NY Bowhunter

I've hunted mostly out of ladder stands. Never had a problem with deer noticing the ladder. Conceal it the best you can especially at ground level. Believe it or not I've had deer pass between my ladder and the tree it was attached to.

A little tip: If you're hunting the edges of fields/hedgerows/thickets etc.... When you cut a path to your stand save the limbs and zip tie them together to use as a door so to speak. Cover up the hole you made to get to your stand. I've seen deer noticing the gap in the woodline more than the stand itself. And try not to drop anything or it will sound like a pinball machine going down the ladder.

zubba

I have two ladder stands and love them both. I also have a chain on with climbing sticks and a climber. The ladder is the easiest of them all, and quietest. I put my stands up early in the summer, so the deer have plenty of time to get used to them. They are 15' high and see deer out of them about every day.

HuntinGUS

I started using ladder stand about 3 years ago. I had always used climbers or lock-on's in years past, but I find the ladder stnads quieter to get in and out ofand more comfortable to stay in for long periods of time.
I have nevernoticed any problem with deer noticing themor getting spooked around them.

I just purchased a new on this year that is oversized and had a lot of bells and whistles.

Dicks usually marks them down 50% near the end of the year!

Copper31

I love ladder stands. I have 12 stands on 300 acres and 4 of them are ladder stands and I have shot deer out of each of them. Infact I have a 17ft 2man stand that I see more deer out of then any other stand I have. They are great when you get out to the woods late. Just climb up and your set. I brush mine in pretty good though. i will use small cedar trees to go up the sides of the ladder and then I use 3/4 pvc pipe and wire tie them to the rails. I use those to stick cedar, pine bows, or just branches with leaves on. I do leave some of them up all year and I just make sure I loosen the staps that go around the tree.

BowHntrRick

I have a Lone Wolf climber which I like very much, but this year I purchased 3 cheap ladder stands at Dick's and find that I use them more than the climber. I try to set them up about a month before the season begins and it is very convenient (and much more quiet) to walk to my ladder stand, climb, connect my safety harness, and sit down rather than dealing with a climber in the dark.

One mistake that I made was to overuse one of my stands: I don't think the deer particularly notice the stand, but they begin to notice if you are in it too often. I plan to get several more stands so that I never hunt the same stand more than once a week.

The only other downside to the cheap stands is that the seat does not fold up. This feature would make it possible to stand and lean against the tree. However, standing without leaning is okay for the 3-4 hour periods that I am in the stand: I stand during the prime hunting time and alternate standing and sitting the rest of the time.

Several weeks ago I had a seven point walk up to within 12 yards of my 15' ladder stand, look directly at me (dressed completelyin orange for rifle season), and calmly continue on his way (until I shot him). I have had deer walk up to the the stand and sniff the ladder while I was sitting in it.

In the places where I hunt, deer seem to be used to the occasional presence of people. They see fields harvested, trails cut, etc. so they don't seem particularly disturbed by some minor change in their habitat like a ladder stand. If they detect a human present, that is another story.

louddrummer69

We build all of our stands with 2 X 4's. We built one in a huge shagbark hickory tree this fall about 2 weeks before bow season. I had deer all around it. They don't care. I have 3 man-made ladder stands and have never felt that the deer think anything is strange about it.

Buellhunter

I use ladder stands a lot of the time.
My hunting partner and I have 8 of them.
I have shot deer out of ladder stands several times just hours after setting them up.

inhuntr

You'll be fine with a ladder. I don't use a ladder stand I like to go up higher than 15ft. The higher I can get the better off I am. Just remember to hunt safe.

sproulman

boy, you guys all come through when you need advice, for sure..

i watch tv and they seem to be up real high, like 20 ft in archery..

from what you say, 15 ft is high enough..great..

another question, my cheap 49 dollar stand from @#&*s does not have side rails on seat..do you folks like rail on side your hips..

did you notice that if tree leans back a little at top where you sit,its better on your back?if i get tree that is straight at my back buttto myhead, i seem to get uncomfortable more..

any other suggestions on how to stay comfortable in the ladder stand so you can sit for 10 hours..thanks

Ed McDonald

I put up a couple of 15' ladder stands this season . I mostly use chain-ons. Shot a doe at 10 yards on opening day of bow season . D!CK's Sporting goods had them on sale a good part of the season for $50 . I prefer to replace their straps with rachet straps though !