Never used a ground blind..............just found a concealed spot with room to draw, like under a big cedar tree. Hunting on the ground is fun and rewarding.......you just cant see as good as you could in a deer stand. I use to hunt from the ground all the time, the biggest buck i ever killed was on the ground with his nose in a film canister of tinks 69!
Ladder stands will not hurt the tree one bit..........what is he going to do inspect every tree when you leave?