RE: Blind vs Stand
My luck with deer increased 10 fold with a treestand. I always saw does from the ground when I was younger but never saw huge bucks. You increase your visibility by 3 or 4 times. I feel they are safer when hunting flat land. And when I changed over to treestands, I finally start seeing the decent bucks from a distance so I can prepare for them to get in bow range.
If I was hunting mountainous country again, I like blinds.