This is my first year bowhunting and I have a question with bowhunting from a ladder stand. Ive killed quite a few deer from these stands during mz and gun but the deer I have seen this year have been real spooky when coming in around ladder stand. I dont think theyre catchin wind of me cause ive been real cautious when choosing my location. any help would be great thanks.
Bowhunting from ladderstand
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Most ladderstands don't give you sufficient height to get away with the movements of pulling your bow unless they are very well camoed in at the top. While it works to just stick one on the side of any tree for firearms where you are shooting them on out there, deer within 20 yds are tough.
You will do much better with a bow if you choose trees with a lot of cover at the height where you are sitting/standing. While it can be a pain to get a stand in there, nothing beats a big cedar tree. Next on my list are red oaks with a lot of limbs. They tend to keep their leaves on up into the fall as well.
Many people really clear out the limbs around them to make sure they don't interfere with any shot. It then becomes the chicken or the egg deal on which comes first. If you clear too much, you may get busted trying to draw, and if you don't clear enough you may not be able to get a shot off. It takes a while (and some mistakes) to find where that fine line may be.
I hunt out of ladders the vast majority of the time now due to age and inclination. One trick that continues to work pretty good is to tie in branches up at the top when the tree is a little light on cover. Red oak is fantastic because if it is cut green the leaves really stay on. And, if you can get lucky enough to find a good tree with a cedar right beside it, you can get hidden that way as well. It is amazing how much that additional cover helps some times. Even though the ladders with fit in/on most trees, they certainly are not all suitable for a ladderstand for bow hunting.
The other option to all of the camo work is to buy one of the double rail 20' stands. They are very heavy and no fun to put up, but they do get you high enough that you can get away with a little more movement.
You will do much better with a bow if you choose trees with a lot of cover at the height where you are sitting/standing. While it can be a pain to get a stand in there, nothing beats a big cedar tree. Next on my list are red oaks with a lot of limbs. They tend to keep their leaves on up into the fall as well.
Many people really clear out the limbs around them to make sure they don't interfere with any shot. It then becomes the chicken or the egg deal on which comes first. If you clear too much, you may get busted trying to draw, and if you don't clear enough you may not be able to get a shot off. It takes a while (and some mistakes) to find where that fine line may be.
I hunt out of ladders the vast majority of the time now due to age and inclination. One trick that continues to work pretty good is to tie in branches up at the top when the tree is a little light on cover. Red oak is fantastic because if it is cut green the leaves really stay on. And, if you can get lucky enough to find a good tree with a cedar right beside it, you can get hidden that way as well. It is amazing how much that additional cover helps some times. Even though the ladders with fit in/on most trees, they certainly are not all suitable for a ladderstand for bow hunting.
The other option to all of the camo work is to buy one of the double rail 20' stands. They are very heavy and no fun to put up, but they do get you high enough that you can get away with a little more movement.
I have killed several out of ladderstands with a bow. I usually just shot sitting down and that cut down on being spotted. I the were on my off side i would stand up and back into the tree as close as possible.
CAW
Well-Known Member
I've killed a pile of deer with a bow out of a ladder stand. It all depends on how you set it up, your available cover and how high you go.
I have several climbing sticks with loc-ons and I have several ladders all over my farms. I like both. When videoing with my son, I like to use a ladder and I will just hang a loc-on above it. It's easier for him to get in and out of and just makes me feel better when he's climbing up. When I need to hang a stand and I don't have any help, I will hang a ladder and a loc on. I will hunt those stands myself or put an adult guest in them.
I set up 2 ladders today with my Dad. I start with a 15' ladder from Dicks and then add the 4' extension. That gets the platform to about 18' because the 15' is measured at the seat. Then, I use any elevation to my advantage and can usually get 2-8 more feet from that. I always try to pick a tree with cover, a fork, split trunk, etc.
One thing I do on ALL my stands is install a 30' climbing system with a prusic knot. That way, you can stay hooked up from the time you leave the ground. I learned the hard way 7 years ago when I fell 17'. Trust me, use a climbing system and a good harness. Worth every penny!
I have several climbing sticks with loc-ons and I have several ladders all over my farms. I like both. When videoing with my son, I like to use a ladder and I will just hang a loc-on above it. It's easier for him to get in and out of and just makes me feel better when he's climbing up. When I need to hang a stand and I don't have any help, I will hang a ladder and a loc on. I will hunt those stands myself or put an adult guest in them.
I set up 2 ladders today with my Dad. I start with a 15' ladder from Dicks and then add the 4' extension. That gets the platform to about 18' because the 15' is measured at the seat. Then, I use any elevation to my advantage and can usually get 2-8 more feet from that. I always try to pick a tree with cover, a fork, split trunk, etc.
One thing I do on ALL my stands is install a 30' climbing system with a prusic knot. That way, you can stay hooked up from the time you leave the ground. I learned the hard way 7 years ago when I fell 17'. Trust me, use a climbing system and a good harness. Worth every penny!
StalkingWolf
Well-Known Member
I have had good luck with them. It depends on the setup.
Thats all I use,other than my summit climber.I put camo burlap around the shooting rail to hide me..It works good.
Been hunting from them for quite some time. On two occasions, last year and this, killed two deer within 30-seconds of each other from close in.
No different that any other stand as far as I can tell.
No different that any other stand as far as I can tell.
I hunt out of a climber most of the time, regardless of the weapon I use. With that said, I occasionally bow hunt from a ladder stand, but I have had success doing so over the years. Just last Sunday morning, I bow hunted out of a 12' ladder stand and killed a doe that was feeding on acorns at 25 yards. She came in on my good side (I'm right handed, so on my left) and she was focused on the food and not me. I slowly stood, drew, anchored and released and was fortunate enough to connect. As with any bow hunting in general, you must keep movement to a minimum regardless of the stand you choose.
easy45
Well-Known Member
All of my bow deer have come from a ladder stand, you just have to pick the right times to move or have plenty of cover around your
REM7
Well-Known Member
It can be done, killed last year opening day of bow out of ladder stand. Killed opening day of rifle out same stand. No idea why I didnt hunt it opening day this year.
I have one ladder stand that is 12'. To date, I have killed 32-deer from it.
Another is 10'. I have killed 13-from it.
Another is 8. So far, just this year, I have killed two deer and a turkey from it.
The key is simply putting the ladder out far enough in advance for the deer to get use to it.
Probably half of the deer mentioned above are bow kills. Deer come just as close to a ladder as they do a tree if they are use to the ladder being there.
Another is 10'. I have killed 13-from it.
Another is 8. So far, just this year, I have killed two deer and a turkey from it.
The key is simply putting the ladder out far enough in advance for the deer to get use to it.
Probably half of the deer mentioned above are bow kills. Deer come just as close to a ladder as they do a tree if they are use to the ladder being there.
Red Rider 450
Well-Known Member
Try to put it in a tree beside or around other trees for more cover.
Red Rider 450 said:
Yes I love the double and triple trunk trees. I once had a ladder stane in a 4 trunk tree. It was like u were totally hid. One of those perfect trees that are hard to find.
LanceS4803
Well-Known Member
In a cedar is great, barring that put the ladder back just one tree. In other words, have another tree (with limited limbs) between you and the target zone.
