Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Ladder Stands

Never done much hunting out of a Ladder Stand but decided that’s how I’m gonna roll this season. Not a tripod, but leaned against a tree.
I like the idea of a two man, with a full platform running well out front and back under the seat. I’ll likely be the only one in it, but that way I can have my pack next to me or tuck it under the seat and sprawl out.
Would like a flip up rail and flip up seat in case I want to stand and flip up rail just in case I want it out of the way for some reason.
Will likely hang burlap off it for some cover.
Anyone have any brand preference or experience they’d care to share?
Thanks!

The cheapest ones I can find usually. The Realtree version at Walmart is a good place to start.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Realtree...unting-Ladder-Tree-Stand-W-Jaw/139486624

Most comfy ive used are the millenium brand. Though $$$ these days.

I use the cheap buddy stands that walmarks sells.

After season they go on sale for $80 or so.

Millenium was one brand I was looking at. This will be my “main” stand.
I’ll set up a cheap one I already have somewhere else, I’ve got my climber for any unforeseen circumstances, and I’ll likely put up a ground blind somewhere in case of howling wind (hard terrain to hunt on the ground), but this new ladder stand is where I’ll spend most of my time.

We bought 1 of these and put it up. Made by millennium think they bought out Ol man

Ol man assassin

Also used

Rivers edge bowman stands

Both roomy comfy options

They are nice unless it gets down in the twenties, can stand 30’s

Since 2001 or so, whenever I need a ladder stand, I wait for the July specials on Sportsmans Guide and find a nice cheap 2 man buddy stand.

For several years, I bought Hunters View stands, but then they got caught monkeying with their weight capacity numbers. I still have several. However, I haven't put two people in them in years.

I'm a big guy, John Wayne-esque in proportion. It was a real chore squeezing myself and my jumbo-sized kids into a buddy stand. However, going up single makes it a luxurious experience.

I like flip-up rails and seats, but I find they are mostly unnecessary. I seldom use the features once season starts.

I also seldom use the space under the seat for gear storage. I hang whatever I've got off the shooting rail, behind whatever I'm using as a skirt, and it stays out of the way.

BTW: Sportsmans Guide usually sells these camo treestand skirts that you tie to the shooting rail. These work really well. They're nothing more than a shower curtain with a zippered hole in the middle. I attach them to the stand just before season using zip ties. I also cover the shooting rails with foam pipe insulation. This reduces noise and improves the rail as a shooting rest.

I really miss tree stand hunting. I had several in various spots on the farm. Loved my ladder stands, 22'. The ugly part was putting them up by myself......dangerous and strenuous unless you think it through. I always put one of my own ratchet straps around the tree for good measure and don't blow off a safety rope!

Wound up buying a Rivers Edge Lockdown Wide 21’.
Pretty spendy, but they had them on Amazon for $319.00. Rivers Edge list price was $449.00.
Scheel’s has them for the same price, btw. Didn’t see that until I had already ordered.
Looks comfy, practical, and safe, and solves a few “gripes” I had about other designs.

Millenium two man stands are the way to go. Comfortable if you have your child or friend with you, tons of room if you don’t. Sturdy, no squeaks and will last easily a decade or more. Yes they cost in the $500 range, but find one to try a sit in. You wont want to use anything else.

Enjoy your new stand and good luck.

If you want a tower type stand (with a top) that mounts to a tree like a ladder stand check out CB’s Deerstands in North Augusta, SC. They are 43” square and very comfortable.

The two man or the 1.5 man are the way to go if you sit longer than a few hours. You can sit your pack in them next to you if you need to as well.

We've done many, many all day sits in them. On the stands that we leave up all season, we put a wrap of some sort on them. Burlap camo, or one of the "one size fits all" type covers that go around the rail

Keep in mind the shooting rail probably won't help you much, except for a place to keep your gun on when game is not in sight. lol. If you want to use it as a rest, you'll probably have to build it up a bit.

We have several of the walmart versions. They work fine. The main difference is they're harder to put together because of fitment. But not much more difficult.

I buy the cheap Walmart brand and rebuild them. I don't like anything moving including the rest. One of those cheap plastic boat seats bolted down make sitting a lot more comfortable.

I have bought a bunch of the 16-17" double stands at WMT in Feb when they mark them down. Usually about $30-$40 each.

Check out Game winner stands at academy sports. Discovered these a few years ago and now it's all my buddies will buy. Good price, sturdy, instructions actually work, parts are in marked bags by which step of assembly you're on. 1-10 for example. Easiest I've ever put together.

Also looking. Good info all

I started using ladder stands about 10yrs ago and buy the Guide Gear stands from Sportsman guide. They are not cheap but not to expensive either compared to some of the others. I've had good luck with them thus far and the quality seems to be good too. I don't leave them out year-round, I always take them down and store them under a shelter out of the elements during the off season so I'm sure that helps.

I’ve owned a couple of Rivers Edge 1 1/2 and 2-man models. My son has them now. Well worth the extra money for the extra room provided. No more juggling your gear in a tight spot to use your bino, eat, or pee. Just rest your rifle beside you.

Not buying any more; gonna hunt at ground level in my dotage, unless I somehow secure permission on one of the farms around here. Many places on my WMA offer naturally elevated views.

I have a couple just like the one in the picture a few posts up. I bought them cheap on closeout. They aren't comfortable. I and my son kill deer out of them. I tie burlap around the top rail on.mine and it helps hide you.

Cheapest one you can find, zip tiesm pipe insulation and some gunny sacks cut for a wrap, game over hunted in them for years, when they are on sale just buy the 2 man there as cheap as the smaller ones. not bad to carry either if you have a spot where access sucks.

i bought 1 man ladder and 2 man ladder stands from Dunham's when they were on sale. i found out quickly 1 man = 1 child while 2 man = 1 man, possibly a child.

Ladder stands are some great stuff as long as you can leave them
Last year for the first time in 15 yrs I had one stolen
It had been there for years , fugging thieving ass meth heads
For me , Summit climbers are cream of the crop , get you some locking cables and leave em , they don’t get much more comfortable than that .
I’ve had three tripod stands , all different makes , all of them eventually start digging into your ass
A good tractor supply coushin, a holly tree with long , low over hanging limbs , ass scooted up to the butt of the tree overlooking a well scouted trail , spells success on a pretty regular bases .
Of course it doesn’t have to be a holly , any evergreen works well
Kenneth

I've got Big Game ladder stands, but no doubles. The newest one is the most comfortable tree stand I've ever sat in. Good luck.

https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/big-game-the-spector-xt-2-person-ladder-stand

I have 2 Guide Gear 16' ladder stands with a swivel seat can sit in any direction.

Big Game HD 1.5 is on sale at Cabela's today for $119 It is a very good stand, especially for the price.

I used to have the best one I've ever owned
and used. You put it up against the tree, and a
spring loaded arm connected to a rope would
swing around the tree when you pulled the rope.
Then it would be secure enough to climb and
further secure it with a nylon rope that threaded
through hooks on the arm and the ladder stand
itself. Really nice setup. Wasn't but about 10-12
feet, but I always set it where I could find a
tree with brush around the base of the tree.
Worked really well
I had it set up on a R.O.W. and a doofus that
mowed that fall made a turn right at the tree
and wiped it out with whatever batwing mower
he was using. Wiped out several "WARNING-GAS
PIPELINE " signs too. My stand was off to the
side out of the way, it was just a doofus that
had no business sitting a tractor, especially
with a big wide shredder on the back

Thanks for the tip I have two with another one on the way.Hard to find a stand as good for the money.

I ordered 2 earlier for our farm that we hunt to replace some old ones. Can’t beat them for that price especially with free shipping!

https://www.googleadservices.com/pa...UWlmoFHdovDrkQwg8oAHoECAUQDA&adurl=.

Here's a link to my ladder stand like the swivel seat.

New to the 7x57 world but picked up a sweet M70 Featherweight from the classifieds here a year ago. Still haven’t shot it. Probably should.