As an experience hunter what is your preference for hunting - ground blind or tree blind? Do you like to change from ground to tree for different animals? Please discuss your setup.....
For instance you may prefer the ground for deer, turkeys and varmits and tree for bear........
SURVEY: Hunting preference - Tree stand or Ground Blind???
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I like to travel light for deer.I prefer the ground with my Excal. Just be clean and downwind of anticipated deer travel.
I just keep some lightweight pruners in my fannypack and utilize any available natural surrounding foliage to break up my outline.This only takes a few minutes and has proved very successful for me.
Hope that helps.
Norm
I just keep some lightweight pruners in my fannypack and utilize any available natural surrounding foliage to break up my outline.This only takes a few minutes and has proved very successful for me.
Hope that helps.
Norm
Last edited by Normous on Sun Feb 05, 2006 2:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Huskemaw and Leupold crossbow optics.
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SWAT BH's and TOTA heads.
Teach Your Family How To Hunt So You Don't Have To Hunt For Your Family
I use both depending on the set-up. I may have two or three tree stands and one or two ground blinds set up at camp and pick the "best set-up for the conditions" I put that in quotes because if I am lucky I guess correctly once a year. 
If I am walking I will take a ground blind because they set up fast and you make very little noise doing it.
I set my tree stands as early as June or July and will set in them during the summer to scout and take pictures. If you have small critters living close by and they squawk at you, you have time to relocate your stand. Squirrels and some birds can give you away. I stay away all of August to not change the travel routes of the target critters.
I once had a fox squirrel climb up my leg and sit on my shoulder to eat a nut. I was holding a recurve and did not know what to do. I turned my head and said BOOO!!! The Squirrel jumped five feet into the air and fell maybe 15 feet. He saw doing 30 miles per before he hit the ground. Dam thing climbed a tree about ten feet away and barked at me for an hour. That squirrel and one of my arrows may still be pinned to that tree.
Kevin
If I am walking I will take a ground blind because they set up fast and you make very little noise doing it.
I set my tree stands as early as June or July and will set in them during the summer to scout and take pictures. If you have small critters living close by and they squawk at you, you have time to relocate your stand. Squirrels and some birds can give you away. I stay away all of August to not change the travel routes of the target critters.
I once had a fox squirrel climb up my leg and sit on my shoulder to eat a nut. I was holding a recurve and did not know what to do. I turned my head and said BOOO!!! The Squirrel jumped five feet into the air and fell maybe 15 feet. He saw doing 30 miles per before he hit the ground. Dam thing climbed a tree about ten feet away and barked at me for an hour. That squirrel and one of my arrows may still be pinned to that tree.
Kevin
Treestand or ground
I presently hunt 100% out of a Summit Viper climbing tree stand. I have learned to like the climber for various reasons better than putting up 12 portable stands each year. I really like the visability from my tree stand. I enjoy seeing things as well as shooting things. I can see where ground blinds would work very well in some instances. I am in the process of learning/reading how others use them. Once I am comfortable with one I will try it. I think I will use one around the food plots I want to plant this year. I would like to hear others advice and experiances using both pop up and manmade natural ground blinds.
I prefer the tree stand for it's added visability and scent control during the early season. In late season, after all the leaves are off, the ground blind often has the concealment advantage.
I voted tree stand simply because I'd rather be perched in a tree in good weather than huddled in a ground blind in freezing weather
But I do my share of hunting from both. This season the kill ratio was even. One from a treestand and one from the pop-up blind, which reminds me of another advantage of the elevated stand! I found that arrow!!!!!
I voted tree stand simply because I'd rather be perched in a tree in good weather than huddled in a ground blind in freezing weather
But I do my share of hunting from both. This season the kill ratio was even. One from a treestand and one from the pop-up blind, which reminds me of another advantage of the elevated stand! I found that arrow!!!!!
wabi
Bow season: my favorite is a Rivers Edge climber. Heavy but really stable and safe. I have shot a lot of deer from it. However, I also use portables at fixed sites in funnels, scrapes or rub lines. I only hunt when the wind is right.
I also have a North Star climber that is too light and unstable. I will not use it this year. Too dangerous.
Gun season: Again Rivers Edge Climber or a natural ground blind if I am not Still Hunting.
What a great year for scouting so far. Incredible gound conditions. Next month a few new stands will go up. I am still seeing horns attached to the bucks. Have the sheds started in other locations in Ontario yet?
Kendo Kid
I also have a North Star climber that is too light and unstable. I will not use it this year. Too dangerous.
Gun season: Again Rivers Edge Climber or a natural ground blind if I am not Still Hunting.
What a great year for scouting so far. Incredible gound conditions. Next month a few new stands will go up. I am still seeing horns attached to the bucks. Have the sheds started in other locations in Ontario yet?
Kendo Kid
The only ex who has a piece of my heart is Excalibur
I prefer a tree stand because most of my setup are in wooded (thick) areas. I like the advantage of being able to see into the cover a bit father because of the elevated stand. It gets you above their noses too. Every advantage helps.
I find sitting on the ground nice in early season or spring (turkeys) because the sun is warm and I tend to doze off .
I find sitting on the ground nice in early season or spring (turkeys) because the sun is warm and I tend to doze off
.I hunt for memories, the meat's a bonus!
No problem, GreyOwl, the idea hear is to get us talking about hunting techniques. I'm not just focused on my situation. One thing I can see is that the part of the country and time of year will influence the use of tree stand versus ground blind. For instance, in my area (South Centeral Texas - Hill Country) there are very few straight climbing trees. Our trees are mainly Live Oak, Juniper, Mesquite, and in the river bottoms Cedar Elm, Pecan, Sycamore, etc. It is generally colder in a tree here than on the ground because we very rarely have snow or ice; so, I have the tendancy to prefer the ground - plus I'm 63 years old so obviously I'm not interested in climbing. Finally as you know I live on a small acerage and the deer are relatively gentle because I feed them daily. A ground blind will allow me to get in position to take a well planned shot and reposition over the feed. I am currently using an Ameristep Outhouse blind that belongs to my friend. It is a good blind but small. I would prefer the DogHouse because of its larger diameter. My main complaint with the Ameristep is the noise that the zippers make when opening and closing the window flaps. My understanding is that the Double Bull has a much quieter system. But, it cost much more.Sorry Patmax, I've only hunted from a tree stand, never from a ground blind. So I guess I can't make an honest opinion.
Anyway GreyOwl and fellow forum members - let's keep talking and get some good discussion going on hunting techniques including: food plots, stratagies for different situation, preparation the day before the hunt, urban hunting vs rural hunting vs wilderness hunting, stalking and tracking, essential items to take on the hunt related to the length of time of the hunt, and on and on.
Good hunting,
patmax
