This is topic My Ladder Setup and 1 Dead Coyote- Pics in forum Predator forum at The New Huntmastersbbs!.
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Posted by Scott F. (Member # 1961) on December 30, 2007, 09:32 AM:
I don't post much on this board but find it very informative and humorous listening to the members. Decided to post and include some pictures some might find interesting.
Went out with Rich and Tyler Higgins, and Glen Stilson in the Skull Valley area of Az. Beautiful country and sign everywhere. Even ran across some lion tracks. Great company makes for great hunts regardless of quantity of kills at the end of the day.
Thanks to Glen for posing for some pictures after his kill. All it takes is 1 kill and people are sold on ladder stands.
I set up the ladder for Glen by open meadow with dense trees and brush about 150 yards away. Glen climbs up and situates himself on ladder and I commence calling on his upwind. 10 minutes in a coyote steps out of the brush at 150 yards and looks around. I hear Glen lipsqueek and his AR report and the coyote drops dead. Picture perfect stand and a great shot by Glen.
Ladder setup for those who want to know.
Ladder is a 5' fiberglass ladder I purchased from Home Depot for $18. The ladder's stand consists (from bottom to top) a metal fishing seat swivel you can purchase at Wal-Mart for $5, a metal 8" tall fishing seat stand at Wal-mart for $9. Attached to the fishing seat stand is a typical fishing seat I purchased at Bass Pro for $20. To hold your gun up while calling I welded on a piece of round steel tubing to the 8" tall stand at about a 45 degree angle. I cut and bent at a 45 degrees angle a piece that slides into the previous welded piece. Once it slides in you can lock-pin is in place with 2 clips. You can see I drilled in holes of varying length on the bottom piece and the tube piece so the rifle holder can be extended upward for taller shooters. A piece of flat steel with upturned edges is where you rest your rifle. It is coated with thick rubber to protect your rifle from scratching. The long tube extension is stored on the inside of the ladder in 2 holders that hold it secure with the same 2 pins that hold it secure up top. Just transfer them when setting up the ladder.
For a long time I just put it on my shoulder and carried it. It's not very heavy but I found myself wanting to make stands close to the truck. LOL. I purchased a used cheap army alice pack frame I attached to the back of the ladder. You can now walk into the pack and pick up the ladder and walk for greater distance without any fatigue. Bending your knees and slipping a shoulder out lowers the ladder. Really easy. I can set the ladder down and be up with my rifle ready to go in about 25 seconds. This setup gets me about 7' above the ground. The swivel base allows me to pivot a full 360 degrees if needed. The rifle holder allows me to use my foxpro remote in one hand and grip my rifle into the other.
Here is a picture of Glen's nice male he shot while up on the ladder. The ladder stand has been part of half a dozen kills to far and hopefully many others.
If anyone has any questions or comments- fire away.
[ December 30, 2007, 09:34 AM: Message edited by: Scott F. ]
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on December 30, 2007, 10:16 AM:
Very inventive solutions, Scott. I have seen Bill Rice's rig, a little different, no seat, for instance, but anything that gets you up above the brush is an advantage, even if you just stand on the steps.
The thing I worry about is soft sand and rodent burrows, and tipping over. I'd like to come up with some "booties" or maybe a length of wood connecting the two legs, front and rear, but I don't really know if it's a major problem? I do know that "somebody" did fall off of one recently, so regardless of whether it was caused by recoil or just leaning too far to one side, it could dump a guy into some prickly vegetation, sooner or later?
Thanks for sharing the photos. LB
Posted by Andy L (Member # 642) on December 30, 2007, 10:26 AM:
That is a nifty setup. ![[Cool]](cool.gif)
Like LB said, soft spots in the dirt scare the shit outta me on ladders. Ive busted my ass enough times when a stool sunk in on one side.
Ive thought about the ladder thing for deer hunting around here as well. Just a portable stand for the multiple sprout thickets we have. This rig of yours just might be the ticket. Eh, JD? ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
Posted by Scott F. (Member # 1961) on December 30, 2007, 10:33 AM:
Leonard- I always stomp around on the ground where I plan on setting legs. I have found, on more than 1 occasion, burrows that might have proven hazardous.
I considered welding some 'booties' that just slip over the legs with a 5" x 5" base to make it more secure but have opted not to to conserve weight. The only drawback to these ladders is the weight and noise they make if you are not careful. Even just a long piece of wood that would be placed under the front and back legs would do the trick.
Until I take a spill I don't think I'll worry much abuot it.
Posted by Bill (Member # 49) on December 30, 2007, 05:49 PM:
Leonard your concerns are my concerns exactly. Just recently I added plywood feet to the legs of my ladder. Maybe they will help from sinking in to rodent burrows. Scott a problem I see with your setup is the rifle rest. With it being pined in place and your legs on each side of pipe of the rifle rest it pretty well eliminates rapid dismounting of the ladder. Believe me, someday you will want to get off the ladder immediately because bad things are about to happen. So far I’ve avoided the bad things. Good Luck
Posted by Scott F. (Member # 1961) on December 30, 2007, 05:53 PM:
Anyone with a moderate amount of dexterity can climb down from my ladder within a few seconds. Rich Higgins climbed up and down it with ease. I'm 40 and have no problems navigating around the rifle rest.
Problems like what? Diarrhea? No biggie, my ladder can be washed.
Posted by Bill (Member # 49) on December 30, 2007, 07:45 PM:
Diarrhea, no that hasn’t been the problem yet, knock on wooden ladder. A shifting, sinking, listing ladder and the question how long I want to ride it out, or not.
Posted by Rich Higgins (Member # 3) on December 30, 2007, 09:19 PM:
quote:
I do know that "somebody" did fall off of one recently, so regardless of whether it was caused by recoil or just leaning too far to one side, it could dump a guy into some prickly vegetation, sooner or later?
Yup, that would be me.
I've been dumped a few times by soft sand, rodent burrows and twice by shotgun recoil while twisted around in an un-natural position. I do believe that the manueverability of the seat will eliminate both problems. Scott is putting one together for me and I'm going to put it through the demolition tests. If it passes I believe Scott will have a winner, if it doesn't I'll still have some cool video.
Scott, a minor correction to your narration. You were actually setup almost downwind from Glen and the coyote stepped out of the brush line straight downwind from us. Minor but significant.
Posted by Andy L (Member # 642) on December 31, 2007, 05:50 AM:
I didnt get to see Higgins fall off a ladder, but I know what it sounds like. ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
The crashing of mesquite limbs comes shortly after the shotgun blast.
Posted by Rich Higgins (Member # 3) on December 31, 2007, 05:57 AM:
quote:
I didnt get to see Higgins fall off a ladder, but I know what it sounds like. The crashing of mesquite limbs comes shortly after the shotgun blast.
Followed by
"ouch, that's going to leave a mark" and soft whimpering.
Posted by Paul Melching (Member # 885) on December 31, 2007, 09:23 AM:
Rich
can we get a download of the wimpering for our e-callers. lol ,
Scott
looks like a nice ladder set up.
I already look like a moving van going out to set up dont know if I could haul any more.
The swivel seat and post mount look like the trick set up.I would also think about footsies for a ladder I dont even fall well from 5' 11" let alone 7 ' thanks for the post and pics good story
PM
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on December 31, 2007, 10:35 AM:
My grandad fell off the roof, broke a hip, died a short time later. The widow across the street was trying to fix something on the side of the house; sunk a couple legs into the soft turf and spent three months in hospice. Higgins is too old to be on ladders!
Good hunting. LB
[ December 31, 2007, 10:36 AM: Message edited by: Leonard ]
Posted by Rich Higgins (Member # 3) on December 31, 2007, 04:00 PM:
"Higgins is too old to be on ladders."
Also too old to chase ladies and too old to hang out on this board and be insulted by you guys.
Higgins just isn't bright enough to stay off of any of them.
Posted by JoeF (Member # 228) on January 01, 2008, 11:02 AM:
Nice rig.
I used to use a step ladder years ago to hunt deer hunt one abandoned and overgrown orchard that did not have any trees that you could mount a stand in.
Anymore, I'm too gimpy to sit on the top of a step ladder, I restrict my usage to the first step or two.
What I really want to know is who paints the skull rock in Skull Valley and the frog rock over by Congress? I assume this is still done.
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on January 01, 2008, 11:20 AM:
....and who is tossing all those shoes in trees along various highways and byways?
edit: there's one out by Barstow (pile of rocks) that used to have tons of grafitti on it but I assume about a million dollars worth of sandblasting has removed all traces, last time I looked?
[ January 01, 2008, 11:24 AM: Message edited by: Leonard ]
Posted by smithers (Member # 646) on January 01, 2008, 01:22 PM:
Don't all ladders come with one of those "Don't sit or stand" warnings on that top step?
Looks solid enough. Could you benefit by putting some type of footpeg on either side or out in front, where the shooters feet or even one foot could sit?
Some type of PVC legs could be mounted on hinges to the side to make six feet instead of four, for sturdiness and wouldn't add too much weight.
As it is right now it looks very good!
An eight foot ladder with a rest mounted on the top step and you standing upright at six feet? An alternative and maybe safer. Just a thought. Maybe it's been done?
Posted by Scott F. (Member # 1961) on January 01, 2008, 01:55 PM:
Your feet rest naturally on the steps of the ladder. You have your choice of 2 on 3 different rungs, depending upon how tall you are.
The ladder without my additions is 5' not 4'. With my additions its about 6'. Add to that the distance from your rear to your head as you are sitting on the chair and you're looking at 8-9 feet. Much more than that and even I would get the shakes.
Posted by Locohead (Member # 15) on January 02, 2008, 09:20 PM:
The ladder idea is a very ingenious tool for your kind of hunting! It's a really cool looking set-up too!
I'm sure, this is absolutely irrelevant but really not worth knowing. LOL
But, it is true that more money is paid out on insurance claims for 6' ladder accidents than any other ladder related accidents. I would of thought that 24' - 40' extension ladders were more dangerous. It seems, many folks don't read the "don't stand above this step" warning and fall off and break body parts; I think sometimes body parts get stuck between the rungs when people fall, sending body parts one direction and body mass the another. ![[Eek!]](eek.gif)
.
There, a bit of worthless knowledge I gained as a painter. ![[Wink]](wink.gif)
Have fun and be safe guys!
[ January 02, 2008, 09:24 PM: Message edited by: Locohead ]
Posted by Rich Higgins (Member # 3) on January 02, 2008, 09:30 PM:
I submitted an article to Predator Extreme and Ralph requires support photos or he will not run with the article. Scott submitted six photos and WOW!!!! they are so much better than anything I have ever filmed, shot, taken with a camera, however you tag it.
I hope Scott will post any photos here that Ralph doesn't use.
I don't know if all were taken from the ladder, and Scott may not devulge which were, but these photos are National Geographic quailty.
My hat is off to you, Scott.
Posted by Scott F. (Member # 1961) on January 03, 2008, 03:56 PM:
Thanks Rich! The only pictures not taken from the ladder were the extreme close ups of the standing coyote from the neck up and the 1 of it sitting. The close ups are really about 40' away but with my big telephoto lens it makes it look like we're close enough to pet it. That coyote was photographed on the outskirts of Queen Creek. She came into an area I had misted heavily. I pulled her in with the Foxpro and once she came in I muted it and just started snapping. She sniffed around and finally just sat down puzzled on where the rabbit had disappeared to. I kept taking pictures of her unless she looked in my direction. After about 20 seconds she stood up and and started roaming the area again. She got within 10 feet of me and picked up my scent and zipped out the area in a flash.
Once we see what Ralph wants I'll show the guys here the rest.
Posted by Tim Behle (Member # 209) on January 03, 2008, 05:15 PM:
Scott,
What kind of camera do you use?
Posted by Scott F. (Member # 1961) on January 03, 2008, 05:31 PM:
I have a couple but have been using my Canon Rebel xti lately. It's a rough and rugged camera that can be taken into the field and take some bumps and jarring. At 10 megapixels its more than enough resolution to do what I need.
Posted by smithers (Member # 646) on January 03, 2008, 06:22 PM:
But, it is true that more money is paid out on insurance claims for 6' ladder accidents than any other ladder related accidents. I would of thought that 24' - 40' extension ladders were more dangerous.
Loco, I believe the reason for this is that more people, some really stupid, use 6 footers than any other ladder. I used to do siding and we would work off of 6', 24', and 32' ladders all day and the only time I ever fell off of a ladder was a 6 footer set up on soft ground.
I watched a guy we worked with, slide down a 24' and land on his head. A couple of weeks after he got outta the hospital he was almost normal. He wasn't all there in the first place and that fall may have cracked a few more bulbs. He had one leg on the ladder and was pushing out against the wall with the other leg, on the second or third to last rung, when the ladder shifted and he fell like a stone, twisting his neck like Linda Blair. He finally figured out something was wrong, when two hours later, his neck started to swell and his windpipe was closing at a rather rapid rate.
This other guy I worked with fell from 40' up and busted his leg in half. I think the "grass" may have played a part in his tumble.
Thinking back to some of the stupid crap I did on a ladder makes me wince. Some mighty unstable and tall ladders have been scaled.
[ January 03, 2008, 06:33 PM: Message edited by: smithers ]
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