Blind or Treestand
 

Hey guys... i'm new to bowhunting and i wanted to get some of your guys opinion on what i should be using as far as stands go... should i use a ground blind ora climbing stand...i don't hunt on my own property so i need to have options... hopefully one of these days i'll get my first

RE: Blind or Treestand
 

I killed my first buck/deer this past season from a ground pop up blind but what I saw of several deer is that they were very leary of it.....I prefer to be in a treestand.

RE: Blind or Treestand
 

i say you can ONLY hunt tree stands with bow, the reason is first you can see alot further with a tree stand, second you have more time to move and react with out it seeing you, 3rd once you draw back you have alot less of a chance being seen in a tree stand then being eye level with a deer. I like tree stand alot more.

RE: Blind or Treestand
 

I hunt in stands and stands only when during bow season...

RE: Blind or Treestand
 

YEP I THINK IS BETTER A TREE SATND THAN GROUND LEVEL , HAVE MORE VIEW AND YOU CAN MOVE ALOT EASIER

RE: Blind or Treestand
 

Tree stands are the way to go in my oppinion,getting you off the ground(min height 15 feet) They can get you out of the deers site permitting height of stand(the higher the better) and carries your scent over them.It gives you a better view of whats going on in your surroundings,especially early season with all the leaves and foilage.
Ground blinds have there place also.Sometimes you will find the perfect spot in your mind but will have no available trees to set up your ambush.
As you also stated,you dont hunt on your own property and theft is a possibility on expensive stands.Make sure you get a good lock for it and take your last few bottom steps with you when you leave for the day.This will make it harder for the guy to climb your tree and try to remove stand.Maybe even better is purchase a good climber and get comfortable with it.Big advantages are you can take it with you when finished hunting and they are very portable,leaving you more choices to move around freely without all the hassle and work of moving portables.
You will find a thread started here by one of our members on the Double Bull Blind,these are awesome as you are enclosed in completly getting you out of the elements,and being very portable and moveable.
Each has there advantages,but remember the only way to fool a deer is play the wind.

RE: Blind or Treestand
 

I began hunting with a bow "before" treestands and shot deer each year. After they became popular I hunted from them exclusively for whitetails until a couple of years ago. I started noticing that the deer were really catching on to this tree thing and began hunting from the ground again. Last season I had a good 7 pt. at 4 yds. and drew on him letting him pass. Then I took a real good buck at 8 yds. from the ground. I know I'll hunt from trees again but I also wont hesitate to hunt from the ground if the the right tree situation isn't available.

RE: Blind or Treestand
 

To constantly get close to deer, see more than see you and to score, use a treestand and get off the ground. I like higher, but I think you need to be a minimum of 14 or 15 feet. If you're spooked at that or higher, just keep working on it. I get jittery early in the season, but after a few dozen hunts it's old hat and I have to watch out I don't just walk off the dang thing. I've really almost done that. I do wear a full body harness now so I guess my stupidity wouldn't kill me. Blinds are the only answer in some spots, but wind and movement are so much more critical. First choice...get off the ground.

RE: Blind or Treestand
 

i have done both but it seems that treestands are generally the way to go. you can hunt effectively from a blind but not all situations will work, but the same is true with treestands.

RE: Blind or Treestand
 

There are conditions that will be better for a treestand than a groundblind and vice versa. I use both, and since I've had my blind have taken as many deer from one as the other. If you can set the blind afew daysearly, and brush it in real good (use proper scent control when doing this...rubber boots, latex gloves ALWAYS) you'll have no problem. You can rattle antlers alot easier. Also, if you are new to bowhunting, a blind can allow you to move a little more(fidget)without getting busted. It takes a little practice to remain perfectly still for 12 hours! Remember to practice the same scent control on your blind that you do on your clothes. Don't store it in the garage next to the gas cans, or where the dog can lay on it. Spray it with scent eliminator (or Carbon-Blast if it is the charcoal-lined type like Eastman Outfitters). And get one with silent magnetic window fasteners, not velcro (I wish I had!).
The other good thing about having a blind for deer, is that you'll have one for turkey season, too. And they are definitely better than a treestand for gobblers!