Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Wooden Ladder Stands

I like those boxes , very nice

We started out using stands built on trees and got tired of repairing them each fall so my dad used cedar posts (from telephone poles) and built box stands in the early 90's and painted them. They have just started to rot beyond use now so we have 6 stands to replace now.
The bears like to eat the cedar posts though.

We have metal ladder stands too and we put them out each fall and pull them in. We dont trust the straps, squirrel damage, cheap Chinese paint, and dirt in the tubes to not rust them out.

My preference... build new box stands out of pressure treat with glue & screws and paint and caulk them.

The box stands offer wind protection and most of our out of shape over 50 hunters don't like the ladder stands....

I know you want to build a wooden stand, but this thing is the ticket. Put it together and haul it out there in two pieces and set it up. $160.00 at Dick's.

https://www.dickssportinggoods.com/...5fnsufstpstxlxxxtsb/15fnsufstpstxlxxxtsb

My advice when building elevated stands, both free-standing and leaning, is to assemble them with stainless hardware.

I say this because a few years ago I took down a leaning tree stand that had been assembled with galvanized hardware and after only three years in service some of the lag screws were rusted almost in half.

I like to bolt mine together so that I can cut the pieces, assemble them, and break them down to transport them. I am not a fan of deck screws, as I have broken more of them than I care to remember just replanking cedar and redwood decking.

During hunting season, I have covered some stands with mil-surp camo netting, using 1" PVC pipe bows to support it. I have also become a fan of synthetic decking, as it can't rot and the better grades seem to be UV resistant. I think that it is a good idea to put a piece of in-door/out-door carpeting on the floor during hunting season in an attempt to muffle any sounds that the standers might make while moving their chairs or if they drop something onto the deck.

These stands have an regional factor to consider

Coastal guys and humid south may worry about rust more.
Western may deal with UV
I worry about frost action in MN and the dew never dries quickly

If some of you lived closer, I would build you a metal base. It doesn’t take that long, metal is probably cheaper than wood. One piece 3x3 angle iron, 4 pieces 1/12 pipe, 4 pieces 1” pipe for braces. Two pieces 1 1/4 pipe for ladder. A couple hundred for my time and welding rods. It would last you a lifetime. Metal doesn’t hardly rust away unless it’s on the ground.

Another option is to use a judicious bead of liquid nails and regular nails in lieu of deck screws. Ring shank nails don't pull out as easily, although I've found them to be a little more brittle if bent than common nails. Ring shank for decking, common nails for shear loading like rungs. Whether using common or ring-shanks, opposed toe-nailing tends to keep stuff from pulling out. The toe-nail angle doesn't need to be too severe which will minimize bent nails and promote flush nail heads. Drilling slightly under sized pilot holes prior to nailing prevents splitting.

Disclaimer: I've never built a deer stand before, but I have built some other stuff a time or two.

Metal stands are so cheap, I dont see the point. I have about ten different ladder stands that I paid no more than 20 bucks for at various garage sales.

Exactly. After Christmas sales. I get double stands for under $100 the last few years.

I put bricks under the legs to keep them up off the ground.

-Jake

When Galyons was bought out by Dick's, locally, I bought 4 ladder stands and a couple of hang on stands for @$30.00 e aach.

Well, they say the Good Lord works in mysterious ways. My guess is he didn't want me to build a wooden ladder stand.

I'm rolling down the hill yesterday to visit my Mom. She's in assisted living about a couple miles from the house. On the way I spied a sign "FREE STUFF" in a neighbor's driveway. Next to the sign was an aluminum ladder with two 12-foot sections. I was driving my truck.

The Lord seldom speaks as plainly as that.

Thanks all for the ideas!

Built a couple of wooden ladder stands way back.
Used screws to secure steps to runners. runners bolted together to make longer ladder.
Platform bolted to ladder and supports.

Drilled the steps and then put screws in. Did not use the screws to make the holes in the steps.
Non treated wood..........the wood started to go after a few yrs.
Screws never loosened.

Did paint the stands a couple of times. Spray paint.

Screws were gold colored deck jobbies.

I'd like to check out the Summit Vine ladder stand.
Haven't seen one up close yet.
The old wood stands were heavy. Too old to play that game.

I like building stands almost as much as hunting. I like them with glass windows. I can keep it toasty warm.

I use stainless hardware on my metal stands also. Box stands are lined on the inside with black outdoor carpet, walls ceiling, floor. With some burlap strips hanging in the Windows, you have to shine a flashlight inside to see someone sitting in it.

When I think of the stands we used to build from saplings nailed to trees it makes my blood run cold. Later, we started using pressure treated 2x4s and plywood sections. Last one I built on site was about 1995.

Started using ladder stands in the 80s; Bakers made of extruded aluminum, with folding platforms. Then came Bear Ruver hang-ons. Now, it's all ladders, the wider the better. I don't want a roof; I want to be outdoors. A rail is nice, keeps me from falling out in the middle of my nap. Kinda like stools on the ground with a bit of camo netting too. Killed a nice gobbler from such a setup this Spring, and saw some deer as well.

Staying on the ground is the cheapest of all.

Indeed................if not for treestands some folks wouldn't need to buy a freezer or call a taxidermist

Yeah, that's it.

Last two bucks I've shot.........from the ground.
One I snuck up on, the other my back was so trashed I couldn't climb into my stand, so was laying on the side of a hill.
Like my Ol Man Tara hang on stand.
Have a ladder strapped to the tree, stand above it.
Thought about pulling that and just going with a reg ladder stand.
Not far from the road (private ground).............with the ladder on the tree, and angled........hard to find unless pretty close to it.