I hunted my entire first year without a tree stand, used ground blinds that we built out of deadfall and branches and the existing cover. I had really once chance during archery season that I could have taken a deer out of my blind, but since we were holding off on 4 pts or less I let the buck and doe that was with it walk. Later that same season just standing amongst a little clump of pines I took my first deer with a 12 gauge.

2nd year I picked up a hang on stand and a climber. I had 3 shots at deer in the first week of archery from a stand (make sure you practice shooting from elevation if you use one. I blew all three shots with my bow. [:@] That same week hunting from a little sugar shack I also missed a shot at a buck with a bow. Come Shotgun season I took the 10pt in my signature with my 12 gauge from my climber stand. The deer was about 15 feet away from the base of my tree when I shot it. I don't think the buck would have approached that close if I was on the ground.

I bought a cheap popup blind this offseason and this last weekend tried it out. I found it very small to try and draw a bow in. I had one doe pass by me out of range, but noticed she was watching me intently the whole time as she trotted by. My mistake I guess was not having the blind setup awhile for the deer to get used to it. I left it out and will probably not use it till shotgun season. I'lll probably be in stands most the rest of bow season. Come shotgun season I'll use my stands some but also do some ground hunting.

There are lots of options out there, do what works for you or you like. Also if you want try hunting from makeshift blinds and stalking for the first year, make sure you enjoy hunting enough before you dump your fortune onto any real fancy equipment. If you do get a stand I suggest a climber, just be carefull with it and no matter what do not climb a tree with it unless both part are teathered together (this could save your life, did for me when I was descending this weekend and base slipped down the tree.) I also like the shooting shooting rail, big platform to stand on and bigger seat with a back on the climber opposed to the rather small hang-on stand I have. Makes me feel much more secure when I'm 20 feet or higher up a tree.