Catscratch
5 year old buck +
I'm considering trying to build an enclosure around a couple of my ladder stands for late season hunts. Anyone ever do this? Tips or plans?
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Enclosed ladder stand?
- Thread starter Catscratch
- Start date
Foggy47
5 year old buck +
I did this several decades ago. I had a relatively lightweight ladder stand that was 12' high. It was made by Warren and Sweat. Still have it and it's a good ladder stand. What I did was to enlarge the platform with a larger size of plywood, then have some 1 1/4" aluminum square tube bent to match about the same size as the plywood floor of my ladder stand......and used two supports on either side of the floor to hold the bent aluminum "hoop" at either side....as well as attached this "hoop" to the tree at mid-back level. I secured the "mid back" level hoop with a rachet strap.....thus it was very solid. Then I sewed a canvas curtain which extended from one side of the tree to the other and was slit in the middle for entry to the blind via the ladder. Velcro secured the middle slit together....and shock cord kept it all snug around the base and aluminum tube.
Thus I had a nice shooting rail with a canvas surround to nearly chest hight. I had a small folding, poratble stool and used a boat cushion for a bit of butt comfort. I used a small single burner Coleman camp stove for heat between my legs.....and that heater kept me toasty warm when set on low....and medium on the worst days. (Glad I never caught fire!!). Hunting in single digits....it was easy to keep my gloves off and stay warm....unless the wind was howling. I also think the heat helped to carry my scent up and away....as I saw on several occasions where deer would approach my stand from the downwind side.....and never seemed concerned with me. Heat rises....and with it....so does scent.....IMO.
I made this blind so that it could be back-pack carried into place by myself....and set up in short order. Used this for many years before the time of box blinds and office chairs. I think I designed mine back in the 70's....and it was the envy of all the guys I hunted with. I still got it....but we have gotten soft and do not use it any more. We could....we just don/t. I killed my best buck ever from that stand/blind.......while sitting "backwards" and facing the tree due to a wind change.
These were the days where we would climb into those stands in the dark.....and leave 'em after dark. We were really commited to the hunt. Won't do it ever again.....but fond memories.
Last edited:
hillrunner
5 year old buck +
Heater body suit, forget the enclosure
Telemark
5 year old buck +
Depends on what kind of tools you have. You can get 2x4s cheap, build the base with them, and rip a couple to fill out the frame. Then you can hang any kind of burlap or camp net from the frame. The art is fastening branches to everything to break up the silhouette.
"Brushing in" blinds and ladder stands is one of my favorite winter activities. I can make a blind absolutely disappear. If you do it right, they will never give you a second glance.
"Brushing in" blinds and ladder stands is one of my favorite winter activities. I can make a blind absolutely disappear. If you do it right, they will never give you a second glance.
Catscratch
5 year old buck +
Well... I have a Heater Body Suit. Damn thing is great! If it's REALLY cold I'll use it. If it's just kind of cold I don't bother with it and sit there being cold.
Foggy, I could see me making something like that as an experiment to see if a more permanent structure would be worth pursuing. If it worked good enough might just make several of them.
Thanks for the replies guys!
Foggy, I could see me making something like that as an experiment to see if a more permanent structure would be worth pursuing. If it worked good enough might just make several of them.
Thanks for the replies guys!
Foggy47
5 year old buck +
I did endure all-day sits....with temps into the single digits here in MN. Not sure anyone would do this anymore.....but it was the clear Schmidt back in time. I think we were more imaginative back then....and had more fun trying to better feather our nests. Different times. Neat stuff was not available....so we figured a better way. Was fun to figure it out. Now we just buy the better chit.
