I vote for ladder stands. I love them. I like how easy they are to get into and how quite they are. I use the cheap 15 ft stand and have no issues with them. If you want to get much higher then the hang on may be for you. Plus you can move hang on stands around easier. Both have their place.
hang-ons are usually more versitile....for different set ups......
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I use both, but if I had to choose, I'd have to go with the ladder. As stated earlier, it's quieter. If you have a place where you know you want to be year after year, put one up and let it ride.
I would go with a hang on. I have ladder stand and they are noisy when your walking up them. I am always afraid walking up them that deer can here the ladder making noise and my hang on's don't make a sound.
In my opinion, ladder stands are junk. They are hard to move, they are loud in the winter, you can't get high enough, they stick out like a sore thumb. I see and know so many guys that use them for bowhutning but I don't know one of those guys that can kill a 2.5 year old buck or better out of them. If you want to take it serious for bowhunting, hunt out of a hang on and move frequently or hunt wise....
Gun hunting it doesn't matter as much. You can typically shoot them well before they see you.
In my opinion, ladder stands are junk. They are hard to move, they are loud in the winter, you can't get high enough, they stick out like a sore thumb. I see and know so many guys that use them for bowhutning but I don't know one of those guys that can kill a 2.5 year old buck or better out of them. If you want to take it serious for bowhunting, hunt out of a hang on and move frequently or hunt wise....
Gun hunting it doesn't matter as much. You can typically shoot them well before they see you.
+1 on the Height thing.......Height is a huge issue and especially when you have a ladder and either the hill your on or the tree your in will not allow you to get hi enough even if you have a super tall ladder.
__________________
Realize that the ego will happily lead you to your death and kill you rather than humbly admit that it made a mistake or could be even oh, that most horrible of all words: "Wrong".
Mathews BlackOut Z7, Ripcord CodeRed, MicroAlpha V5, Tech 7 Hunter, Zen 4
Ladder stands have their place. They are easier to get in and out of and are great for taking a kid hunting but are a royal pain to set up. I have one set up that I can get to quickly on days when I have to work or work over. It is set up in a natural deer crossing area.
I have a ladder I bought and extension for and its 20' to my foot rest. I've had it for about 7 years(I think its a Rivers Edge) and its anything but junk. I used a little bit of carpet and some zip ties to make it completely quiet. I like to use it in the mornings and my climber in the afternoons. I've never found a comfortable chain on stand at 6'3" 290lbs.
Depending on how where you put the stand decides if it stands out or not. I have it set in between a double white oak, I have of course had deer spot me but it was due to my movement more then anything.
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Last edited by Duckbutter48; 06-29-2010 at 10:48 AM.
1. lock on - definitely the most versatile as far as tree selection goes.
2. climber - for the most part, it's easy to move in and out of the woods. tree selection can be an issue sometimes.
3. ladder - I have a two person ladder stand I use when I take my kids hunting with me during firearms season. I like it for that and pretty much nothing else.
If I could only use one stand, it would be a Lone Wolf and the Lone Wolf climbing sticks. Benefits of both the lock on and the climber. Lone Wolf is not cheap though.
Stands?
