How to Build a Wooden Ladder Stand

A ladder stand can help you outwit wary whitetails

A wooden ladder stand elevates you while deer hunting, which gives you a clearer view of your surroundings, especially in the thick woods deer inhabit. Elevating yourself also gets your scent off the ground, making it harder for deer to detect you. Building a ladder stand is easy and relatively economical. You can easily build several for use in different locations in your hunting area. All you need are a few simple tools.

Things You'll Need

• 1/2-inch treated plywood
• Treated 2-by-4s
• Screw gun
• 4-inch screws
• Tape measure
• Circular saw
• Jigsaw
• 2 Screweyes with washers and nuts
• Drill
• 1/2-inch drill bit
• 4 6-inch bolts with washers and nuts

Instructions

1. Cut a 1/2-inch sheet of plywood to 4 feet-by-4 feet for the platform with a circular saw.

2. Cut a 2-by-4 to a length of 4 feet. Stand it on its edge.

3. Place the plywood on top of the 2-by-4. The 2-by-4 should be flush with what will become the front of the platform. Sink screws at both ends and about every foot in between to attach the 2-by-4 to the plywood.

4. Cut four 2-by-4s, each 46-1/2 inches long. Place them on edge under the plywood, perpendicular to the first board. Screw the outer boards in place flush with the sides of the platform. Position the two inner boards parallel with the side boards, but allow 1 1/2-inches (the width of a 2-by-4) between the side boards and these inner boards. This will be where the ladder goes. Screw into place as before.

5. Measure the width of the tree. Cut a half-circle notch out of the rear of the platform with a jigsaw so the tree trunk will fit halfway inside the notch.

6. Drill a 1/2-inch hole down through the plywood and the inner 2-by-4s four inches in from the rear of the platform. Thread 1/2-inch eyebolts into the holes and cap with a washer and nut. The eyebolts serve as an attachment point for a ratchet strap wrapped around the tree trunk and secured to the stand.

7. Build the ladder with two 12-foot 2-by-4s. Cut 11 rungs, each made out of a 2-by-4 lumber cut to 42 inches.

8. Lay the ladder uprights on edge. Stand the rungs on edge and space every foot between the ladder uprights. Screw into place with three screws on each side for strength.

9. Place the ladder top within the platform, between the outer and inner support boards and against the front support board. It should fit snugly.

10. Drill two 1/2-inch holes, one 2 inches above the other, through the outer support board, the ladder upright and the inner support board. Repeat for the other ladder upright.

11. Bolt the ladder upright to the platform with 1/2-inch bolts measuring 6 inches long. Secure with washers and nuts.

Tips & Warnings

• Set up the ladder stand a few weeks before hunting season so deer get accustomed to it. Take it down after hunting season and store it indoors to reduce weathering.

• Be careful when climbing and descending the ladder. Always maintain three points of contact. Raise and lower your bow or firearm via a rope. Do not carry it with you on the ladder. Always check the ladder for stability before climbing. Have a partner help you install the stand against a tree. Use treated plywood and 2-by-4s for rot resistance.

References

• Jerry Shead; ladder stand builder and deer hunter; Berlin, Wisconsin