Crossbow Nation banner

Putting up ladder stands

5.8K views 39 replies 13 participants last post by  andymick32  
#1 ·
Anybody ever use something like the for erecting ladder stands ? If so what was your experiences.
Muddy and Ameristep use to sell these, but for a short period of time and then discontinued sales. I heard many comments about cheap quality and being dangerous. :unsure:
Actually the winch from Muddy and Ameristep look identical. probably made in china and just marketed by them until the reveiws started coming in and potential liability issues.

 
#2 ·
I've been using that exact one with pretty good success when I am putting up ladders alone. The bottom stakes don't work all that well for me. I either use the STANDZ thing from (forget who makes that but search for standz) The Standz Up - Ladder Stand Hoist | Primal Outdoors The Standz Up - Ladder Stand Hoist | Primal OutdoorsThat holds the bottom down an allows to pivot. Best way is to use the bottom of that thing with the boat winch in your amazon link. I winch the stand up with the winch (basically a boat trailer winch with a frame to clamp to the tree. and then it secures the stand pretty solid to the tree once it is up. So you can climb it and secure the straps. I still use the cross straps from top to bottom in the back.

If you don't have the standz thing and those POS stakes keep pulling out of the ground just start winching and use a foot to push the bottom of the stand into the ground for a bit while winching. I've put up a few that way.

That thing you have there is decent in my opinion. I've put up some heavy double ladders alone using that thing. I tried a few other winch type set ups and they were worse. The big problem is making sure the stand is kind of going up in a level position. If something is canted the stand will start going sideways and is hard to stabilize by yourself. So set up is kind of key!

Ladder on!
 
  • Like
Reactions: KnowOneGood
#4 · (Edited)
Even when my friend and I put up our ladder stands by hand, I use two of the following ground anchors at the base of the ladder. I attach the base of the ladder with short lengths of chains.
The bottom goes absolutely no where when raising, especially when the stand gets about half way up and becomes top heavy which causes the base to raise up. Just thinking a winch set up would make raising it less strenuous.

 
#12 · (Edited)
I have put up about a dozen stands from 10-12’ to 20+ and many 1.5 width. About 1/2 of those were put up (moved as well) with a crank/hoist system, which works very well IMO on shorter stands and on level ground. I would suggest a couple things: try to have a second person who can stabilize the lift if needed. The extra hands/feet and eyes are valuable. If you use a lift and have a tall stand, try to add a pull rope and pulley at or above the position the chair will be set. Also, the higher you can set the crank, the better leverage it will have. Additionally, I did upgrade the crank to a higher quality aluminum housing system from Fulton with a built in brake that works MUCH better. If you plan to setup and move a few, it’s money well spent.
 
#18 ·
Easy to put up a 2-man walmart ladder stand by yourself. Just cut you a 2 X 4 about 32" long and notch one end so the bottom ladder rung fits inside the notch. Other end of the 2 X 4 goes against the tree trunk. Then just walk the stand up. The 2 X 4 keeps the stand from raring up off the ground at the end of the ladder. Easy-peezy!!;):)
 
#19 ·
Thats a really useful tip! Will have to try that. The heavy ladder stands are my problem. The light ones I can get up by myself without any contraptions. But the milleniums, primal and some of the double wides that are top heavy want to leave the ground at the bottom when they are at a 45 degree angle. I have had to "abandon ship... every man for himself" a couple times with those suckers!

How often do you guys change the ratchet straps? I have a couple out there that are 6 years old. Thinking I need to put a new strap on to be safe this year! Fortunately there was a date on the straps when Iooked.
 
#21 ·
I use the 2 X 4 on 15' Ameristep (Walmart branded) double man stands with out issues. I don use the cloth straps on any of my ladder stands. They are placed on private lands so I use 1/8th steel cables and ratchets....both for tying stand to tree and then I place two guide wires from the top of the ladder in separate directions to nearby trees. My stands wont even wiggle. Theyre rock solid until I let some tension off the cables during the off season.

The ratchets I used can be bought online or at your nearest Tractor supply. Heres what I use....

Image
 
  • Like
Reactions: philztoy
#33 ·
How do you terminate the ends of the cables. Do you have a picture of the set up? I have used the screw on cable clamp things and tried the crimp on ones. I felt confident enough to use them on some tied downs for tripods and raised blinds. But I have seen them slip on me enough that my methods may not be something I wanted to use to ratchet a tree stand down. Although, that would be stronger than any of the straps I used and would last longer.

I would like to see how you terminate the ends of the cables so you feel comfortable with them. I like that idea, since I was the one asking how long the straps last... cables last a lot longer!
 
#23 ·
I will admit I never heard of anybody securing two different guide wires from the top of the ladder to different trees. My curiosity asks, what happens in gusty winds, and one tree says one way and the other tree sways the opposite way. :unsure:

I think he was talking about using the guide ropes as he was winching it up. I had one install where I used pulleys for winching up a heavy and tall millenium stand by myself. I attached the pulley rope to my mini skid steer for pulling and then the standz ground anchor thing to secure the bottom for tilting upward. after I got it off the ground about 8-10 feet the whole stand rotated sideways. So I used two guide ropes tied to the top and then out around trees to the sides to stop it from moving sideways as it was going up. It wasn't pretty and it took way too long, but I got it up (and decided the pully way of doing it wasn't for me). But the guide ropes were necessary for me on that one. Maybe it was just the spot I put it up or maybe I set up the pulley wrong but that was a messy one. The guider ropes were essential for tilting it upward. I just took them off when I was done securing the stand with the two rear cross ropes and one or two ratchet straps plus what ever securement they had in the middle.

That boat winch thing mentioned above has worked better than the pully things I have used or bought. 3 guys is a lot faster and better but I don't have that readily available except during deer season when I don't like putting up new stands.
 
#24 ·
You could be right. Just the way it was worded, I take it he attaches the two side cables after the stand is secured to the tree. :unsure:

" I use 1/8th steel cables and ratchets....both for tying stand to tree and then I place two guide wires from the top of the ladder in separate directions to nearby trees. My stands wont even wiggle. Theyre rock solid until I let some tension off the cables during the off season."

Perhaps he will see this and be more specific. :)
 
#25 ·
You read right that I attach 2 guide wires. What I didnt write was that guide wires attach to two trees in different directions at the bases of those trees. Swaying is minimal by do9ing it this way. And yes, I relax the cables after the season ends to keep those swaying March/April winds from tearing up my ladder stands. Only one of my ladder stands are attached to a smaller tree. The other four I have in the woods are against trees with 2-3' (or more) diameters.

A bit more about using the 2 X 4...with it being notched on one end for the ladder rung to fit inside the notch and the other end solidly against the tree trunk the ladder is actually being "pinched" against the tree when you 'walk' the stand up. There's no way for it to "kick up" when doing this way. But whatever works safely for you guys.:)
 
#27 ·
I hunt in a place that doesn't have any large trees at all. It is all small straight cottonwoods about 4 to 6 inches in diameter chest high and about 20 ft tall and thick as hound hair. Have to get up off the ground or your busted. I take a 2 inch ratchet strap and pull 6 to 8 of these trees together about head high. I take a section of the stand and put another strap about 10 ft up. Sometimes I have to cinch up, then place a second strap to pull in more. Then I place a 15 ft ladder stand up against the tops and ratchet strap it on. Very stable and has been the down fall of many a deer.
People have seen me bringing my ladder stands out of there but don't know how I use them.
 
#28 ·
I hunt in a place that doesn't have any large trees at all. It is all small straight cottonwoods about 4 to 6 inches in diameter chest high and about 20 ft tall and thick as hound hair. Have to get up off the ground or your busted. I take a 2 inch ratchet strap and pull 6 to 8 of these trees together about head high. I take a section of the stand and put another strap about 10 ft up. Sometimes I have to cinch up, then place a second strap to pull in more. Then I place a 15 ft ladder stand up against the tops and ratchet strap it on. Very stable and has been the down fall of many a deer.
People have seen me bringing my ladder stands out of there but don't know how I use them.
That would be very interesting to see a few pictures of. :)
 
#31 ·
Anybody ever use something like the for erecting ladder stands ? If so what was your experiences.
Muddy and Ameristep use to sell these, but for a short period of time and then discontinued sales. I heard many comments about cheap quality and being dangerous. :unsure:
Actually the winch from Muddy and Ameristep look identical. probably made in china and just marketed by them until the reveiws started coming in and potential liability issues.

Some guys used these (see photo) to put up big double stands.
 
#35 ·
At the base of the tree I plan on anchoring the guide wires to I cut a small piece of cable off the roll long enough to wrap around the tree and attach the ratchet to the cable by use of a cable clamp.

Image

Then I attach the end off the roll of cable to the top portion of the ladder by way of a cable clamp. I pull the cable down to the ratchet and allow about 3-4" extra to stick thru the hole in the ratchet to make sure it will allow for loosing off the cables when the season goes out (once tight you will find out there's alot more cable wound on the rachet to allow for loosing the cables later on). I make all my cable cuts with a tool made for cutting cable. Wrap both sides of the cable cut with a little electrical tape so the cable doesnt start frazzling after getting cut.

I also attach the stand to the tree both at the base of the platform and mid ways down the ladder using the same cable/clamps/rachets. In total I use 4 ratchets per stand. Done right and the stand will not even wiggle.;)

BTW, I didnt mention it but on those ratchets I always bore the hole out a bit bigger so the cables goes thru the hole easily.

Sorry, I dont have any pictures but this should explain my setup fairly well. If I can answer anything else just post away.:)
 
  • Like
Reactions: philztoy
#36 ·
Do you use the same setup to ratchet the seat area of the ladder to the tree or is there a ratchet on top? I am familiar with those cable clamps.

That is definetely a secure stand.
 
#37 ·
On my ladder stands the platform where you stand up on the stand had a cloth ratchet strap that went around behind the tree to hold it to the tree. I replaced that with a cable strap.
 
  • Like
Reactions: philztoy
#39 ·
I cut out a square notch a little bigger than the ladder rungbut a "V" shape notch would do.