ground or tree stand

[upstatehunter]

Anyone have advantages or disadvantages of sit on the ground when hunting or tree stand. Positive and negative for both.

[turkeyfeathers]

I see no advantages of sitting on ground

 

Advantages of treestand : Better view, scent control, less likely get nabbed moving by vision of deer as traditionally they don't have predators in trees.  And #1 reason is it's so fun to pee my name in the snow from 18 ' from up in a tree

[mlammerhirt]

We hunt exclusively gun hunt out of permanent ground blinds and they are amazing. Zero movement is detected by deer, out of the elements, and a solid rest for long distance shots....a few years back it was a miserable rainy opening morning and we were able to stick it out for the long haul in the ground blinds....by the close of opening day we had 5 bucks in the ground, and a sixth was killed the following morning in a mini blizzard...

[philoshop]

Lots of posts about this here. Search and surf my friend.

 

One advantage with a tree stand is that you're scent is above the ground and might stay that way depending on air movement. Another is that it gets your line of sight above the stuff that's on the forest floor which could give you a better shot opportunity.

The biggest advantage with a tree stand when it comes to a new(ish) hunter is that it keeps them in one spot so they don't wander around scaring everything.

[turkeyfeathers]

We hunt exclusively gun hunt out of permanent ground blinds and they are amazing. Zero movement is detected by deer, out of the elements, and a solid rest for long distance shots....a few years back it was a miserable rainy opening morning and we were able to stick it out for the long haul in the ground blinds....by the close of opening day we had 5 bucks in the ground, and a sixth was killed the following morning in a mini blizzard...

I've got that all covered with my shooting rail and camo umbrella strapped above my head. My brother hunts from a "hobbit house" made of stone and mortar , complete with floor and wood burning stove. Kills a lot of deer from in there. But I am completely jealous on cruddy weather days.

[turkeyfeathers]

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Hunting/Hunting-Treestands/Tower-Box-Blinds%7C/pc/104791680/c/104783580/sc/104424480/The-TreeBlind-by-Nature-Blinds/1602308.uts?destination=%2Fcatalog%2Fbrowse%2Ftower-box-blinds%2F_%2FN-1100105%2FNs-CATEGORY_SEQ_104424480%3FWTz_l%3DUnknown%253Bcat104783580&WTz_l=Unknown%3Bcat104783580%3Bcat104424480

 

 ^ ^ 

WANT !!!

[mjac]

I always use a brushed in ground blind, with comfy chair/backrest.   I leave up from Sept until after muzzy, with three good sides of view, the back side I always have facing the way the wind normally blows, and against a big blow down,  so I never have to turn around in it. 

        I have had tremendous luck with this and gave up the trees long ago.  I can drink my coffee, play with my phone, take a nap, snack  and stay out of the weather.

          I put it in the same spot year after year, and have all my shooting lanes cut out.  Harvest  2-3 a year. 

 

The model I have is the smaller rounder one, with the metal side spring ring frames.

 

Ameristep Doghouse Ground Blind 60" x 60" x 68" Polyester

 

I also collect old xmas trees people trash and throw them around for extra cover !!

 

[turkeyfeathers]

{{I also collect old xmas trees people trash and throw them around for extra cover !!}}

Who throws out old xmas trees before Christmas ? Considering ML season ends around a week and a half before . 

[mlammerhirt]

I am guessing he just brushes it in after the needles fall off...

[upstatehunter]

I ask because in southern tier I hunt state land and always just sit on the ground because we hunt Saturday and Sunday opening weekend. Been debating on putting up a hung stand with climbing sticks. Didn't know if it would be worth it.

[fasteddie]

I prefer Tree Stands when bow hunting for visibility but not for gun as the leaves are gone and the cover is gone .

I prefer the blind when gun hunting as my 73 year old body can get out of the cold wind , snow , etc ..

[thphm]

It all depends on where and when you are hunting. State land you are limited to what you can use and your age. I think a raised blind is the best of both worlds , mostly when you get fasteddie , SOB and my age.

[GreeneHunter]

I have and use both , which is probably the best option .... pays to be flexible !

Edited December 21, 2014 by GreeneHunter

[DirtTime]

As mentioned, there are tone of threads on this topic.

 

But, I am going to be real and tell you flat-out it's a personal preference. Pro's of a tree stand are your are above the main line of sight for a deer. But, look at all the threads where hunters got "busted" in a tree stand.

 

 

Ground blinds while not the best way to use them, can be used on a day to day basis. You just have to know where to set them up. Hm, I guess a 'climber' would cause as much of a "What the hell is that?" from a deer as a ground blind set up the same day. Haven't heard anyone say they got busted in a ground blind.

 

I spent this past season on the ground with no blind. I did start using a camp chair, and them a tiny strap-on tree seat my g/f's father gave me. That was great. I also had deer ( does in the NZ ) walk right in front of me at 10 to 15 yds, while I was smoking a cigarette, and even with the ciggy, they never knew I was there. I only hunt with a bow.

 

Then we have trail cams. I don't know anyone who sets up the cam 20 feet or so up like the view they would have while hunting in a stand. So that 12 pt, you see all the time on your cam, coming from a brushy area, might be visible from the ground, and sneak past you every time if you are in a stand.

 

You have to learn the land, look at the environment, and make your own decision. We don't hunt your area, so in reality, all we can do is give your our opinions. No one can tell you how to hunt your area. You have to figure it out.

 

 

[Lawdwaz]

You could probably count on two hands the deer I've killed from the ground.......on purpose.  Sure I've mooched around and killed deer on foot.  Actually that's how I killed my buck this year but the conditions were PERFECT for it.  I think the only times I've ever spent an opening day on the ground were my early years in PA while hunting the big woods.

 

I know I've never spent an opening day or second day for that matter in NYS hunting from the ground.  I'm always in a treestand and they are all portables or steel ladder stands.  Haven't hunted out of a wooden stand in probably 25 years.

 

Very few places can you see better from the ground, you can see so much more from a elevated stand there's no comparison.  

[halfnelson]

Used to hunt out of tree stands or pine tree stands- no more.  I make blinds out of natural blow downs, and they work great.

[Taylormike]

I think the tree stand has so many more advantages its the only way I hunt.  However maybe some hunters are looking for a little more challenge than the tree stand offers.  Also, maybe there is a spot where a tree stand is not conducive.  Tree stands are difficult to put up and a little more dangerous to hunt out of.  They also get quite expensive oppose to ground blinds which you can easily make from the land. 

 

Tree stands get my vote every single time...

 

Oh YEA... the Bears can't get to you as easily...

Edited December 21, 2014 by Taylormike

[wolc123]

Surprised that no one mentioned the biggest disadvantage of the tree stand. Every season, falls from those causes more serious injuries and deaths to hunters than from any other cause. With a vertical bow, they definitely have an advantage when it comes to fooling a deer in close. Not so much with a crossbow or gun however. I wouldn't be suprised at all to see hunter injuries drop significantly since NY allowed the x-bow this year. I just wish they would give us the rest of archery season. That would pretty much eliminate my need to ever hunt from an elevated stand.

Where I rifle hunt in the Adirondack mountains, up in the northern zone, there is no need for tree stands or blinds, as a chair set up on a high ridge, looking down on a valley provides an ideal vantage point, often several hundred feet above the deer, just due to the topography.

[ants]

I think that hands down, the" advantage " goes to tree stands. Movement and especially scent are much more hidden from deer. I have killed a lot of bucks from the ground, but given the choice I will take tree stands every time…….         Just me.

[tidriver]

which would you choose if hunting state land where you have to put up and take your tree stand or ground blind daily?

[Doc]

There is one outstanding advantage for ground standing. It is way more exciting to meet your prey, eyeball-to-eyeball on their own terms. When you are standing on the ground a deer walks by so close you could almost reach out and touch it, gender, size, and scores all become secondary as that experience alone tops just about everything else in hunting whether it is some monster buck, or a fawn.

[grampy]

I agree with most here that a tree stand will offer more advantages as far as scent,line of sight in some areas and being able to get away with more movement when deer are close. Over the years I have spent many many hours in tree stands. But as I get a bit older,the last few years have been spent 90% on the ground. Since making the switch, my success rate has actually gone up. Simply put,I'm more comfortable on the ground so tend to spend more time hunting. More time in the deer woods = more deer seen and killed. I build natural blinds from stuff found laying nearby or in blow downs and in thick areas near stands of hemlock. Doc really nailed it talking about the close encounters with deer on the ground. There is nothing else like it!

[mjac]

{{I also collect old xmas trees people trash and throw them around for extra cover !!}}

Who throws out old xmas trees before Christmas ? Considering ML season ends around a week and a half before . 

I dont know of anyone who throws out trees before Xmas !

I didnt think I had to really explain, but  ......after Xmas, people put them to the curb, and I will collect a few at a time with my pickup and take to my property and pile them up to brush in the blind area, the dead trees  last for years and make excellent natural cover

[Five Seasons]

all about stands. But I do use a blind sometimes when I'm going for a quick hunt and dont want to mess with the climber or dont have a good tree. a blind is also nice in the rain and if you're going to be fidgeting. but again, nothing beats a tree for me.