# Squatters Rights



## WhatGooseUPmustGoosedown (Oct 18, 2008)

On 11/1/01 I walked out into Proud Lake to an old stand that I had seen......threw out a little corn around it and went back to climb the ladder....only to find out that the straps had been cut away from the tree. Darn....now I have to find another spot to squat. I strolled through the woods and saw a board...not a stand....just a board anchored in a tree, climbed up and shot this bad boy in less than an hour. I have hunted state land for decades and never even witnessed a deer like this.....let alone arrowed one. While I was tracking it, I met the young lad that had put the board up. He was very disappointed because he suspected that I shot the deer he'd been scouting. I promised to send him a pic if I found it. When we found the deer (my son pictured helped me drag it out), I sent him the pic. He was devastated....but I offered to bring him some steaks. He probably didn't believe me, but when I showed up at his place.....I came with $50 (the amount he'd spent on baiting).....several packs of steaks.....and the rack. He was very happy with the $ and steaks but would not accept the rack (on general principle). He gave me a giant bear hug and we talked hunting for an hour.....shared favorite spots and agreed to pair up in the future. So.....moral of the story.......the love of hunting transcends the hunt.


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## wintrrun (Jun 11, 2008)

Great story and nice lookin buck.


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## SPITFIRE (Feb 10, 2005)

WhatGooseUPmustGoosedown said:


> On 11/1/01 I walked out into Proud Lake to an old stand that I had seen......threw out a little corn around it and went back to climb the ladder....only to find out that the straps had been cut away from the tree. Darn....now I have to find another spot to squat. I strolled through the woods and saw a board...not a stand....just a board anchored in a tree, climbed up and shot this bad boy in less than an hour. I have hunted state land for decades and never even witnessed a deer like this.....let alone arrowed one. While I was tracking it, I met the young lad that had put the board up. He was very disappointed because he suspected that I shot the deer he'd been scouting. I promised to send him a pic if I found it. When we found the deer (my son pictured helped me drag it out), I sent him the pic. He was devastated....but I offered to bring him some steaks. He probably didn't believe me, but when I showed up at his place.....I came with $50 (the amount he'd spent on baiting).....several packs of steaks.....and the rack. He was very happy with the $ and steaks but would not accept the rack (on general principle). He gave me a giant bear hug and we talked hunting for an hour.....shared favorite spots and agreed to pair up in the future. So.....moral of the story.......the love of hunting transcends the hunt.


 congrates nice deer and nice gesture. though I dont agree with your style of hunting,safety as one of them.


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## determinedArcher (Jan 15, 2011)

I am high fiving you right now! You sir are awesome!


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## stickman1978 (Sep 15, 2011)

A True Sportsman.


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## Get Out (Dec 29, 2010)

poor kid


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## sullyxlh (Oct 28, 2004)

Definitely a Sportsman
Nice buck & story.


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## Rainman68 (Apr 29, 2011)

Nice deer and sportsmanship.

You have to be a little more carefull on the safety side. How was that board anchored, hopefully not nailed to the tree and how long was it there?


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## fanrwing (Jul 31, 2010)

I'm not sure but aren't permanent stands unlawful on public property? If so then not only is the one who places it there in violation but so is anyone who hunts from it.


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## aquaticsanonymous (Jul 1, 2006)

Let me get the story straight. The kid scouted the buck. Did the work hauling out the bait and setting up the stand. You lazily walk out into the woods, sit in anothers stand, shoot a deer that he had been working for all season, then post up on michigan sportsman looking for a congratulations?

I don't concur with the others posted. While it is state land, I personally would never do that. If I see anothers bait pile, I move. I certainly would never be proud of a deer that I shot out of someone else's stand. 

I take pride in setting up my own stands, away from others. I suppose you should be proud of yourself. I wouldn't be though. I would feel like a heel.


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## aquaticsanonymous (Jul 1, 2006)

stickman1978 said:


> A True Sportsman.


Not in my book! Farthest thing from a sportsman.


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## Rainman68 (Apr 29, 2011)

aquaticsanonymous said:


> Not in my book! Farthest thing from a sportsman.


Lighten up dude did you actually read his post?

*"I strolled through the woods and saw a board...not a stand....just a board anchored in a tree, climbed up and shot this bad boy in less than an hour. I have hunted state land for decades and never even witnessed a deer like this.....let alone arrowed one. While I was tracking it, I met the young lad that had put the board up."*

Where did he say he was hunting someone elses bait? Regardless if he was, have you ever hunted a state park like Proud Lake? If you think you can put out bait and reserve an area for yourself for the entire season you are far less of a sportsman. Not to mention this land is used by people who walk their dogs, bike, jog and so on. 

To the OP congrats on any deer out there these days.


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## Uncle Boopoo (Sep 15, 2008)

Congrats on the hunt!!! Public land bucks are special! 

There are more of those guys running around on public land in SLP than you might think! 


To the other posters...

Public lands in SLP and public lands in NLP/UP are different worlds. On most SLP public lands, if you were to "find a different spot" eveytime you came across other hunter sign, you would have no place to hunt.

Certain areas (like marshes) may only have a handfull of trees at best to hunt out of. If a guy hangs a treestand on Oct 1st and leaves it up till Jan 1st is that area "his" for the enitre season?

If a public parcel has 1 main funnel that deer use daily, is it right for 1 guy to set a stand there and expect other hunters to hunt somewhere else the whole season?


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## aquaticsanonymous (Jul 1, 2006)

Uncle Boopoo said:


> Congrats on the hunt!!! Public land bucks are special!
> 
> There are more of those guys running around on public land in SLP than you might think!
> 
> ...


Point taken!


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## fishmagnetmike (Dec 10, 2010)

that not right and he knew it so he tried to ease his mind by giving the kid money and steaks i hunt state land and i dont give money and steaks when i get a deer because i find my own spot not somebodys baited stand thats not being a sportsman to me


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## fanrwing (Jul 31, 2010)

I see nothing wrong with him hunting there but the following is from the hunting digest:


The following persons may hunt from a raised platform or tree stand: 

All bow and crossbow hunters. 
Bear and deer hunters when using a firearm. 
Fox and coyote hunters from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset. 
[/COLOR]
All other firearm hunters are prohibited from using a raised platform or tree stand. A raised platform means a horizontal surface constructed or manufactured by a person that increases the field of vision of a person using the horizontal surface beyond the field of vision that normally would be attained by that person standing on the ground. 
If you hunt on public land, your tree stand must be portable and your name and address must be affixed in legible English that can be easily read from the ground. Hunting platforms cannot be affixed or attached to any tree by nails, screws or bolts; however, a "T" bolt or similar device supplied by a tree stand manufacturer can be used. 
Screw-in tree steps are illegal on public lands. It is illegal to use any item that penetrates through the bark of a tree in the construction or affixing of any device to assist in climbing a tree. Scaffolds, raised platforms, ladders, steps and any other device to assist in climbing a tree cannot be placed on public lands any earlier than Sept. 1, and must be removed by March 1. A permanent raised platform or tree stand may be used for hunting on private land with the permission of the landowner. 
_It is unlawful to use an illegal tree stand, scaffold, step, etc., regardless of who placed it on public lands. Your name on a tree stand or ground blind on public land does not guarantee exclusive use. _


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## aquaticsanonymous (Jul 1, 2006)

Uncle Boopoo said:


> Congrats on the hunt!!! Public land bucks are special!
> 
> There are more of those guys running around on public land in SLP than you might think!
> 
> ...


Things are alot different on stateland up here. It is common courtesy where I'm from to not hunt anothers spot.


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## aquaticsanonymous (Jul 1, 2006)

Rainman68 said:


> Lighten up dude did you actually read his post?
> 
> *"I strolled through the woods and saw a board...not a stand....just a board anchored in a tree, climbed up and shot this bad boy in less than an hour. I have hunted state land for decades and never even witnessed a deer like this.....let alone arrowed one. While I was tracking it, I met the young lad that had put the board up."*
> 
> ...


Re read the post "dude"! You will see that he gave the youth 50 dollars, (the amount he spent on bait) "

I still don't find anything to be congratulated about hunting someone elses bait pile. 

Like I said, up here, while legal, it's not considered sportsman!


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## Uncle Boopoo (Sep 15, 2008)

aquaticsanonymous said:


> Things are alot different on stateland up here. It is common courtesy where I'm from to not hunt anothers spot.


The main difference is there's a LOT more public ground in NLP/UP, so there's more room to move around.

I often roam national forests in Lake and Mason counties and sometimes it's hard to even find sign of other hunters. In some SLP spots, the same stand will be in the same area for years and I'll see a different hunter there every time (I glass from a distance). I like to use those stands, on a good wind, to get elevated in otherwise flat marsh land. If I was ever approached by the stand owner (has yet to happen) I would gladly let him hunt the stand.


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## crittergitter71 (Feb 9, 2010)

I gave up hunting Proud Lake this year. The last few years I had quite a few decent spots and have taken some nice deer out of there with very little hunting pressure. Add in to this season, baiting and crossbows  Holy crap, I could have limited out on hunters on opening day!!


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