I myself am an individual who loves to hunt out of a ground blind. Being on the ground with a huge whitetail coming coming straight at me, there is just no other feeling. Although I love hunting in ground blinds I also use tree stands to help better my chances. Depending on the how the area looks, is the deciding factor in whether or not I use a ground blind or a tree stand! 

CVC - I see that you live in KS, and assume that you also hunt there.

Having never hunted in KS, I can only assume that much of your hunting area is either somewhat or very open, where 100+ yard shots are common. That would make using a tree stand for rifle hunting a very practical thing - in most situations, as you mentioned.

Here in Michigan where I hunt, we have mostly wooded areas to hunt. Of course, there are many open fields and crop fields, but these are mostly on private property.

Driving along the highways, it's not uncommon to see tree stands, and more often, elevated "shooting houses" that overlook large fields - all on private property. They are great spots to watch for deer moving along the edge of wooded plots and being pushed out by other hunters, or even crossing the middle of the field if they have been bumped badly enough.

But - once you get inside the woods - as most public land is - to get up in a tree will limit your field of view to 20-40 yards or even less, depending on where you are. Even though most of the leaves are off the hardwood trees, there are just too many branches in the way; it's like looking through bushes, except they are above the ground.

In most places, you can see much further through the woods - under the first branches and foliage of the trees - from a ground blind.

Many people in Michigan have historically been "stump-sitters". They actually just sat on one of the many stumps that were left from the great era of logging that took place in the early 20th Century. Sometimes they would even have a back on the seat if the tree had split before falling and left the so-called "barber's chair" seat behind.

Most of those have rotted away now, but many people still sit on a folding stool of some kind against a tree or cluster of trees.

I've seen old wooden or aluminum folding chairs in the woods, 5-gallon plastic pails, apple crates and all sorts of things that people have used to sit on while watching a likely-looking saddle, ridge, hollow, runway - or just a spot where they had a pretty good view of a chunk of woods.

Often, several tree branches, pieces of old stumps, sticks and other natural material are piled up in a semi-circle around the tree of choice to either break up the outline of the hunter, or to attempt to make an actual "blind" in which to sit. On public land in Michigan it is illegal to cut any living vegetation, so these "natural blinds" are limited to whatever dead stuff is available nearby.

More recently, the portable "pop-up" blind has become more common, and they provide the additional advantage of a roof for protection from wind, rain or the snow that often falls during our general firearm season, Nov. 15-30.

So - I would say that during our firearm seasons, both the one mentioned as well as the special Youth weekend in September and the late Muzzleloading season in December, most Michigan hunters on public land hunt from the ground, simply because that's how you get a greater field of view in these predominately wooded areas.

If you're talking archery season however, the tree stand probably is used better than 90% of the time over a ground blind.

I spend most of my time bow hunting in timber areas where the longest shot is usually 20 yards.  There are parts of KS where it is wide open, but in the areas where I hunt, even with the rifle, the shots are usually no longer 100 yards.  In my rifle spot, we sit behind large round bales of hay.  They offer plenty of cover so no blind is needed.

I have one bowhunting spot that I plan to use the ground blind because there just isn't a big tree around and it is a great area.  I can set my blind up about 20 yards from the main tree set back in a cedar tree so I am hoping it will work.

I have not hunted out of a ground blind yet, but I plan on trying it in the future.  I would like to try it for turkey, but I like being in the tree where you can see the deer approaching from further away.

I have never hunted deer out of a man made ground blind. When I say man made I mean the kind you would have to buy in a store. I have made some natural ground blinds and hunted deer out of them. I have a store bought ground blind set up but I only hunt turkey out of it. I pretty much stick to just tree stands when hunting deer.

One pro about a ground blind is portability.  You can move to different locations pretty easy.  I know that when I put up a stand, I pretty much stick with it to the end of the season.  Moving them can be a hassle as well as having to clear new shooting lanes.

I think I'll use my ground blind at another location next week.  it is further from home, but I suspect there will be bigger bucks there.  Just no place to put a tree stand.  I had one in a cedar tree last year, but it didn't provide enough cover for me so I am going to use the ground blind.

I have used both ground blinds and tree stands. I have not killed anything out of either one though. Although I have tried using these methods, so far all of my animals have gotten taken by spot and stalk or doing a stand hunt while using terrain or natural vegetation to conceal my position. I have used natural ground blinds, built from rocks and logs that were found in the area but have also not taken an animal from one. This doesn't mean that I don't like these methods... I really do. The last few years I have hunted deer using a combination of these methods and more traditional western methods and I really like them. If I had to choose between a ground blind and a tree stand I would take the ground blind (either natural or man made) over the treestand. But I think the treestand affords a very unique hunting experience.

For me the pro's and con's.

Ground blind - pro, movement is harder to detect.  Comfy chair and the ability to relax a little.  scent is harder to detect by deer. Con, sight and view is limited. Might spook deer.

Tree stand - pro, greater view and offers a 360 opportunity for a shot although, it is a little difficult if they come in behind you, but it can be done.  Con, scent control is very important as you are right there in the open.  Must be extremely careful with movenment.  I have rarely been busted because of scent, it is the movement that gives me away.

I will continue to use both depending on the conditions.  Options are always good is my saying

I have a ground blind I have used for turkey hunting before but not deer hunting. I have always hunted out of some sort of treestand.

In addition to your pro's and con's, some counties in NC don't allow to you to shoot a rifle while on the ground. In those counties, you have to be min of 8 feet off the ground. Bowhunting out of a ground blind is acceptable.

I did find one spot that would work perfect for a ground blind. Since the shot will be of limited distance, I'm going to take my muzzleloading and bow with me. It will be a big surprise if I get a shot with the bow, but stranger things have happened.