard a gunshot the other day (before I found the tree stand), and I think now that it may have come from there.
If it isn’t your land, not only should you not disturb it, you shouldn’t be dumping ashes.
However, have you read Red Dragon? The Tooth Fairy was checking out his victim’s homes from a tree, so you may be righteously concerned that your home can be seen.
Well, I would toss it out and leave a note. Nobody has any business hunting that close to a house and if it is part of a legit research project, it should be labeled as such (and in any case, the chances of that are remarkably slim.) If you don’t want your shit thrown out, don’t leave it out in the open on semi-public land with no explanation.
That’s kind of how I feel about it. The chances of it being anything other than someone hunting where they’re not supposed to is slim to none, and it would be a really weird place to do any kind of research. We recently had some trees cut down just on the other side of the fence from the house (with permission), and I think it might be one of the men that was involved in the cutting. We saw a nice 10-point back there a few weeks ago.
It seems to me that the stand is abandoned property.
If it is on your own personal posted property, feel free to take it down. If it is on someone else’s posted property, tell them so they can do whatever they like. If it is on public lands notify the proper animal control/wildlife control department for them to handle.
If you think that someone shouldn’t be hunting on that land, then you also shouldn’t be feeding them. Deer are supposed to be wildlife, not things you can handfeed. It makes them that much more likely to be car magnets as well. It is also illegal in some jurisdictions.
I disagree for a few reasons. First, that would be taking the law in to your own hands. Call the authorities and let them deal with it instead. Second, if it’s on university property, I actually would be more inclined to think that it’s an observation seat rather then for hunting. Third, those tree stands are expensive. Unless the guy is a moron, I would be surprised that anyone would leave it in a clearly illegal spot without a good reason for it.
Please, leave a note and tell me who you are. That way, if I have placed it there legally, I can have you arrested for destroying it, or at very least, take you to small claims court.
This is not an area used for research. It belongs to the farms, but it’s not currently used. There are a lot of morons around that just want to get a big buck without a lot of effort. They probably just thought no one would notice.
Normally, I have all the respect in the world for hunters, but this is obviously someone who is impulsive/kind of an idiot and has a gun. Do you really want to piss him off?
The consequences for hunting where it is prohibited tend to be harsh–far harsher than whatever punishment you could inflict by trashing his stand. Fish and Wildlife do NOT screw around with irresponsible hunters. Call them or let the University do it.
