Ladder Stand

What makes a ladder stand different

A ladder stand is the tree stand that brings its own way up. The ladder, the seat, the foot platform and usually a shooting rail all come as one frame. You assemble it on the ground, stand it against a tree, and strap it on. After that, getting in is climbing rungs, not hanging sticks or inching a climber up the trunk.

The National Deer Association's rundown of stand types calls ladder stands comfortable, roomy and easy to get in and out of, and a great setup for a young hunter. The trade is the steel. One maker's 21-foot two-person model lists a product weight of 126 pounds, which is not something you carry in before daylight on a whim. So a ladder stand is a place you pick in summer and hunt for a stretch, not a seat you move every morning.

If you're still deciding between stand styles, the tree stand page covers hang-ons and climbers. This page is for the hunter who already wants rungs.

The table on this page lists ladder stands by height, as the makers state it, or as the Amazon listing does where a maker is silent (marked as listing values; weight stays the maker's). It shows height, weight capacity, how many hunters it's rated for, the stand's own weight, material, platform, seat width, and whether there's a rail that flips back or a blind in the box. When neither states a value, you get a dash, not a guess.

What to look at when you pick a ladder stand

Here's the order I'd read the table in. Rule of thumb: the first three decide whether the stand is safe for you; the rest decide whether you like it.

Check whether the height is to the seat or to the rail

Ladder stands are named by height, and the name is not always the measurement. Makers mix "height to shooting rail" with "stand height," and the table records whichever one they state. One maker sells a stand it calls a 21-foot model; its spec sheet lists 20 ft 6 in to the shooting rail. Your seat sits below that rail. (The missing six inches went wherever my hairline went.)

So a 20 foot ladder stand puts your eyes somewhere under 20 feet. That's not bad news. Outdoor Life ran a backyard test with four stands in one tree and a 3D target at 18 yards. The shot angle came out at about 15 degrees from 10 feet, 20 from 15 feet, 25 from 20 feet and 30 from 25 feet. Steeper angles leave less room for error top to bottom on the target. The writer called 15 to 18 feet his sweet spot and recommended staying at 20 feet or lower.

Measure twice: read the height line, then read which end of the stand it's measured to.

Read the weight limit as a total, gear included

Both ladder stand manuals I read state one total weight limit, and both spell out that it covers your combined weight with all your hunting gear and accessories. So the number on the label isn't your bathroom-scale weight. It's you in November: boots, bibs, parka, a full pack, plus whatever comes up on the haul line. The table shows each stand's weight capacity as the maker lists it. Do the addition first, then read the column.

Single man ladder stand or a two-person frame

The capacity column tells you how many hunters the frame is rated for. A two-person frame puts two seats on a wider platform under one shared weight limit. If you want that second seat for a kid or a partner, it has its own page: 2-man ladder stands. Here I'll stick to one hunter, one seat.

Fit the tree to the maker's diameter range

Every ladder stand manual gives a tree size range. Both two-person manuals I read list trees 9 to 18 inches in diameter, and say the minimum must be no less than 9 inches. That range is about where the top brackets and straps can grab, so it isn't a suggestion.

Beyond size, the manuals ask for the same tree. Live, straight, healthy, not leaning, no loose or scaly bark, no dead limbs overhead. One adds no stumps or rocks under the stand and no picking a tree in the dark. Both say firm, level ground under the ladder feet; a slope or one leg on a rock can make the ladder tilt or shift as you climb.

The table doesn't show tree range, so check the manual or the maker's spec sheet before you buy. Then take a tape measure to your tree. (Diameter is the width through the trunk, not the distance around it. I taught shop for a long time. You'd be surprised.)

Platform size and seat width decide how long you'll sit

The platform column is the foot platform as the maker or the listing states it, usually as two numbers or a round size. A bigger platform gives your boots more room to turn for a shot. Seat width shows up for fewer stands; when it's listed, it's the number to read if you sit all morning.

Comfort makes it easy to sit too long. The manuals say never fall asleep in the stand. If your eyes start closing, climb down and take a walk.

A shooting rail is a rest, not a railing

Most ladder stands come with a padded shooting rail across the front. The National Deer Association notes the railing typically doubles as a shooting rest. For a rifle or crossbow hunter it's the best feature on the frame.

For a bowhunter, the column to read is whether the rail flips back. A fixed rail can get in the way of your bow limb or your draw. A rail that swings up or out of the way gives you the room back. The shooting rail page goes deeper on rail designs.

One plain fact from the manuals: the rail is not built to hold you. The manuals say the footrest, armrests and shooting rail aren't designed to support your weight, and to put no more than 15 pounds on any of them.

Stand weight and material are about the walk in

The weight column is the stand's own weight, as the maker states it. The 21-foot two-person model above lists 126 pounds. That's a lot of steel to drag through a cut cornfield. (Danny says this about every cooler he's ever loved.)

Material, steel or aluminum as the maker or the listing states it, matters mostly for that walk. If you'll drag the stand a long way, sort the table by weight first.

A ladder stand with enclosure hides your hands

A few ladder stands ship with a blind or enclosure: fabric that wraps the shooting rail and hides your lower body and hands. The table marks whether one is included. Makers also sell blind kits as separate accessories that tie to the rail.

Check that the kit fits your rail and that you can still draw a bow over or through it from your seat.

Who a ladder stand suits

A ladder stand makes the most sense for:

• New hunters and kids who need an easy climb
• Hunters who don't want to wear climbing sticks on their back every morning
• Private land, where a stand can go up before the season and stay for a stretch
• Rifle and crossbow hunters who want a rail to rest on
• Anyone with two friends who owe them a Saturday

Who should skip a ladder stand

My one opinion on this page: if you hunt alone, a ladder stand is the wrong stand. The reason is in the manuals, which call for at least three people to put one up or take one down, every time you move it. Skip it if you move stands every few days on public land; the weight will wear you out. Skip it if your trees are crooked, branchy or outside the maker's size range. And skip it if you want to be well above 20 feet; a ladder only reaches as high as its sections, and every extra foot is more steel to carry in. A hang-on stand or climbing stand gives you more choice.

How to put up a ladder stand

The manuals I read agree on the steps. Your stand's manual wins if it says something different. Practice the whole thing at ground level first.

1. Assemble the stand on the ground. One manual says hand-tighten every bolt first, then go back and tighten them with a wrench once it's fully assembled, without overtightening and without a socket wrench. Its tool list is one adjustable wrench, which is the first time a manual and I have agreed on anything.
2. Lay the stand in front of the tree with the bottom of the ladder 4 to 5 feet from the trunk, per that same manual.
3. Put one person at the foot of the ladder, foot on the bottom rung and holding the installation straps, to stop it sliding. Two people stand at the platform end and walk it up rung by rung.
4. Slide the base until the seat and platform sit level, and check that the tree brackets touch the trunk.
5. Step firmly on the bottom rung to set the legs into the ground. Don't jump or bounce on it.
6. Fit the installation straps and the stabilizer or truss bar before anyone climbs. One manual says not to climb without them, and warns that skipping the stabilizer bar can mean serious injury or death.
7. Climb with your harness on and three points of contact, leaning forward toward the tree, straps in your pocket.
8. Attach your harness tether to the tree before you strap the platform on, then ratchet the top strap tight and even around the trunk.

The first climb, before the top strap is on, is the riskiest moment in the whole job. Have a full-body harness on and attached the way the maker describes, and don't hurry it.

So, how to put up a ladder stand by yourself? Both ladder stand manuals I read say to use at least three people to install or take one down. I'm not going to write a one-man method that the makers tell you not to use. Hemlock Run has exactly three people, which is one reason Danny is still invited.

Keep the stand and the straps honest

Every season starts with the same inspection. The manuals list it: the harness and straps for wear, nuts and bolts for looseness, and the whole stand for damage, rot, corrosion and cracks, before every use. Both say to replace all hardware, cables, nuts, bolts and clips every two years, or sooner if the inspection says so.

Hardware doesn't tell you how old it is, so write the date you put the stand in service on the manual's cover. Two years goes by faster than you think, and so does the manual.

Storage is where most of us cheat. The Treestand Manufacturers Association's guidelines say never to leave a treestand installed for more than two weeks, because weather and other factors can do damage you won't see. One manual adds that tree growth stresses straps and buckles and that the stand should be stored indoors. Nobody wants to move a ladder stand twice a season. Move it anyway.

TMA also keeps a recall list linked to federal consumer safety notices; look up your maker and model. A TMA-certified product is one whose representative model passed third-party lab testing to standards TMA recognizes. Stand rules on public land vary by state, so check your state wildlife agency before you hang one there.

Wear the harness every time your boots leave the ground

Wear a full-body harness every time you leave the ground, going up and coming down, and keep the tether snug with no slack when you sit. Never climb with anything in your hands; pull your bow or gun up on a haul line once you're attached. Tell someone where you are, carry a phone or whistle, and never leave the ground with a stand that has a loose strap. Harnesses are on the tree stand harness page.

That's a ladder stand. Pick the height you can climb, the rating with room to spare, and a tree that fits the manual. Write the in-service date in the logbook. Pencil is fine.