Hum Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 DULUTH, Minn. (AP) ? 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. 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." Private landowners can do what they want, Krepps said, but tax-forfeited land makes up nearly 1 million acres of county forest, and is supposedly open to all hunters. Hunters who customize stands in these areas are inappropriately claiming public land as their own, he said. "A lot of these cross the line of what's appropriate," Krepps said. "If I'm out walking and come across one of these buildings on posts, am I going to feel welcome to hunt there? Probably not. And if I do, there's likely to be a fight. That shouldn't happen on land that belongs to everyone." One deer stand was 18 feet wide and 20 feet long; county officials said it was more like a cabin. And officials have even found some stands on public property with locks on the doors. Traditional wooden stands are often abandoned to rot in the woods. That gets more complicated with new, sometimes elaborately manufactured stands that include plastic, metal and shingles, which aren't biodegradable "and really leave a mess in the woods," said Jason Meyer, a forest manager for the county. from: Duluth News Tribune, http://www.duluthsuperior.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 An 18x20 foot tree stand? Yeah, these guys might just be getting carried away. Next they'll probably have solar panels and satellite service :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*RedBull* Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 Nothing like a booty call when you're out "hunting". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hum Posted July 9, 2012 Author Share Posted July 9, 2012 Why not just make a robot to sight & shoot deer .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
threetonesun Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 Why not just make a robot to sight & shoot deer .... They'd probably like that, it would give them more time to spend in their tree forts. :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LightEco Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 I thought the point of hunting was the "thrill of the hunt". Tracking and finding your prey. Not sitting in a fully-furnished stand, cutting down trees, and planting crops to attract. That just seems lazy and kind of defeats the whole purpose unless you just want to shoot something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snake89 Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 The people in minnesota really go over the top. I see alot of deer stands out in the woods when i'm working, but nothing like this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hum Posted July 9, 2012 Author Share Posted July 9, 2012 I wonder if the stands include a BBQ ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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