Tree Stands from Yesteryear Picture Thread

This one's right by the property line between my friends and his neighbors land. It's on the neighbors side. Hasn't been used in at least five years that I know of. Still looks solid but I bet those straps holding it to the tree need replacing and that camo material gets worse looking every year. Looks like it'll fall off soon. Just took that pic this afternoon. ..

Does this one qualify? It's no longer elevated but it's still attached to the tree. That tree's been dead many years and we had a big wind storm in the spring of 2017 and the entire tree went over with the old stand still attached. Now the brush is taking over but you can still see the tree trunk laying there on the ground and the stand is circled. I first saw this one in 2015 or 16 and it didn't look safe even before the tree fell over. Last couple times I walked by it on my way to a couple trail cams it reminded me of this thread. Went by it yesterday and figured I'll get a picture before spring when the brush will really start concealing it.

Here are a few I've found on public land where I hunt.

A few more

I used to bow hunt religiously for any game that was legal at any time of the year. I tried several different name brands of lock on, climbers and even ladder stands that were supposed to be rated for "big" people. Well I fit that category (6'4" & 300lbs.) and none of them made me feel comfortable when in use. Plus even the "silent" ones made noises when I moved and I lost some possibly great opportunities for a shot. I worked for a steel fabrication company and one day we received the wrong product and I was able to buy it for pennies on the dollar. It was 15' sticks of 1" x 1" x 1/8" square tubing. I cut it up and build a 15' high ladder stand with a 4' x 5' platform covered with heavy expanded metal. In the back 12" of the platforms frame I made a "V" that would set against a tree and used a 4" commercial ratchet strap to lock it into place. The stand weighed about 150lbs. so I had to come up with a way for one person to get it into the woods. I fabricated an axle with wheels on each end that I could clamp on the back of the platform then I could attach the bottom of the ladder on the hitch on the back of my atv and pull it to the setup site. After that I used a block and tackle to get it pulled up into place on the tree. Once in place it was solid enough for me to climb up the ladder part way and attach the ratchet strap around the tree and to the eyes on the ladder. I had a boat style swivel seat on top with nylon rollers that made no noise when turned. Two people could have danced on that platform it was so sturdy. Needless to say, once in place it was there for several years until the landowner passed away and his wife decided she did not want to allow hunting on her property any more due to liability. Her grandson was a lawyer who talked her into the decision so 5 of us lost our hunting lease. I now use popup blinds since I only hunt day leases. So the ladder stand is stored on my farm until I find another season or year long lease that I can afford.

The woods I hunt is littered with broke down stands of many vintages, its been hunted a long time. Here is one of the gems. All sorts of goodies out there.

PonyKiller said:

Here is one of the gems.

Click to expand...

I built quite a few like that on the lease we had for 23 years. The hard part was leveling the horizontal 2x4s while hanging from a strap. I'd spike the tree for steps. Shot many deer out of similar ones.

When I made wooden ladder stands...did em in sections. Rungs were screwed to the uprights ( no nails ) and sections bolted together. Platform was also boards screwed to rails, that bolted to ladder and angle supports. They sucked to put up by yourself. Had to use tree steps to get higher when underneath to press em up into proper position.

25 yrs later w bad back/ shoulders....yeah, no way I could do it.

Hunting buds said my ladder stands were awesome, comfy and sturdy.

Kinda sad to not have em now, or be able to put em up if I did. Hunting was a lot more work back then, seemed more rewarding too.

Just a sad day. To think of hunting back then. Money tight, you could do well with what you had, but it took more work and was not as comfy.

Now im on the road to oldmanville.
My dad wont be around much longer ( he went and got old on me ).

Realize im just 20 yrs behind him. He gave up shooting critters in his late 50s

I aint got much time left to do stuff.

Should buy some lumber and build a ladder stand for my deer spot while I can. Get it out there before summer.

One last hurrah for old times sake

Battery powered drill, can assembly on site (mock up at home- take it out as a kit ).

My ol lady went with me way back one late summer. We had a ladder stand in sections on top of my 76 K5 Blazer.

Bet that was a sight LOL.

Note: on the way we saw a monster in velvet. Still talk about it when we drive past that spot. Also saw twin hard horn 150s in same place.