Consistently successful deer hunters scout every year. They are looking for changes in habitat and deer movement patterns. But they are also checking to see that habitat features that influenced deer movement in the past are still influencing deer the same way.

Some land formations that funnel deer, such as saddles, creek bottoms, ridgelines or swales typically don't change much from year to year. Some man-made features of the habitat - fences, ditches, roads, and food plots or fields that are planted with crops that deer like to eat year after year - also may functionally influence deer patterns the same way for long periods of time.

Thus almost every piece of hunting property has a few places that remain "good" for at least a few weeks each season, and can profitably be hunted multiple times.

Those are the places where serious hunters consider putting in rigid-sided blinds rather than tree stands. A top-quality rigid blind, the Whitetail Blind from Advantage Outdoors, offers some real benefits over hunting from open tree stands in these situations.

First, with the Whitetail Blind in particular, you have a more comfortable place to hunt. The whitetail Blind comes in a 2-man version with 25 square feet of floor space. But if you want more space, you can opt for the 45-square-foot, 4-person Condo version.

You are hunting from a carpeted, level, pressure-treated floor and you are inside a rain- and wind-proof structure that is essentially maintenance-free all season. You are more comfortable than when you are exposed in a tree stand, and can therefore hunt longer, harder and more effectively.

At the same time, you still have a 360-degree view of the area you are hunting, thanks to Advantage's system of tinted polycarbonate windows that flip up out of your way for a shot. They close against a gasket to keep them scent tight when they're not open. In addition to the shooting windows on all sides of the blind, there are corner inset windows that allow for easy 360-degree viewing without the hunter having to lean forward or backward to see around a corner post.

You can see the deer, but they can't see you.

Entering and leaving the Whitetail Blind actually takes less time and is therefore less intrusive than climbing a tree stand. Options for Whitetail blinds allow you to place the blind on the ground, or elevate it with a SCENTite Quadpod kit. The elevated version has a trap door easily entered via the ladder; the ground version has a outside hinged door with a keyed, locking door handle. Whatever terrain and habitat you hunt, an Advantage blind will be in the right place - safe, secure, and easy to get in and out of.

And when you want to hunt with a friend, a spouse or a new-to-the-sport young hunter, there is no better option on the market than hunting from an Advantage blind.

This year, consider upgrading your hunting experience on your best stand sites by using a Whitetail Blind from Advantage.

For more information on Advantage Blinds' models, options, and accessories, check out www.advantagehunting.com.