this next coming deer season, wanted to get it set up soon and see if i can get some hogs from it as well. Anyone that hunts out of one what are the pros compared to a blind? I don't bow hunt only rifle and maybe shotgun does that matter at all? Really interested on why someone would prefer that over a blind Thanks for the help!

Set in one for 3 hours and then decide if you want to hunt every hunt for a whole year out of one. How close to your feeder will you be? You have to watch every single movement you make. Pay attention to the wind and only hunt the stand when wind is perfect. If not then you need several setups. Great in hot weather, miserable in cold damp or windy cold weather. Mosquitos in early season can be brutal in wet years. I like them for being close to game and in the wide open. I also like a tripod for the mobility. I have box stands, ground blinds and tripods now to hunt out of.

I like them because yo can see farther. They also claim since you are higher your scent will travel higher over being on the ground. Also you are not eye level with them so you can get away with a little more movement of they are eating or just have their head down.

That was about all I had when I was young. Now I prefer a little more comfort.

I'm still only 30 going on 31 so I think I can sacrifice a little comfort for the chance of a different angle when hunting and more to see. I would only be about 50 yds max away from the feeder. I figured you could see a lot more out of one, I understand obviously that means the "game" can see more of you too. I don't know just seems like something different that I wanna try.

I still hunt out them and I'm 51. Like any stand you have to be wise in your set up. A good size tree trunk to your back will help you break up your out line. Any limbs you can leave around you will help as well. A live oak or evergreen tree helps with cover. I do like a blind for some set ups or in bitter cold/rain. But in nicer weather I like tripods and ladder stands more than other options.

all we had as a kid growing up, tree stands or just a brush pile hollowed out with a folding chair stuck in the middle.

With the tree stands, make sure you put it on solid limbs and on a solid tree. We had one about 200' (ok, likely 20' but seemed 200' as a kid) up in a sycamore tree that was great unless the wind was blowing ... there was several feet of movement and spooky amount of sway, very hard to hold a steady shot if given the opportunity. Live oak was our preference due to having leaves to help break up your body outline/pattern. 8-15 feet off the ground seemed to be the norm. be sure to put a place to sit and something to rest your feet on and its a good idea to put up some kind of back brace/support in case you lose your balance to keep you from tumbling down (no need to ask me how I know this one). Position your feeder or food plot in a direction the wind normally doesn't blow. Con being you can't move your tree stand when you want and might have to use some thought in building with hunting in mind. Use treated lumber if available if you plan on hunting that location for a long period of time. Make sure the ladder is climbable in the dark. Deck screws work better than nails as they don't pull out as easy after a bit of time.

As noted, in a tree stand, you are higher up and generally out of the threat zone for most game. Being higher up, your smell carries higher and dissipates more by the time it reaches the ground. That is a real benefit.

Never had a problem with snakes in a tree stand. I have had snakes in my ground blind, not to mention all the rodents that like to live there. Never felt threatened by a skunk while in a tree stand.

I am a firm believer that a 2 man blind is most ideal for 1 person for several hours. It gives you room for your rifle, binos, lunch, and some room to move around.

The negatives of the tree stand is that if you drop something that you haven't tethered, you have to climb down to retrieve it. Some items don't take well to being dropped and that includes you. While there are no snakes and mice, there is the problem of personal safety to consider. Falls from tree stands are a significant contributor to hunter injuries. Mobility is more limited in most tree stands than in ground blinds. In my ground blinds, I can swivel 360 degrees to shoot. In my tree stands, I am limited to maybe 230 degrees. Being in a tree stand on a particularly winds day can be a bit like going on Mr. Toad's Wild Ride.

With all that said, I do like hunting from a tree stand.

Tree stands are great for bow hunting. I have used them for many years in the past. Get my scent suit on, stay clean and scent free as possible, and slay the pigs and deer hunt.

If you plan to rifle hunt, they will still work. But you are exposed to the elements, and scent is a huge deal. I prefer to be in a sealed box blind if I am rifle hunting. We always have a camp fire, cook, and stay in the same hunting clothes, and scent will not be good in an exposed tree stand.

Also, one of the old tree stands I hunted out of had a rickety platform with an old aluminum extension ladder tied to it. The wind would move the stand and ladder, and it would creek and make all kinds of noise. The good thing was that all the pigs and deer were used to this stand making lots of noise. Because of this, you could tap dance up there and not get busted. It was fairly concealed, and some movement would be seen, but noise didn't bother animals coming in. I killed a TON of pigs from this spot with my bow.

Sounds good guys thanks for all the great responses! Will head out this evening and try and scout a good spot for it tomorrow

If Your Young Enough and Skinny Enough...get some

I don't bounce as well as I used to and I enjoy a nice comfy CLEAN stand with a Heater and Luxury

I grew up hunting mainly tree stands, and I still prefer to hunt out of a tree or tripod to this day. Opening morning this year it was raining but my best spot is a tripod-I put on the rain gear and sat over 3 hours in the rain! I love being able to see everything and don't understand why some hunters build a 4x6 box and put 10"x12" windows in it. I want to see what's going on!

Yeah, tripods are nice as well. Some offer the 360 degree rotation that you don't get in tree stands. They tend to be more stable in the wind because they are not anchored to a tree that sways. We have two tripods and each has a fairly comfy swiveled boat chair in it, which is nice.

Unlike most here, I have never hunted out of a blind, but rather only tree stands.

I bet blinds are nice in inclement weather, and there are days I've wished I had one. That said, one of the things I look most forward to is having the fresh, cold air and sun on my face. Sitting in the open air in a tree sure makes you feel a bit closer to nature than the alternative.

Now finding the right tree in the right spot with enough height and background cover is no small challenge in Texas... Especially if you use a climber on public

I put this up about this time last year. A double wide from Academy for $100 or so. Because of the rain, wind, and lightning I didn't hunt it the first half of the season. That may have helped because when I did hunt it deer showed up. 20 feet up a tree is no joke though, I'm not as young as I used to be...

I use mine to hunt places away from feeders where the deer tend to skirt around all the setups.

That's an amazing view! That's what I'm looking for...

No place for a heater!!!!

I like both ladder stands and box stands. Call me whatever you want, but when it's 30-40 degrees and raining, I'm sitting in a box blind where it's dry and fairly warm

When it is like that I use the truck for a blind.

Almost fifty and still like treestands except in cold wet weather...cover your footrest with something ,,,tape ,rug.. tarp..anything to keep the wind from swirling around your feet...youll thank me this time next year.

Does anyone have any ideas of a good beginner tree stand? I know they have a 15 foot territory 2 person blind on sale at TSC for 44$ out the door according to blazin (gonna check em out this weekend)... don't wanna break that bank on anything especially with this being my first time hunting outta one. Thanks!

just buy you some 2x6s, a hand saw (cordless will save you time and an arm), screw gun and a box of 4 inch deck screws ... cheap enough

I like to hunt out of a ladder stand. Seems like I can see and hear better. Sight is definitely better to the side and around towards the back. My last setup was 194 yards to my feeder in an open field. My stand was against the only tree in the pasture. As was said before, you really have to be aware of the wind and your movements. Had deer as close as 15 yards and they never knew I was there.

Grew up as a hunter from Minnesota... leasing & baiting was new ta me... Have stated my stands were climbing a tree @ sitting.... Hunting was more trails rubs & scrapes.. As rifleman posted, first thing learned was deer tend to skirt stands feeders & such... opening morning were like motor rallies... While i enjoyed me walks to & from stands looking for scrapes tracks rubs scrapes & droppings...
Got inta the more modern rifles, with scopes, corn feeders & deer pipes, food plots.. chain on stands self climbing... Fact deer know were the stands feeders & food plots are... as mentioned bye rifleman, got inta debates about it... Since WMA opened up down road, went back ta basic hunting, it was archery only... As pappy once said: ta better understand deer & thar habits.. put down the gun & grab a bow ...
i prefure the chain on & climbers each have pros & cons... Was working on pattern of a mature 13+" before the 13" rule... Was set up looking over a trail crossing in a chain on stand, ladder steps with x at rufly 20 yards... the buck was always seen rufly -40 yards ta my left early mornings using same path depending on wind... My stand was well hdden & only !! feet high at my feet... 20 yrd shot on both trails... area has tall grass & the 11ft could see great distance compaired ta the 15-20 most stand hunter like... & shots are not as extream.,, Down part at 30 + yards you are in deers line of sight, so movement can be detected easier... The only desant tree ta climb close ta were deer traveled was one it walked right under... Have never tried that type shot, & wasnt wanting ta try... Got busted by a doe out of observer stand by do... Bad habit, before getting down always carried field point hit same as broad head & would pic out a leaf & shoot... Looked around, didnt see the doe satnding ta my right 40 yrds out on trail... drew back, picked out a leaf & got busted bye doe... so got down left area for that year... The next year, first hunt used climbing stand on the tree deer was walking under, facing direction deer was coming from... heard noise at base, looked down, a buck was right under me, using same trail but came from reverse side... der was a younger buck rack inside spread rufly 11-12" so grabbed camera, sound moved deer further out stomping & snorting... got pic... one of me cooler hunts, some times the deer wins