I've only done this twice, but here is what I did. Mine is a two man "buddy" stand that I got to hunt with my son. I was alone, although it said to use two people to set it up. After strugging to get it up in one piece, and about to have a heat stroke with the 100 degree heat, I said the h**l with it, and went and got my 4 wheeler and threw a rope up over a limb and pulled the sucker up with the 4 wheeler. lol However, the next time, knowing what to expect, it went easier. As far as the ratchet strap goes, I hung two long ropes from each side of the top back brace, and afterleaning it up against the tree, wrapped each rope as tight around thetree as I could and tied them off to each other at the bottom of the tree. Then I felt more secure climbing up to put ontheratchet strap.