Abstract: A deer stand includes a foot platform, a seat platform, and stanchions which join the foot platform to the seat platform. The foot platform, the seat platform and the stanchions are preferably formed primarily from welded metal tubes to provide the deer stand with a rugged, durable unitary welded construction. To fasten the deer stand to a tree, the seat platform has an eye bolt and a J bolt attached to opposite sides of the seat platform. A chain is attached to the eye bolt. Two pairs of spikes extend from the seat and foot platforms, respectively, for engagement with a tree. The deer stand is attached to a tree by tilting the deer stand so that the spikes of the seat platform engage with the tree at an angle with respect to the tree. The chain is then wrapped about the trunk of the tree and linked to the J bolt so that the chain encircles and is as taut as possible about the tree.