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Ladder stands.. thoughts if itll scare deer?

Al Bundy

By Al Bundy,
in Deer Hunting

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Al Bundy Newbie

Al Bundy

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Picked me up two stands the other day. A fairly nice ladder stand and a hang on. Where I want to put the ladder is on one side of a gulley along a major trail. A heavy trail runs from one side of the gully to the other. Its wooded, but not real thick and something standing on the ridge of the other side can easily see across.  At the base of the tree I was thinking to put the ladder its not at all covered.  The tree is a few yards off the main trail is all. So.....putting out now. Anyone think deer will be spooked walking by a ladder stand? Deer on the other side of the gulley be spooked? I am debating the ladder or the hang on. This is going to be my new main spot.  I like the ladder as its nicer but not sure the stealthiness of it??

 

 

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The_Field_Ager Newbie

The_Field_Ager

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If the stand is somewhat hidden ( I like hemlocks) and brushed in a bit, you should be fine. I did one or 2 last minute stand changes this season, with a view to moving them again if the patterns change, and have dad deer around me the next morning. Just don't put it smack in the center of a travel corridor or trail.

 

Hang it in the rain if you can.

Edited by Papist
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WNYBuckHunter Experienced

WNYBuckHunter

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As long as the stand is there for a while, the deer will get used to it. I have never ever ever ever brushed in a ladder stand, and I cant tell you how many deer Ive killed out of them. Also, if you hunt it the same day they may not notice it until its too late. Like papist said, just dont put it right on the trail.

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NYbuck50 Newbie

NYbuck50

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The ladder itself shouldn't spook deer, they get used to it. If you are silhouetted against no backdrop, that on the other hand would. Try to brush in the top of the stand as best as you can. That cheap camo burlap they sell at sporting good stores works well for this. i tie it all the way around the tree to breakup my outline

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Al Bundy Newbie

Al Bundy

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Good info. Thanks all. The tree I had in mind is straight and limbless until up fairly high. Backdrop could be an issue. I might walk around  bit and see if I can find something a bit more cover. If not Ill try and make my own cover.  I know late for this. Its still good though.

Edited by Dan.NY
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WNYBuckHunter Experienced

WNYBuckHunter

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Good info. Thanks all. The tree I had in mind is straight and limbless until up fairly high. Backdrop could be an issue. I might walk around  bit and see if I can find something a bit more cover. If not Ill try and make my own cover.  I know late for this. Its still good though.

 

You could pop one of those 2 man ladders in there with a blind on it. Or you could build a blind around the seating area of a single man stand too. Camo material and a strap on shooting rail would do it, or just camo hanging from the stand's built in shooting rail. I have one of the 2 man ones and it works great for keeping your movement (or a fidgety kid's movement) concealed.

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The Engineer Newbie

The Engineer

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Funny you picked this topic. This weekend I was putting up a 2 person stand and the thino collapsed like a house of cards. Needless to say I fell 19 feet to the ground. I landed on my side and I have some road rash on my legs. I am a little sore but for the grace of God nothing else. If I heal up enough I am going back in a put another up.

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Marion Proficient

Marion

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Funny you picked this topic. This weekend I was putting up a 2 person stand and the thino collapsed like a house of cards. Needless to say I fell 19 feet to the ground. I landed on my side and I have some road rash on my legs. I am a little sore but for the grace of God nothing else. If I heal up enough I am going back in a put another up.

You're lucky to be alive let alone not paralyzed from a 20 foot fall

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

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Paula Mentor

Paula

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Funny you picked this topic. This weekend I was putting up a 2 person stand and the thino collapsed like a house of cards. Needless to say I fell 19 feet to the ground. I landed on my side and I have some road rash on my legs. I am a little sore but for the grace of God nothing else. If I heal up enough I am going back in a put another up.

Glad your ok!
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nyslowhand Enthusiast

nyslowhand

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From my experience setting up and using ladder stands over the years...take it or leave it!

 

Would be a little concern about your idea of putting it "a few yards off the main trail". Try to keep mine ~15yrds or so off any main travel routes. As good as it might sound to be positioned directly on a deer path, can be nerve wracking to have them directly underneath your stand. Esp true for bow hunting, gives you poor shot opportunities.

 

FYI - A deer's line of sight is horiz to the ground, so any elevation changes causes them to possibly be looking directly up at a stand placed at the top of a gulley as they're traveling up it..!?! Also if you have any concerns about the backdrop or skylighting of a stand now, wait until the leaves are off the trees!!!!! It could become a major problem then!

 

Whether this actually works or helps, have no clue, but it gives me more confidence in any new set-ups. Place small branches on ladder section and horiz support bar to break up its' outline. May be up some 10-12'. Either intertwined on ladder rungs or tie wrapped to vertical sections of ladder. My theory (??) is it helps deer acclimate to any new shape or outline in their home turf. God only knows what a deer is thinking, but in my feeble mind....

 

Also a big fan of putting the camo material around the sides of the platform section. IMHO, breaks up the outline of your legs and any hand or foot movements are semi-undetectable. Have used the burlap camo cloth & it can act like a sail in windy conditions. I like to use the die cut cloth, which allows the air movement thru the cloth. Again, only for my personal confidence level.

 

 

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Al Bundy Newbie

Al Bundy

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Falling is not a good thing.. I don't know how you survived but wow. I will be seriously careful. 

 

I do have hill related issues where I hunt, I assume issues anyway. Everywhere I am, there is a slope/hill/not flat land. I assume the deer look up in this situation more so than in flat woods. In this spot though, the trail runs North and South. The hill is high West and slopes down East.  Not much I can do about this but try and be covered and not squirmy.  I am going to get one of the camo attachments to make it into a condo-blind I think. Why not. This hopefully should help with backdrop. 

 

I thought on the edge of the gulley would be good as I could see across to anything walking down the other side.  On the one end of the trail (away from the gulley) it gets thick. I assume the deer run South to North in the morning and go bed down in the thick shit. Then I assume they get up in the afternoon and run North to South. Maybe I don't need to be right on the edge of the gulley. I guess I can set up closer to the thick shit, place my trail cam and leave as is for rest of this season. Next season dial it in a bit better.

 

Thanks for all the advice.

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