Deer hunting tree stand , ground or saddle ?

[electricstart]

I mostly use a river edge ladder stand these days . But still have and use my Lonewolf alpha hang on with sticks or tree steps .I also have my summit climber . Have taken a few deer through the years on ground and ground blind . I did try saddle last year but hated looking at tree but it is really a stealth way to hunt if I were few years younger .  Never was good at spot and stalk ,not enough patience .What do you guys or gals use ?
Thank You

[Friend]

The majority of my hunting is from seven identical ground setups.

[Possum Head]

Excellent blind Scott! I’m a climber guy but that blind could convince me to try a ground hunt. I always thought the ground would be the best thrill!

[kennym]

I use ladder stands, and have one hang on to use if needed. Also a ghillie or two in different colors and hunt on the ground if necessary. It's all good!!

[LookMomNoSights]

This past season, I pre hung several hang on set ups with stick ladders and hunted from those.  Didn’t hunt the ground at all...... and let me tell ya,  I really miss it and will absolutely get back to that for 2022.   I will hang the stands again or at least a couple of them,  but hunting from the ground in a blind you’ve most often times hastily constructed on the fly,  is the most exciting way to hunt with the stick bow.  Ironically,  I swear I see the most animals this way.  And they seem to be either at rifle range or they want to come in the blind with you!  Don’t have to wear a fall arrest system and you can walk right in and sit then walk right out after when you’re done.  It’s totally underrated I feel....... I love hunting from ground blinds!  I know lots of compound guys and several great friends that for what ever reason don’t want to take up interest with a stick bow.  And that’s fine,  to each their own....... but what’s funny,  is there ain’t a one I know that would opt for shooting from a ground blind set..... you HAVE to have good tree stands!  I get a kick out of the whole thought process..... or maybe lack of in their instance.

[Terry Green]

 Anything from a tree stand to a dirt clod and everything
 between. 

[Elsecaller]

The majority of my hunting is from seven identical ground setups.

You have me wondering if you could train an evergreen to be a living blind.

[Richmeister]

I like my stands , saddles and ground hides.
Each situation calls for a different approach.
I've been having better success at lower heights vs 20+ feer high as I used to. Deer around here are always looking up in the canopy.

[bowkill146]

I hunted from mostly hang ons my whole life.  Then a couple years ago, I bought a saddle and have been using that.  I like it and while it does have its drawbacks, it also has some advantages.  I have never been a fan of ground blinds.  This may not make sense to some of you, but I just feel too disconnected while sitting in one.  Even when hunting turkeys, I prefer to spot and stalk rather than sit in a blind and wait.  That being said, I shot a doe this year from the ground.  I had a dead elm that had dropped a big slab of bark and I tucked in by that so I was pretty well concealed from the direction the deer should be coming from.  I had a nice doe and two big fawns come by at 10 yards and made a good shot on the doe.  She went about 40 yds and died.  I've shot several mule deer and turkeys from the ground, but that was my first white tail from the ground.  A lot of fun but I still wouldn't have wanted to do it from in an actual blind.  Hope that makes sense.

[Dave Lay]

I’ve hunted from hang ons mostly , I really prefer to hunt off the ground , but I have no interest in a pop up blind, I just feel too constricted and like I can’t see… like said before, it’s so much easier and less crap to carry like safety harness, stand, ladders, plus I just feel more connected to things, if the wind changes, I can move easily. A few years ago I committed to a season on the ground and learned a lot  I got close but ate tags that year. A lot of where I hunt just doesn’t have the cover necessary for a decent hide . I have a lot of friends hunting out of saddles and they swear by them, I’ve never tried one and might like it but I’m pretty happy with my hang on setups and hopefully more ground setups

[BAK]

99% ladder stands.

[arrow30]

i hunt from hang ons , climbers, throw together ground blinds from surrounding materials, and from the ground still hunting, never hunted from a tent, probably never will. and took my first from a saddle this season, really not that impressed with hanging with a tree in front of my view, and all the ropes. but if i need it i got. works good for putting up sticks and stands with the linesman rope though. my favorite is being on the ground eyeball to eyeball, in a ghillie .

[archeryprof]

The guys in my hunting group have hunted mostly out of adjustable tripod stands 12- 14 ft tall with swivel seats we have built ourselves.The areas in Texas we typically hunt have lots of bushy cedar trees (junipers) that usually don't grow much higher than maybe 20 ft. or so.We place the tripod in near the center of the tree and wire back some limbs to create shooting lanes.Some of the nice benefits are sitting in a comfortable seat, good visibility and the ability to rotate and shoot 360 degrees.

[Lori]

Fear of heights, I used cedar clusters for most of my dee, although a couple I got while simply sitting on a downed tree trunk with no cover.

[SlowBowKing]

I hate heights! Have hunted out of hang-on stands, but have no interest in doing it again. The whole time I’m thinking about not falling, even though I’m secured.

I’ve got one 10’ ladder stand, but haven’t used it in a couple of years. I just love ground hunting, especially in a ghillie. I’ve got one old crappy ground blind I’ll use late season when the weather is really crazy.

[Deno]

Been ground hunting since I started in the 60's.   No desire to be up.  A well brushed in spot and good back cover to break up my outline works for me.   

Deno

[electricstart]

Friend you make a great ground blind. I do agree nothing more exciting then harvesting a deer eye to eye on ground but I get a lot more opportunities in a tree . This in my area mostly hardwoods . I do occasional use a blowdown as a ground blind. Works good if wind is right.

[mnbwhtr]

My last twenty years have been mostly spent in hang ons or ladder stands. When I was in my 20's and early 30's I shot most of my deer just sneaking slowly around on the ground but now in my 70's my balance isn't good enough to sneak around. I've used a popup at waterholes and done ok but really feel restricted on vision. Any way I get out works for me!

[dnovo]

I want to try more ground hunting but I love being in a tree. I like being able to see better and I’m very comfortable with heights. Just turned 66 and still putting up hang ons although I do have a few ladder stands now. I like having hang ons as some of my best hunts have been the first day or 2 I hunted a spot.

[Tom0728]

I hunt from the ground a lot. Just pic a spot with back cover and hold still. But I do have a lone wolf that really makes things easy when I need to cheat the wind or get a little higher in some cases. Only takes a few minutes to pack up and down.