Jerks on state land

[Steve in MI]

My friend and I found a nice out of the way place to bow hunt on state land. We both have climbers since just about anything you leave seems to walk off. Well we went there a few hours ago and some jerk offs hung two trea stands using screw in steps on one and one had rail road spikes driven in and big lag bolts. SLOBS these people should get fined for this type of B.S. Most other hunters follow the rules these guys think that it is okay to just do as they please cut down a bunch of your trees. They have bait out as well looks to be about 200 lbs of shelled corn. I hate people like that. What can be done about this. I feel like taking their stands down and dropping them off at the local DNR station. But htat would not be right how tcan they be stopped????mad:

[Youper]

In a similar vein I know of four permenant deer blinds near my property, but on cfr land. As I understand the law, these blinds must be taken down at the end of the season. Is this correct? If so, how can it be enforced? The names and addresses of the owners is of course missing. I know they get used every year, because every year they get a new coat of balsam fir branches that are fresh and green, illegally cut of course. Should I complain to the local DNR office? Of course this time of year there is no one hunting in them, but perhaps during the season I should complain.

[Pinefarm]

Call the CO. Is there a name on them? I'm not condoning stealing, but there's a lot of guys out there that would make those stands mysteriously disappear and say "what stands?" But it's wrong and I'm sure illegal too. But it sure is tempting, isn't it? Ray, what is the law if someone puts up a permanent wood stand up on public land. Can you tear it down? Legally I mean.

[Steve in MI]

I guess what burns me is that these most likely are the guys that make your legally placed stand disappear. I would not steal a stand but you know I might take out those big lag bolts he put in. I'm am sure he really doesn't want to break the law so I will help him be a good citizen

But that makes me no better. But how can the CO find these stands Do you really think they will take a huge amount of time to search for them??? I am sure they would look but it is not like a house address. "' yea it is the second tree from the oak just down from that little stream bed" I don't want to be the guy that is out taking the co through the woods so others get in trouble either. It would be easier if they understood what a privilege they have to be able to hunt on the State land .

[trout]

Call the RAP line Borchavich or Prone will catch them if you give them the exact spot. Btw State land is all like that.

[boehr]

Do what trout says RAP Hotline, 1-800-292-7800. Make sure you give them (the Hotline) your name and phone number so the officer can contact you. If you want to remain confidential, that will be no problem, the officer will not tell anyone who you are but, the officer will contact you for exact location and any additional information that officer may need from you.

[DEERSLAYER]

Do CO's have a GPS so a person could give them an exact location?

[boehr]

All have GPS in their patrol vehicles but they are not portable. Some have issued GPS units and some have personal GPS units they purchased themselves.

[Youper]

Well, I called the RAP hot line, and they said that I would have to tell the company that owns the land. The company would have to be the one that complains. I don't know how clear I was about the land being CFR land.

I guess the basic message is go ahead and build illegal blinds on CFR land, because the law will only be enforced on complaint of the land owner.

[lawnboy]

I bet if you report them nothing will never be done...we only have so many dnr and I'm sure that stuff like this is at the bottem of the list. I my self will just clean up the mess.

[gunrod]

I don't anyone would blame you if you left the stands but took a climbing stick out and removed the steps and railroad spikes. Only in the interest of saving the trees of course.

[NEMichsportsman]

Just my opinion...

The damage is done already. You tried to go through the authorities. You have done your best in that respect, you might even monitor the area and watch for any other illegal activities. Dont jeopardize your safety by messing with these stands....you never know who, when, or what could happen if they come across you messing with their stuff!!!! My experience is that lawbreakers are very particular about "their" possessions!

jp

Be safe and good hunting!

[boehr]

E-mail me the information, if valid I will put the complaint into the RAP system so the appropriate officer gets the complaint.

As far as the law being enforced on complaint of the landowner, that is true. Because we don't like somebody doing something on someone else's land doesn't make it a violation just because we don't like it. For all we know the owner could have given their permission. I have had cases where I get to trial and a landowner shows up at the request of the defendant and says something like "oh, I didn't know you were talking about so and so, I did give him permission.

[Youper]

Thankyou for your attention to this Boehr. I can't stand on the hill and look at these blinds and say for sure that the hunters don't in fact have permission for these blinds, I can only speculate that they probably don't.