DYI Wooden Ladder Stand
 

Good afternoon all. Just taking up some time waiting for some good ice. I was thinking of building a couple wooden ladder stands for this year's season. I've been all over youtube, internet search, etc. I've seen a couple that I like, ladder, platform, and wooden seat, all in one unit but not really good plans to view. Any drawings or plans out there?
Thanks. Sean

first off welcome to the site
and the main reason you DON"T find many designs or info on WOODEN ladder stands
is they have been proven to be ticking time bombs where hunters have died using
they have been replaced with METAL ladder stands in all but a few die hards that still don;'t want to switch over!

the costs of buying all the materials to make a GOOD wooden ladder stand, (treated wood, coated hardware for it, time spent making)
its WAY cheaper, and a TON lighter to buy a pre built metal stand

that of if your a GOOD welder and like to build your own, it can be done, , but it still HARD to beat the prices on pre made ladder stands that are mass produced!

so do yourself a favor on the safety side, DON"T make or use wooden ladder tree stands, there dangerous, and WHY you don;t see them any more in MOST any hunting property today!

Thanks! and thanks for the Welcome! You make very good points. I do own several ladder stands(metal), love hunting out of them for sure

Another way to make your own ladder stand is to keep your eyes open for aluminum ladder for sale. With some aluminum angle pieces and some bolts a functional ladder stand can be made that is also safer than a wooden one. I got several sections of extension ladders from craig's list pretty cheap, and made my own stands.

Another welcome from me. Another thing to think about is Walmart has great after season prices on ladder stands if you get there in time. Also Dick's Sporting goods has good sales just prior to season. Another good source for stands is Sportsmans Guide.
If you're not set on a ladder stand you might be better served with a hang on stand and ladder sticks. These combos are usually lighter and easier to set up than a ladder stand. I have one ladder stand and although its fine, I don't like the idea of not being connected by my harness until I get up and seated. Even using a life line, if you slip you're a long way from the tree and when you hit it its going to probably hurt, a lot!
I use mostly hang ons and ladder steps. I set it all up using my harness and climbing belt and when I get it done I attach a life line above the stand, hook onto it and come back down then attach the bottom of the life line to either the tree or the steps. Safety first. As a Hunter trapper instructor I get first hand info of hunter fall(s) the previous year.
Over the years there have been death, paralyzed incidents and broken bones even with ladder stands. Not trying to scare you just reminding you to be safe.

Our hunt club probably has over 250 wooden stands on our property. They are all looked at and maintained once a year. With over 40 members able to use any stand there have been no, repeat no, major injuries because of faulty stands. We have had a few from metal stands that individuals have installed. A stand is only as safe as the people who own and maintain it. And they were each built for far less than a commercially bought one.

I Can agree any stand can fail and its up to the user to take care of them
but I find it very hard to believe in today's market you can BUY enough wood materials, to build a wooden ladder stand, bolts screws what ever for under 50 bucks which is what many pre made metal stands can be had at if you shop arround!

and its also a lot easier to see issue's with welds , than it is to see stress on wooden parts froma tree growing on.and into them

this is why most all STAY and safety company's recommend NOT using wooden stands for hunting! yes again MANY use hem safely, but I again doubt the up keep costs are saving anyone any money over time the costs to maintain wooden stands is way higher than metal one's
and as much as your club has been safe with using them, thousands of hunters have NOT been so lucky, which is why there are safety standards on pre built tree stands, that cannot make and sell and maintain in wooden built one's

if costs were cheaper and things safer they would,all be pushing and selling them made of wood

yes your club has a great records and hope it stays that way


Also would LOVE to see any data that says more folks get hurt from metal LADDER stands than ANY other type of tree stand, be it climbing models or lock on's
as it the complete opposite of what I know on accidents

and the main reason is, many folks L:EAVE loc on stands attached to tree's for longer periods of time than they should and thus failure rates on straps go WAY up

but again, a stand is ONLY as safe as the person using it is on taking care of it and to see its safe!

When you use or replace straps on your tree stands DO NOT use polypropylene straps (cheapo cargo straps). According to a paper published by North Carolina State University, polypropylene can only manage six days before losing up to 70% of its strength as a result of UV rays. Polyester fares much better. The article reveals that following 12 months of UV exposure, over 67% of a component’s strength is restored. When ordering replacement straps always get ones that are UV protected.
VAPA your club is begging for a liability lawsuit. Wooden stands are just too dangerous. Even treated lumber exposed to the elements will rot especially around the screws/bolts.

not to mention that if not using correct fasteners approved for treated wood, the wood will EAT metal and hardware not made for treated wood! and eve the chemicals in treated wood are pretty harsh

also keep in mind NOT all treated wood is made of the same quality, many of it is NOT made for ground contact which can accelerate rotting or deterioration of it when used in tree stands!

and as for straps, its Not just UV exposure that's the issue
its the fact tree's are growing and can add hundreds of LBS of stress to the straps and there components
all the more so when there not rated for the weight that leverage can apply when being used on loc on stands and the likes
this is why most ALL OEM straps that come with stands, come with info on how long they should ONLY be left on a tree at a time and some are only for a few days at a time?

also food for thought on those that use climbing stands, there hardware is also time sensitive, meaning its designed to be replaced every so often from AGE lone, NOT just wear and tear from using things!

We do not use straps with our stands. All are braced to the trees with wood and nailed. Braces are at the top of the stands and also mid way up the ladders. All are pressure treated wood and galvanized nails.
As per statistics on metal stands failing it should be easy to check with local and national safety councils. Most accidents I hear and read about are majority metal climbing stands. No actual figures but what is reported.