Back in the early days of bowhunting, ground blinds were the norm and it was considered unsportsman-like to shoot an animal from a tree. That’s all changed since the 1970’s, though, as bowhunters discovered the advantages of being elevated and manufacturers started producing climbing stands. The big advantage to tree hunting is that it puts you out of the animal’s line of sight as well as keeping your scent above nose level. I’ll also admit that it’s a lot more interesting to see a large expanse of woods (bird’s eye view vs. worm’s eye view), but with the pluses come some negatives when delivering your arrows “airmail”.

The most obvious is the safety factor. Unless you’re careful you could be one of those 30% of intrepid tree climbers who takes a tumble at some point in their career, whereas nobody ever broke his back falling from a ground blind. Then, too, unless you’re standing, most tree stands limit your field of shooting to about 90 degrees, and even if you’re on your feet you can’t shoot behind you. If an animal approaches from the wrong side, short of swapping hands – a trick most of us aren’t capable of doing – there is no shot.

Perhaps the biggest reason for coming down out of the foliage, though, is that it’s a lot easier to pull off that preferred double lung shot. A short-range target at eighteen feet above terra ferma results in an arrow angle too steep to pierce both lungs unless the aim is perfect, and the higher your stand and the closer the animal, the lower the odds. At ground level you shoot what is essentially an arrow with no angle to worry about. Hitting that famous “pie plate” area will puncture both of those pulmonary pumps resulting in a much shorter and better blood trail.

There are two kinds of ground blinds – one is made of natural materials and the other is the commercial “pop-up” variety. While many hunters like the convenience of the pop-ups, they can be expensive and require a spot clear of any inconveniently placed vegetation or branches. They also mean hunting in the same location every time unless moved, which then requires a time period for the local deer to get used to seeing them. Personally, I’ve never been enamored with commercial blinds, and therefore I’ll be talking about the natural variety.

What are some of the things on the check list for a good ground blind? Obviously, concealment is one but there are a few more to consider, like prevailing wind direction, a “draw hider”, and shooting lanes.

Since the direction of the breeze is important you may want several blinds for different wind directions selecting the one that’s best if you’re a trail hunter. If you’re set up in a browsing or “wander through” area, you can be successful in any condition. If the wind is out of the west, simply hunt facing that direction. I like to sit on a stool with a rotating seat, which allows me to face the best direction according to the prevailing breeze, and to move easily for any shot.

Natural cover works best for concealment, and if you can find a blow-down in a good spot you already have the framework for a great ground blind. Add sticks and weave in some foliage or a few evergreen boughs if it needs it.

Some blinds require almost no alteration other than hollowing out an area sufficient for you and your bow. A spot I found on a neighbor’s property which I hunt is almost made to order. The naturally occurring limb pile of downed branches is behind a tree large enough to block my movement when I draw and it is located only thirteen yards from a used deer trail. The only drawback is that the trail is downwind under normal conditions, which means often I can’t use it.

Reducing your height when you sit helps, too. One of my stands has a small shallow hole for my feet so I can be closer to the ground without cramping my legs. If you excavate, though, be sure to take some practice shots to be sure you’ve got enough clearance for the lower limb of your bow. Also make sure it isn’t in a low spot that fills up with water after a rain (I once experimented with building a pit blind which worked out fine until there was a storm).

Drawing at eye level when you’re close to an animal is one of the trickiest parts of hunting from the ground, Another feature a good ground blind should have is something like a thick tree trunk or dense evergreen that blocks the animal’s view for a moment as it passes down a trail (the afore-mentioned “draw-hider). Without one you’ll have to sneak in your move when the animal is looking the other way.

If you’re hunting the thick stuff, then shooting lanes are important but don’t overdo it. The less you tamper with the natural setting, the better.

I was recently discussing the attributes of a good ground blind with a friend who owns property in the Mississippi Bluff country in western Wisconsin and he brought up an interesting point.

“On my land” he told me, “the hillsides are so steep that a ‘ground blind’ can actually be an elevated stand when you’re shooting downhill.”

Indeed, the terrain gives way so quickly in places that fifteen yards from your target you may be 8 feet above it. Conversely, looking the other way you’re actually sitting in a “hole” with your game passing above you. If you’re shooting under those conditions, be sure to practice during the off season to get used to the rarely used uphill shot.

And be sure that the local fauna has time to get accustomed to your new ambush spot, since it’s sure to get some scrutiny after you build it. Even a stand an established blow-down will look a bit different after some modification, so give the wily whitetails plenty of opportunity to get used to it.

It’s been a while since I’ve climbed a tree. That may have something to do with aging or just worrying that the odds of falling are going to catch up with me at some point. Perhaps, though, it’s the challenge of building a natural-looking hide with available materials and then taking an animal from it. Doing it the way that native hunters did for millennia makes hunting from a ground blind special.