Hunting Blinds on Public Property

November 12, 2015

Question: I am a hunter myself and while walking on a closed road recently, I noticed someone had built a hunting blind about 25-30 yards off the road with tarps, boards and sticks from the surrounding woods. Can a person legally build a hunting blind in the woods on public hunting grounds and then continue to fix it up to use each year? And if that blind is vacant and not being used, can the person who built the blind claim it as his own or is it first come first serve? (Anonymous)

Answer: It is not legal for someone to build a structure and then leave it on public land. That could be considered littering as well as destruction of public property if public resources are damaged in the process. Thus, your follow up question about whether the blind builder can claim ownership is a moot point.

I see this all the time with duck hunters. Cracks me up.

Sounds to me he's (the question asker) is confusing a homeless encampment with a hunting blind