When putting up a ladder stand I always look for a 2 tree setup, 1 tree for the stand to lean against and another that the ladder touches about half way up. Tie ladder to 2nd tree and it can not spin around. Very safe, just might not be the exact tree you want to be in.

As for taking them down, I take my extendable pole saw and cut the strap while standing on the ground. You can also tie/tape a knife to a long stick if you don’t have a pole saw. Straps are cheap and I’d rather sacrifice a strap than take the risk.