Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Bowhunting Ladder Stands

Thinking about buying one. Educate me please on them. I only need a one-seater.

Big and bulky.

If it's for a long-term installation, one with more room than you think you need is worth the extra weight and expense. The last two I bought, both of which I've given over to my son, were Rivers Edge models with rails. Even the wide one-man model will allow you to rest your rifle beside you on the seat, with the barrel resting on the rail. On a long sit, that makes a huge difference in your comfort and also lets you use your bino, rangefinder, camera, etc with both hands. Cheap stands are usually sturdy, but often have crappy seats and don't have the sound-dampening washers, padded rails, etc that good ones have. It makes a difference. Be sure to get a good locking cable to thwart casual thievery.

Whatever you decide on, better get hoppin', as supplies go fast. Check Amazon and Sportsman's Guide for pricing.

I agree if it's for a long-term installation. I just put up a Muddy Huntsman Deluxe yesterday and it seems very sturdy and comfortable for all day sits. I always buy and use extra ratchet straps on my ladder stands to make them as sturdy as possible. I have a tree stand holder that goes above the seat with hooks all around it to hang any bags, bow etc.

Sportsman Warehouse seems to have a huge supply of Ladder Stands right now.

On public land now, so have switched to hang-ons with strap-on ladder sections, which are easier to set up by myself, and much easier to drag the mile back to where I hunt. Again, bigger is better for long sits. No rails on those, but nice comfy folding seats with folding armrests.

Don't want to be a nag, but get a good sturdy safety rope and harness and use them every time. The ones that come with stands are usually step-through types. A vest-style is much easier to get in and out of.

For bow hunting I like the more spartan stands like this one. Easy to sit or stand, nothing to get in the way if want to lean, or turn left or right. Some of the ones with higher armrests can get in the way of bow limbs. These are lighter also and you are not out as much $$ when they are stolen off public or private land. It happens on both in heavily hunted areas. YMMV



https://www.sportsmansguide.com/pro...HWS-CZrlo2wKfS4aDk7vGIEvkBgaAlyzEALw_wcB

I use an 18' ladder stand at my farm. It hasn't been moved or taken down for about eight years. I put a new strap on it up top that my safety vest clips into. I have a rope long enough to pull up my stuff and let it back down when I am leaving. If I hunted public land where you have to take them out I would probably use one that you hang on the tree and strap a ladder bar on. I am getting to old to use one of those so the ladder is about all I would use. The post by fishnpbr mirrors my feeling. I want a simple stand with a place to sit and nothing to interfere with my bow.

Back when I was young and well, young, I fabbed a ladder stand by adding a foldable platform about 18 x 16 inches to the top of an aluminum extension ladder. I did Camo paint it Lugged that dang thing to a lot of trees, and saw a lot of deer from it. There are some trees where climbers are just not going to work. Of course, back then I didn't have a climber ...

They are bulky and noisy, but safe and sturdy. I was wishing I had one the other day.

I concur on the spartan stands for bow season. Rifle, big bulky and comfy worked for me. I do not sit in the trees anymore (but miss it) but if I did it over again (I always bought stands off season when prices went down) I would replace all the bolts and nuts with stainless and put in washers where necessary (quieter)before I put the stand up. As mentioned , I always used extra ratchet straps.

I use extra straps on the ones with only one as well, though I never had an issue with any of them. Really liked the chains used on the old ones, but upgraded those as well.

Been gravitating towards ground-level tree seats myself, in open woods.

This is a good one, but I paid less than $40 for mine, also from Amazon. Hunting Season inflation at work, I suppose. Mine was up in my yard all Spring and Summer. The squirrels loved to sit on it and eat the stuff they stole. With no ground support, it goes on any tree it'll fit around.

Summit Treestands The Stump https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01EHJCOVW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_2c0AFbSX4WMMF

Pain in the butt to setup and take down, but comfy, safe and solid. Setting up/taking down is a two person job.

I’ve always built tripod stands for bowhunting.

Look at the Millenium L-110. I have hunted out of every kind of stand. Now that I am 55 and had a neck fusion I am no longer using lock-on stands. The Millenium stands are 21’ tall, solid and very comfortable.

Our camp has close to 20 ladder stands up. Most are "two man".( Most two man stands aren't). We buy whatever walmartt is clearancing out at the end of the season. Last year we bout 10 for 25 bucks a piece.

The extra room in them is well worth it

Most ladders are "reasonably" sturdy but i would definitely recommend you buy a 2 man stand. Ive hunted out of both the 1 man and 2 man stands and the 2 man just seems to be more comfortable with a bow. Just my opinion. It just makes everything a little easier to me. Regardless of 1 or 2 man, setting them up SUCKS

For bow hunting I like the more spartan stands like this one. Easy to sit or stand, nothing to get in the way if want to lean, or turn left or right. Some of the ones with higher armrests can get in the way of bow limbs. These are lighter also and you are not out as much $$ when they are stolen off public or private land. It happens on both in heavily hunted areas. YMMV



https://www.sportsmansguide.com/pro...HWS-CZrlo2wKfS4aDk7vGIEvkBgaAlyzEALw_wcB


This is the stand I bought. It appears to be good. It's an 18' stand and it weighs 61 lbs according to the box. I'm going to try to shorten it to get the height to about 10' and less weight. I have to pack it about 1/2 mile to get it where I need it. Bow season ended today, so it will be in place for rifle in about 10days.

How many days does it have to be installed early to limit it's negative impact on game? I'm thinking I'll put it in and start hunting it after three days. Hope that's enough time.

I love ladder stands. But my pref is for those that have the platform that goes all the way under the seat.
Dislike shooting rails. Good way to bash a cam on a bow.

There used to be some that were closer to the tree, the stand hanging out.

Think those type would be easier to hide.
Which brings me to the two bad points of ladder stands.

1. they are easy to spot.
2. other folks will hunt out of em.

On public land I use a ladder stick w a hang on stand, and fold the hang on up and padlock it when I leave.