Tree stands are an excellent tool for increasing your effectiveness as a hunter. On the ground, it can be tough to see deer well enough amid a cluster of dense trees or brush to get off a clean shot. Using a tree stand elevates your vantage point in the forest. You can see greater distances and you can size up the best angle to shoot your prey when they enter within the firing range of your weapon.
Stalking a deer from a tree stand isn’t foolproof. Do you ever get the feeling that your cover has been blown and the deer can sense your presence? It isn’t your mind playing tricks with you. Even if you’re 10 to 20 feet above the ground, you are far from invisible. You can cast a shadow or leave a scent that tips off any clever deer to your presence in the immediate area. For that reason, it makes sense to blend into your surroundings and conceal your stand with a tree stand skirt, blind, or cover.
*Last updated 2024-10-08 at 15:06 / Product Links & Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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The Benefits of Concealing Your Tree Stand
There’s no other way to look at it. A concealed tree stand is much better than a naked one. You need to create every advantage available to you to outsmart a deer. The woods are their home territory and you are a visitor there. Concealing your stand gives you a bit of home field advantage on their turf.
Camouflaging your tree stand offers some key benefits:
- Prevents spooked deer: If a deer can’t see you or sense your presence, they are likely to hang around and graze in a spot where you can get a clean shot rather than making a run for a safe hiding spot.
- Allows use of trees with sparse cover: Some prime hunting locations simply lack good cover. Deer can see you approaching on the ground long before you get close enough to shoot. A concealed stand negates that advantage for the deer.
- Better success in high pressure areas: A tree stand cover tilts the odds in your favor in high pressure areas where deer normally have the advantage. Tree stand covers can block winds to a certain extent and help mask your scent from detection by the deer.
- Simple setup: Zip tying branches to your stand (especially with a ladder stand) is a typical solution for cover. Using a blind takes away the fuss of zip tying. It is much less time-consuming to set up.
Tree Stand Blind Reviews
Wondering where to start on selecting the best tree stand blind you need to get the job done? We’ve got you covered in this handy guide. Here are the top 10 tree stand blinds on the market.
1. Guide Gear Universal Tree Stand Blind Kit
- Style: Universal
- Size: 2 person
- Camo: Standard
This kit offers a gold standard for blinds. You can get full concealment with this kit and still maintain excellent sight lines for spotting approaching deer. It features a full surround enclosure with three extra-large zip-out windows, so you can pick your vantage point on the tree stand. The blind is equipped with an easy access zipper front entry. It also includes extra long tie strings for added security, a bungee bottom pull string, and stakes for ground use.
2. Millennium Treestands Blind, for L-Series Stands
- Style: Ladder
- Size: 2 Person
- Camo: Forest Camo
This is a great blind to use with ladder stands. It features a cool forest camouflage design that blends well with surrounding trees. It is also made from heavy-duty fabric that offers protection from inclement weather conditions and is mildew resistant. The fabric is also quiet to the touch, so you don’t need to worry about drawing any unwanted attention to yourself. The blind itself features multiple window configurations and a zippered front entry.
3. Guide Gear Universal Tree Stand Blind (Round)
- Style: Universal Round
- Size: 2 Person
- Camo: Dense camo
If you want a blind that sets up fast and works efficiently, this fits what you’re looking for to a tee. It easily attaches to any tree stand and is made from a scent controlling fabric that makes it easier to conceal your scent from deer in high pressure areas. A black-out interior eliminates shadows and the fabric features a dense camouflage pattern so it can blend easier into your forest surroundings.
4. X-Stand Single Person Ladder Stand Blind
- Style: Ladder
- Size: 1 Person
- Camo: DZX Camo
Here’s a single-person blind that will fit numerous one-person ladder tree stands. It has a zipper entry door for easy access is made of camouflaged fabric that aids in concealment from deer. The blind is also water resistant, which is perfect for keeping you protected from adverse weather conditions while you are camped out up a tree.
5. Allen Company Vanish Blind Burlap
- Style: Hang On
- Size: Customize
- Camo: Six Choices
One of the best features of this burlap blind is how adaptable it is for most hunting situations. You can customize it to your stand and cut the fabric with a knife or scissors to create openings for your arrows or rifle. It has a nice oak brush camouflage pattern and a glare-free finish to help conceal you better in your tree stand. This blind is lightweight, durable, and weather resistant; a winning combination no doubt.
6. Guide Gear 20′ 2-Man Ladder Stand with Blind
- Style: Ladder
- Size: 2 Person
- Camo: Standard
If you’re hunting with a friend or a relative, then this combined tree stand and blind is great for your needs. It is both sturdy and durable. A padded shooting rail unfolds into 360° blind with door. This blind also features a double-rail ladder and adjustable ladder support bar. Comfort won’t be a problem once you’re inside. It has a seat with padded armrests and a backrest cushion. The 2-man tree stand has a 500 lb. weight capacity and is quite safe. It includes a pair of ratchet straps for added stability and two fall-arrest safety systems.
7. X-Stand 2 Person Ladder Stand Blind
- Style: Ladder
- Size: 2 Person
- Camo: DZX Camo
This blind is designed to fit a 2-person ladder stand, specifically the Talon, Jayhawk, and Outback models from X-Stand. It comes with a zipper entry door for easy entry into your stand. The fabric features a dzx camouflage print that is designed to enhance the blind’s concealment properties.
8. HAWK 1.5-Man Ladder Stand Blind
- Style: Ladder
- Size: 1.5 Person
- Camo: Realtree XtraTM
This blind is compatible with the Big Denali or Sasquatch 1.5 man ladder tree stands. A centered zipper makes it a simple task to climb up inside the blind or down from it. One nice feature of this blind kit is the fabric. It is made from a weatherproof fabric and is rip resistant, so you can stay concealed and dry for a longer amount of time.
9. Hawk 2 Man Ladder Stand Blind (NEW)
- Style: Ladder
- Size: 2 Person
- Camo: Realtree XtraTM
Here is a blind that is compatible with both 2-man Big Denali and Sasquatch ladder stands. Like the kit for the 1.5 man ladder stands, it is also composed of weatherproof fabric that is resistant to tearing. It features a center zipper door for easy access in or out of the tree stand. You will be able to stay concealed, comfortable, and dry for many hours.
10. Summit Outlook Ladder Blind
Few blinds create a better protective barrier between you and your prey than this one. It renders any movement practically invisible to deer within the area near your tree stand. The wraparound blind is made with a durable 150-denier fabric that has polyurethane backing and features a Realtree APG camouflage print or Summit SX camouflage.
- Style: Ladder
- Size: 2 Person
- Camo: Realtree APG or Summit SX
One person can easily install this lightweight and durable blind and it features a large, dual-zipper front door for easy access in or out of the tree stand. The end result is a tree stand cover that offers unobstructed views in multiple directions and allows freedom of movement without worrying about scaring off deer.
What Makes a Good Tree Stand Blind?
A successful hunting trip could come down to a factor as simple as having the best tree stand blind available for you to use. Deer are intelligent prey and can sense something is amiss if you don’t take the proper steps to conceal your presence. A good tree stand blind will always feature these critical elements in its design:
- Easy to Attach: Nobody wants to waste time messing around with attachments, a good tree stand blind will slip in place and be secures in minutes.
- Quality Fabric: The quality of the material is going to be key in how long it lasts. If it’s so lightweight that it tears at the slightest branch, well that’s not doing anybody any good in the woods.
- Concealing Camo and Break up Materials: Obviously, a good camo pattern like Mossy Oak, Realtree APG can give you confidence, but just as important is the texture ofr breaking up your profile sitting up in the tree.
- Unobstructed Shooting Alleys: A blind is counterproductive if it obscures your shooting lanes. Take time to arrange the fabric to give you enough openings in the most likely spots so a good shot can be taken when opportunity knocks.
The bottom line is you want a blind that will conceal your tree stand and hide your shadow from any deer roaming below. It should be made from fabrics that not only protect you from the elements but also mask your scent. Finally, it should not encumber your ability to take a clear shot once you spot a deer below. You need a clear line of sight in multiple directions, so you can bag your prey with minimal effort.
Final Thoughts
A good tree stand is an essential part of bowhunting, and can be a great asset when tracking crafty deer through hunting areas. Buying and installing the right tree stand blind can make all the difference in your hunt. Keeping your stand concealed with tree umbrellas and a quality blind lessens the odds that a deer will see or smell you before you get the drop on it.
We recommend the Guide Gear Universal Tree Stand Blind Kit for most tree stands, while the DIY hunter should take a close look at the Allen Company Vanish Blind Burlap for camouflaging their stands.
*Last updated 2024-10-08 at 15:06 / Product Links & Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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