Let's talk ladder stands

[Jack Whitmire Jr]

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

[Deadbolt]

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.

[SERGIO VENNERI]

Heres what i do to my ladder stands, saves a lot of carrying and can be used to carry out game.

[Jack Whitmire Jr]

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

[wingnut]

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

[Slasher]

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...

[Recurve50 LBS]

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.

[Fletcher]

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.

[wingnut]

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

[Ken Allen]

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.

[Bill Turner]

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.

[Barry Wensel]

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

[wingnut]

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

[Barry Wensel]

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

[Biggie Hoffman]

How do you know that??????

[Barry Wensel]

That's what Marty told me. bw

[Jack Whitmire Jr]

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

[RodL]

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.

[Scott J. Williams]

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.

[jonsimoneau]

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!