I built this 4 x 6 last year and I really wish I would have made it 5 x 6 instead. With a decent sized chair in there, you just dont have any leg room at all. The height is fine and the width but it just needs to be deeper. If you are going to spend $600-700 to build one, make 5 x 6.

Things have come a long way since we started nailing boards in trees back in the 60s. I had one stand that we named the Cadillac because it had a floor and a folding chair. It was a lot easier on the back than the normal 2x4.

I have a few shooting houses now, but they are all 4x4. I dang sure don't want anyone in a shooting house with me. Instead of office chairs or bag chairs, I like a plastic stack chair. They are very light and easy to shift around, and they don't give any like a bag chair when you sit down.

I just built three ladder stands like in the pic below. It’s roughly a 4’X 3’ platform built on 16 ft 4x4’s…big enough so two folks to sit side by side in some chairs….We’ll haul them to the tree and attach them first with some I-bolts and a heavy duty rachet strap…..then tack on a shooting rail and something to conceal the hunters….burlap, etc…we’ll probably go ahead and do something more permanent. By the time all is said and done we’ll probably have around $200 in each one. It’ll be comfortable, sturdy, and should last for quite a while. It’s all pressure treated wood.

Here’s the backside. Everything is put together with 3 ½ construction screws except for the decking….I used 2 inch screws on it. Pretty simple design but should be effective.

But CNC you can buy a well made welded aluminum one man, 16' ladder stand from Jimmy Andress below Dothan for $175. They would be easier to move, lighter to put up and I have some that are close to 20 years old and still good as the day I put them up.

I hear you……We’ve just decided to go a different route…..I have the ability to pull a truck and trailer right to where we need these to go….I’ll be sitting in a full sized chair with a little buddy heater at my feet and a solid shooting rail at the just right height in front of me.