Ladder; Hang-On; Climber... what do you like?

[nybuckboy]

What type of stands to you generally use and why?

[solon]

metal ladder stands - for me I'm not crazy about heights and i feel the best in a ladder stand. the platforms have enough room for me to turn and with a seat pad i can get comfortable and sit for long periods of time

[seven7]

do you think ladder stands are high enough for bow hunting? most stands i see are 15-18 feet. when im in my climber, im up at 20 feet. i would love to leave a ladder in the woods instead of luggin my climber on my back to my spots...what do you all think?

[Bballhunter11]

I have used both ladder and hang on stands. still use some ladder stands but prefer the hang on stands with sticks or screw in pegs because i can set them at any height and they fit in at any angel. You can usually get a very good hang on at a good price compared to climbers also.

[burmjohn]

You don't want to be higher then that for bow really anyways...  And the height is all about the area your in, I have my own wood ladder in at about 12 feet, any higher because of the tree's I'b be obstructed or have a very limited view.  My other metal ladder is at about 18feet, which is plenty high for rifle, actually to high in my personal taste for bow.

[WNYBuckHunter]

I use them all. Single and double ladder stands, a Summit Viper SS climber, and hang on stands. I just started using the hang ons last year, and I like them. They are extremely versitle. The worst one for bow, IMO, is the double ladder stand. The shooting rail and rear top rails get in the way. Cost me a big buck last year.

[G-Man]

I prefer  large hang-on stand  at least a 24 x 36 in platform with a foldable seat with a hight of  22in. this leaves a slope on the thigh when sitting and its a lot easier to get up when a deer is sneaking in. you can hug a tree and get nearly 360* of shooting. not to mention i can leave a lot of limbs on the tree for cover. ladders always seem to squeek and when you stand up your 1 1/2 foot or more away from the tree.

[burmjohn]

I use them all. Single and double ladder stands, a Summit Viper SS climber, and hang on stands. I just started using the hang ons last year, and I like them. They are extremely versitle. The worst one for bow, IMO, is the double ladder stand. The shooting rail and rear top rails get in the way. Cost me a big buck last year.

Flip the rail up this year

[First-light]

I use ladder stands. We have about 6 of them on 54 acres. We also have two Gorilla hang-on stands that still get put up. They go in trees that you can climb. The days of screw in steps are over. This week we are at camp so I'll start to inspect all the stands and get them in good shape.

[bubba]

do you think ladder stands are high enough for bow hunting? most stands i see are 15-18 feet. when im in my climber, im up at 20 feet. i would love to leave a ladder in the woods instead of luggin my climber on my back to my spots...what do you all think?

is there really a difference between an 18 foot ladrer and 20 foot climbr?  I really do not think the other 2 feet is major. 

my choice 2 man ladder stands

[WNYBuckHunter]

I use them all. Single and double ladder stands, a Summit Viper SS climber, and hang on stands. I just started using the hang ons last year, and I like them. They are extremely versitle. The worst one for bow, IMO, is the double ladder stand. The shooting rail and rear top rails get in the way. Cost me a big buck last year.

Flip the rail up this year

It was flipped up last year, the deer was standing behind me and to the left. Had a perfect shot, but the riser of the bow hit the rail on the back when I was drawing. The buck didnt stick around.

[WNYBuckHunter]

do you think ladder stands are high enough for bow hunting? most stands i see are 15-18 feet. when im in my climber, im up at 20 feet. i would love to leave a ladder in the woods instead of luggin my climber on my back to my spots...what do you all think?

is there really a difference between an 18 foot ladrer and 20 foot climbr?  I really do not think the other 2 feet is major. 

my choice 2 man ladder stands

You can get 20+ foot ladder stands now.

[eagle rider]

the all have their place in the hunting woods,.... my preference for speed, comfort and stability is a ladder.  There are times they can't work though, like there is no movment around the ladder, in that case a climber is great.  Heavier, and noisey to set up.  The climber fails if the tree canopy is too low or the trunk is wet or icy.

[landtracdeerhunter]

I would agree with Eagle Rider.  We decide on the spot to which stand, we are going to use. Tend to use ladder stands where the lower part is in  undergrowth. How many of you have had a deer come up to you ladder, smell it, and then look up at you?  Hang ons have their place in more open areas, with the use of ladder sticks or rapid rails. We use climbers sometimes depending on what type of tree is present. Oaks & hickorys are not very user friendly trees for climbers .  We do have a few maple, and ash trees that work well.  In the market for a good  $100 or so, ladder stand. The last ladder we bought was a Direct Outdoors, which we were very pleased with. It was well built and weighed about 75 lbs. You could dance on the thing without it moving.  I have noticed in the last few years, that the better ladder stands have priced themselves out of our market. They have become very cheap in building quality. I don't trust alot of them.

[fasteddie]

I use mostly ladder stands and have several of them . Most of them are the ones from DICK's that I bought on sale . No more screwing in steps , building ladders , etc ..

[Fantail]

do you think ladder stands are high enough for bow hunting? most stands i see are 15-18 feet. when im in my climber, im up at 20 feet. i would love to leave a ladder in the woods instead of luggin my climber on my back to my spots...what do you all think?

Last year I tried a 15' delux from Gander. It doesn't suck. I took two deer out of it. Including the 4pnt., in the rain under one of those tree umbrella's, with the Bow, sitting down. Wasn't planning on that I'm standing for Bow most of the time it's just when he showed up. Only thing I can add to that is I do prefer about 17'.

I'm comfortable in ladder stands & climbers more then hang ons. Could be the height awareness thing, maybe or the size of the platform. Or, when your in stand and glancing around the eyes playing tricks with the mind as your aware of the lack of structure underneath and you know your life kind of hangs on a metal link and some nylon.

[Fantail]

Speaking of nylon, well not realy - but I was in BP the other weekend and I noticed a large hang on stand, good size platform, 90$. I thought hey I'd be comfortable in that thing. Then I noticed plastic fixtures. Plastic? - Are they nuts?

[nybuckboy]

I hunt on about 350 acres but can only access it from the south and east for the most part. Mostly open area with about 40% woods and scrub brush. I have 11 ladder stands and 3 hang-ons. I plan to set up 1 more ladder and 1 more hang-on. I do prefer the ladder stands (all 15ft). I rachet them on and chain and padlock them. I leave them up all year round.

I also have started to spray paint brown and gray primer on them to try to break the ladder section up from the woods. I let them dry and sit out in the air for weeks before set-up. I also zip tie some branches on them to break up the vertical sections. If you take the extra time to disguise them and use some camo tape to silence them I like them the best.

I do believe ladder stands give the most support and comfort and I also like to sit when shooting cause of balance issues.

[Nomad]

Use them all. Ladders are nice for fat trees that are hard to get the straps of hang ons around, and being large trees they help one blend in i feel.I like them for gun where shots are longer and being up high is not as important, as when waiting for a buck to give me the right shot at 20 yards or less.

Hangs ons I put higher and at spots I know deer pass by close.

My climber ( Lone Wolf) lets me move at anytime for those deer that travel where they are not supposed to......

Last year my 8pt bow deer was killed out of my climber after I kept seeing bucks move right up the center of the hards woods.

45 minutes after going up, I was picking out a spot on my wall......

Climbers just give one many options, if you can find the right tree.

I've gone from my sofa to showering grabbing my climber and bow and killing deer in Webster in way under an hour.

[WNYBuckHunter]

Speaking of nylon, well not realy - but I was in BP the other weekend and I noticed a large hang on stand, good size platform, 90$. I thought hey I'd be comfortable in that thing. Then I noticed plastic fixtures. Plastic? - Are they nuts?

Youre talking about the API stands, right? Ive said the same thing to myself. I dont and never would trust plastic to support me up in a tree. Their climber is more expensive than the comparable Summits and the Summits are all steel or aluminum.

[cbx46]

I have all 3 plus homemAde stands I like all of them situation depending however my hang ons are my tops. This year I am looking to get a new climber I have the summit viper classic was looking at the lone wolves mostly the hand climber any reviews from guys who own one.

[WNYBuckHunter]

I have all 3 plus homemAde stands I like all of them situation depending however my hang ons are my tops. This year I am looking to get a new climber I have the summit viper classic was looking at the lone wolves mostly the hand climber any reviews from guys who own one.

The Lone Wolf stands are made in China.

I would move to the Viper SS if I were you. You cant beat Summit stands and theres a world of diff between the steel and aluminum.

[SteveB]

Lone Wolf moved production back to the states this year.

I use 80% ladders, 20% hang ons. None over 15 ft and have no problems arrowing deer.

[phade]

I've taken 95 percent of my deer from ladder stands. I use about 35+ ladder stands each year. Some are quite close but set based on wind. I hunt small lots (5-10 acres) in farm land and getting in, in the morning, quietly and quickly, has been integral to success. I have never been able to be set as quick in a pre set hang on or a climber. I throw the bow in the sling and over the back it goes and I'm perched within 10 seconds...no bow rope....not sticks to navigate, etc. Loud or long climbing time in the a.m. in small lots are a waste for me.

I have plenty of hangons and they typically get set higher in areas that need it, such as inside corners on field edges or required vantage points.

Climbers usually when I'm hunting a high-risk area where I don't want to leave a stand.

I'm planning to hang and bang a few sets this year...not exactly my favorite but a few primo trees that are not climber friendly and I'm not willing to leave a set there.

LW fits the bill....but it's also quite a bill $$$-wise now. I've started to like the rapid rails ofer the LW sticks. Just more comfortable.

[WNYBuckHunter]

Lone Wolf moved production back to the states this year.

I wonder how much that little venture cost them? LOL

Thanks for letting me know, I hadnt heard they brought it back here.