Tips & Tactics

Treestand Noise Dampener

Treestand Noise Dampener

By Thomas R. Kelley

Most of the time, I hunt from a ladder stand. They are awesome once you've settled in, but have a bad reputation for being noisy while you ascend and descend.

Even if I take my time climbing and am careful to be quiet on the way up, gear will often bang against the sides of the ladder, and the legs will sometimes creak.

Another noise factor is when I pull up my bow, crossbow or rifle. The rope will occasionally twist, causing my weapon to spin as I hoist it. Sometimes, it will bang into the ladder, creating a sharp noise. On a quiet day, even the smallest contact of wood or metal with the rail will mean your hunt is over before it begins.

To prevent these unwanted noises, I use foam plumbing pipe wraps as a bumper or dampener by placing them on the sides or legs of the ladder.

The foam wraps are slit lengthwise, so all you have to do is slide them onto the rails and secure them with duct tape.

Noises are now dampened as you climb, and if anything bumps into the rail, who cares? It's well cushioned now.

Foam pipe wraps are cheap, easily replaced and just another way to prevent spooking deer.

Editor's Note: As a side note on treestand safety, once the wraps are installed, you can no longer use the ladder's legs for gripping or as handholds for climbing. The wraps can pull away from the sides, so be sure to instruct all hunters to only use the foot rails as handholds.
— Buckmasters Tip Editor, Tim H. Martin

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Copyright 2020 by Buckmasters, Ltd