Pennsylvania Game News - January 2014 - 7

game lands outside these established
use periods risk having their tree
stands confiscated by Game Commission land managers or law enforcement officers. When tree stands are
confiscated on state game lands, a
note is left informing the tree-stand
owner his or her stand has been confiscated and that it may be collected
at the agency's region office serving
that county. As a rule, hunters looking
to reclaim their property face a fine
ranging from $75 to $200, depending
upon damages the tree stand may have
caused to the tree to which it was attached. The fine for leaving tree stands
on state parks and state forests ranges
from $25 to $300, plus costs.
Game Commission region offices do
not hold onto tree stands for prolonged
periods. Tree stands cannot be resold.
If no one claims a tree stand within a
reasonable amount of time, the stand
will be discarded. The policy for state
parks and state forests is different.
The Game Commission and the
Department of Conservation and
Natural Resources' bureaus of State
Parks and Forestry are interested in
receiving information on tree stands
that appear to be abandoned or left
outside the use periods on their appropriate state lands. Information on
tree stands left behind on game lands
can be called into the region office
serving that county in which the game
lands is located, or via email through
pgccomments@pa.gov. Stands left on
state parks or forests may be reported
to park or forest district offices.
Although tree stands may be left
on state lands during the defined use
periods during deer and bear season,
their security is not guaranteed by the
Game Commission or DCNR. Hunters
JANUARY 2014

WHEN the late archery and flintlock muzzleloader
deer seasons come to a close in late January, the
clock will start on a two-week period to remove all
tree stands from public lands. Tree stands left out
beyond the deadline are subject to confiscation,
and while their owners often are able to reclaim
the stands, they might also be fined for violations.

leave tree stands on state lands assuming all risks. There is no regulation
or law that guarantees you the location in which you've placed your tree
stand. Someone can come along and
take down your stand and use the tree
for his or her tree stand. The Game
Commission does not investigate tree
stand vandalism or theft on state game
lands. Both crimes would have to be
investigated by Pennsylvania State
Police, which likely will not visit the
scene, but will file a report on the theft
or vandalism of a tree stand. DCNR
rangers investigate all thefts on state
parks and state forests.
In essence, when you leave a tree
stand - or a ground blind or trail
camera - anywhere on state lands,
you have assumed all risks for leaving
your property there. If your tree stand
is taken or vandalized, you most likely
will not catch the person who took
or damaged your property unless, of
course, someone saw the individual(s)
carrying the stand away, or a strategically placed trail camera snapped an
image of the crime in progress.
When you walk away from your
property in the woods of Pennsylvania - unless you're on private land you
own or have permission to use - you're
leaving it unattended. That comes
with substantial risk in some areas.
By and large, most hunters are lawabiding folks who won't bother your
tree stand. But if you're setting up your
ladder stand or hang-on stand in new
7

Pennsylvania Game News - January 2014

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