I use treestands a lot. If the trees are a little on the small side the ladder stand is definitely the best. In fact I think it is the best even if the trees are bigger. If you’re new to treestands you will definitely feel more secure in a ladder stand . Make sure to tie yourself in:D
Bruce

chainsaw wrote: I will be hunting whitetails in the river bottoms of the Snake River (Id) this fall. Trees are mostly smaller cottonwoods. What would be a good stand to buy? I am thinking of the portable ladder type but I have no experience with treestands. Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

Hey Chainsaw; I quess to each their own! I hunt in Ga. most of the time,and hang in anything from Tall Palms,to large Oak trees. I myself like to use Loc-on tree stands. They seem to fit the bill for me a little better then most stands. Climbers are good you can get high and out of the way of the eye sight of Deer especially in territory that has hills,where Deer can stand opposite your location and spot you. Loc-on’s will clap just about anywhere you want to be with little effort,and you can reach what ever height
is good in the aear your hunting by just adding more ladder sticks to the tree. As the other guy said be sure to wear a safety vest for sure,it aids in putting up which ever stand you decide on. Also be sure you have a small cord hanging from your stand to hoist up your bow and what ever gear you use.Good luck…Wade

The type of stand that I have is called Rivers Edge. It is 15′ high. If there is a downside for ladder stands is that they are not very portable.
Bruce

BRUC wrote: The type of stand that I have is called Rivers Edge. It is 15′ high. If there is a downside for ladder stands is that they are not very portable.
Bruce

Yeah Bruce I agree,also I think its a pain putting the stand up in a tree. you have to put the bottom of the ladder in the ground,then walk the stand up to rest on the tree,much like standing up an extention ladder. If theres alot of limbs in the way your looking at a real problem. With that said I to have a few ladder stand up in the woods,and love using them because their so easy to get into in the dark. But their on field edges, with a good back drop of limbs to kill my outline.

Like most things, treestands are a compromise. If you can put it up and leave it, a ladder is great. For me, a flip up seat and full platform are a must. Hang-ons are very versatile. The Gorilla brand is very solid and a good value. The Climax uses a lower leg support and can be easily installed in a leaning tree. The Screaming Eagles are very solid and quiet, important qualities in a good stand. There are lots of other good stands out there and you will get a bunch of suggestions. Mine is to stay away from the cheapies. Also, invest in a good full body harness. Cottonwoods have a very thick bark, so be careful with screw in steps.