There are many choices when it comes to building a stand. Ladder stands can be purchased although one can also be built right on and in the tree. Up until we had our own land, we had always hunted from ladder stands. Some purchased and some homemade. With the drive for deer that we always did, we knew that it was unlikely anyone else would use our stands. We invested a little more into deer stands as time when on.
Now that we have our own land, we have 4 box stands and 2 purchased ladder stands – so far. Last winter my husband, H, built 3 box stands and later helped one son build one for himself. I’ll refer to box stands as stands that have a roof and full walls with windows and a door and are up on posts. We have a friend that built one with the floor, roof, and ½ up walls – he is on his own land too. He uses a ladder to get up to the floor of the stand and climbs in. He needs to dress warm but can move around some without attracting attention. He was able to use mostly scrap lumber to put his stand together and designed accordingly.
This stand is 6 feet x 6 feet. Big enough for 2 people to sit comfortably. A solid floor because the structure will sit on posts that are dug into the ground. Support around each window so they are easily installed.
Climbing up and directly into the stand (juggling gun, layers of clothing, opening the door) is can be tricky – at least for me. So H made a little deck outside of the door. Wide enough for feet and a body, room enough to stop, turn and open the door and step in.
The door is home made with a window in it. H was able to complete this by himself. There is some tin up on the 2 far walls. The outside is brown as seen in the front. The inside is white. The window window frames were spray painted for a little camo effect.
These were going more than 8 feet up in the air and the steel means we will have no exterior upkeep. H bought a dark brown tin and made a leaf stencil to spray paint ‘leaves’ on them. Son, N had white tin from an old fish house he had built. The frame on the fish house was rotting (a number of years of use on a homemade, teenager built fish house) but of course the tin was good. He re-used that on the deer stand. To cover it to some degree without spending a fortune on paint, he used black spray paint to diminish how the white stood out.
Instead of posts, he used screwed together 2 x 6 boards in the length he needed to get a few feet in the ground and up into the air about 8 feet.
Eight feet up in the air would also require expensive posts, but we had an alternative. Planning for 8 feet in the air and 3 feet in the ground meant we needed posts that were at least 11 feet tall. The posts had to be at least 6” in diameter or square, bigger would be better. The local REA has been replacing lines hung from pole to pole with underground lines. They sell the poles they take down. Already weather proof and sturdy – a good option.
We’ve been in friend’s box stands. Ladders can be a little bit of a challenge too, so H built steps. Now carrying whatever I need is so much easier up and into the deer stand. After using the stairs a few times in all weather, I want to add something that will grip. Sleet and light snow have settled on the steps making them very slippery.
Son, N didn’t build his with a little deck outside, he made his with steps directly into the door. But in consideration of balance and safety, he did put a rail on the stair on each side of the stairs near the top. He also sprayed a textured spray paint on the steps, but that really didn’t help once there was snow on top.
