Finding the perfect tree so your hunting spot lets you get that elusive buck can be a difficult and, sometimes, frustrating task.
More than one hunter has found just the right spot to put their tree stand, only to be stumped by a tree trunk that’s way too wide for their stand!
Old-growth forests, such as around the Mississippi river, are especially known for their giant trees. White oaks in particular can get quite large.
When it comes to trees with trunks larger than you can fit your arms around, popular stands such as the Summit Viper climber are not up to the task.
The good news is that there are still plenty of stands you can use with the largest of trees, so long as you follow a simple (and safe!) change tested by my tree stand hunting friends.
In short, any ladder or hanger hunting tree stand can be modified into a large diameter tree stand by using a longer chain, rope, or strap. You can even attach a second ratchet strap!
The following hunting tree stands are tried and tested with the ability to attach to that giant oak if you bring a bit more strap with you into the woods.
The Best Tree Stands for Large Diameter Trees
- Best Ladder Stand: Rivers Edge Lockdown 2-Man
- Best Hanging Stand: Millennium M150 Monster Hang-On Treestand
- Best Tree Saddle: HAWK Helium Hammock Saddle
1. Best Ladder Stand for Big Trees: Rivers Edge Lockdown 2-Man
The Rivers Edge Lockdown 2-Man is a ladder tree stand. Like other ladder stands, it straps onto the tree. It comes with a rather long strap compared with other ladder stands, making it one of the best big tree stands.
Also, the strap attachment method works just fine no matter how wide a tree you’re hunting from. And the Lockdown 2-Man has a grippy section to help hold the stand tighter against the tree trunk.
The seat is a single wide mesh sling seat. It can hold one or two hunters.
Since it needs two people to install, why not let your hunting partner sit in comfort with you?
It comes with a high-quality gun rest with a good range of adjustment. Overall, this isn’t just one of the best big tree hunting stands, it’s plain one of the best hunting stands.
Why It’s Good for Large Diameter Trees
The Rivers Edge Lockdown 2-Man tree stand comes with extra long straps so it can fit big trees out of the box.
And, if you need to add even longer straps, the mounting point is designed to handle the straps at any angle.
Pros
- Easy to install, provided you have willing help
- Fits larger trees more easily than it fits smaller trees
Cons
- Heavy, so lugging it to the hunting site may be difficult
Recommendation
If you want a ladder stand then the Rivers Edge Lockdown 2-Man is great for large trees, provided you have someone to help you set it up.
2. Best Hanger Tree Stand for Big Trees: Millennium M150 Monster Hang-On Treestand
The Millennium M150 Monster is the big brother of the Millennium M100U Ultralite, which showed up on our list of the Most Comfortable Tree Stands.
The M150, as you can probably guess from the name, is larger. It’s also heavier, but still weighs under 20 pounds while supporting 300 pounds of hunter and gear!
This tree stand comes with Millennium’s M-102S receiver mount. You attach this to the tree ahead of time. When it’s time to hunt, you slot your Monster onto the bracket.
This lets you set up multiple hunting locations without having to buy and mount multiple tree stands.
Plus, you can adjust the lean angle 15 degrees for when you want to set up on a tree that doesn’t know how to stand up straight.
Why It’s Good for Large Diameter Trees
Being a hanger stand, the Millennium M150 is one of the best tree stands for large diameter trees.
You can extend the straps with additional straps and set up the bracket system for any size tree before having to muck about with the tree stand itself.
Pros
- Large foot platform so you have plenty of room to take that shot
- Surprisingly comfortable seat and a footrest for all-day sitting comfort
- You can set up the receiver mount ahead of time and purchase extras for hunting versatility
Cons
- Buying M-102 receiver mounts can get expensive, especially when you have to add additional straps to fit those big trees
Recommendation
The Millennium M150 Monster is a great large diameter tree hunting stand when you want to have several hunting spots but don’t want to buy more than one tree stand.
Compare prices at: Bass Pro Shops
3. Best Tree Saddle for Big Trees: HAWK Helium Hammock Saddle
Tree saddles have become a more common alternative to traditional hunting stands recently.
They’re ultralight and require zero set-up so you can pick out your hunting spot and climb that tree using only a few pounds of gear.
They’re surprisingly comfortable and let you move around the tree. You’re not fixed in place!
The HAWK Helium Hammock is a tree saddle kit with a padded seat, harness, climbing rope, and climbing hardware such as carabiners.
All you need is a climbing method and someplace to put your feet once you’re up in the tree and you have a high-up perch that lets you swivel around for hunting in any direction.
HAWK sells climbing sticks and platforms in two sizes, too.
This kit’s weak point is the ropes. They’re not as good as the harness.
However, you’ll need longer lines to fit around bigger trees anyway, so this is not as big a downside as it seems at first.
Why It’s Good for Large Diameter Trees
All you need to do in order to make a tree saddle suitable for big tree hunting is to use longer ropes, and you may want to upgrade them anyway.
Pros
- Setting up the HAWK Helium can be done solo and on the day you hunt instead of being a pre-hunt project
- Very lightweight, even after including climbing sticks and a platform
Cons
- The included tether is not that great so most hunters upgrade that rope
- You’ll need a climbing method such as the HAWK Climbing sticks, as well as a footrest such as the HAWK platform or a DIY solution
Recommendation
The HAWK Helium Hammock Saddle is a great choice for bowhunters who want a comfortable tree saddle on any tree at any time.
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