I don’t have any plans on how to build a deer stand on paper, just figured out a design I like. Let me see if I can figure out the dimensions of the ones I’ve built.

How To Build A Deer Stand:

Legs: (4) 16′ 4×4′s
Leg Cross Braces: (8) 12′ 2×4′s
Floor Joists: (4) 2×6′s 45″ long, (2) 2×6′s 4′ long
Floor: (2) 1/2 sheets 3/8″ plywood (48″ square), cut 3 3/4″ square out of each corner.
Sides: (4) pieces of 3/8″ plywood 34″‘x45″, one will be cut up later to make a door
Roof Supports: (4) 2×4′s 48″ long
Roof Rafters: (3) 2×4′s 35″ long, (2) 2×4′s 48″ long
Roof: (2) pieces of 3/8″ plywood 28″x48″ (the scraps from cutting the sides out of (2) full sheets)
Ladder: (2) 12′ 2×4′s, (8) 2×4′s 16″ long (can be cut from (1) 12′ 2×4, with one piece to spare)

Build ladder with 16″ spacing to the top of each step, measuring from the bottom.
Set posts in ground 2 foot deep in concrete 45″ between outside corners.
Nail on diagonal cross braces, one set inside, one set outside, all the way around.
Nail on floor joists 10′ above the ground, use (2) 45″ and (2) 48″ to make a 48″ square.
Nail on the last (2) floor joists 16″ on center in the middle of the floor frame.
Drop in first floor piece and screw it down.
Drop in second floor piece and screw it down. This gives a 3/4″ floor without wasting half a sheet of 3/4″ plywood.
Put up both sides and the front, they should go corner to corner of the 4×4′s and set on top of the floor, leave the back open for now.
Cut off the 4×4′s even with the top of the sides.
Nail the roof supports to the insides of the 4×4′s so that the tops are 6′ above the floor.
Nail the roof rafters to the tops of the roof supports, use (2) 48″ pieces and (2) 35″ pieces to make a rectangle 48″x38″.
Nail the last 38″ roof rafter in the center of the roof frame turned flat.
Screw the (2) pieces of the roof on top of the frame with the joint on the flat 2×4 in the center.
To make the door, cut the back piece into (2) pieces, one 34″x21″, one 34″x24″ (the door), and hinge it at the cut.
You’ll need (2) more 2×4′s, one 34″ long, one 16″ long, to make the frame for the non-opening part of the back. You’ll have to angle nail these two pieces to the floor and the 4×4 in the corner. The door will close against the outside of the 4×4 in the other corner. A hasp wrapped around the corner will keep the door closed.

I hope this description makes sense.

Here’s the materials list: You won’t believe how little wasted material you have if you build a deer stand right.

(12) 12′ 2×4′s, (one for the (3) 35″ roof rafters and the 34″ piece for the back)
(4) 16′ 4×4′s
(3) 8′ 2×6′s
(3) 8′ 2×4′s
(3) 4′x8′ sheets 3/8″ plywood
(2) 80 lb bags or (4) 40 lb bags of Quikrete
Nails, Screws, Hinges, and Hasp

This is a review of the deer stand plans offered by Chris Rhyne.  While ladder-type treestands are among the easiest to design and build, many folks are at a loss when it comes down to the nitty-gritty of designing and building a deer stand. A fellow hunter, Chris Rhyne, offers instructions (with a video) for building a fourteen-foot tall “semi-portable” wooden tree stand. According to the “plans,” expected material costs are around $50-$60.

One thing I’d like to note early on is that these so-called “plans” aren’t really plans at all. What you get is an acetate report folder with a materials list, cut lists & partial assembly instructions, setup instructions, and a very crude schematic drawing that does little to illustrate proper assembly. The included video is of a very low “home video” quality, and is really not complete at all in the area of assembly instructions.

Those of us who can realistically call ourselves “mechanically inclined” will have little trouble following the instructions, although some portions of assembly are not fully explained to my satisfaction. Those hunters who have a real need for plans and detailed instructions due to a lack of mechanical expertise will most likely find this product of little use, as it treats many aspects of assembly as “givens,” when in fact the lacking information should be included to make this offering a complete product, suitable for everyman.

Included at the end of this video is approximately thirty minutes of poorly-shot footage, including some of deer, turkey, and other critters viewed from treestands, and quite a few dead deer in the beds of pickup trucks. I found most of the treestand footage is shaky, boring, and otherwise hard to watch, and in my opinion it adds little or nothing to the value of this product.

The design of this deer stand is sound, in my opinion, and I’d only make minor changes to it if I were to build a similar ladder stand. If you’re looking for a stand to use on public land, you’ll most likely want to go with something lighter (or an abbreviated version of this one), because while this stand is somewhat portable, it’s really too cumbersome to be moving around, and removing at season’s end.

If you’re looking for deer stand plans for a ladder stand to use on private land and you’re at a loss for a design, or if you fall somewhere between the mechanical extremes of “inclined” and “declined,” then this product may be something of value for you. If you’re looking for an easily-portable stand for use on public land, or if construction principles don’t come naturally to you, you’d probably do well to look elsewhere.

Good stuff 
- Practical knowledge & advice – Chris dispenses helpful hints throughout the video. 
- Reasonable price – $9.99 gets you the plans & video. 
- Down-to-earth – Chris is definitely “one of us,” a hunter first and foremost who speaks plainly. 
- Sound design – This really is a sound design, with only a few things I’d change to suit myself. 
- Can be moved – The stand can in fact be moved, but not without considerable effort. Hence the name, “semi-portable.”

Not-so-Good Stuff 
- Lack of real drawings – a real schematic, showing us the fit of the pieces, is necessary — and lacking. 
- Poor Quality video – I think if Chris had taken just a little more time, had called this version a practice run, and re-shot it using the experience gained, he’d have a much better product. 
- Lack of proper instructions – While there’s enough information between the paperwork & video for a knowledgeable person to get the job done, I feel there should be a bit more detail.

Happy hunting,

- Russ Chastain

All responsibly of use of these tree stand plans and building of this stand, Remain with the person building the tree-stand. These deer stand plans are just a guide, Please use caution when building and using homemade deer stands.

The need arose for me to have multiple stands to hunt in a variety of wind directions and morning, midday, and evening deer activity areas. I have a Loggy Bayou climbing stand and a loc-on, but to buy 3 or more loc-ons was more money than I cared to invest in equipment so I decided to build my own hang on stand. There are a lot of quality stands on the market and the prices have come down but the do it yourselfer in me told me to just build it.

I checked the woodshed for possible building materials I had on hand. I found a nice piece of 2×3 oak to use for the upright to securely anchor all the components of the stand. You can’t beat solid oak for this, because it won’t split like pine tends to over time. Any good construction man knows you need a sound foundation to build from.

I pulled out some random lengths of 1×6 pressure treated boards for the floor, base and seat. Also a 2 foot piece of 2×6 pressure treated I can rip down lengthwise for the runners to fasten the floorboards and angle supports to.

After getting my can of nuts, bolts and washers, and laying out my hardware, I still needed some angle supports, preferably of metal. I looked around the yard and spotted the old jungle gym and monkey bars. Perfect! I immediately pilfered two crossbars. The kids will never miss them. They just got to reach a little farther next time. I have priorities you know.

I had lengths of swing chain that I bought @ an estate auction years ago. These would be good to wrap around the tree to hang the stand. Assembly was quite easy. All I had to buy at the hardware store was four- quarter inch by 2” lag bolts and a heavy screw-hook. I recommend a quarter inch screw-hook to be safe. Anything smaller will bend after repeated use. This is the main stress point on the stand.

After the completion of your project and hanging your stand with the chain, secure the bottom of the upright to the tree with a ratchet strap to prevent the stand from moving when getting in or out, or leaning for a difficult shot

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Before ever stepping into your stand, for as many times as you will be using it, please thoroughly check for loose nuts and bolts, bent hook, split wood, chain wear, etc. and overall soundness. Most of all always, always, always wear a chest and thigh harness while hunting from any elevated stand.