snowrider

I'm new here - have returned to the love of archery that was long left in my youth.

I am recovering from a surgery where they rebuilt my entire cervical spine. Lot's of screws and steel. Short story is the Doc says it's not worth the risk to use a tree stand. Even falling with a safety line is potentially dangerous.

That having been said, I know that there are guys that spot & stalk, as well as hunt from a portable ground blind. I'm leaning toward the blind but I don't know. Would like to know some of your preferences and why. Hunting Whitetale in Minnesota.

Thanks -

Don

BowHuntingFool

Hey Snowrider welcome aboard!!!! Sounds like a tough recovery hope you heal well. I mostly hunt out of a tree but do ground hunt in the early season! Where I hunt its pretty hard to spot and stalk. I've never tried a ground blind but I'm planning on it this year! Good luck.

Terasec

Hello,

Glad to see your still hunting,

tend to hunt from the ground, and occassionally stalk, but rarely,
hunting from the ground works fine, you just have to know the routes the deer will take and hope it crosses your path,

No matter how you hunt, enjoy

Stone316_74

Hey fellow Minnesotan hope your recovery goes well. I myself don't much care for tree stands (I do hunt out of them). I arrowed my first bow kill in Oct. of 04 sitting on a pale on the ground. She walked right up to me (8 yds). The rest is history. I think either way you'll find both will work if done properly. Good luck. Where you from in MN?

nodog

Go get'em Don.

I've tried spot and stalk before and had my best chance when a group of starlings covered my noise and even then a buck heard me. Just so happened that he was to curious. Gave me a broad side which I drove into a tree. Bummer. I have had not much luck at spot and stalk. If you want to test yourself try sneaking up on a cat and see how you do. I practise on my wife's. I think a ground blind would be good.

BowHuntingFool

Hey Stone that had to be a rush, aye!!!! I've never taken a deer from ground level with my bow, close though! Like I said that's gotta be a rush!!!

snowrider

Thanks for the replies/opinions. I am currently contemplating a couple of the portable stands from Cabelas. They are reasonably priced and light to carry.

Stone316_74 - I'm in the southeast supburbs of the Twin Cities - will probably be hunting down around Hastings in the Gores Pool WMA.

Don

Jollyarcher

Prefer the elevated vantage point here... although spot and stalk has produced deer sightings within bow range as well. I've not used a blind, but have used natural cover, blowdowns and such, for ambush points when hunting at ground zero. Portable climbing stands will always be my first choice.

Dubbya

snowrider, hey welcome. anyway I frequently use a ground blind even though I still hunt from a tree as well. I would recommend the Eastman Carbon Venture blind. It is much like the double bull as far as the turnbuckles are concerned. They are very reasonably priced and you can get great deals on ebay. Good luck.

NY Bowhunter

Mostly treestands here. I do use a ground blind from time to time. The ultimate challenge and rush is spot and stalk though. You have to be one crafty hunter to spot and stalk a deer to within bowrange. A great rush the whole time too. Wet days I like to poke around the standing corn rows and stalk. Except it sort of freaks me out towards night. I start to remember the Children of the Corn movie and I have to bolt.[:-]