Some Minnesota hunters are upgrading their deer stands, trading the traditional nailed-together hunks of wood for what one official calls “mansions” in trees on public property.
St. Louis County officials are seeing deer stands — platforms perched in trees to help hunters more easily spot deer — with stairways, decks, shingled roofs, commercial windows, insulation, propane heaters, carpeting, lounge chairs, tables and even the occasional generator, the Duluth News Tribune reported Sunday (http://bit.ly/Lzie7J).
Some hunters have even planted crops near their stands in hopes of attracting deer, said St. Louis County Land Commissioner Bob Krepps. He said hunters have also cut down trees near their stand to improve sight lines.
“We’re getting overbuilt,” Krepps said. “We’re seeing mansions out there — basically hunting shacks on stilts.”
Most Deer stands are ramshackle structures simply people people want to hunt from a stand, but don’t want to take the time and money to build a “Mansion”. The same could be said about ice fishing shacks. Some are simply four walls and a tar-paper roof as a way to get out of the wind on the frozen lake, but others are heated and insulated that offer lots of creature comforts.
For the deer (or fish) its all really the same, for the sportsmen and women, it makes a big difference. I have no problem with this!
On public property, though? Whether you are a hunter or an occupy protester, I don’t think that building structures on public land is permissible.
Sounds like someone wants to pass a law….. Mocking and ridiculing is all part and parcel of the Rules for Radicals.
Also, it notes that these are on land confiscated for failure to pay taxes to the King, um, er state. I lost interest in the counties plight after that- maybe they should sell the land for profit if it is so awesome, or lease it out via special licenses.
My only concern is if they are cutting down trees for their hunting pleasure. It is public land so it doesn’t belong to them which, to me, means you leave it better than you found it.
Hunting pleasure? WTF does that mean?
I grew up hunting for one reason to put meat in the freezer and I still do.
I have hunted for a better part of my 55 years on this earth and will hunt until I no longer can. My Dad is 81 and we are planning this years hunt.
I have owned and handled weapons since I was about 8 maybe younger, is part of our family, guns and hunting.
We hunted for many many years 30 0r so on Potlatch timber land and have seen many a stand out there and have had a few of our own generally built from materials on hand, meaning logs and some rope or using a portable, which I built and now my son now uses.
Now we hunt on private land, right next to a State Park.
Some stands are extravagant. And building them on Public land is a big NO according to the state..
So no you are not supposed to build any type of stand on state land.
Does that mean it does not happen? Nope! But dammit if you pay your taxes, means you have partial ownership.Does it not?
Government of any sort should not own property..
Hunting pleasure! Damn that pisses me off..
I hunt too so don’t get in an uproar over the fact I used turn of phrase you disprove of.
sounds to me like some data has been massaged for the “story”, which should come as no surprise, considering the source. if these were lands confiscated for failure to pay property tax, for instance, it could be that these stand were already in place and so were no violation of the law. it may be that the State laws are somewhat different there. i wouldn’t take anything in this article without a healthy dollop of salt.