update:

Well I appreciate your advice, I tried a couple of ideas this weekend. Here is what worked really well for me.

Climbing sticks: amazingly fast and easy, problem: easy to steal [:@]

someone also recommended I go to walmart and get a ratching pulley. I couldn't find it at walmart so I went to Lowes and got the one that would do 250 pounds for $10 and 100' of 3/8 rope for another $10.

I put the sticks up. using a lineman's harness where I could be hands free I put a screw into the side of the tree above where I wanted to hang the stand. I attached the pulley to the step, went down and pulled the stand up. I then climbed back up and attached the stand to the tree. The next was to add an additional ratching strap to really cinch it against the tree.

I did put up a buddy ladder stand with my cousin this weekend. That is by far the fastest stand to put up (and take down for the thief).

Thanks again for the advice.

Steve