What do you do for safety while putting up a ladder stand? Maybe I'm getting older (or smarter [8D]), but I get less and less excited about been 18 feet in the air kneeling on a platform without the standbeing ratcheted to the tree yet. Just curious if anyone has any tips on how you can make the securing the stand to the tree part safer. I realize 999 times out of 1,000 your weight leaning against the tree and the angle of the ladder stand will hold it in place while you ratchet it down, but I'd rather not be the 1 out of 1,000 where something happens.

hey ny its been a few years now since i used a ladder stand but i used to bring an extra set of ratchet straps and i would ratchet the ladder to the tree as best as i could and it helped to keep it more stable

I always make sure my stabilizer bar is securely attached to the tree, this keeping the stand from falling backwards while your climbing. I just put mine back out two days ago and didnt quite have it set at the right angle. So when I climbed it the top to the satnd ended comming away from the tree about a foot and a half, now talk about a scary feeling. I climbed back down the ladder and pulled the bottom of the ladder out while the stablizer was attached, climbed back up, wratcheted to the tree and shes good to go. I can usually setup my 15ftladder stand and get it set in the tree with in 5-10 minutes, by myself.

I hear ya. That's exactly what happened to me (which is why I posted this thread[:-][8D]) Not a cozy feeling.

Other than that always make sure your ladderstand is leaning into the tree that way when you climb it to wratchet it it shoudlne come far from the tree maybe a couple inches or so. As long as you the stablizer bar securly attached youll be fine. Also Im so secure wiht my ladder stand and have so much confidence in it i can comfortably sit in it wiht out a safety harness, since theres more to stand on, I dont recomend this but thats how much faith I have in my stand. All my others including my climber and my hang ons, i wont even step foot on wiht out my fall restraint.

18 feet is too high for my blood.......i'm lucky to get 12, lol....i hunt anywhere from 6-12 feet off the ground.....becareful........

NY, i always have a buddy stand at the bottom of the stand so it doesn't slide away from the tree. Other than it is pretty unsafe putting those things up.

I like the idea of an extra ratchet strap, but is easy enough to get a ladder in there where you set it up? I throw an aluminum extension ladder in the back of the truck and carry it about another 100 yards to the tree the stand will be on. Then after tipping the stand up, I use the ladder to secure the ratchets from behind. Sure a lot safe than actually being on the stand while you do tighten the ratchet straps. Othewise, I wonder if you couldn't use a climbing stick to do the same thing if you have one?

Sounds like an awfull lot of extra work for a 5-10 minute job

I think taking them DOWn is worse than putting them up........whoa nelly.

That first pressure you let off the ratchet strap is a treat.[:-]

I NEVER hang ladder stands without an extra able bodied person to hold the thing steady and always attach the stabilizer bar first.
If you try to hang on by yourself you are asking for trouble no matter how careful you are.