yoderjac
5 year old buck +
Wow! I could never do that with the stands I use. They are way to heavy and tall. There is no way I could get them to the tipping point.
Thanks,
Jack
Erecting a ladder stand with one person
- Thread starter yoderjac
- Start date
Wow! I could never do that with the stands I use. They are way to heavy and tall. There is no way I could get them to the tipping point.
Thanks,
Jack
Natty Bumppo
5 year old buck +
I used to do the same thing with lighter 17' stands or so. I'm 6'2" and fairly fit...that helps. It's not real pleasant to do it. But if you're careful and take your time it's possible. I switched to these 21' River's Edge Uppercuts a few years ago and they are just too heavy. Triple rails, huge platform...a lot of steel.
Bowsnbucks
5 year old buck +
I don't use higher stands because of the thicker cover here. If I were to use a 20 ft. tall (or greater) stand, I'd be looking through branches all the time. I'd have to saw out limbs on a multitude of trees to see and have a decent shot opportunity. Many pines with loads of branches in a lot of my spots. I like to tuck back in the shadows of those dark pines and have a total ambush. They would work if I set up right on a field edge and had open air in front of me, but I like to be in cover. Any decent buck around where I hunt will hang in cover to scent-check for safety and have a look-see before sticking his neck out. I like staging areas downwind of a plot, apple tree, or trail intersection with good buck sign.
More open timber or open ag country would be great for taller stands - at least IMO. Each guy knows what works for him, and I believe each of you has a good plan.
More open timber or open ag country would be great for taller stands - at least IMO. Each guy knows what works for him, and I believe each of you has a good plan.
bueller
Moderator
X2. I even have some 15ft stands up without the bottom section leaving them about 10ft high to the seat. Even better is sitting on the ground against or within down tree hunting eye to eye with these creatures at close range.
Tree Spud
5 year old buck +
That sounds like a good thing ... probably a lot quieter and safer too.
Natty Bumppo
5 year old buck +
Exactly Treespud. Once I bought the first one a few years ago I've been buying 2 or 3 a year and switching out all of my old random Treestands from various makers and various heights. The same thing happened when I bought my first Millenium Monster-150....don't think I would ever buy a different lock-on. Pricey, but worth every penny IMHO.
yoderjac
5 year old buck +
My stand heights really depend on the situation. Much of my hunting is archery. For mature hardwoods, I like a tall stand that is above the mid-story. Even though I'm fastidious about scent control, height helps. The mid-story helps conceal me and I can punch strategic holes through it for shooting lanes where I need them. Most importantly, a tall stand really helps with bloodtrailing. It helps ensure a low exit wound and string jumping has less impact. In pines, it really depends on the age of the pines and the TPA. Well managed pines tend to have no mid-story and heavy understory when they get beyond the first thinning.
I have box blinds I primarily use for firearm hunting. Most are not high the windows may be 12' off the ground. We had a threat of rain the other day and I took my crossbow and used one of these. It is on an open field. I decided to take a mature doe. She was at 30 yards which is my maximum range with a crossbow (shorter with a compound). When I released the arrow, she was perfectly broadside and since I was in a blind, I was able to use a range finder on the deer itself and she was exactly 30 yards. On the range, my crossbow groups are so tight at 30 yards that I can't shoot at the same spot for fear of robinhooding arrows. As crossbows go, I bought one of the quietest (at least at the time I bought it). I then added a bunch of silencing accessories to get is as quiet as possible but it is no where near as quiet as my Mathews Switchback. I had a solid rest and the deer was calm and feeding. Her head was down when I put the crosshairs on her heart and released the arrow. The deer jumped the string and spun away from me as she dropped.
The blood trail was very light and nothing for the first 50 yards, but enough that I was able to recover her. When I did the post mortem, I found the arrow had entered high and just in front of the paunch. It passed through her at about a 30 degree angle going through the lungs and exiting high. This high exit means the deer was dropping as the arrow was passing through. The low stand and long distance shot both contributed to the high exit wound.
For firearm season, low stand height works well in many cases.
Thanks,
Jack
I have box blinds I primarily use for firearm hunting. Most are not high the windows may be 12' off the ground. We had a threat of rain the other day and I took my crossbow and used one of these. It is on an open field. I decided to take a mature doe. She was at 30 yards which is my maximum range with a crossbow (shorter with a compound). When I released the arrow, she was perfectly broadside and since I was in a blind, I was able to use a range finder on the deer itself and she was exactly 30 yards. On the range, my crossbow groups are so tight at 30 yards that I can't shoot at the same spot for fear of robinhooding arrows. As crossbows go, I bought one of the quietest (at least at the time I bought it). I then added a bunch of silencing accessories to get is as quiet as possible but it is no where near as quiet as my Mathews Switchback. I had a solid rest and the deer was calm and feeding. Her head was down when I put the crosshairs on her heart and released the arrow. The deer jumped the string and spun away from me as she dropped.
The blood trail was very light and nothing for the first 50 yards, but enough that I was able to recover her. When I did the post mortem, I found the arrow had entered high and just in front of the paunch. It passed through her at about a 30 degree angle going through the lungs and exiting high. This high exit means the deer was dropping as the arrow was passing through. The low stand and long distance shot both contributed to the high exit wound.
For firearm season, low stand height works well in many cases.
Thanks,
Jack
Big Snow Man
5 year old buck +
I just bought a Warn winch that runs off a drill. I heard these work great for putting up stands. I almost thru my back out this fall putting up a Millinium two man.
yoderjac
5 year old buck +
Livesintrees
5 year old buck +
If you already have an extension ladder there you may as well have just leaned the stand against the tree. Then leaned extension against the tree. Climb up extension. Tighten straps. Done.
If it’s a straight tree I’ll lean stand against tree. Then go up with climber or lone wolf sticks. Fasten top straps. Done.
If it’s a straight tree I’ll lean stand against tree. Then go up with climber or lone wolf sticks. Fasten top straps. Done.
yoderjac
5 year old buck +
You are probably using shorter and lighter ladder stands than I am or else you are one heck of a brute! It is a struggle for two guys to lean one of the stands I use against the tree. I'm trying to do it safely with one person. That is where the winch and pulley come in. Once the bracket is in place, I can easily lift the stand to lean it against the tree.
Yes, once the ladder stand is in place, I climb up the extension ladder and lock it in.
Thanks,
Jack
Livesintrees
5 year old buck +
I’m more of a ladder stick, lone wolf sticks, screw in steps person. But I do hang and move a ton of ladders for people every year. Either way whatever works!
yoderjac
5 year old buck +
Well, I got a chance to try my new gadget. This time I tried it with a 21' Millennium L110 which is HEAVY. While the concept worked, I had some issues and the bracket did not. First, I found the metal bracket wanted to twist when held with ratchet straps. It had screw holes in it so I screwed it to the tree. The second issue I found was the slowness of the hand winch. The gear ratio is such that it takes forever to lift that distance.
Since these stands were in a place where I could drive my tractor, I just attached the rope to the tractor and backed up slowly instead of using the winch. The first stand worked ok because I was backing directly away from the bracket. On the second stand, I was backing out at and angle. There was too much torque and the bracket bent. I think with a bracket designed properly, this concept would work well but I need a faster winch for places where I can't fit the tractor.
Thanks,
Jack
Since these stands were in a place where I could drive my tractor, I just attached the rope to the tractor and backed up slowly instead of using the winch. The first stand worked ok because I was backing directly away from the bracket. On the second stand, I was backing out at and angle. There was too much torque and the bracket bent. I think with a bracket designed properly, this concept would work well but I need a faster winch for places where I can't fit the tractor.
Thanks,
Jack
Livesintrees
5 year old buck +
I legit hung 3 of the exact same stands today. By myself. I have one left to do. Oh yeah opening day was yesterday. I’m so behind this year. Good news is no target bucks yet anyway lol. Anyway what I did was this.....I get a lot of old choker style straps from work. I put one on each side of the tree “teeth”. Hooked that to the rope on my rope come along (100 foot of rope on mine). Tied the ratchet end to a tree at the base. Then used a choker a couple feet above final height of the stand with a snatch block Pulley. Basically the rope goes through the come along at ground level. Up over the pully at stand height and then hooks to the two chokers on the stand. The stand is self “footed” against the tree it’s going on. I just ratchet it all the way to final height. Takes about 40 minutes start to finish including tying off the longer straps they give you and screwing in the bow hangers.
I take a set of 20 footnclimbjng sticks and secure them first. Climb them to hang the pully about 25’ feet. After the stand is hoisted to its position I climbing the sticks again and ratchet the stand down tight. I then remove the strap with pully and climbing sticks as I come down. This allows me to do it myself. No sweating. No cursing. No danger of climbing an unsecured stand. And as safe as possible.
yoderjac
5 year old buck +
Sounds similar. If I felt safe on climbing sticks, I'd be using a hang-on type stand. They have a lot more flexibility. the reason I've gone to ladder stands is the safety factor as I'm getting older. That requires me to use a ladder to hand the pulley where you use climbing sticks. Back at my first attempt, I strapped the pulley directly to the tree. What I found was that the stand rubbed against the tree as it was ascending. Depending on how it rubbed, it wanted to twist. When I moved the pulley 6"-12" out from the tree, the stand lifts with no contact. I plan to design a new bracket for next year.
Thanks,
Jack
Livesintrees
5 year old buck +
If you lay it in a manner like I mention it legit lifts itself the same way you would with a
Helper or two. It goes up perfectly. And honestly the cheap $50 sticks I get are so stable once up that they don’t move period. I used to be a screw in step guy. I still have some for a just in case (never gonna happen) but man I don’t trust em anymore.
yoderjac
5 year old buck +
Got it. That doesn't work for me. I can see where it works in open woods. I have way too much mid story to lift a stand like that. The stand would go through lots of under and mid-story on its way up that would be problematic. That is why I need to lay the stand with the seat near the tree and lift vertically. I can see how that method would work in open woods with no obstructions.
In my situation, I sometime have to put the stand up in a direction different than I want to place it just to be able to lay 21' along the ground without hitting saplings. In this case, once I have it up, I walk it slowly step by step around the tree until it is positioned where I want it.
Thanks,
jack
bueller
Moderator
Got a heavy two man ladder up this weekend. Had a lightweight single man in place previously. Stood on the already erected stand and hung a block and tackle style pulley. Took the old stand down and lifted the new one into place adding the ladder sections one at time. It went very smooth. Much safer than using an extension ladder to hang the pulley and brute force to lift the stand. Cheap lightweight ladder stand goes for $50-$60 and is easy to put up solo. I may keep one around to use as a ladder when hanging other stands.
yoderjac
5 year old buck +
Yes, a light weight cheepo stand is light and easy to put up, even with one guy. An extension ladder can be made safe if used properly (I painted houses to get through college).
I find several problems with the inexpensive stands. The first is height. For firearm 15' to 17' is fine but it doesn't work well for me in Archery season. Leaves are still on the trees. A 21' stand gets me just above our mid-story. I have great cover and only prune a few spots of shooting lane. I'm much more successful at 21' during archery.
The second problem I find is comfort. With my arthritis, I can't handle stands with flat seats. Regardless of the cushioning, I can't deal with a flat seat for more than an hour or so. I love the chair type seats like the Millennium. They are very comfortable. You can similar seats in a less expensive stand. I have one 21' Muddy (Stronghold 1.5 I think or some similar name). The seat is just as comfortable, but assembling the seat was murder. You are trying to stretch the fabric wedging in supports. I finally got it together with a hammer and some wedging but that stand took me hours compared to Millennium assembly.
The third problem I find with the lighter less expensive but tall stands is that they require a mid-support bar to keep the ladder from bending in the middle as you climb. They are not safe without this installed. This means you need a straight tree which limits stand site selection. The Millennium is a double rail stand. That makes it very sturdy and it doesn't require a middle support bar but it is very heavy and expensive. As long as the tree is straight at the height where you plan to attach the stand, it doesn't matter what it does between there and the ground since there is no middle bar. I feel comfortable setting these stands in a wider variety of trees. For archery, a tree even 10 yards away may be much less effective for a stand selection. Since I'm hunting private land and don't move stands often, the weight is not an issue after initial setup. I simply loosen the ratchet strap at the end of the season and lean the stand out from the tree and then let it rest against it again so it is just sitting against the tree in a slightly different place than it was ratcheted. The strap is enough to keep the stand in place but allows the tree to sway in the wind and the tooth bar to slide against it. It keeps the tree from growing over the tooth bar. Before the next season, I simply tighten the ratchet strap and replace it if necessary.
Different situations require different strategies. My favorite was hang on stands with climbing sticks. They have the most flexibility for positioning with the best front and back cover and tree selection. They are less expensive too. I've abandon them in recent years because of my age and physical limitations. I don't feel as safe climbing into and out of them. I certainly understand the tall heavy ladder stands I use are not the best choice for everyone.
Thanks,
Jack
