When push comes to shove, the only other piece of gear besides a bow that will actually make a big difference in the outcome of a hunt is the tree stand. Sure bowhunters can hunt from the ground or climb a tree and stand on a limb, but they would be severely limited in location and comfort. A tree stand is extremely important to success, and helping your customers choose one that complements their favorite style of hunting will free them to hunt with much greater enjoyment. Also, caring enough to understand their needs will also impress them with your professionalism and service. In this article I’ll point out the pros and cons and selling points of several stand styles and offer some hard-working models in each category.

Manufacturers are making their stands bigger, more comfortable and safer. These are the three key areas of continued change, and from my own stand hunting experience, they are changes that will appeal to your customers. Tree adjustability is another area of stand design that is getting some attention. While an extremely adjustable fixed position stand may be a niche product, it is a valuable niche.



Bigger: A big stand is like a luxury box at the ballpark; even though the game remains the same and the view doesn’t change, it just feels a lot better. I hunt with many bowhunters every fall and I don’t know a single one that would prefer to sit in a small stand over a large one. Sure you have to carry the larger stand and it may not fit as easily into the fork of a gnarled oak tree, but these are minor points compared to the increased sense of security and greater maneuverability these stands provide.

Only a few years ago a stand with a platform that was more than two feet square was considered giant. Now, the average stand has a platform that is 30 inches long and 27 or 28 inches wide. I look for them to just keep getting bigger until they reach a point of diminishing returns. For me that will come when the stands get too bulky to be considered portable and they begin to attract the attention of passing deer. I expect them to reach 36 inches long and 30 inches wide before bowhunters start to worry that they are getting too big. There are a few stands this size on the market already, but most still have room to grow. And grow they will.

Size has really become a selling point in ladder stands. Always in the past ladders were cramped, uncomfortable and basically a bad time all the way around. But, with the average age of today’s bowhunters increasing it is only reasonable that ladder stands (the most secure of all manufactured stands) should also become more intensely designed. The trend here is toward stands that will seat more than one person. I’ve noted at least seven ladders on the market designed for two hunters, whether it is a father/child, husband/spouse or grandfather/grandchild these stands apparently are finding demand or they wouldn’t continue to flourish.

According to one tree stand manufacturer, “Double ladder stands are selling surprisingly well. It will never be our most popular stand but we get a lot of guys hunting leases and clubs that are buying these stands and then just leaving them in good spots.” If you have spots where you d leases one of these giant super comfortable stands might sell better than you think.

There is no question that size is a selling point. While some bowhunters are specifically looking for a stand that’s easy to carry and set up, most will prefer the bigger stands when given a choice.

More comfortable: Thick padding everywhere and a great seat design are the real source of comfort in a treestand, and there is no style that has made comfort more attainable than climbing stands. It seems that every climbing stand on the market is at least as comfortable as my favorite recliner. However, in the past two to three years, stand manufacturers have taken their cue from the success of their climbing stands to make their fixed position stands more cushy, as well.

Many fixed position stands now have built-in padded backrests. While I think this may be overkill with a fixed position stand – especially one with a bench seat that you don’t sink down into. Like size, comfort is a tremendous advantage. A big, comfortable stand is hard to resist and will help you to stay out in the woods longer. More hours in the tree means more success.

Safer: As stands get bigger they automatically become at least a little safer. If nothing else, they produce a feeling of greater security as you move about on the platform. I’m also seeing a lot more stands that strap onto the tree in two places – one high and one low – for a super-solid lockup.

Another big step that stand manufacturers are taking to assure safety is including better safety belts and harnesses with their stands or at least offering them as options.



Adjustable: There are several stands on the market that are designed for total adjustability to fit any kind of tree no matter how twisted or crooked it may be. If you hunt in a region of the country where crooked trees are the norm (river bottom cottonwoods, Texas mesquite and live oak flats and many parts of the Midwest come to mind immediately) these stands are a great option.

SELECTING THE RIGHT STAND CATEGORY

The stands that most bowhunters buy fall into three categories depending on the goal of the hunter. Consider exactly how you want to hunt because that will dictate the stand style you select.

ULTRA-PORTABLE STANDS

There is no better way to keep bucks from knowing they’re being hunted (always the key factor in taking a big buck) than moving your stand location often – maybe even every day. To make this strategy work you need a stand with the right features. If this is your priority, here are the stand features you will need.

Lightweight, small size: To be considered a super-portable, a stand should weigh less than 12 pounds and be roughly 24 X 28 inches in size. Primarily these are fixed-position aluminum stands, but there are also a few of steel construction that fall into this weight and size range.

Adaptable mounting system: When someone hunts new locations often, they will face ever changing conditions. They may not find a perfectly straight tree right where they need it. The best stands for this hunting style have the flexibility to install in a wide variety of trees: angled, large and even ultra-small. This is why I don’t favor climbing stands for this application unless your region is comprised almost entirely of straight limbless trees.

If a stand can't be positioned precisely and quickly exactly where it is needed it will soon become a source of frustration. In general, strap-on and multi-position stands (those that use remotely mounted cables, pins, brackets) tend to be less noisy than chain-on models and are easier to lock into a specific spot on the tree.

Multi-position tree stands (Chippewa Wedge Loc, Summit and Lone Wolf to name a few) fall into this category and are becoming increasingly popular with hunters. These mounting systems permit bowhunters to put the stand up, cut shooting lanes and then take it down without removing the bracket, pin or hook that attaches the stand to the tree. Having several of the tree brackets allows you to set up and effectively hunt multiple locations without having to buy more than one stand.

SEMI-PORTABLE STANDS

There's no better strategy during the peak of the rut than climbing into a stand over a heavily used travel route between two bedding areas and staying put all day long. Many bowhunters like to set up these stands before the season and then simply alternate between them. This makes it easier to simply relax and enjoy when the season comes. Others will use these same stand locations only for their morning hunts, grabbing a super-portable stand for their afternoon setups. If that is you, look for a stand that combines comfort with a reasonable degree of mobility.

Big platforms and comfortable seats: Tree stand design is heading toward large platforms and thickly padded seats. Looking down at a big platform gives a greater sense of security than tiptoeing around on a platform that's barely bigger than your size 12’s. Platforms over 22 inches wide and 28 inches long are a good starting point but don’t stop there. There are some good ones out there that are even bigger. For the ultimate in comfort, look for bench-style seats with 2 inches of thick foam padding.



Secure mounting systems: If you plan to leave a stand up from one hunting season to the next, you need to take a close look at the mounting system. Though tree stand makers tell me otherwise, I personally don’t trust a strap-on that’s left in the woods year-after-year. I feel that chains offer the best mounting system for this scenario. Even then, I recommend taking the stands down every other year to check them for safety issues and to lengthen the chain so the tree has room to grow.

Climbers: The most comfortable stands made are self-climbing models. However, climbers have two drawbacks: they are generally quite heavy and they can't be used in all types of trees. Some are also noisy when climbing. If you'll be hunting an area with plenty of straight trees with few limbs - and don't have far to carry the stand - climbers are an excellent choice.

SEMI-PERMANENT STANDS

Some hunters don't want to move their stands and will find a couple of good spots and hunt them year-after-year. These are the same hunters who often nail boards in trees to form permanent platforms. I also know several hunters who are afraid of heights. And, with the baby boomers gaining a little age, climbing isn’t as easy as it used to be. For all of these hunters, security and maximum convenience are the top priorities and ladder stands are the perfect choice.

Stand height: Most ladder stands will reach either 12 or 15 feet. For those hunters wishing to hunt higher, there are a few new models that reach to 20 feet. But be careful how high you go. I recently asked several stand manufacturers what they recommended as the maximum safe height for a ladder. Most felt 18 feet was about as high as anyone dared go with only one support bar between the ladder portion and the tree. Some felt hunters could go a little over 20 feet as long as they used a second support to stiffen the ladder.

Portability: Moving ladder stands is not really an issue because none could be called truly portable. Most hunters will use an ATV to get the stand into place sometime during the off-season. However, there are a few stands around 25 to 30 pounds that could be moved by hand during the season if the need arose. If you are concerned about maintaining some level of flexibility, steer toward lightweight ladders or, better yet, nice comfortable semi-portable stands.

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