Getting the Most Out of a Ladder Stand

Instructions

1. Choose carefully. It is important to feel safe, comfortable, and have easy access into and out of the stand. Put two stands up if possible, when you find a hot spot. Set one to the north of the trail, and the other to the south. If the deer is coming in from the west or east and the wind is from the north, hunt the south stand. Wind from the south, hunt the north stand.
2. Kill the Scent. Always wipe stands down with rubbing alcohol, let dry and spray down with scent killer spray. Spray the entire stand twice. Let the stand set outside for a few days. When the stands are up, brush them in “the whole stand” with scent killer spray. Then when you return to hunt you have a scent-free stand.
3. Camouflage yourself and your stand. Bring pine bows and other brush in with you as not to cut around your stand area. Use twine or wire to fasten bows to ladder sections and seating area. Brush them in, to hide yourself and to mask any slight movement while hunting.
4. Staying on top of your game in the stand. Be on full alert from the time you get in, to the time you leave. Some guys read a book to pass the time or play video games or do work from their Blackberry. These are the guys who don’t kill anything, certainly not a “monster” anything. Why? Scent, movement, not paying attention, surprised if an animal suddenly appears and have to fiddle with this or tha
5. This means while your attention is diverted from what you’re there for, an animal can suddenly appear and you may have seconds to react or at least you have to stop doing whatever, put the thing down or away – reach for you bow and make a perfect shot. That's time lost, movement and noise. All bad things. When shots are finally taken, the result is a miss or wounded animal, both terrible outcomes.
6. Height Matters. You can use 15 foot stands, sometimes 17 foot, but 10 foot and 12 foot can also have successful outcomes. What matters is that you are comfortable at the height you choose and can confidently take aim on a deer when it is in sight.
7. For after the kill, a sportsman’s cart is a great piece of equipment for hauling harvested game out of the woods.
8. Lastly, trust your instincts. Always. Farmer Jones says, “the deer travel over here and go there, but you saw a buck at the base of the ridge twice, set-up there!" Hunt safe, hunt smart, have fun and trust your equipment. Good luck!