for the past few years i've bowhunted outta' 16' metal ladder stands i had made by a welder/hunting buddy. i really liked the stability and comfort of the ladder compared to hanging stands.. my ladders are well-built, but very heavy and super awkward to set up. turns out this is actually a blessing, b/c i leave 'em out all year w/o any problems w/ thieves (too much work to steal!)..

i'm interested in taking the ladder design a few steps further....

i have 4-5 areas on my family's land that are natural funnels and would be excellent spots for permanent stands.. we have a lot of osage orange trees to build permanent stands in (i.e. 6"-8" galvenized screws can be used in osage orange w/o killing the tree)... i'm looking for the ultimate stand ideas to build this spring and hunt outta' for years...

i'd appreciate any and all info, ideas, thoughts, etc.