Bow Hunting - Do you prefer to use a ground blind or tree stand?

[jrussell]

Hey Guys - I'm struggling to decide on whether I should buy a ground blind or a ladder stand. I've read the pro's and cons's of each, but I'm still stuck in the middle. For me the main difference between the two is that ground blinds offer a larger area to make a kill shot. This year will be my first year bow hunting and I've never shot from a tree stand before, so making an accurate shot does worry me. What do you guys prefer and why? 

I've read other forums on this subject but none from here. You guys have always given me A+ advice and info in the past, so I really value your opinions on here.  

Thanks, 

Justin

[thphm]

Don't laugh a lot of people do this , Shoot from a outside deck on the second floor of there house , Get on the roof of there shed , house or garage and shoot from there , you will see if you are comfortable with the height and will see how your shot placement is before buying any thing.

You will actually see a greater distance from up in a tree then on the ground most of the time.

[GreeneHunter]

Don't buy a ground blind .... grab a couple of pallets and set them up covering them with brush from the surrounding foliage . Then buy a ladder Stand and put it wherever !

[NFA-ADK]

Ground blinds can be created yourself.  All you need to do is bring some brush that matches the area and basically make a fort with shooting lanes.  You can chop some of the woods in the area (Private land only) to get limbs and branches to cover your area up.  Then you only need a good seat.  You can do this in many area's to play the wind and cost is very little, you can make them permanent and do not have to take them down.  Wear gloves to keep scent to a minimum. 

 

Tree stand are great for viewing deer, your scent is higher.  If you choose this route please be safe and use a safety harness and tether system, especially if you are solo.  If you get a stand, set up a target under it at different ranges to get use to shooting down. 

 

If you can afford a tree stand they have many advantages over a blind.  But blinds can be made for free and you really only need a seat and can set up a few area's with very little cost.  I would do the blinds first. 

[NFA-ADK]

Ground blind also keeps your shooting the exact same way you have been practicing.  Shooting from a stand you have to "brake" at the waist and bend the front knee to keep good form.  Shooting from a stand is slightly different than from the ground but no different than shooting from a hill... 

[monkeyman2269]

I hunt both I like the ground better

[Elmo]

It all depends on the area you hunt.  The places I hunt, there are natural elevations and natural cover that I can hide in.  I prefer the ground more because I like to move.  I'll sit still all morning.  Mid-afternoon, I'll stalk.  Late afternoon I'll sit again at a different spot.  The areas that I hunt are more pressured so the deer tends to shift patterns every once in a while so I adjust.  I have a spot, a backup spot, a backup to my backup spot and a backup to my backup to my backup spot, etc.  A climber (I hunt public lands) is just too much of a hassle to go up and down the tree repeatedly.  I use the climber only if I am hunting a spot where there is no natural cover or I can't get a clear shooting lane.  You have to know the layout of the land, the behavior of the deer and adjust accordingly.

[Hock3y24]

I practice from

My house roof, I prefer stand hunting with a bow

[grampy]

I have hunted both but now prefer a natural ground blind. When done right you are hidden very well and I've had deer pass literally 2 feet away. While on the ground you must keep all movement to a minimum and you can get away with more movement up higher. But if you make multiple ground blinds in the same general area, you will always have the wind advantage and can move easily  if conditions should change. Or you see a deer too far out of range that perhaps you could stalk for a better shot. Tree stands and ground blinds both have their advantages and disadvantages. As you gain experience with hunting both ways, you will be better equipped to decide on a given day, to go high or go low.

[philoshop]

Plenty of positives and negatives for both choices. If you're comfortable with being up in a tree, and with shooting from there, it's a good way to see more game and keep your scent and movements from being detected.

 

Being up in a tree keeps you anchored to a spot as well. If I'm in a ground blind I'll get antsy and probably start moving by 9:00 or 9:30. I've shot a lot of deer between 10 and noon just because it wasn't easy to walk away from the tree stand. ;- )

 

Whichever you choose, practice shooting from it before the hunt! You have to be very confident that you can make the shot. You owe it to the animal, and to yourself.

Best of luck to you this season.

[gfdeputy2]

you can be successful either way! I do not like heights so I hunt from the ground. I don't even use my blind much but you should practice a lot shooting using either. I agree with philoshop I can't sit for more then a couple hours. This is why I use either much but I have had great success still hunting with a bow

good luck with either one you buy & good luck this year

 

[genesee_mohican]

Hunting from a tree stand has a lot of advantages, but the main one is being able to draw your bow with much less chance of a deer seeing you make the movement to draw and get into position to make a shot.  I'll take a tree stand over a ground blind in most situations.

[thphm]

Pop up blind for me from now on , just too old to climb a tree , I just gave 2 good climbers away. My new one is a plenty big 8' + x8' + x 7' tall No problem drawing a bow or aiming a rifle , Had deer walk up to it 15' away last year eating for quite some time. Never Spooked.

[growalot]

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I group the blinds according to the wind and with in a 100yards no less than 150 ft...the blinds are placed scattered around before and between stand set ups....that way if I'm going in or coming out and glass deer between me and my destination...I can always get to cover and not spook them and get a chance at them should they come my way...pic shows a typical blind....

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[HuntOrBeHunted]

Treestand. Ground blinds are great for gun hunting or if there's just no solid trees. The chances of spooking a deer from the ground are much higher than from a treestand.

 

Drawing your bow is the biggest thing to practice past the shot itself. The buck I shot last year was ready to dart right off after I drew back. Lucky for me I had a good shot to take and let the arrow fly quick.

 

All in all, in this certain situation I think a treestand would be your best bet hands down. IMO.

 

Goodluck.

[Doc]

This bowhunter has come down out of the trees a couple of decades ago because of a vertigo thing. So I have been forced to hunt in the eyeball to eyeball fashion for quite a few years. I have put in a lot of years with both methods, and have developed quite a list of pros and cons.

 

First of all, let me make a general statement that I do believe that hunting on the ground is a handicapped method of hunting. No, it's not that I was never picked off while in treestands, but deer are more conditioned and in tune with danger at the ground level. There are also some occasional benefits from elevated scent paths, although not as big a deal as you might think. Your view of incoming deer is generally enhanced by being elevated. That is kind of a big advantage.

 

On the other side of the coin, my deer hunting has become a whole lot more exciting since I came out of the trees. The challenges of dealing with the senses of deer on the same level, can really be a crazy thing to experience. I have been in situations where I could have reached out and touched deer. I have had deer just on the opposite side of the tree I was standing behind. That's some pretty exciting stuff, that I never was able to experience up in the trees. Although I seldom use this advantage, I do have available the element of mobility with deer that refuse to travel within shooting range. You can quickly shift into still-hunting mode if that becomes necessary and seems advisable.

 

I have not had a lot of experience with the pop-up variety, tent-style, ground blinds, but I can see some pretty nifty advantages. I would theorize that they might contain the free flow of scent to some extent. Also, they can likely make inclement weather a whole lot more enjoyable, keeping you on the hunt for a longer period of time. Also, they can allow you a bit more freedom of movement without risking being spotted.

 

The choices of up in the trees vs. down on the ground is not always as simple as you might think. There are the things that I have mentioned and many more considerations that you will have to apply to make the decision. Probably the most important thing to keep in mind is that both hunting styles are widely used, and both are successful. So in the end, the decision is up to you.

[greensider]

here is my opinion i am 50 i hunted from an api climber for a long time i loved that stand but as i age i am now very happy to use a ladder stand they are set up you just walk in an climb up done but when its raining i use a ground blind they are also great when on a new spot you can move around if needed so i thing you need them all 

[landtracdeerhunter]

I hunt it all, dependent on weather conditions, time of the year, fruit and nut crop, and just plain how feel that day, My senses tell me where to go and I know how to get there, LOL. Don't limit yourself to just a couple options. You will evolve into a better hunter.

[G-Man]

I would get a hang on and a good ladder system, ladder are big clunky, and you need 2 people to set them up and once up you don't move them as it is a pain in the ass. That really limits you when hunting when the deer are crossing just out of range as with a hanger you can move in less than 30 minutes, I wouldn't buy a ground blind but would use natural materials or cheap materials to build them in proven locations, (artificial christmas trees that are tossed out make great ground blinds and last for years.)

[BizCT]

Neither. Just natural stuff. Sit against a tree or rock wall and like some branches around you

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[fasteddie]

Never cared for hang on stands due to the short depth of the seat . In cold weather your back is next to the tree and it feels like your back is against an ice cycle .

Ground blinds are fine and are comfortable .. I wouldn't bow hunt in anything other than a Hub Blind vs Dog House type blind as they are roomy enough to be able to shoot a bow . Great for cold weather and rainy days !

I really prefer using Ladder stands . They are rather inexpensive and I can put one up without any help . The 2 man stand is great for a single Bow Hunter as it is quite roomy . Excellent visibility but you have to be careful how you set it up so you aren't "sky lined" . It needs to be in a tree with some cover and a big enough diameter tree that doesn't sway a lot on a windy day .

[Jeremy K]

During bow season is always from a stand,gun season not so much. Blow downs always make for nice ground blinds and the deer may not be as spooked because it's been there for awhile.

[ants]

Bow hunting I always use a climber. I like being up and out of sight/smell of deer (although I still get busted sometimes) During gun I mix in ladder stands and ground blinds. The blinds I use, I make myself out of brush, pine bows..etc.

I would say use what you're most comfortable with.

[Jeremy K]

Never cared for hang on stands due to the short depth of the seat . In cold weather your back is next to the tree and it feels like your back is against an ice cycle .

Ground blinds are fine and are comfortable .. I wouldn't bow hunt in anything other than a Hub Blind vs Dog House type blind as they are roomy enough to be able to shoot a bow . Great for cold weather and rainy days !

I really prefer using Ladder stands . They are rather inexpensive and I can put one up without any help . The 2 man stand is great for a single Bow Hunter as it is quite roomy . Excellent visibility but you have to be careful how you set it up so you aren't "sky lined" . It needs to be in a tree with some cover and a big enough diameter tree that doesn't sway a lot on a windy day .

We switched back to hang on stands last year ,we found one called the ol man roost, most comfy stand I have ever used,it has a netted seat that folds straight up and provides plenty of room for a hang on,the best part is they're about 130 bucks.

[ATbuckhunter]

When it comes to the selection you've made, i would prefer to go out of the ladder stand. I almost always prefer to be in a stand if i'm deer hunting. Only time I hunt from the ground is if i'm turkey hunting or if its way to windy to get up the tree. Although there is nothing wrong with a good ground blind or natural ground blind. I hunted that way when i was younger and plenty of deer have fallen to my grandfather that way.