Instructions
Step 1
Find a good tree in the area in which you will be hunting. Ideally, this tree should have a Y or a fork in its trunk for the foundation of your tree stand. A fork that is 12 feet from the ground would be best, but up to 15 feet could be OK. Use your judgment about how high you are willing to climb. Factor in all the layers of clothing you will wear to keep yourself warm and how these layers will affect your range of movement.
Step 2
Go to a hardware store or building supply store and buy lengths of good, heavy-duty rope. Something nylon might work best. You could even buy rope similar to that which mountain climbers use. You are, after all, going to rely on this rope to climb up the tree to reach your stand, so you want to be able to depend upon it.
Step 3
Gather blocks of wood from your wood shop or buy landscape timber from your hardware store or building supply store. You want this wood to be pretty thick as it forms the rungs of your ladder. The number of steps you need depends on the height of your stand from the ground. Your steps should be no more than 18 inches apart.
Step 4
Lash your steps to the tree. You can do this in a number of ways. You could drill holes in your blocks of wood and thread the rope through them, or nail spikes into the trunk of the tree, then use the rope to lash the wood in place. Whatever configuration you choose, the rope should wind in an upwards angle from the wood steps around the trunk. In this way, you use the trunk to help support your weight. You could also leave yourself hand-holds by allowing excess rope to hang down from the knot so you can grab it as you climb. Burn the ends of the rope so that they don't fray.
Step 5
Create the Y or fork stand by buying a sheet of ¾ inch pressure treated plywood. You can find this at any building supply store. Cut the sheet in half with a circular saw so the sheet is now 2 feet wide and 8 feet long.
Step 6
Use a circular saw to cut each 2 foot by 8 foot piece of plywood into 10 pieces. Eight of the sections should be 19 inches by 24 inches and two of the pieces should be 20 inches by 24 inches.
Step 7
Place two of the 19 inch by 24 inch pieces on top of each other and drive ten ½ inch drywall screws around the length of the plywood, securing them together. Two of the ten screws should be on either side of the plywood piece's center. Repeat this process with the rest of the 19 inch by 24 inch and 20 inch by 24 inch pieces.
Step 8
Cut two V's into the short ends of the 19 inch by 24 inch pieces. The V's are what you will set into the Y or fork of the tree, creating a platform on which you can sit or stand. Drill two ¼ inch holes on either side of the V cuts. You will use these holes to drive 3 penny nails into the tree, securing your stand in place.
Step 9
Go to your tree of choice and secure your tree stand in place. If the nails do not make the stand secure enough or the stand wiggles a little while you stand on it, do whatever it takes to make sure it won't move at all. You don't want to take a tumble from the tree. Drill two holes on either side of the stand and thread rope through it so you can lash the stand to the tree or wedge pieces of wood beneath the stand. After a year, the tree will grow around the stand, naturally holding it securely in place; unless you want to wait a year for this to happen, take precautions now.
Step 10
Make skyhooks to access your stand if you're worried about someone else using your stand or stealing it. You can do this by driving metal spikes into a 4 by 4 inch board at intervals like rungs. Carry this board with you to your tree, lash one end to a tree nearby with rope and lash the other end to your tree. Since you can remove your board easily when you leave, you prevent others from climbing into your tree while you are gone.
Step 11
Cushion your tree stand with a warm blanket so you will at least be warm while you're up in your tree.
eHow Article: How to Build a Tree Stand
Article by: Joe Rivera eHow’s Sports & Fitness Expert.
