Step Ladder?

[always89]

Anyone ever use a step ladder as a portable stand for low cut brush? I have a place to hunt where I need to get 6 to 8 feet above ground. Its a swampy area, no trees really, and thick, thick vegitation. I was thinking of using a step ladder, hinging the legs half way up so I could fold it to pack it in.

[bowhunterfrompast]

I like the way your thinking but in the construction business we don't get on top of step ladders for safety reasons. They are very unstable at times on flat surfaces, let alone on uneven, muddy ground.

I would check into a tripod stand. Anyone use the tripod? Pros and cons.

[Ray Hammond]

Summit makes a little 8 foot high bushwacker type tripod, weighs less than 45 lbs, that I really think would be great for that type of run and gun hunting.

I cant remember the name of it but think you could find out pretty quick on their website.

[Pat B]

I made a stand out of a 6" step ladders by removing the back legs and adding a platform to the top and strapped it around the tree and another rope half way down the ladder to help support it to a tree. It worked great. I still have pieces of it and have thought of re doing it. Pat

[bowhunterfrompast]

Pat B, that is a good use of an old step ladder.

[alligatordond]

There are several bowhunters locally who use them in the low scrub and myrtle bushes. They simply sit on the top step.

Personally I ground blind hunt in those areas but these guys are quite successful.

[hvyhitter]

Used a heavy duty fiberglass 6 footer in the swamps of NC when stationed there, just sat on the top step, gray and brown primer camo.

[Gordon martiniuk]

I have a 12' ladder with a platform rigged on top very stable have used it in the willows where you could not hang a stand use a ratchet strap to fix it to willows pretty stable have taken a few deer off it my friends call me ladder head as I carry it liker a canoe

[bmfer]

Believe it or not, about ten years ago, I was hunting and saw a young man haul a step ladder into a brushy area and set up. The crazy thing was, he was sitting on top of a big shiny 8 ft aluminum ladder and got a shot! I'm not advocating this but I saw it happen!

[Pat B]

The first year the Savannah Wildlife Refuge opened for hog hunting my friend and I went. It was a ridiculous hunt because of the number of people with guns. The most successful hunters there were 3 guys in a 14 foot flat bottom john boat. The guy in front was working the trolling motor around the canals, the guy in back was steering with a paddle and the shooter was on a 6" alum step ladder with a 12ga pump. When we ran up on these guys they had 4 hogs in the boat and it was mid day. Shortly after that we left the scene for safety reasons.     Pat

[draco]

This is a great ladder stand that would work for you. If you don't weld you could get a shop to build one for you. The top is 1 1/2" Emt and the bottom is 1 1/4" Emt. The steps are 1/2" rebar. I've hunted off these for over twenty years and have changed little. My friend Andy hunts on them and he weighs over 300#. You can put wheels on them and wheel it into where you are going to hunt and wheel your game out like a game cart.

[BowHuntingFool]

Pretty cool stand you made there draco!

[kevsuperg]

i have a knee deep marsh where i hunt and when the wind is right i hunt it from a 6' ladder i have in the brush out there about 15yds from the wood edge.its sunk into the bottom so i sit on top about 4' off the water with my feet on a lower rung just outta the water. not the most comfortable (yet) but its quite a surprise for the deer..