I've got to move my ladder stand and don't know how to get it down without it crashing. The ladder is in sections that insert into one another. It's a very heavy stand so I don't know how I could lift it high enough to get the lower section out, and then drop it down while removing each section as it comes down. In addition to the weight of it, how would I get the top end to keep from biting into the tree as I'm trying to push it up. Perhaps there's a completely different approach. What have others done when moving your stand. Thanks.

I have two ropes already tied to the ladder legs ..... one on the left and one on the right. The top of these ropes are tied to the first or second rung below the seat. These ropes are crossed behind the tree. The other end is tied about 2/3 the way down the ladder, and cinched very tightly in place. This is part of how I secure the ladder to the tree .... in addition to the top end strap(s). Once I take the top strap(s) off and untie the ladder stand-off brace, I will carefully untie the criss-crossed ropes at the bottom. I then ease to the backside of the tree and use these two ropes to control the rotating of ladder down. Most of the time I can get the ladder all the way to the ground gently, but sometimes I get the top to within 3-4 feet and the bottom kicks out and the ladder drops those last few feet. I have never had any damaged using this technique.

The only time this is really tricky is when you are working a ladder down that has been set up to look down a steep hillside ito a bottom.

I have the same as Mojotex but have also added a 3rd rope that I use to lower the stand to the ground or secure when i go to secure my seat section.
Even though all my ladder stands have that lower metal bar from the ladder secured to the tree as the first step and then the criss-cross straps like what Mojotex describes securing the stand to the tree as the second step. My 3rd step is a rope tied to the seat section that i pull out to pull the seat as tight as i can against the tree to which i tie the loose end straight behind my stand to another tree as securely as i can as a safe guard. I never liked crawling up that ladder and that seat portion ever so slightly pulling back from the tree as i tried to reach around behind and secure that rachet strap. Hated that!
That 3rd rope fixed that.
AND .....Take down became easier. ...a one man job for a 20 footer!
Take down
Undo your seat Rachet straps (now remember your 3rd rope is tied behind you)
Climb down. Untie your 3rd rope from the tree you used to keep your stand snug against the tree you sat in. Now take that rope and bfing it around the tree you sat in. You eill use this to gently lower your stand after you have.....untied the criss cross ropes......removed the metal ladder bar......now standing at the tree push your stand away from the tree while holding Rope 3. Play out Rope 3 until your stand is on the ground. I cwrry a rubber mallet which i use to take my ladder apart. I do lay my ladder sections on top of each other and use rachet straps to secure them together for transport.
Sorry for poor spelling. But i am in my stand hunting putzing on my phone....no deer yet
Hey. Be safe out there.

JW

Hope that made sense. I probably should draw a diagram. Because when i let the stand down one hand is pushing the ladder away from the tree the other is paying out rope letting it slide thru my hand until the ladder is at such an angle i need both hands. It goes quick and without crashing..

Duh.......get out of your stand you dummy and snap a picture!!!!
Geeez.....heck i ain't seeing any deer anyhow.

Thanks for the feedback. Truth be told, I don't have a visual of the methodology. I'll keep looking around; I want to make sure I understand the method before attempting to take the stand down.

after they put them up the first time, intend to leave them for awhile, and of course want to put them somewhere else.
It's the second time they get real heavy. That's why people came up with the idea to keep them in one place.

Unfortunately some tree stands aren't meant to be easily moved by one person. Some large ones get put up by two or three people. Gets to be a problem when one person wants it moved.

I go by the end theory that goes for one person. If the total weight of the treestand is more than 21 lbs, I pass on using such a tree stand. Once you get much above that weight, as one hunter, I avoid them like a plague.
They can look pretty, but are not pretty to move. And I never became a paid and trained rigger.

easiest way I have found to do this safely by myself is to take a smooth rope and climb your stand, tie it off to the frame of the seat itself. After that wrap the rope around the tree once and let it hang to the ground. Climb down and remove your ladder bracing and straps. pick the rope up and hold it firmly and give the stand a pull or push to move it away from the tree to where it's got pressure on the rope. then from behind the tree out of the way ease it down by the rope.

The types of stands I have used work out great using this method so hope it may give you a bit of help.

As long as its 21 lbs or less.

Good advice from all here! Once you climb up and put a rope with a tag-end that reaches the ground around the tree. Attach it to the stand to hold it in place, detach your straps that are holding the stand to the tree and climb down. Then you can start to push the stand away from the tree while using the long tag-end of the rope to gently let the stand down! Just think it out and be safe! If it went up OK, it can come down OK too!