Portable deer stand pics

[mblaney]

Some members here have expressed interest in my design for a portable deer stand. Here are some pictures.
My wife took a few pic's for me on Friday and left it out in the snow; don't worry, I have since explained the importance of putting my hunting stuff away...

I have detailed drawings and a materials list for the following stand if anyone wants it.


Note that the seat braces (diagonals) are captive when stored...





Connection joint for the two sections

Connection bolts are only done up a little more than finger tight, don't over stress. This joint is very secure and stable.


Eyebolts are used for a ratched strap to attach to a tree






Comfortable! Seat is set back so that the top rung is used as a foot rest.



The stand is designed to fit easily into an 8 ft truck box


Cheers,
Mike

[Tom]

Very nice .......... the pics explain alot.

Thanks.

[mblaney]

If you can handle a larger email i can sent you these in higher res.

[globemountain]

Man.....those pictures made me COLD!

[GREYWOLF]

WOW !! now I ungerstand the plans , that is a great stand , WE are going to start building 2 this weekend, Thanks for all the work you did to get these plans out to all of us to use . Looks like about 2 hrs. build time each. this will be fun Thanks again GREYWOLF

[JeffOwens]

that's nice!

[Armadias]

Hey Mike,

I would be interested in seeing your plans.
You have a PM

Bob

[MichiganBill]

I'm sorry, and I don't mean to hi-jack your thread but, I totallly disagree with the concept of "home-made" ladder stands.

Congrats,,, Your design is practical and functional; it's also an accident (or worse) waiting to happen! Why? Because it's home-made and constructed of wood and nails. That's why.

You believe that this is a great hunting tool because (1); you made it, (2) it works, and (3) by making it yourself, you saved money versu purchasing a commercially-manufactured ladder stand of comparable functionality.

Well, perhaps during year #1, your project will perform. If left in the woods, (which it will) during even the first winter, the integrety of the construction will diminish as much as 70%--a tragedy in the making!

For the money that you put into this project ($60??) you could have easily purchased any number of commericially produced ladder stands that are safer, more comfortablem and functional than the thing you built on your own. Plus they will last for years, not months--amd probably not hurt/kill people in the process due to the degeneration of it's own consttuction over time.

[Hoss]

I have to agree....100%....fellas Our safety is to important to save a buck or 2 and build a homemade stand..nice stand great design but...Its just not a good idea..I can pick up a new 15ft steel ladder stand today at atwoods for about 80 dollars...my time and safety is atleast worth that..and any of my friends or strangers who would hunt my stand....there is just to much to chance our life at most..if it took 2hrs and the material was free i wouldnt chance it...but Im 265 pounds and that in itself breaks things up pretty easy..I would say if your a small guy then it would last longer but your safety is still as important..it only takes one fall to change your life forever....dont cut corners or cost when looking for a stand its one of the most important pieces of gear we use..Its one of those things we overlook or sell short until we slip or fall...

[Tom]

I'm sorry, and I don't mean to hi-jack your thread but, I totallly disagree with the concept of "home-made" ladder stands.

.

Bill I agree about home made tree stands. In the other thread I even stated this, that they could become very dangerous. But this stand (I have the plans and material list) does not use nails. It uses screws ans bolts. The good thing about this stand, even though it is home made, is that it is portable. When the season is over, take it out of the woods and store it properly. Before you install it again the next year, do a quality inspection and repair any damage or worn parts. This inspection should be done every year to all stands, no matter if it was store bought or home made. Just because it is store bought does not mean that in 2 or 3 years that it will be safe either.

Your right in saying that our saftey is utmost important. But that is our responsibility to inspect all of our hunting equipment.

This stand is one stand that I would use or make if I desired one. I do have a very strick saftey values and to me, it looks very safe but I might have to even improve somethings after it was made (but I doubt it).

[mblaney]

The assembly hardware I used is mostly deck screws, not nails. There is no question that safety is number one so you should pursue which ever option you are more comfortable with (store bought or homemade). This stand was designed to replace (homemade) one-piece ladder stands and nailed-to-tree platforms that tend to get left out year round. With safety in mind I decided to build this so I could move it indoors for the off season (with the exception of my wife leaving it out last weekend ).

When I put this stand up this past year my dad was sitting on the stand while I was half way up the ladder to pass him crap (220 + 200 lbs). (P.S. With a 265 lb climber, probably plus gear, I would upgrade the ladder rungs from 1 x 4 to 1 x 5. The remainder of the stand will easily accomodate the weight).

Please note that anything homemade is only as good as the craftsman makes it. Life is a risk, as is hunting or skydiving; I disagree with the blanket statement that "these types of stands are deathtraps" and, if I ever take up skydiving, I will learn to pack my own parachute.

[A.W]

and, if I ever take up skydiving, I will learn to pack my own parachute.

Takes a lot less time to do this than make a stand.

[Tom]

............
This stand is not portable. This stand is not economical to build. It is very safe and reliable. It is also super quiet and roomy. You can move around in this stand quite freely without the slightest worry of making a squeak or noise of any kind. I have killed many deer from this stand.

I bet you also do not need to worry about someone stealling this stand either.

[mblaney]

Need Eng skills to build or to design? This type of stand can easily be built by your average do-it-yourself-er; the design was done with engineering skills.

Many members here spend their time building or customizing their equipment (reloading ammo, custom arrows, strings, stock modifications, butchering deer). All of these things could cause serious harm to the user or bystanders if they are not done with diligence. To recommend that no one should attempt them is not supportive of the hobby.

I posted this information because there was a post here requesting it; cautions and warnings are certainly appropriate; outright banning it because "it is not safe" or "you need engineering skills" does not help anyone understand why you have a problem with it.

[MichiganBill]

I own my property and have many many guest hunting there throughout the year. Some are seasoned hunters, others are no so frequent hunters. Their (and my) safety is the #1 concern while on my land. Therfore, I do not allow
any homemade treestands whatsoever.

I'm sure that your plans are good and the product is safe bu i find that over time, wood just breaks down. Plus, I don't lug my stands in at the end of a season. They are out there 365.

About 4 years ago (when I turned 50), we started an annual plan to replace 2 or 3 stands every year with tripod stands. One reason was for quality and safety. The other was ease of climbing up and down. With a tripod, you climb up and down at an angle, which is much easier and safer, particularly for older persons. Gone are the hang on and ladder stands.

Then, once your up there, you are sitting in a very comfortable seat with a backrest, that turns 360, and is totally silent. You can hunt for hours upon hours in these. I currently have about 10 of these installed and will have 10 more in a year or 2. Nobody steals them; they are too big and heavy.
And, having 20 stands on 100 acres means that you have several choices of places to hunt every day for the 4-6 people (max) who might be hunting on a given day

Here's the company link http://www.realbark.com/. I buy the 17' open tripod with rails.