If you are in the market for a harness, make sure you buy one that is a full body harness like a tree climber would use. You do not want to use an old-fashioned belt system that can suffocate you in a short period of time.

If your balance is gone and/or you are getting older, stay away from climbing tree stands. Although the harness systems work great with a climber, climbing tree stands are made for people who are in good shape. If you feel like a ladder stand does not offer you enough mobility or concealment from game, a climbing stick is the way to go. Balance is one of my biggest weaknesses. I like using the "SwifTree" by Summit Treestands because it offers a large peg for your foot and the step is enclosed so your foot can't slip off the peg.

Another advantage to climbing sticks is the pegs are usually spaced fairly close together so you don't have to stretch too far to get your foot on the next peg. Growing up, I was forced to use screw-in steps and several times after a long night in the stand, my stiff muscles were not up to climbing down and stretching to the next peg. Climbing sticks help eliminate that problem.

There is no doubt that using a tree stand has its advantages. If you decide to hunt from a tree, make sure you are comfortable with your complete setup. Don't buy a tree stand just because your buddies use it or because you have too much pride to go back to the old ladder stand you used to use. When looking for a harness, make sure you buy one that is easy to put on and use because if it isn't, you will never use it.

Ground Hunting
Hunting from the ground also has its advantages. I know many hunters who kill trophy class whitetails each year while hunting from the ground. One of the best accessories to hit the bowhunting market in the past decade is the pop-up hunting blind. Many manufacturers like Double Bull and Eastman Outfitters offer blinds that are lightweight and are easy to take down and put up. Most manufacturers offer their blinds in a wide variety of camo patterns to help keep you concealed regardless of what kind of terrain you are hunting. Many of the blinds made today have darkened interiors and windows you can shoot through that help keep your movements concealed at all times. Another benefit is many blinds come with scent eliminators impregnated into the fabric.

The biggest problem with pop-up blinds is outsmarting deer while using them. Although elk and turkeys seem to pay no attention, deer tend to catch on to the program in a big hurry. There are a few ways to decrease your chances of being busted by the wary whitetail. If you have the luxury of hunting private land, try setting your blind up weeks before your bow season opens. This will allow the deer to get adjusted to the blind being there. Another option, and by far one of the more popular routes taken by many ground hunters, is laying brush and branches against the sides of the blind to break up its outline. By using a pop-up blind, you have mobility and often you can hunt places tree stand hunters can't go; like the edge of a swamp which has very few large trees. Pop-up blinds are safer than tree stands and they keep you warmer and more comfortable. This will help you stay in the woods longer, potentially increasing your chances of killing whatever you're chasing.

Another option is to hunt from the ground without any type of blind at all using camo and ground cover to keep you concealed. Although this type of hunting can be difficult, the availability of leafy suits and other camo patterns that helps you resemble a bush can help you blend in with your surroundings with little practice.