Bigger Ladder Stand or Tripod Stand?

[chucker34]

Has anyone here ever bowhunted out of one?

We've got our own land so I can leave something out all season. Last year I had a few pop-up blinds and a cheaper ladder stand with a very small platform out there. I took two does from the blinds and didn't spend a lot of time in the ladder stand because the platform felt way two small for me to comfortably shoot.

I'm not real afraid of heights but I'd really like a bigger platform to stand on and possibly even a rail to stop me if I fell forward (besides my safety harness). So has anyone ever bowhunted out of a ladder stand with a bigger platform and railing - a "buddy" stand - or a tripod with railing? Does the railing get in the way of your shots?

I think a buddy stand with a large platform with the railing gone in front might be my answer to feeling more secure up in the tree but I'm not sure. I've thought about building my own wooden platform stand but it would be just as cheap to buy a metal ladder or tripod stand.

I like my blinds but you can't beat the view a tree stand gives you. Harder for deer to sneak up on you in my opinion.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

[Powerstroke]

I've hunted from a nice ladder stand and they are nice for leaving out all season.

Upsides are they are already attached and are as sturdy as you make it.

DOwnsides is that in MN the steps and platform can get pretty hairy in the winter. Also, unless you had like a 6' platform, I would recondier the railing. It will get in the way and you could damage you bow limbs if you're too close when you fire. I like my shots as close as possible so a railing would be bad for a 5-10 yd shot because of the steep angle.

I will continue to use mine, but I remove the shooting rail during bow season and replace it during the rifle season. Its nice to have a solid rest and stand containment.

[harvey lee]

I have and use a ladder stand for both rifle and bow and like it very much.I have every type stand and they all have thier place.

I dont mind it when bow hunting and do not have a rail on it then.During rifle I do and like it for a rest on long shots.

A friend of mine boughta two seater one last year for gun hunting with a big rail and I used it once for bow hunting.All that rail did was restrict my shots.

You can get a smaller or bigger stand and just make sure you take the time to install it right and it will be plenty stable.

I feel just as safe in a regular ladder stand as I did in the 2 seater.I also think that I could manover better in the single.

[Mark Christianson]

Check out the Loggy Bayou Bowhunter.

I have not used mine yet, but the platform is WAY bigger than most and the seat swivels up so you have a lot of comfortable space to stand. Gander cleared them out last fall for like $80. I literally got the last one in the state of MN. I wanted 3 or 4 more at that price, so I called every store in the state. Missed it by days.

I have a few of the cheaper ladder stands, and man that foot pad is awfully small. I can deal with them, but they make me a little uncomfortable for moving around.

[mnz71hunt]

I purchased a ladder / buddy stand two years ago in hopes of taking the youngster with hunting. Last year I hunted in it twice by myself. The first time I say in it i didn't have any camo around the frame to shield my movement and was a little worried that the deer would spot me. The first morning in the stand I took a doe (dumb doe maybe) but nonetheless still was able to harvest the deer. The are easy to sit in for a long time and with a little camo around you to mask you leg, hand movements, you can get away with a lot while sitting there.

I would say I still prefer a good portable to get higher, but for certain area's (hillsides or edges) they seem to work just fine. Good for the kids also.

[chucker34]

Thanks for the responses guys. Yeah, I can do without the railing, it's the footpad that bugs me. I have one of those buddy stands with a footpad that's only 13 inches deep. Well my boots pretty much hang out over by a little bit. That's fine for gun hunting if I'm sitting or have a railing in front of me, but for bowhunting, it's hard not to think the slightest movement might send me over the front edge or that I'll slip backward and get all tangled up. Thinking about that while trying to draw and aim doesn't make for good shots. Its more of a mental thing really. BLB, I checked out that Loggy Bayou Bowhunter online. That's exactly what I'm looking for. Cabelas and other online outlets are charing $140, but I'll check around before September for a better deal or something comparable. But I think that larger footpad is what I need to focus just on the shot and not about falling. Thanks again everyone.

[KidWalleye]

This may be of the subject a little but what do people think about climbers? I have a ladder stand that I love. But I also want a couple of climbers to move around with. I don't know if we are supposed to name brands but if anyone knows of a particular brand the would be helpful. Thanks, Jeremy

[Deitz Dittrich]

KidWall... I have a summit climber and love it. The nice thing about climbers is they(most of them) are way more confortable than regular stands. I can sit about twice as long in my climber than I can a regular stand. The disadvatage is we here in MN do not have a ton of trees that climbers work in without some major trimming.

[harvey lee]

I would not be without my climber.There are places where it is hard to use,but when you find a tree to put it up in,boy are they nice.

I would save for a little while and buy one of the more pricey ones as there are some cheaper ones out there.

I have climbers,blinds,portables and ladder stands and they all have there place.Hands down the most comfortable are the climbers.

At first I thought that there would not be many trees to put it up,but when you start looking there are more than you think.You will be able to sit much longer as Dietz stated,just dont fall asleep.

[BLACKJACK]

One tip, if you're going to make your own ladder stand, goto some of the local lumber yards and see if they have 'cull' treated lumber. It may have a slight twist to it but its plenty good for deer stands and you can get it for a fraction of the price.

[Mark Christianson]

Every permanent we have is made with cull lumber.

Pennies on the dollar.

If you find some 12 ft 2x4's for example, and they are looking pretty twisted, look a little closer. A lot of times boards are only really bad on one end.

We have bought truckloads of cull for near nothing at times, and its amazing how good the wood really is if you saw off a few feet. Basically you end up with a 2x4x8(example) thats very straight after you hack off the bad end of it.

[KidWalleye]

Thanks for the info boys. I can't wait till early fall when the bow hunting talk really heats up. This is my first year and I'm all jacked up for it. I've been shooting in the back yard already. Not to bad I must say but definetly not ready yet. Funny how one thinks you can just pick up a bow and shoot. One more thing, is it better to bring my arrows in to get refletched or can I do it myself. I understand you can buy a fletching machine? Thanks again, Jeremy

[chucker34]

KidWalleye. You've got the fever. Last year was my first year bowhunting. I pretty much shot at my target and foam deer every night all summer. Not all night. Just a dozen or two dozen arrows most nights. By the time the season rolled around I was pumped. Opening morning I was getting bit up something fierce by the mosquitoes and climbed down to head back to the truck. Of course, several deer busted me on the way and it started to pour rain. Not a great first experience but I laughed it off and was back out there again the next day. I ended up getting a couple of does after a couple of months of hunting many times a week and that really hooked me. The guy at the pro shop was right when he sold me my bow. He turned to my wife who was with me and said you'll hardly see him anymore after he gets the first one. : )

Good advice on the culled lumber guys. I'll have to shop around for when I do build a permanent one some year.