Ground Blind vs Tree Stand for Deer

[Slickhead]

yep
tree stand is for sale
I will get a big mike ground bling or build a brush blind
Get a Ghille boonie and go hunting!

[TGbow]

I sold all my stands 7 years ago. Been considering buying a couple more. I like the fact that I can see a little better from a treestand, but, I keep thinkin about how much more comfortable it is in a good ground blind. I think both methods have pros and cons.

 I was noticing the other day while sitting in my ground blind that a treestand in this particular spot would allow me to see further out around me but from a treestand I would be more limited to how many areas I could shoot because of the other limbs from the trees.

[Herdbull]

I hang over 20 treestands per year. Do you guys that hunt with ground blinds put up 20 fully enclosed ground blinds per year, respectively?

If I get busted in a tree stand, its usually because I moved getting camera or bow, or the deer caught a wiff of me either in the tree or scent on the ground, and then saught me out in the tree. Mike

[Keb]

Tough to beat a tree stand, I wound up spending about 20 days in November on the ground in a ghille suit, because pressure put the deer in some spots where there were not trees. Had all kinds of action missed a stud at 10 yards.

If I was going to set up in the timber, a tree stand is thought to beat.

[BowHunterGA]

I have spent 98% of my season in natural blinds. The only time I have climbed a tree is if the wind left me no other option. I say Blind.

The last time I used my climber it went like this. I was sure that i was going to have action that day so i went a few feet higher up than normal. All the way to the stub branch where I planned on hanging by back quiver. My bow was tied to my waste by a parachute chord. I got up there, then almost fell off when my seat shifted while i was taking off my back quiver. I got a bit scared at that point. I tried to reposition my harness so I could stand to shoot if I had to, which flipped my back quiver on that dead stub. All of my arrows poured out on the ground. So there I was, over twenty feet off the ground ready to hunt looking down at my dangling bow and a dozen arrows and to make it worse I had to potty. I climbed down to where I could jump off the tree stand, close enough, that is where I stayed. The next time, someone stole my seat and my harness.  The last time I used my ladder stand, every deer came on the back side of the tree where there were no trails and I could not shoot at them.  So I went to my other place where I had an elaborate natural ground blind. Somebody planted a tree stand right in my ground blind.  This was all on private land. Now, I hunt portable, on the ground on public land, way more fun with various carry in cover stratagies. I like hunting where there are no trees suitable for tree stands, less competition for places to hunt. I need to get a lighter patterned Ghillie, to match our cover better. I am a believer.  Close and on the ground is cool.

[Knawbone]

I use whatever works. Depending on the situation and circumstances, a well concealed tree stand is tough to beat. Ground blinds whether natural or pop up are indispensable where tree stands don't work. When conditions are right, still hunting/ spot and stalk is my favorite way to hunt, and can be the most effective at times. If ground conditions or wind conditions permit, get out of that tree or blind and go get em!

[Timmypo1]

I say move your stand to a better tree, with more cover.  You're probably being busted by several of the same deer over and over again.  This year I had a old doe bust me when I shot a buck while she was under me.  She busted me at the shot, and busted me several times after that because she would look straight at my stand to see if I was in it every time she came through.  Ground blinds take a lot away from the outdoor experience IMOP.  You spend a lot of time looking at tent walls and not enougph time enjoying the feeling of being outdoors.  I often use natural blinds when no good trees are available at a good spot.  A couple of big downed branches, filled in with brush usually does the trick.

[sweeney3]

Neither.  Walk in and still hunt it.

[johnnyk71]

i have always hunted tree stands, and didn't particularly care for being "closed in". that said, i killed my first deer from a popup last Saturday, and it was pretty awesome. being out of the cold, drizzling rain leading up to that kill was even more awesome, haha!

[Fletcher]

Try brushing in your ladder stand.  Oak branches cut during summer will hold their leaves for 2-3 years.  Brushing is very effective with ladders and I find them easier to conceal than a hang on.

   

[Bowwild]

That's a nice brushing in job!

[LKH]

I have both and either one is a form or torture for me.   I just don't like sitting for hours in one spot.  It's probably why I enjoy spot and stalk so much.

I rifle hunt the northern MN 108 area in country with few deer.  There I use a tree stand a lot and it's tough.  

I used a Ghillie in NM and was amazed at what I could do.