Tree Stands Versus Blinds In The Deep South

Here in the Deep South, tree stands or high free standing “towers” are very popular modes of waiting on deer. These high devices are particularly suitable for high powered rifles because the shooter is shooting downward most of the time, which makes the bullet hit the ground in a relatively short distance if it does not find it's intended target. These high devices can also be dangerous for the hunter using them, and all to often result in an accident that severely injures the hunter. Accidents vary from a careless person climbing with a loaded gun to an unstable device falling with the hunter inside it or on the ladder climbing it. Slick steps and ladder rungs or climbing with heavy gloves can cause falls too.

On the other hand, blinds pose no such climbing dangers but can be dangerous if placed in a location where another hunter on the ground can shoot a high powered rifle toward one of them. Blinds with high powered rifles can be dangerous if the person in the blind is not very careful of any other person that might on the ground and within shooting range.

The need for concealment from game makes any device, whether it is elevated or not, clash with visibility of hunter safety vests and caps while the hunter is inside them because the safety vest and/or cap may not be visible to others. Taking hunter safety vests and caps visibility lightly can result in a very serious hunting accident!

Deer hunters who are disabled or feel that climbing is unsafe for them often use blinds. These blinds are either the manufactured type or “home made”. There are pros and cons for the use of each type.

I have found that a manufactured pop up blind is not very practical for deer because most of them are highly visible to deer as something that is unnatural. A blind that is made of brush or covered with something like burlap largely goes unnoticed by deer. On the other hand, turkeys pay no attention to pop up blinds. Therefore I use “homemade” blinds for deer hunting and pop up blinds for turkey hunting because of the necessary portability turkey hunting requires.

For portability while deer hunting, I built a trailer out of an old boat trailer that can be pulled with any of my ATVs. This trailer is a multi purpose trailer in that it can be converted to a 4ft x 6ft flatbed trailer for utility work or a blind complete with a swivel seat, small table, gear storage hooks, heater and leveling/stabilizing devices. I covered the sides and top of this blind with UV resistant tarp for wind/rain resistance and covered the tarp material on the sides with camo burlap for concealment purposes.

I also built a similarly set up blind for permanently placing in a choice location but with removable wheels and tongue so that it could be towed to the location with an ATV or moved if desired. The wheels and tongue are removed and the blind is chained and locked to a nearby tree to discourage any undesirable trespassers from stealing the blind. This blind has stands to elevate it some for seeing/shooting over weeds and to protect it's interior against potential floods. It also has bolt on steps and hand rails to gain safe access to it's elevated interior.

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Hunting The Deep South

In the Deep South, there is a divers mixture of woodlands, bottom lands, swamps, mountains, hills, plains, fields and waterways. Where woods are abundant, there is a mixture of hardwoods and piney woods with planted pine and hardwood plantations mixed in.

Underbrush, weeds and vines flourish where there is adequate sunshine and moisture. Sometimes this growth forms an almost impenetrable barrier along roadways, fields and fences unless fence lines are cleaned and/or sprayed regularly. Weeds, underbrush and vines are very quick to take over clearings and fields, where they are allowed to go unchecked for a few years, and can become largely impenetrable as well.

Clearcuts or select cuts, where the timber companies and others either completely cut the woodlands down or only cut down the most mature trees, will shortly grow up in weeds and brush. Most of the time, clearcuts are sprayed to prevent this, which renders the land contained in the clearcut a place animals largely avoid for 1-2 years after spraying. When these clearcuts have been replanted and again are growing numerous species of grasses and weeds, game animals are again attracted to them both because of the browse they contain and the cover they afford.

The abundant waterways and flooded farmlands make duck hunting really good. In the years where there is plenty of fall rains, sloughs and other naturally occurring waterways along with flooded timber make duck hunting quite possible just about everywhere. Farmers sometimes flood their fields after their crops are harvested and offer paid duck hunting. Ever heard of Stuttgart, AR?

These things combined often makes hunting the Deep South a challenge, but it also can make hunting rewarding when done right. Deer, turkey, wild hogs, small game and furbearing animals are all abundant in the Deep South. Several species of migratory birds go and come through the Deep South by the millions yearly. Bear, alligators, elk and other game is making a comeback in areas where they were almost killed out, with hunting this game already possible in certain areas.

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