Hard times and the money is lacking. Because of this, I don't have access to a tree stand or ground blind. Since I've been limited to the ground, how should I go about hunting whitetails? Should I attempt to build a natural "blind" or should I just hunker down against a tree and wait? Or should I rather stalk and cover more ground? An aerial view of my potential hunting area will be included. Thanks!

Note: Legal hunting grounds are inside the green line. I apologize in advance for using MS Paint.

I never felt they were absolutely necessary in every part of the U.S.
In the south, with the warm, and I mean warm weather, tree stands are just about a necessity. Leaf growth in the south, and sweat, makes discovery of the hunter very easy for the scent smelling deer.

In the north I would definitely try a natural blind. If necessary I would go to a ground blind at best, which are much less than the "new" $400 climbing tree stands. Make sure, if you get one, that you can full draw the bow in the ground blind. Some of the real cheap ones are a little too small. (Well for me, whose knuckles drag on the ground when I walk)

I would have hated to learn using a tree stand, exclusively. Tree stands inhibit movement, and you learn deer by moving on the ground. Even if you disturb deer now and then.

I would get yourself some good camo that matches the terrain or even a ghillie suit made for bowhunting. Or make one and then use the landscape to your advantage. Make sure you are up against a tree trunk or dead fall or sunk into a thicket so you have good cover behind you and move around if you want throughout the day - sparingly and with great care. Plenty of people take big bucks from the ground. The key is patience and using the landscape to your advantage. You need to blend it and become invisible, which again means good camo + using the terrain + minimal movement. The most exciting hunt yet for me was closing the distance on a yearling doe from 200 yards to 30 and loosing an arrow through both lungs. That was nuts versus the usual stationary hunting I do from a natural blind, pop-up or treestand.

BTW, good camo doesnt have to be expensive, just match the ground your are hunting. And really, if you conceal yourself well enough using the landscape, you might just need a good shirt or coat and some face paint.

Now it seems that I would be relatively motionless all day. Aside from keeping my eyes peeled for deer or coyotes, what can be done to pass time?

Also, not sure how hard the times are, but Rivers Edge makes a 13 foot ladderstand designed for portability (breaks down into a 30 plus pound backpack rig) for about $50 if you can find it on sale. There are also some cheap hub blinds out there for under $80 when you can find them on sale. I got my Yukon Tracks hub style blind for $60 last year and really like it. Cheaper material but it does the job and I don't have to sit so still. Otherwise, I'd just suggest not hunting all day, just during what you'd consider prime time for your spot so you don't have to conceal movement for so long.

i dont use a climber or a lader. i make my stands. if your not allowed to nail into trees find to trees close together, get some wood and nail it together for a platform. make sure each end has post so you can tie it into the tree. i use paracord. its been in this tree for 2 years and still sturdy. i use a camo 5 gallon bucket with a cushion. Some times i will even climb up a tree and stand in it. i shot my last buck doing that

If you trust your carpentry skills, build one.

Find the right tree, you can build one for under $20.

Illinois Wildlife Code prevents me from building permanent structures or nailing/screwing into trees. What I do will be strictly from the ground... Now looking at the aerial view I provided, what kind of game plan, per se, is recommended for hunting this chunk of land?

I assume since the post is in the bowhunting forum you will be hunting with a bow. A great idea for a natural blind is to use cedar trees, we had a problem with them moving in and "invading" some of the newer wooded areas on one of the farms and went through and cut them all down. Not only does it help with visual protection, but the cedars give off wonderful scent protection as well... Just a thought