Blind vs Tree Stand

[wack]

I'd much rather be in an open stand than one enclosed with a frame of bars. For gun season they are great, just not enough room to shoot a bow. Takes a lot of movement to stand up, draw and then lift your bow over the rail.

 Fish, relax, I was just having some fun at your expense while making the point why I choose the Predator IV sight. Goose and Fish, help me out here, 7 pins?  Discounting my position on this subject,  how many pins are needed? What's your bow set up? The faster your bow, the fewer pins you'll need for hunting. If you are shooting an X Force at 330 fps, you can get ride of about 5 OR 6 of those pins. Even on a 3D range I couldn't imagine using 7 pins.  I wouldn't hand out too many brownie points for the free sight but it will get you started. Good luck.

[Goose]

7 is alot!  Many sights have the option of taking some pins out, I would check yours to see if this is possible.
I shoot 3 pins and thats plenty for me.
I shoot the DXT at about 290fps in hunting condition. I set my pins at 20,30,and 40.
Practicing Ill shoot out past 50 and my closest pin will be for 30.
 
I will be getting the G5 with 2 fixed and 1 floater, that will allow me to keep my pins the same year round.20,30,and then the floater which will go from 40 out to 60.
No I will not shoot at a deer past 40.

[Fish]

Realistically, one is enough but I have two.  20 yards and 30 yards.  The 20 is good til about 25 and then declines.  I wouldn't shoot over 25 anyway unless I really have a good shot.  Two years ago I passed at 25 yard shot on one of the biggest bucks I've seen.  Just was a poor shot for the distance.
 
I know I'll get a lot of flack on this but here it goes.  I see no reason for more than one, maybe two pins.  25 yards is a long bow shot, anything further a bunch of things complicate the shot.  Wind, noise, small branches....  Ever what those videos of deer jumping or ducking arrows?  I'll stick with the 20 yarders.  I know, I know....some of you are ace's at 70 yards, but in the woods and in WI, I don't believe it is good shot.
 
As for the 7 pins(more flack will be given here), is kind of like having 6 arrows in a quiver.  It's over kill and makes your bow look pretty. lol

[Goose]

No flak from this guy, to each their own.
Everybody has got to know and not push their personal limits.
It's only ethical.

[mtnman]

My Jennings Speedmaster(old I know) has three pins, which is two too many...I tend to shoot a compound-bow like a gun...hold high or low basically with one pin. I, for the vast majority of my shooting, use my Indian DeerSlayer recurve (62" and 65lb at 28") which I draw 31". No sights, just instinctive shooting. This is probably the reason I really have no use for more than one pin on my compound. I also use no peep. It is all what you were brought up with and are used to I guess. For long bows, ground blinds are best. If you use a tree stand, get camo covering or use branches to cover up to your waist...helps hide movement. 12 feet or so is high enough if the deer come in perpindicular and not head on, or coming up hill.

[MDV WI hunter]

Sorry guys, haven't been back here in awhile.  7 pins is a lot but it was free, I'm going to take some out if I can without breaking them.  If not, I'll set up 3 pins for hunting and maybe 4 or 5 for target shooting.  I got to shoot her on Friday and it felt great!!  Just a thought but this thread is going a little off topic....  Anyway, everyone I spoke with at the shop agreed that you really only use 2 pins hunting.  A shot further than that isn't real practical/ethical.  Especially for a beginner!!  I'm joining the archery league here so I'll get plenty of practice as well as around the farm. 
 
As far as a blind vs tree stand, so far my approach is this.  Woods behind my house I'm going to set up a ground blind slightly off of a main artery and I'll cut in some shooting lanes for bow hunting.  There's some set aside that will make great stand shooting as the fence line provides some very nice trees and again a major artery.  I'll try and get some pictures. 
 
I do appreciate all the dialogue and have another question.  Is it neccessary to invest in a 3D target?  Why do you feel that way?
 
Thanks again.
 
Mike 

[wack]

If you are shooting 3D deer targets at the range, then I'd say you can get by without buying one but shooting at a 3D deer from different angles and elevations, knowing where to aim at a deer to get vitals without hitting large bones is the purpose. You wont see any orange sticker dots on a deer in the woods. Gun hunters often try to take out a shoulder where a bow hunter wants to miss the heavy bone yet still get the heart and lungs. From high up in a tree stand, those angles get tougher, vital area smaller with more bones in the way. If you hit the backbone, you're going to need another arrow or a few minutes later it could get up and walk away. The longer an animal flops around, the more bloody meat you'll get.  A 3D target for practicing is how you turn a good archer into a good hunter and can prevent a lot of tracking and lost game. Knowing where to aim is the other half of being a good shot and aiming at the wrong spot is one of the most common mistakes bow hunters make.