Stand or Blind your thoughts?
#11
Thanks guys Ill use the blind the opening 5 days after school than Ill use the stand right now its 15 foot should i apply the other steps or leave it keep in mind i am 13 though
#12
Nontypical Buck
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,186
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here's my $.02. I started deer hunting at about your age back in 1962. I have both bow hunted and gun hunted since then. If you were my son, I'd be like your mom. I suggest that you stay on the ground. Many a deer has been killed by bow hunters that were in a "hide" or ground blind of some sort. My first was from behind a brush pile hide I had made. There is nothing wrong with a well made brush-hide ... except you are open to scent, so the blind has to be down wind from the deer to work and when it rains, you'll get wet !!!!
However, if you do decide to hunt from a ladder, 15' above the deer is adequate. I would suggest two things. In fact I'd insist on one. That would be that you wear a safety harness. And invest in a good one that is easy to use. Something like3 "Seat-O-The-Pants", or "Hunter Safety Systems" or "fast back" harnesses are good products. Those that come with stands now are OK too, just a bit cumbersome in most cases. There are a lot of safety tips for hunting from elevated stands .... like leave the gun or bow on the ground and lift it by a rope only after you are set up and strapped in, never lift or lower a loaded gun, make sure that the ladder stand is well secured to the tree in at least 3 places before climbing ... two at the top and one about half way up, etc. Ratchet straps work great.
Second - Practice with your bow from the 15' elevation. There is an adjustment to make when elevated as compared to when "level" with a target. Practice at many distances and several left-right "angles". For me the extremely close, to the right side shot is the toughest .. I am right handed and twisting in that direction and holding good form at full draw shooting almost straight down is not easy.
As far as buying a portable blind ... you can spend about as much as you want on one.
From about $400 down to about $50. Others have hit it on the head ... make sure you have plenty enough room to turn 180 degrees or so and make a quiet draw. A good buy in my book is an Ameristep G-20 pup up. It'll go for about $75 and works well. Not as good as th heavier duty, easier to set up blinds like the Double Bull and Ground Max blinds, but a good starter blind for sure. The small "tee-pee" blinds will not work for archery. No room to draw and stay hidden.
However, if you do decide to hunt from a ladder, 15' above the deer is adequate. I would suggest two things. In fact I'd insist on one. That would be that you wear a safety harness. And invest in a good one that is easy to use. Something like3 "Seat-O-The-Pants", or "Hunter Safety Systems" or "fast back" harnesses are good products. Those that come with stands now are OK too, just a bit cumbersome in most cases. There are a lot of safety tips for hunting from elevated stands .... like leave the gun or bow on the ground and lift it by a rope only after you are set up and strapped in, never lift or lower a loaded gun, make sure that the ladder stand is well secured to the tree in at least 3 places before climbing ... two at the top and one about half way up, etc. Ratchet straps work great.
Second - Practice with your bow from the 15' elevation. There is an adjustment to make when elevated as compared to when "level" with a target. Practice at many distances and several left-right "angles". For me the extremely close, to the right side shot is the toughest .. I am right handed and twisting in that direction and holding good form at full draw shooting almost straight down is not easy.
As far as buying a portable blind ... you can spend about as much as you want on one.
From about $400 down to about $50. Others have hit it on the head ... make sure you have plenty enough room to turn 180 degrees or so and make a quiet draw. A good buy in my book is an Ameristep G-20 pup up. It'll go for about $75 and works well. Not as good as th heavier duty, easier to set up blinds like the Double Bull and Ground Max blinds, but a good starter blind for sure. The small "tee-pee" blinds will not work for archery. No room to draw and stay hidden.
#13
I use both. But 1 of my main reasons I will use a blind is it keeps you out of the weather on those snowy or windy days. Plus if you keep a window or 2 closed behind ya you can stretch and move a little easier. Keeps them from picking you off also.
#14
for an open food plot with no tree lines i'd go with a blind...but there have been a number of times when i was in a blind and a deer would go behind a tree and i'd never see it again...so IMO a tree stand just for the field ofview
#15
stand, the huge increase in ability to see increased visual range I think plus scent up high. Seeing a deer coming yards out vs. once on top of you ....both can be used effectively though.




