reflexkid

Does anyone use ladder stands. Do they spook deer?

CLOUD 9, MN

I have 22 to 24 permanant portable in our woods. 3 are ladder stands. Of any of our stands we have, if we're going to get "busted," its on the ladder stands. I think its mainly because they're 15'. Our other portables are 18' to 22'. We very rarely get busted in those anymore.

Good Luck!

Carpmaster

ive used them and deer have not spooked from the stand, i think that the 15 ft and higher ones are best though.

Kybuckhunter

I killed a buck with a bow that grossed over 173 inches from a 15 foot ladder stand. I have no fear at all of getting busted. I think it's best to brush it in a little and have some trees or limbs behind you to break up your outline. I can't ever remember getting busted while trying to shoot a deer from a ladder stand. Like any stand you just have to be careful when you move.

reflexkid

Do you think a 12 ft ladder stand would spook them.

Kybuckhunter

A deer isn't going to know the difference between 12 ft. and 15 ft. It's the guy setting up in the stand that's going to spook him. You can hunt 10 ft., 5 ft. or whatever you want. If the wind is in your favor and you don't get caught moving you'll win. However the lower you keep getting the closer you are to being in the line of site of the deer.

I killed a deer once with a bow and my feet was only five feet over his back, so it can be done. I like 15 to 18 ft. myself but it's whatever you feel comfortable with. I have hunted stands as high as 30 ft. but as I get older I feel better alittle lower.

teamster284

i have used them and they are great. we build our own kind of liek what you see in the stores. bigger platforms to stand and sit on and heavier metal and taller is the only differance.

UMPIRE

I've used a ladder stand for years. Just last year I switched to a climber because I hated dragging that heavy thing in and out of the woods. If anyone tells you a ladder stand has never spooked a deer, they are lying. If someone came into your house while you were out and put up something that wasn't there before, you'd notice it. Not all or every deer is spooked by ladder stands but the most important thing about using them is this...be sure you put them up as soon as you can before you use them. If you put one up the day before you use it, you will see less deer than if you had put it up a couple weeks before the season started. This gives the deer time to acclimate themselves to the stand and become at least somewhat more comfortable with it. Camo it as best you can before letting it set. One more thing...I think ladder stands are the safest stand there is except for ground blinds.

livbucks

My Dad uses ladders exclusively
He has a 16' ladder that he routinely has deer walk between the ladder and the tree. He has even had them nibble on the stabilizer ropes. No, they do not spook deer. YOU spook deer. No movement, The right wind direction and most important- have some sort of background cover to breakup your outline. Use branches and shove them in behind your stand. Better yet find a location where there is existing vegetation at your height on the tree. That is the one of the pluses of ladders, you can nestle them in almost any tree and make use of cover already there. Best stand there is if you can leave it in the woods. Good luck!