No problem Tap. Here are my thoughts. From my perspective, ladder stands have a single standout advantage over hang-on type stands, safety. My personal preference has always been a hang-on stand where I can use them. In some of the environments I've hunted, you can't leave you stand when you go. Provided there were the right kind of trees in the right spots, a climber was my first choice there.
We have done a lot of habitat improvement on my place, and it definitely impacts stand locations. While terrain stays constant, vegetation changes over time change where deer bed, feed, and travel. About 8 years ago, I was using hang-on stands exclusively. I put up my first couple 2-man ladder stands so I could take out kids. I quickly found a few issues. First the stand comfort was horrible. Most had bench seats with a straight up and down back. No matter how much padding I used, I could only sit in them for a couple hours at most and it was hard for me to sit still. Kids were even worse and would fidget constantly just cause they were kids. That is when I started building box blinds. These are in permanent locations primarily over food sources where kids can see plenty of deer. I tried different sizes, primarily 6x8 and 8x8. I found 6x8 offered plenty of room to move enough around and do whatever I needed to help a kid. 8x8 cost a bit more to build with no benefit and mature deer seem to avoid larger structures during daylight, even after they have had years to acclimate. As structures get smaller and blend in more, this issue is reduced.
I was still doing my personal hunting out of hang-on stands. I began to have issues. I would go in in the afternoon when it was nice and warm and climb into a hang-on. By the end of shooting time, the temperature had dropped significantly. My arthritis would flair up and climbing down became challenging. After thinking I may need to call for help one night, I decided it was time to phase them out. I can hid a hang-on stand like no other and it definitely limits my stand site selection but ladder stands are safer for me to ascend and descend. By this time, companies had made some real improvements. My first millennium was a dream for comfort. The profile was not too large, and I could use one in crooked tree because of the double rail design. They are much tougher to erect with one person (thus this thread) and I don't relocate them. Other companies like Muddy are now focusing on seat design and comfort like the one pictured. They work great in straight trees but need a straight tree for the ladder brace because they are not a double rail design. They are much less expensive and I feel comfortable in them. They are lighter to transport and erect.
I don't move stands during the season. I try to get most of my stands established in the summer. You are right that sometimes after you hunt a stand you want to move it 50 yards or something based on deer movement for archery. I still use a climber for this where I can. I still feel safe using a climber because I'm not trying to feel for steps and I am with climbing aids for hang-on stands. I find this happening less. Perhaps I'm getting better at my initial selection of stand locations. For year to year movement, I simply add more stands. It is a cost, but old stands eventually come back into vogue.
Someone said you can leave ladderstands in place from year to year. I need to caveat that. If you simply leave them as is, it is unsafe. The tree will grow around the gripping bar over time. Once the tree is permanently attached, movement of the tree in storms will stress, weaken, and eventually crack the metal. My technique is to loosen the ratchet straps a the end of the season and leave a little slack. I keep the cross straps in place. I then move the stand a few inches toward the tree at the base moving the gripping bar up a few inches. This de-embeds the gripping bar from any growth and allows the stand to move as the tree sways in the wind. Before the season, I carefully climb back up and tighten the ratchet straps. This technique allows me to keep the stand in place from year to year.
One of my partners was in his 80s and had knee replacements. My elevated box blinds worked well to extend his hunting opportunity as even stairs were a struggle for him. I began to think about extending my own hunting opportunities after even ladder stands become difficult. I decided to build and try out an elevated box blind for myself:
http://www.habitat-talk.com/index.php?threads/foodplot-stand-transfered-from-the-qdma-forum.5529/. It is 6x6. It is large enough that I can comfortably use a compound, crossbow, muzzleloader, or firearm from it. I sat in 4x4 boxes and found them much too small for me (I'm not a small guy). That particular stand uses an old ladder stand for entry. I did that to keep cost down, but my others all have stairs. I'd probably add stairs for future stands for aging.
I'm now finding myself hunting these box blinds more and more. Because of their locations, I see more deer during archery season (fewer shooter bucks) but fewer deer in archery shooting range (30 yards with a crossbow and 20 with a compound). I find I hunt more with them. Even in a comfortable treestand 3-4 hours is my limit, but I can hunt all day if I want in these box blinds. You will notice the one above has a urinal so I can relieve myself without exposure.
Things change as we get older. Either we find ways to accommodate our limitations, or we lose our passion for hunting and it becomes more talking about the old days. I'm not ready for the latter yet!
Thanks,
Jack
