What stand do you see more deer out of if you're spending about the equal amount of time using both? For the life of me ladder stands dont just work as well and I do Hide them pretty dang good. T
T I have never been a fan of ladder stands so I dont have much time in them. My son uses them and he see plenty of Deer. My fear has always been that a wise old Buck might pick up on it and avoid the area. Just my thoughts, might not be true but thats just me!
I see booners killed on TV every year from 10x10 shooting houses on stilts. I think after the deer are used to any stand/blind etc, its not going to matter. I always see more deer from ladders because I'm more comfy and able to sit much longer.
i just dont like ladder stands, because i like getting a tad higher than what i have .... and my climber and hang ons are so much more comfortable then my hard ladder stand.... i choose hang on or climber
I have several ladder stands and a Summit climber. I tried hang on's and I just did not feel safe in them because I am a wuss when it comes to heights. I've had deer stand right next to my ladder stand no problem. I agree that you are limited to height restrictions which can be a problem. A ladder stand is easier to hang IMO.
I do 95% of my hunting out of ladder stands, and the balance in a climber. I'm just dont feel comfortable climbing up sticks/spikes and then transitioning into a hang on. My bro and I have several ladders and I've shot the only deer I ever shot out of a ladder. I think, if you hang them early enough and keep them well concealed, there shouldnt be an issue.
i usually put my ladders on old and well established routes and leave em. I had a little button buck scrating his side on my ladder once.... shook the whole damned stand. nerve wracking lol
The kid in our youth hunt got a shot a 140 class eight from my ladder stand, I bought it for the above reason So I could hunt with my kid. Ladder stands can be used in certain setups. The setup dictates the stand IMO. I have couple gun hunting ladder stands you can see from 250+ yds away. I have three setup for bowhunting you can't see until you are 10 yds away. When you let the setup dictate your stand placement and choice, I find whatever stand is used will work.
my hang ons have been sitting in garage for years now - not sure why I keep holding on to them. For the two family properties - we have 9 ladder stands - I hunt 80% of my hunts out of them - getting big deer close has never been an issue - don't move and deer can't see you. Remainder of hunts are in my climber (and mostly on public land) - which I should use more on our farms, but it's just too dang nice to roll out of Jeep with just a bow and pack on, quieter walking, and absolutely silent getting up into ladder and ready for hunt. These are small acre tracks and sometimes that one "clang" of the climber can screw the morning hunt. I guess hang ons are quiet too, ladder stands are again just easier to climb with all your gear, safer IMO as they are stable and not relying on a climb stick or screw steps to support me. I have my 4th kid on the way - I still don't like that feeling of "stepping off" onto a hang on with all my weight 20 ft up in the air and then hooking on my safety belt (I never did figure out the whole climbing aid from the ground up thing with hangons)
I just put up a ladder yesterday. I have several and spend about half of my hunts in ladders. I have killed plenty of deer from them and have had deer walk between the ladder and tree. With padded seats and backrest, I just find them to be a comfortable and safe alternative to hang-ons. For portablility or a long pack in, I use hangons.
I hunt out of all of my stands almost evenly. The lock on and ladder stands get put out in the summer and those usually stay where they are for the season. My climbers i just use as portables and use them when i don't have a stand already set up. I haven't noticed if i saw more deer out of a particular setup, i feel like location of the stand has more factor then the stand its self. I prefer bow hunting out of lock ons and ladder stands because i don't have a rail around the front of me to knock my bow on. Best part IMO with lock ons: i can fit lock ons in trees without having to cut alot of limbs. Best part IMO with ladders: I just feel safer, prob cause they aren't as high and have side rails Best part IMO on climbers: My summit viper is as comfy as my couch, enough said
I love my ladder stands. theres good and bad with all stand but if you have them in the right place it really doesent matter I think
Hang on stands are the way to go. I know deer will get use to a ladder stand but with hang ons you can get much higher which puts the wind in your favor. Either way use some kind of safety rope like the HSS Lifeline. If you don't have a problem with thieves I like to use ladder steps more than the screw in steps.
I prefer leaving ladder sticks and hang ons up all season long. For portable sets I use Muddy Sticks and Loggy Stands.....either way its hang ons for me.
As I get older I started looking for safer, easier ways to hunt. Up until this year all I've ever used was screw-in steps and hang-on stands. This year I bought a few 20' ladders. Not ladder stands...... just ladders. You can get 5' extensions for them. So far, I have one stand at 15' and one just under 25'. I think they are great...... just climb up the ladder and step onto my stand. It is easier than screw-in steps. I have 7 Alfa hang-ons which is the most safe and secure stand I've ever hunted out of. Granted, they are a bit heavy to be transported around, but I put them on my own land with the use of my utility vehicle and don't plan on moving them much.
Location seems to determine what I use. I have 2 ladder stands, 4 hang on's, and 1 homemade wooded box blind on my 40 acres. Last night I went out with intentions of putting a hang on up in a certain location, but there was not one single tree that would work(my property is full of Locust and Hedge). I ended up moving further down the trail and ended up having to set up in the fence line. I don't like to do that, but I know that the neighbor only gun hunts and I don't plan on being in that stand during gun season. I have seen the majority of my deer while in the hang on stands and in my wooden box blind, but I think that is more about location that type of stand.
