I wouldn't use permanent stands if I were you. A property I hunt on is about 60 acres and we stick to hunting the edges of the property out of portable lock-on stands. We always wear safety harnesses and have never had a problem The reason I prefer lock-ons is the fact that I can get them up a big higher, and can hang them in trees that I can't put a fixed or a climber stand in. You want lots of cover for your stand, and underneath you, and with a lock-on you can achieve this by putting it in a tree with lots of limbs, branches, etc. I've built a lot of fixed wood ladder stands in the past however, before I made my transition. Our best method was a framed 2x4 top with treated plywood on the top and a V notch cut in the back to set against the tree. There were 2x4 supports down to the legs of the ladder. The ladder was comprised of 2x4's and short cut 2x4's on the front to make the legs. Hope this helps either way.