Ground Blinds vs Elevated Blinds: Which is better?

Deer hunters have been arguing over this for a century. Which is better —elevated or ground blinds? Some say stands, while others pick the latter. The true answer? Probably neither. Let’s dive in and look at some pros and cons for each and then analyze which, if any, is superior.

Elevated Blinds

Pros:

• Thermals are more to your advantage when you’re elevated.
• You can choose the height you need to be.
• Mobile stands, such as lightweight lock-on models, allow you to pick from more locations.
• You’re more exposed and more likely to pay attention.
• Your scent starts out up in the air, which is good if deer are nearby.
• It puts you out of a deer’s line of sight.
• Stands allow you to have nearly 360 degrees of viewing capabilities.
• Shots are at downward angles, which is safer.
• You’re able to see much farther distances.
• Stands allow you to see down into thicker early succession growth.

Cons:

• You need a tree to hang one.
• Steeper shot angles make kill zones smaller.
• Elevated shots mean a less chance of a good blood trail without an exit wound.
• Less room to move around.
• Not good for those with injuries and health issues.
• Higher risk of injury due to a fall.
• No protection from the wind.
• Some models can be heavy and loud to hang up.
• It’s much harder to move locations on the fly.
• Trimming shooting lanes can be a pain.
• Comfort comes at a premium for stands, while blinds allow for a butt-soothing chair.

Ground Blinds

Pros:

• Ground blinds are fairly mobile.
• You don’t need a tree.
• You’re more concealed.
• More room to move around.
• Great for those who aren’t as mobile.
• Less risk of an injury.
• More protection from the wind.
• Kill zones are larger since you’re at ground level and not elevated.

Cons:

• Your wind generally stays at ground level.
• Thermals are more likely to carry your scent toward deer.
• You’re in a deer’s line of sight.
• You can’t see as far.
• You usually only have 90 degrees of viewing capabilities since three windows will/should be closed.
• Thicker cover becomes more of a problem with a blind.
• Shots are generally on a flat plane, which isn’t as safe.

Finding the Middle Ground

At the end of the day, there is no winner, per se. There’s only choosing the right one for the specific situation you find yourself in. Stands are better most of the time. But there will be instances where a ground blind is superior. There’s no need to rehash when one is better than the other. I think we covered that in the pros and cons sections above. The takeaway — be proficient with both options and be able to recognize when to implement them.