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Ground Blind or Ladderstand?

lowegirl

Junior Member
Okay, so this is my third sit. I feel as though I've learned something with every sit. Rule one, don't drink a pot of coffee before heading out to hunt. As I am a female and can't pee in the woods as easily as some of you guys lol. Rule two, buy a cushion for these next to nothing chairs, as my ass is bigger than the chair, and a 3 hour sit can be a real pain in the ass!!

On a serious note though, not that I need to be super comfy, but I do have a couple of concerns. My husband and I are hunting side by side in a Big Mike blind. It looked huge in our living room, but out in the woods, it's pretty cramped, and I worry about either being able to come to full draw. I'm starting to second guess not getting a stand. Not that the blind is worthless, I just feel like I need to he elevated. The season has started and I really didn't want to he out here messing around. Should I stick with the blind and stay on the ground, or buy a stand and get set up as quickly as possible?
 

Diane

*Supporting Member*
4,715
66
Newark
Okay, so this is my third sit. I feel as though I've learned something with every sit. Rule one, don't drink a pot of coffee before heading out to hunt. As I am a female and can't pee in the woods as easily as some of you guys lol. Rule two, buy a cushion for these next to nothing chairs, as my ass is bigger than the chair, and a 3 hour sit can be a real pain in the ass!!

On a serious note though, not that I need to be super comfy, but I do have a couple of concerns. My husband and I are hunting side by side in a Big Mike blind. It looked huge in our living room, but out in the woods, it's pretty cramped, and I worry about either being able to come to full draw. I'm starting to second guess not getting a stand. Not that the blind is worthless, I just feel like I need to he elevated. The season has started and I really didn't want to he out here messing around. Should I stick with the blind and stay on the ground, or buy a stand and get set up as quickly as possible?

I don't do stands, so I'm no help there, but just wanted to commiserate with you over the "can't pee in the woods easily"! I hate morning hunts and rarely do them. I can't wake up without lots of coffee, then can't hunt without lots of pee breaks! lmao
 

teej89

Senior Member
2,288
48
NE PA
Nothing beats being elevated, but not all places are conducive to stand hunting. It all really depends on the type of place you are hunting.

Yup I'm always in a tree unless there's no possible way to be in one. To hunt out of a ground blind you gotta have it set up and brushed in well beforehand or your first couple sits you'll find the deer will skirt around you. Or you'll feel like they're peering into your soul the entire time they're there.
 

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
39,721
248
Ohio
Terrain and where you are setting it up determines best choices. Hard to help you on this one. The Grounder 350 is a bigger blind but not a ton bigger.
 
The only thing I have against ground blind hunting is that the deer can be on you before you know it. You don't have any "view ahead" warning, like you do with treestands. It also has to do with the deer in your area...as some deer can be very wary of a ground blind and will skirt it by more yardage than you care to deal with. Deer do NOT like the black holes that the windows provide, so mesh screens are a must...which create another problem with mechanical broadheads.

On the other hand treestands require a maximum amount of safety, as the risk of falling is always there. I never climb up/down or sit in a treestand without a safety harness. It's just not worth it. :smiley_armscrossed: Then there's the climber vs. hang-on choices. :smiley_chinrub:

Good luck with your choices!
Bowhunter57
 

lowegirl

Junior Member
I don't do stands, so I'm no help there, but just wanted to commiserate with you over the "can't pee in the woods easily"! I hate morning hunts and rarely do them. I can't wake up without lots of coffee, then can't hunt without lots of pee breaks! lmao
If I can just get one or two cups I'm good to go. Just seems like the moment I get settled my bladder says "guess again" LOL
 

lowegirl

Junior Member
The only thing I have against ground blind hunting is that the deer can be on you before you know it. You don't have any "view ahead" warning, like you do with treestands. It also has to do with the deer in your area...as some deer can be very wary of a ground blind and will skirt it by more yardage than you care to deal with. Deer do NOT like the black holes that the windows provide, so mesh screens are a must...which create another problem with mechanical broadheads.

On the other hand treestands require a maximum amount of safety, as the risk of falling is always there. I never climb up/down or sit in a treestand without a safety harness. It's just not worth it. :smiley_armscrossed: Then there's the climber vs. hang-on choices. :smiley_chinrub:

Good luck with your choices!
Bowhunter57
I'm hunting a local farm. Set up on the corner of the timber looking out over soybeans and corn. By watching the cam, and taking note of when the deer are moving I feel like we should have seen something. I'm so new to this so I've been reading and watching the hunting shows (they make it look so effing easy lol) I do feel as though the deer can see me despite my efforts to conceal myself. I've got the mesh screens, but even with fixed broadheads I still don't wanna shoot through mesh. I've got plenty of room for a stand just have a slight height issue. I'm good at about 10 feet but after that i get a little iffy.
 

lowegirl

Junior Member
Yup I'm always in a tree unless there's no possible way to be in one. To hunt out of a ground blind you gotta have it set up and brushed in well beforehand or your first couple sits you'll find the deer will skirt around you. Or you'll feel like they're peering into your soul the entire time they're there.
lol I do feel like they're peering straight into my soul.
 

cotty16

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
First off, don't give up on a spot after just one or two sits. Them hunting shows are highly edited and give everyone the misconception of this game being "easy". If it were easy it wouldn't be fun.

Second, if space is an issue in the blind (you may have tried this already), get swivel chairs with backs for comfort, but no arms on them. This will save a ton of space and save on your back. If your butt hurts, use a hot seat or cushion seat that can just attach to your belt loop. Those swivel seats are very important so you can swing your legs out of the way and set up your body in the right position to shoot sitting down. Also, put yourself in the back corner of the blind if possible. This will give you room to move your bow around to where you need it.

Third, if you can't sit in the back corner, majke sure your partner is. Get him out of the way as much as possible.

Fourth, if there is any place in the area you want to hunt that is slightly elevated, like a little pitcher's mound type place, get on it. It'll get you up a little higher and increase your visibility some.

Fifth, be comfortable! Nothing worse than sitting there miserable because your seat is on uneven gorund or, in my case, my back starts killing me.

Sixth, if you're using a compound, get yourself a ground bow holder or use a hook on one of the poles above your head to hang the bow on and get it out of the way.

Seventh, be patient and have fun! Being outside and enjoying the wildlife is what it's all about. Remember, hunting isn't always about the kill.
 

CJD3

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
14,630
201
NE Ohio
Ladder stands are nice for the elevation but less forgiving regarding movement. My first hunt each year can be tough from a elevated stand because I have to keep reminding myself not to turn my whole head or body for a sound but just my eyes. Ground blinds allow shelter from the rain and snow, cover movement but yes, sometimes less time to prepare for a shot. Most of my years of deer hunting have been from a tree stand or still hunting down the woods when conditions were right, but a couple of years ago my daughter bought me a nice ground blind. I set it and have in fact enjoyed hunting out of it 30% of the time. Its like a luxury to be able to move around in that thing after all these years sitting motionless in a tree.

I might add that depending on your stand/blind setup right now with all the leaves on the trees, it really doesn't matter if your high or ground level. Once the leaves fall off is when a ladder stand gives the better view but allows you to be busted for movement at a greater distance. If you do get a ladder stand don't forget to trim the limbs for a shooting lane that are elevated. once the leaves fall off it will be harder to see the small twigs (smaller than a pencil) that can send an arrow or bolt off target or worse from a heart shot to a gut or rump shot.
Best of luck this season to you both!
 

lowegirl

Junior Member
Went and bought an 18 foot stand today and put it up. I have to say the view is much nicer if nothing else! Hated to be in there making all that racket trimming limbs and what not, but at least it's done. Hope it's early enough in the season not to effect anything. Hope it rains like hell tonight too!
 

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
39,721
248
Ohio
Been raining in Lima since this morning. Hope some of it heads your way for you.

Cottis had a lot of good advice. The good thing about the Big Mike blind is the ability to stand up. Be very thankful you bought this model. Some of the $100-125 blinds where you cannot stand up get pretty cramped. I have never hunted out of one of the Big Mike blinds but we sold out of them quickly the last two years. Well worth the extra $40 to have the extra height. Sounds like you will have two good options to hunt out of now!
 

lowegirl

Junior Member
Been raining in Lima since this morning. Hope some of it heads your way for you.

Cottis had a lot of good advice. The good thing about the Big Mike blind is the ability to stand up. Be very thankful you bought this model. Some of the $100-125 blinds where you cannot stand up get pretty cramped. I have never hunted out of one of the Big Mike blinds but we sold out of them quickly the last two years. Well worth the extra $40 to have the extra height. Sounds like you will have two good options to hunt out of now!

Thanks a bunch. Keeps looking like rain, but hasn't happened yet. Yeah, I like the blind, but I like having more options too.