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Post by antiwheeze on Jan 8, 2018 18:56:50 GMT -5
Just wondered what people do that have multiple ladder stands. Do take them all down or leave some of them up? Do you loose in the ratchets on the ones you leave up?
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Post by HighCotton on Jan 8, 2018 19:28:29 GMT -5
There was a time we took them down and man that was a lot of work. Now, we choose to leave them up. We take all the pads off so the squirrels don't get at them. We also remove all lifelines and utility ropes. One year, we sprayed all the nuts and bolts with a silicone spray and IMO that really did nothing. We leave our ratchet straps tight but when we get ready for the new season (around August) we put up new straps, lifelines and ropes.
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Post by beermaker on Jan 8, 2018 21:05:27 GMT -5
There was a time we took them down and man that was a lot of work. Now, we choose to leave them up. We take all the pads off so the squirrels don't get at them. We also remove all lifelines and utility ropes. One year, we sprayed all the nuts and bolts with a silicone spray and IMO that really did nothing. We leave our ratchet straps tight but when we get ready for the new season (around August) we put up new straps, lifelines and ropes. Yes, all of the above. $15-$20 for new straps is a much better bargain than taking stands down, storing them, and then hauling back to the woods. I've had a very nice ladder stand down in a valley for well over 15 years. I replaced the straps every year, repainted it several times, and changed bolts a few times. I shot more deer from that stand than I can possibly remember. It finally got so grown up with beech saplings and underbrush that I could not see far enough to make it worth sitting in. My buddy has called me a fool and says that if I don't want the stand, he'll take it. I bet it's been five years since I told him that he could have it and it's still there. I got my $125 worth long ago. |
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Post by majyang on Jan 8, 2018 22:18:32 GMT -5
I know you're speaking to the folks with private land but i just gotta say, very much dislike seeing stands on public lands (outside of season). I put up stands and take them down after season every year.
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Post by firstwd on Jan 8, 2018 22:28:52 GMT -5
Required to remove stands from state property by January 10 each year.
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Post by scrub-buster on Jan 8, 2018 22:42:19 GMT -5
We take ours down every year. There was one stolen off our property before. That's why I don't like leaving them up. I have stands that are 15 years old that are in great shape. I'm still using all of the original ratchet straps. I just made some ladder racks for my UTV. It should make hauling them easier.
Taking down 8 stands every year is a lot of work but I figure it's better than me ending up in jail if I catch someone stealing one of them. Plus I enjoy putting them back up with my Dad every summer.
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Post by esshup on Jan 8, 2018 22:52:31 GMT -5
Private ground, 10+ years in the same place. Like others have said, remove anything that squirrels can chew, check it really well before use next year. I have one that is so tight to the tree that some welds broke on it. I chained it to the tree.... Only way to get it off the tree now is with a bolt cutter to cut the chain and a battery powered recip saw. I will be changing the bolts this year, it's about time.
I have 5 or 6 that have been up for that long in the same place (one is a 2-man stand) and 3 others that I move around.
They all take the sling type seats, and I bought 3 replacement seats from Summit that area easily removed and stored.
All these stands were bought from Dicks when they were on sale, I don't think I paid more than $70 per stand, even the 2 man stand.
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Post by MuzzleLoader on Jan 9, 2018 7:29:12 GMT -5
No way would I leave a stand out all year. Rust and weather do stuff to stands you can’t see. Not worth the risk of breaking and falling.
Stands have a habit of wandering away if left out all year.
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Post by benj on Jan 9, 2018 9:09:56 GMT -5
I leave mine up unless I want to move them. Check the straps and replace if needed before the start of the season.
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Post by tynimiller on Jan 9, 2018 9:29:35 GMT -5
Don't have ladders but the climbing sections and hang ons all over. NO stand stays more than 2 seasons up a tree without a tear down, garage inspection, re-painted or now bolts and such if needed before heading back up. Also use two ratchet straps on each stand and one HAS to be brand new that summer.
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Post by johnc911 on Jan 9, 2018 11:32:58 GMT -5
Leave them up year round, replace ratchet straps pretty much every year.
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Post by genesis273 on Jan 9, 2018 11:35:45 GMT -5
I leave mine up. I loosen the straps though.
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Post by tynimiller on Jan 9, 2018 11:37:09 GMT -5
I leave mine up. I loosen the straps though. I did leave this off by mistake....this is a must otherwise you literally overtime can damage trees and the stand. |
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Post by omegahunter on Jan 9, 2018 11:46:09 GMT -5
I leave mine up. I loosen the straps though. On ladder stands I swap out cinch straps for the ratchets in the off season and leave them a bit loose. I try to keep my ratchets out of the weather as much as possible. On hang-ons they come down either yearly or every two years at most to check chains, cables, ... and not let them grow into the trees. |
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Post by mjaburton on Jan 10, 2018 7:56:37 GMT -5
I leave my stands up all year around. Just remember to remove the pads. Then I replaced the ratchet straps and ropes in early fall.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 10, 2018 8:08:31 GMT -5
I used to take down ever season, but now like Ty ever other year. Some years I will move to another spot after one year. Always trying keep up with the deer. Inspect all and cleanup any rust or damaged areas. I need to invest in no rusting materials.
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Post by Pinoc on Jan 10, 2018 14:41:00 GMT -5
I leave my stands up all year around. Just remember to remove the pads. Then I replaced the ratchet straps and ropes in early fall. Same here. Way too much work to move all the ladder stands I have out. I don’t use lock ons but if I did I would remove them every year. |
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Post by steiny on Jan 10, 2018 17:16:07 GMT -5
Between my home farms and lease, I've got probably close to 30 ladder stands. They stay up year round but we always do a pre-season annual inspection to check them all out for safety, replace straps if necessary, adjust, etc.
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Post by mjaburton on Jan 12, 2018 8:43:18 GMT -5
I leave my stands up all year around. Just remember to remove the pads. Then I replaced the ratchet straps and ropes in early fall. Same here. Way too much work to move all the ladder stands I have out. I don’t use lock ons but if I did I would remove them every year. I don’t use lock ons anymore either too much of a pain to deal with. |
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