Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Do you leave your rifle in stand between hunts?

We have a power line through our 2700acre lease in Central TX. The landowner occasionally finds water bottles, clothing or backpacks.

Years ago when I hunted far south, they'd sleep
in any unlocked blinds, and when you got dropped off
in the early AM you'd have to do a SWAT crackhouse
entry type thing with peestols drawn while one of
you eased the door open. Had 2 ways to call the
other hunters also
Last similar place had the lessee's camp enclosed
in a 1/2 acre of 8 ft chain link topped with wire.
Chained and padlocked at night and unlocked in
the AM
Buddies camp about 10 minutes SW of there didn't
have an enclosure, and they'd get there and a window
would be broken out and the beds slept in and
stinky and the fresh water tanks would be dry.
They finally had to leave everything unlocked and
bring everything back and forth each time and
had a plastic sign made up in spaneesh that
said that there is nothing of value in any of these
RV's . Please take any of this food if you need it.
And they put the sign in the middle of the picnic
table with 10-12 cans of vye-ainnies and beans
and such on top. It stopped for a while, but
eventually they would get there and the illegals
would sh*t everywhere out of meanness.
Not to mention the trash and dirty clothes and
dirty diapers strowed all over the ranch everywhere

Black buzzards were all over that doe yesterday

Never but will leave my backpack. However, I'm hunting out of a shot house and can lock it.

Never

No, never have - never thought that was a good idea. As a matter of fact, when I hunted the TX Panhandle and stayed in motels, I would take my rifle if I left the motel for any reason because I didn’t trust the staff or other patrons. If I went to eat, I’d make sure I could see my truck (rifle) at all times. I just don’t trust people anymore.

I never have, nor even though of doing so

Years ago in Mills Co (Central TX), shotguns and rimfires were sometimes left in the stand but not the deer rifles.

Too much liability to do it now days but there are times I wish I did have an inconspicuous shelf in my lockable stand to leave a short 22 mag for coyotes.

This morning, I dumped 2 more pigs next to one I shot 2 days ago. Only the Caracara's eating on that one and a deer gut pile, no black buzzards. Driving back this morning, I did see some black buzzards near San Saba and Goldthwait. Weird that they all leave our property for periods of the winter. Other times of the year, they swarm every dead carcass in the pasture.

There must have been a hundred of the bastards

Seriously??

No.

Left a pair of binoculars out overnight one time by accident. Overnight a mouse or squirrel chewed up one of the eyecups a bit. Never got it fixed, figured its a good reminder to not be a dumb-azz.
Would be really pissed if I left a rifle out and a critter chewed up a stock.

Why would you do that? I have a stand that the door locks, I leave my chair, my propane heater and other equiment but never, never my firearm!

Nope

Ron

Would never even enter my mind, even when I hunted private land almost exclusively. Not only are there thieves literally everywhere, it’s just totally irresponsible unless there’s a secure locker or other measures in place. Kids go where they want; I sure as Hell did.

after i read all these replies i just might start bringing my rifle back to camp now ? Pete53

Why not just leave your rifle leaning against the telephone pole at the local bar and grill!

No, never have. I don't leave anything of value in a fish house either.

So, if you're miles from any roads and feel safe enough to leave a gun in the blind, why the lock on the door and the windows? Conversely, If you feel like you need to lock the door and windows on a blind, why would you leave a gun unattended in it?

I hunt out of a open ladder stand. Leaving a rifle in the stand overnight is not an option.