Deer Stand Security - Public Ground

[MikeT49]

What do you hunters do to keep honest folk honest on public ground? I've been hunting private ground almost exclusively for hunting deer here in Washington. Now retired, I go back home to Wisconsin to hunt Whitetails every year. My bud has 60 acres but I'm new to the camp and the stands on his property are already spoken for during gun season. His private ground borders on county forest which is open to the public.
I hung a couple of hang on stands last year on the public ground. For security on my hang ons, I use 12' of climbing sticks. Then about 10'-12' of strap on steps. Secure the stand to the tree with a cable lock. Then you remove the 12' feet of climbing sticks when not using the stand and hide them nearby. Seems to work.
My issue is I've found a couple of spots where I can actually use guns designed for longer range, 300 yard type shots. Hard to find. The stand sites beg the use of a ground blind. Ground blinds left on public ground are required to have a blaze orange "cap" during gun season, there goes maintaining a low profile. Any tips for keeping the honest folk honest using ground blinds on public ground? Claymores are not legal. Mike

 

[jimmymac]

Good luck with that. The honest folks aren't the ones you need to worry yourself about.

For as long as it takes to set up a pop up ground blind, I'd figure out exactly where I want it and pack it in and out. Not ideal, but it beats showing up at your spot only to find that somebody stole it.

 

[Immike]

Take the orange off when not using maybe.

 

[dolek]

Like said above,pack it in and pack it out . I hunt County/State land here so I understand your concern .

Folks lose their minds during deer season , I have seen and heard it all . From trashed stands to stolen stands and blinds to someone sitting in my stand as I go in for night watch ...even came out to ten guys circling my truck thinking I was trespassing on their private club .

Good luck with whatever you do, and good luck this season . Three weeks from today our rifle season begins , my Son and I are grouse hunting today and scouting out new spots for deer season...priceless.

 

[hogpatrol]

I hunt private property. One is a club with 50 members. On that land, there were two cameras stolen over the last year. I had a cable locked tree stand and climbing sticks stolen 100 yards behind my house. I would find a natural hide and use a ghost blind. I've had good luck with that setup.

 

[JEFFPPC]

I hunt private property. One is a club with 50 members. On that land, there were two cameras stolen over the last year. I had a cable locked tree stand and climbing sticks stolen 100 yards behind my house. I would find a natural hide and use a ghost blind. I've had good luck with that setup.

What is a ghost blind?

 

[dolek]

https://www.ghostblind.com/

 

[2506]

Get you a folding bi or tri-pod and some camo netting and four or five 5/8" by 48" dowel rods. I cut the dowel rods in half and use 6" lengths of 3/4" pex plastic water pipe to make connectors. I slip one piece of pex 3" down on one end of the dowel rod and drill a hole and put a screw through the pex into the dowel to secure it. I sharpen the other end and use this section as the bottom section to stick into the ground. I slip the other piece into the pex and it makes it 48" long but when halved it is easier to transport. I have a little zip up duffel bag to carry all this stuff in. Go find a good spot to sit with a tree for a back brace. Either sit on the ground or use a small fold up stool like I do. Put your dowels in the ground deep enough to stand alone which can usually be done by just pushing and wiggling them some into the ground. I place two of my dowels one to my right and one left even with my back rest tree and a couple feet or so from the tree. I then place two out in front of me at the same width as the two others making a box shape around me. I then use a 5th dowel in the center of the front between the two front dowels. I then drape the camo netting over the dowels and secure the netting to the dowels at the top by either using small pieces of copper wire or as of late I picked up a pack of those little stretchy women's hair pony tail holder rubber band type things. I just pull some of the netting down a little over the top of the dowel and put one of these bands twisted around the netting and dowel a few times and it holds the netting on good. This blind is easy and quick to put up and take down and all fits in the little duffle type bag for easy transport. Don't have to worry about someone stealing it nor anyone really knowing your spot. I also wear a head net with a floppy type boony hat to break up my shape and hide the face glow the people forget about that sticks out like a spot light when everything around it the pattern is broken up.
The tripod I have has extendable legs so I can get the proper height I need and is VERY steady for shooting.

 

[hogpatrol]

Ghost blind setup, just enough to keep me hidden from anything on that hill.

 

[MikeT49]

Thanks for the replies. All good suggestions. I did some more research on blinds/treestands in Wi. Turns out the blaze orange requirement on ground blinds during gun season applies only to DNR controlled public ground. I will be hunting county forest. I will remove the blaze cap when not hunting and only display it while I'm in the blind during gun season. I also found out that you are limited to two stands (treestand/popup ground blind) per county. Unlimited number of natural material stands. I'm going to put up one treestand and one popup. I've got a couple of old Ameristep dog house popups that are on their last legs. I need to have the blind in place. I'll consider it a sacrificial anode. I will be sitting all day for the chase phase of the rut during bow season and during gun season all day opening two days. Being uncomfortable is not an option. I need to carry in my old man's ground blind chair, gun/xbow, pack and field pod. Maybe even a Buddy heater. Don't want to carry the blind in addition to that stuff. I will be brushing in the popup blind, only want to do that once and I have found that whitetails do not like large blobs suddenly appearing on their turf. If some scumbag rips me off, so be it.
For the rest of my stands on public ground I will be using natural stands with upgrades I can carry. Strap on tree seat, I have a bunch of 4' wide camo material and folding 4' stakes, treestand half umbrella in case of rain/snow, pack, field pod & gun/xbow.
Hog, how much do the ghost blind panels weigh? Easy transport? I was going to get me some years ago for run & gun turkey hunting.
Keep the ideas coming, I for one am always open to new/different chit, especially if it works. Thanks again, Mike

 

[hogpatrol]

Hog, how much do the ghost blind panels weigh? Easy transport? I was going to get me some years ago for run & gun turkey hunting.
Mike

Mike, I have the short one and it's not a problem for carrying. They come with a shoulder strap and when folded up, there are cutouts so you can carry it with one hand like a lunch box. I did away with the strap and just use the hand holds. They're made out of some sort of sign material corrugated plastic, about 3/8" thick. I'd say it doesn't weigh more than a couple pounds, not a big weight problem. I assume the tall versions are heavier. I've sat in a predator chair and shot over mine with a crossbow no problem.

 

[Immike]

I built a ground blind once for a woman to kill her first deer from. I took a wide roll of chicken wire and raked leaves onto it and folded it over in half trapping the leaves. Wrapped it around a clump of trees with a opening to enter. It was virtually invisible in the woods and a deer walked right up to her that evening and she got it.