TREE STAND HUNTING vs GROUND BLIND HUNTING ON PUBLIC LAND

Hunting public land already feels like a competitive sport. Add in choosing between a tree stand or a ground blind and suddenly you’re performing mental gymnastics before daylight without even stretching. So here’s the rundown straight from me, a man who has definitely carried too much gear too far into the woods and regretted all life choices by sunrise.

TREE STAND HUNTING: The High-Rise Apartment Lifestyle

If you want the scenic view and the wind in your face and the thrill of being one loose bolt away from becoming a YouTube cautionary tale, the tree stand is your jam.

On public land, hunting from a stand is basically saying,
“Hey deer, I see y’all from up here. Please pretend I’m part of the tree.”

Pros:

• You’re above the drama. Literally.

• Deer have a harder time busting you.

• You get that smug, king-of-the-forest feeling.

• You can see ol’ Randy walking in from 200 yards away with his Bluetooth speaker blaring.

Cons:

• You gotta haul the stand in.

• You gotta haul YOU in.

• You gotta hope the tree you picked isn’t 97 percent dead inside.

• Somebody on the next ridge probably already claimed the only good oak in a half-mile radius.

Stuff you can link because Mikey approves:

(These are all actual items people buy in hopes of not dying.)

• Lone Wolf Assault II Hang-On Treestand

• Millennium M7 Microlite Treestand

• Hunter Safety System Pro Series Harness

• Lone Wolf Climbing Sticks

• Allen Treestand Umbrella Blind Kit

GROUND BLIND HUNTING: The Pineywoods Studio Apartment

Ground blinds are great for folks who want to hunt but also want to feel like they’re hiding from their responsibilities in a pop-up tent. Public land blinds range from “brand new camo” to “pile of sticks someone definitely thought counted.”

Pros:

• Easy to set up.

• Easy to brush in.

• No climbing. No falling. No gravity trying to assassinate you.

• You can snack openly without dropping crackers on someone’s head.

Cons:

• Every deer in East Texas knows what a box-shaped bush looks like.

• Humans too.

• You are basically hunting at face level with hogs, which is a bold lifestyle choice.

• If the wind betrays you? Congratulations, you built yourself a stinky clubhouse.

Ground blind gear you can link like the savvy little entrepreneur you are:

• Rhino Blinds R150 Realtree Camo Ground Blind

• Ameristep Caretaker Kick-Out Hub Blind

• Primos Double Bull SurroundView (the one nobody can afford but everyone wants)

• Allen Camo Burlap for brush-ins

• Earth + Pine Cover Scent Combo Packs

So Which One’s Better?

Look, on public land, it depends on how much you enjoy carrying things, sweating, cussing, and questioning your hobbies.

Tree Stand For:

• Folks who want visibility

• Folks who trust their balance

• Folks who enjoy hanging from trees like confused koalas

Ground Blind For:

• Folks who believe in comfort

• Folks who don’t want to die falling

• Folks who treat snacks as a core hunting value

Both can kill a deer. Both can drive you insane. Both can be sabotaged by that one guy who whistles while he walks like he’s in a Disney movie.

But here’s the real truth:
If you learn the land, play the wind, and set up where the deer want to be, either one can get you a big public-land Pineywoods buck.

And if not?
At least you’ll have snacks.