savage221

I must have been a good boy this year because Santa put a two-person ladder-stand under the tree for me . No more strapping myself into my climber in the dark. My question is when should I put it up? Last year with my climber, I’d attached it to a tree in range of my food/supplement plot in mid to late August, but I’ve been told that I might want to hang it in April so that the deer really get accustom to it by early bow season in late September. This being my first ladder, I don’t know who’s right or if it really makes a difference; any thoughts?

Bols

Personally, being thatmy dad and Ifarm the land we hunt and we know the owners extremely well, we leave our ladder stand out all year long. Last year we forgot to take it down, we were surprised to see it hadn't begin to rust or anything.

Unfortunately, some people have reported on the forums about getting their stands stolen. That is the risk you run leaving your stand out all year long. Even with a lock, tree stand theft can happen.

So, you have a decision. Do you risk leaving your stand up for long periods of time, knowing your stand may be stolen? Or do you take it down at the end of the year and just put it up a few days before season opens.

With ladder stands it is a pain taking them up and down. That is the only downfall, but I personally have had success leaving the stands up all year long.

The deer didn't even bother looking up into the stand. I was able to down my first buck this year (with shotgun) using a ladder stand. It is true, they really do get accustom to the stand and probably never bothered to look up at me.

savage221

Thanks for the reply. I guess that brings me to another question; theft!!!
I used a cable lock on my climber and it was never stolen but a couple of years ago a buddy of mine had the lower section of one of his ladder-stands stolen. [:@]

If I doput it up in the Spring, shouldI use a cable lock to keep the stand where I left it? Maybe a few of them lockingthe threesections of ladder together and the top one to the base of the stand? I know any jerk bent on taking my standcould come backpair of bolt cutters or a hacksaw after finding it and make quick work of the cables but I guess it’s better than nothing.Thoughts?

Bols

It's really up to you. I think you could definately put up more locks, but I don't know how well that will deter the klepto with that cordless saw-zall.

Do you feel like theft will be an issue? I know you can't really control who is going to come and take your stand, but do you feel confident enough to risk maybe losing the stand?

It is all a risk/reward type situation. Some may not think leaving your stand up from April through hunting season is a large enough reward for the risk involved, but I think anything that becomes habitual to the deer (like passing youup without noticing you because you left your stand up)is a positive situation for you. The more you keep their living room the same, the less headaches you will have later. Change their living room in April and they won't really care about it come October/November. Set yourself in that lazy boy right in front of their big screen and shoot some deer.

Is that worth the risk of losing a stand? That is your dilemma. Like I said earlier, we leave our ladder stand up, at first it was by accident, this season it proved to be an excellent mistake.

Lets just say we will be making that "mistake" again this year.

savage221

I’m not that worried about theft, but you brought put a really good point. The farm is right behind my in-laws house; 300 yards or so over a small ridge that almost abuts their main house. I guess if I put it up in say June and check on it and the food plot say two or three times a month, I should be ok. That’s almost four months before the early bow season in the Northern Zone of New York State and three months before the start of early goose season when I’ll be in the corn fields near where I’ll be placing the stand.

KickerPoint79

I like ladder stands very well. I usually leave them in the woods all year.
I do however take them off the tree and lay them down for the summer. I do
this because I like to remove the ratchet straps and put them indoors. This lessens
their exposure to the elements and squirells. About a month before season i stand
them back up.

Buellhunter

I leave my ladders out all year most of the time.
I have some that have been in the same tree for 5 or 6 years.
I haven't had any stolen yet.

I have also put them up,climbed in and shot deer that same day.

Mine are all the cheap Cabela's ones. I think I have about 60.00 in them per stand so if someone does steal them it's not the end of the world. I'd just go get another.
I have 8 of them and love them.

PSEsilverhawk55

we have used latter stand for the past two years, we usually set ares up about two to three weeks before season. we do take them down after season mainly to get them out of the elements, that and the property isnt ours but the people who own are good freinds and the property is pretty small and now one hunts around it so i dont think we would have to worry bout theft so we could prolly leave them up all year.

Do wish i could have got a stand or somethin fer x-mas,,did get a 25 dollar gift card to wal-mart that i used tohelp buy me a stand though one of the climbers,,they were only 56.00 bucks so i figured what the hell why not, as i have been wantin one.