Alright the season is about over here and I want your opinions about ladder stands.
1) I want them to be 17-20 feet high
2) Do you think if I leave them out all year long the deer will learn to avoid them or get used to them and ignore them?
3) What stands do you recommend?
4) I want the platform to go all the way back to the tree , so my profile is closer to the tree.
5) Any other suggestions?
Thanks Jack
I got a Big Dog ladder stand,Big platform storage under the seat. You can leave it up all year and the deer get used to it or put it up a couple months early and trim then stay away until opening day works well for me.18.5 feet high
Jack,
I use alot of ladder stands around here and heres my opinions. I buy the cheap $50 15 to 16 ft stands from Dicks, Dunhams or Cabelas. Who ever has them I sale. Bought a half dozen more this year. I don't like anything higher than that because of the shot angle induced by higher stands. The cheap ones are plenty high enough, I find them comfortable, safe, sturdy and the seat platforms go all the way to the tree. I never leave them up all year long. Put them up in September and take them down December to January. All of mine have nylon rachet straps on them which should be removed and inspected for safety and animal damage and replaced as necessary. It also will not damage the trees if the stand is removed every year and not allowed to stand there for years and grow into the trees.
I have several ladders set up in the area we hunt, all but one are 15ft, that one is 20ft. I have seen many deer from each of them, in our area the deer look up sometimes but seldom do unless I move or do something to get their attention. When I put mine up I try and find a group of 2 or 3 trees growing close togethor and position the ladder so the trees break my outline. If I can't find a couple of trees close togethor I look for a tree that has some low branhes or even a small tree close buy that would help with breaking up my outline. I leave my ladders out all year, I do change the ratchet straps every year. I'm not sure if the deer get used to seeing the ladders or not, I also use a climbing stand and hang ons if I feel the deer are avoiding the ladders. My ladders are the less expensive variety($60-$80) but I have'nt had any problems with any of them, just check the straps every now and then.
point well made dino. I forgot about tree growth I just put mine up early,trim shooting lanes and stay out till opening day. I agree with the shorter ones also. When I put mine up this fall I'm going to leave 1 section out
Any way to effectively lock these for public land hunting?
The terrain ( Mountains ) here dictate that I need a stand 18-20 feet high . I have these on my little 30 acres and will need to leave them out all year. I will change the reachet straps every year to keep them safe. I'm going to try to put some honeysuckle around the ladders and put some branchs in the way so the deer cannot get close to the ladderand camoflage them the best I can. Keep the post coming curious as to what kind of stands everyone uses and how they conceal them. I can buy them at Dick's sporting goods witha 5' extension to make the 20' I'm wanting.
Jack
Thanks Jack
I'm going to put chain around mine and padlock them but if a theif wants them they will get them.
Jack
I'll describe the best I can on how I lock them up. I have two cables for each stand. The first one is a heavy 12ft rubber coated dog tie out cable. They have crimped eyes on either end. Loop it around the lower step rung, weave it up thru the steps up to the seat section. The second cable is a heavier tree stand rubber coated cable lock that loops around one side of the seat section and around the tree. Cables are wrapped tight with no slack and both cables can be looped together and locked with one pad lock. Rubber coated cables are also nice because they are quiet and rust resistant for the most part. That keeps the honest ones from carrying them off. A thief with a good set of bolt cutters can take down most anything. dino
My brother leaves his stand up all year round. A length of chain with a chain binder is what he uses to secure them. Safe, tight and you never have to worry about it. dino
One thing I've noticed after owning three for a couple years now is that they do begin to creak a little. A remedy for this that I plan to try after this season is to cut up small pieces of tire tube (as in the thin bicycle stuff) and place between some of the metal to metal contact points. (If I'm wrong on this, or it poses a safety risk, please advise!)
Jack, I have 5 ladder stands, 2 Cabela's, 16', 3 Ameristep 15'ers. the Ameristeps were cheaper, but do not have a backrest....your back rests on the tree, and that is not a problem for me.
Be sure to get one with a larger platform so there is plenty of room to stand and shoot. It is very difficult for me to shoot any direction other than to my right sitting....left handed shooter....if I shoot any other direction, I have to stand up because every ladder stand I've ever tried, the hand rails are in the way of shooting while sitting.
I don't like to leave them out year round because the seats and or backrests deteriorate being out in the weather.
Billy
Its funny Billy I hardly eveer sit down , All my hang ons are out most of the year and I pull the seats. Most of the seat cushion is gone because I removed them. The cusion make a siloette that I don't want in the tree due to a deer spotting them. As far as the backrest I don't need it plus it helps me hug the tree close when deer are close.
Thanks guys
Jack
Loggy Bayou 18' bowhunter ladders are good stands they have fold up seats that gives you more room on the platform.I've never had any problem with deer avoiding or even noticing them.I think they make a 20' model too.
Jack,
I never really liked or appreciated ladder stands in the past. As I grew a bit older and felt less "secure" about the whole process of hanging and removing platforms, I finally tried a Loggy Bayou bowhunter ladder stand and now really like it a-lot. The platform reaches back nearly to the tree and the seat flips up easily, so when you stand you're very close to the tree. I hang cedar branches behind the tree to help break up my profile. It will stand pretty upright (close to the tree) and is very secure with the ratchet straps. I left the first one up all winter - - just loosened the straps a bit. Good as new this year. Liked it so much I ordered a 21 footer for this year which I use as a backyard practice stand. Deer have never seemed to notice it at all. The LB "bowhunter" stand might be a tad more expensive but worth it, in my opinion. When it is assembled it isn't really that easy to lift up the tree. The directions call for at least two or three adults to get it up. My wife and I were able to do it with the help of another ladder. It has also been recommended on this site before - by Barry Wensel, I believe.
Dick
I replace the ratchet straps with eyebolts,heavy chain and turn buckles.Then I padlock the left over end of the chain back to the eyebolt.One trick to getting the end of the chain around the tree is to attach a length(long enough that you can reach it from the ground) of small rope to the end of the chain. As you climb the ladder you can pull the rope up with you and when you get to ready hook the chain to the turnbuckle just pull the rope and connect the chain. Much safer and easier than trying to "swing" the chain around the tree and catch it.
Rivers Edge makes a 17' model that has a platform all the way to the tree and fold up seat. I just got one this season and really like it. I use an extension ladder to climb the back side of the tree and attach the ratchet straps, much safer and quicker than climbing the unattached ladder stand.
A chain and padlock will NOT work in Texas public lands. Stands stay up for about 24 hrs.
warning to all who leave em up year round,,,not only will the tree grow around it, it will put immense pressure on the strap and it WILL break. Also be wary of unseen rust on a steel stand ...its gonna start on the inside and work its way out ;)
I use ratchets to tighten mine up.
I like to be close to twenty foot especially I after older deer.
Very very important to practice from that height the target is small and you will probably shoot high for a while
I now hunt at 18-25 feet ehre in WV these deer will spot you from down hill if not 18 ft or higher. I appreciate all the responses that I ahve recieved to this post. I didn't realize this many people used them.
Jack
I like the ladder stands from dicks...I enjoy them more than some of the more expensive stands.
As for securing them...I use 1/2" chain with a big padlock...if they get through that they deserve the stand.
As for hiding them...deer don't mind them you don't need to worry about em. I've had deer rub themselves on the ladder while I was in it just give em time and the deer could care less. As long as you don't pressure the area to much...let them adjust and dont bother em and your golden.
If your hiding from hunters that's tricky...those straight lines from the ladder tend to stick out.
Heres what i do to my ladder stands, saves a lot of carrying and can be used to carry out game. (http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x132/recurvehunter_2007/PICT0130.jpg)
Deadbolt I bought 2 from dick's yesterday, I bought the one that the platform goes all the way back to the tree.
The other one was the cheap one but I bought it just for the extensions for $49.99 ( got 2 -5' extensions) the extensions by there self were 39.99 each. So now I have 2 -20' stands.
Jack
When going that high, make sure you use the mid brace to the tree. Otherwise the ladder can flex in or worse yet out and has the potential to collapse. Also the stand is a lot more secure ad quiet with the brace. I use em almost exclusively.
Mike
They will creak after a season or two... I replaced the pins with nuts and bolts to fit... Some deer tend to avoid them if they are hunted heavily, but I actually have deer trails that cross within 3-5 yds of most of my stands... these stem from the trails I cut to access the stands...
I sat in a ladder stand yesterday afternoon and it was way uncomfortable to me. The seat was way too small for my bundled up in layers back end. The foot platform was also too small but I could deal with it. Kind of funny finding this here because I was gonna start a thread asking about which ones to buy.
Ladder stands are some of my favorites, but I insist on one that has a flip up seat and I platform that goes back to the tree so that I can stand back up against the tree. They are heavy to haul in, altho with Sergio's wheels it's pretty easy. Once in, they are easy to set up, just a bit time consuming. I figure them to be pretty much permanent for the season. I brush in the top of the stand, but don't worry about the ladder and the deer never seem to care about it either.
There is something comforting about sitting up there and looking at those steel tubes going down to Mother Earth.
That's funny!! I like them because they are portable. I move them all the time. If the deer move to anothter food source, I grab a ladderstand and move it midday. Often hunt it that evening and get shots.
I don't like permenant stands, the deer pattern them too easy.
Once I've been busted in a location, I move the stand, sometimes only 20 yds up the trail. I hate for deer to come out and look right at me.
Mike
I just bought a nice lightweight ladderstand. It only goes to 16 feet but weighs only 28 lbs and unfolds and sets up fast. There is no pins or bolts to worry about. I have to set it up a few more times and shoot out of it to see how well it does.
I also prefer ladder stands but keep them between 10 and 12 feet. Easier to put up when your by yourself and I've never had a problem being detected. I like the shot angle at that height and I always shoot sitting down. Course I also like to hunt on 7 ft. aluminum tripods by Strong Built when the ladder just will not work. The older I get the lower I go.
My brother and I probably have over twenty of the Loggy Bayou Bowhunter ladders. As usual, when you find something good they quit making them. They are excellent ladder stands. In fact, Gene and I bought two more just yesterday. A store in Liberty, MO (suburb of Kansas City) named Roger's Sporting Goods has them on sale for $89. He only had a couple dozen left as of yesterday morning. I'm sure they have a website as it's a big store. It's the 21 foot model. You can lower the platform by eliminating a section if you want. We also just throw away the gun rail that comes with it. We also usually hide them with cut cedar branches fastened to the uprights with wire-ties. Or use plastic vines, ferns or leaves purchased from craft stores. If you have a dependable wind you don't need to be that high. Great stands. They won't last long. BW
Dang Barry wish that was closer too home. The loggy bayou is a top notch stand. I usually pic up a couple a year when cabelas or bass pro puts them on sale for $69 but they aren't the stand that you got.
For pigs in S. Texas we like to just just the one ladder section and put them in mesquite. Even with a fairly small tree they stand well. It puts the seat at about 7 ft and right in the cover of the tree. It also is high enough to get overthe brush next to the pig trails. Give a great window of oppurtunity. I have one up right now on the pig hunt with Trashwood thread. We camo the legs and area under that stand with native brush.
The pigs come in right under me every time and don't have a clue I'm there. Now I just gotta get 'r done.
Mike
I shot two bucks in the last couple weeks. Both were from cedar/juniper trees probably only 8-10 inches in diameter. The first one my feet were probably ten feet up and the second I was even lower. No problem if you have a consistent wind. Wind permitting, I'd rather be low and tucked back in rather than high and backlighted. Plus, if you run out of arrows you can just jump on him! :^) bw
How do you know that??????
That's what Marty told me. bw
Consistent wind in WV , that isn't gonna happen :)
I have set in a stand and sent milkweed pods into the wind then watched them change 90 degrees in 30 yards.
Thanks for all the replys guys , I'm getting a little older and want to be safe.
Any more ideas ????
Barry I'll look you up and discuss this with you when you are here in March of 2009 for our Banquet.
Jack
Our local walmart has the ameristep 16ft ladders on sale for $60, I picked up 2 yesterday and went back today with my buddy to get 2 more but they were gone! When I was in there yesterday they had 8 total, the also have the 16ft stick ladder for $25 and rapid rails for $45 all made by ameristep.
I prefer them taller than 15 feet, although my girlfriend preferes them no higher. I, more time than not, add a boatseat to the seat portion for comfort, it also allows for silent sweveling and add a lapbelt(seatbelt)for security.
I leave them up year around, for two reasons, one is we are hunting hogs in the off season, and they are a pain in the a** to move. This is especially true when I am the only person putting them up...she loves to hunt in them, but not too crazy about putting them up in the heat of summer.
What I do to hide them even better is to cut, Oak Boughs, and using string, electrical tape, and camo duct tape to secure them to the stand. I put a considerable amount in the ground area up to seven feet, careful not to block the rungs. Then a gap, and then again just at the bottom of the foot rest, being careful not to block any shooting lanes.
I purchase the inexpensive stands, mainly from the auction sites. I replace the chain with ratchet straps, most times using the kind that truckers use to secure loads on the flatbeds.
While I use climbers, and hanging stands a lot, I put ladder stands up when I am sure I have found that "sweet spot". They are secure, and silent to get into to. They are the perfect stand to use when hunting close to bedding areas, or other security cover.
Come on Barry, you killed another buck and did not update it on the "Gene and Barry Give Us the Lowdown" thread? Any holes in his antlers? Just messing with you. But let us see him!