Henry Rifle Forums

I have never seen such done but I wonder if someone else has somehow utilized a ladder stand without leaning it against a tree?

This is why I pose such an odd question. I am developing a decent sized food plot in an area without suitable trees to hang a ladder stand. It floods periodically since it is nearby a creek and because of that, trees have never developed there. I have three very nice quality ladder stands new in the box in the garage and I want to utilize at least one of them rather than either buying a box blind or paying my neighbor (a carpenter) to construct a box blind. It isn't cheap.

I have hung many a ladder stand and have always hung them on good sized trees since the back of the stand gets it stability from the tree. I have mulled over how I could construct something to substitute for a tree but for the life of me, I can't work it out. I don't think a 6X6 of an 8X8 would give the stability a tree would and even if I could find a utility pole, I don't think that would provide stability either.

Maybe it is not doable but suggestions from the membership are solicited.

Thanks in advance.

I have a place where I considered something similar. Just thinking with my hillbilly brain, I would consider an 8x8 or a utility pole. Bigger the better? I would think, I am no engineer, but a concrete foundation and anchoring should hold one of them in place in case of flooding.
Any real engineers?

There are nice welded steel brackets that you can buy to mount on a platform for enclosed deer blinds. Search for "elevated blind brackets". I saw them at Bass Pro, Cabelas, and even Midway. They're about $125 for four brackets.
I'd imagine that you can affix a board to the back side of your ladder stand where it would strap to the tree, and have that board extend out to the sides a couple feet on each side. Then mount one of these elevated blind brackets on each end of the board, such that the angle of the 4x4 that goes into the bracket, points outward and helps create a tripod support structure. The ladder would be the third leg. You could make two ladder stand tripods with the four brackets.
I don't think making it very high is a good idea, since the ladder was designed to use a tree as the main point for stability, but you could probably do high enough to suit your need. Ten or twelve feet should be fine. Position the stand in front of a nice bushy backdrop to break up your outline, maybe add a curtain around the leg area on the blind, and let the deer get used to seeing it, I think that would work well.

Late Edit: I'd also make sure this was not done with a lightweight aluminum stand, as the ladder would be seeing different forces. Might be a good idea to reinforce the ladder part too as part of the build.