Ground Blinds

[J48jake]

Wondering what people think of ground blinds nowadays? I have been a life long "tree hunter" but I just bought the intimidater ground blind my ameristep. Seemed like a good overall blind for the price. Anyone heard anything about this blind? Also if anyone has any tips for hunting out of a ground blind this archery season feel free to share. I am looking forward to trying the new blind out this week w/ my 5 yo daughter.

[DonBo]

I've been hunting from ground blinds more and more lately. For deer, don't expect great results when you first put them up. They need to be brushed in very well. After left out for a couple weeks they seem to get used to them.

Keep openings in the back of the blind closed so deer can't see you moving inside. Wear black or at least dark clothing while in a blind to blend into the dark interior. Good scent control still needs to be used.

Blinds are a great way to get kids into the woods, good luck!

[splakeshaker]

I have the same blind as you do and think it's awesome. Very roomy and can easily seat two people. DonBo is right on with his comments. I've shoot deer as close as 12 yards from it with them not having a clue I was there. The shadier the spot you place it the better in my opinion, and brush it in. I been hunting more in the blind than I do in the trees lately.

[Muskie456]

I bought mine for turkey hunting and use it more and more. They are great. I agree with Donbo with getting kids into hunting. My boy thinks it is really cool to hang out with dad in the blind. I really like it during the Rifle/muzzleloader season with a little heater.

[gurkster]

I agree 100% with DonBo! Enjoy!

[harvey lee]

This past weekend while I was guiding a handi capped archer, we set up my blind 3 different days and hunted it the same day. Yes we brushed it in and we had deer every day within 5-7 yards of the blind.

I'm a Double Bull freak as the blinds are awesome. They are well buiult, set up and take down very easy and are roomy enough for two people.

The inside is blacked out and have mesh on the windows and one can easily shoot through them.

[Jmnhunter]

do you guys mud your deer blinds to take glare out?

[splakeshaker]

I haven't. I keep mine up in one spot for long periods of time so I brush it in pretty heavily. Personally, I think mudding sounds like a pain in the rear in the long run.

[lovebigbluegills]

I just bought a ground blind a couple weeks ago. It's a boondocks one from S cheels. It's well constructed, easy to set up and take down, and has the shoot-through screen windows. I sat in it a couple nights ago for a few hours but didn't see any deer. I've got a trail camera next to it, and there has yet to be a deer in the clover plot since I've put my ground blind up. It's been there about a week and a half, and I put some brush around it. It shouldn't be too much longer and they'll be used to it----I hope.

[harvey lee]

Last weekend I placed a blind in 3 different locations and brushed it in and had deer within 5 yards all 3 evenings.

Maybe some scent there when you set up the blind to keep the deer out. If they are feeding there and the blind is brushed in and scent free, the deer should come there for sure. I have never had an issue with a blind scaring deer if it is blended in well enough and scent free.

It could be they changed there feeding location.

Hold on for a few more days.

[Scoot]

I have a favor to ask- can you guys take some pics of your ground blinds once you've brushed them in? I brush in my ground blinds and I seem to get noticed pretty easily. I'm not sure what I do wrong...

[sticknstring]

A turkey setup but would do the same for whitetail. 3-4 years back I was huge into blinds but it's been more treestands lately.

[harvey lee]

I wish you would have asked this before last weekend Scoot as I had many blinds up and brushed in. In three weeks I will be back up and if I remember too, I will take a few photo's.

I simply place the blind up and if I'm in a clearing, I use the woods as a background for the back side. I then trim longer branches full of green leaves and place them on the other sides and on the top. I also lay more along the bottom side ways to cover it all the more. When I'm done, you could walk away 20 yards and not see any of the blind colors. I also spray the blind down very well and use gloves when I cut the branches to reduce any scent.

I have had great luck also setting up and crawling in for the evening hunt.

Some deer will come in and yes, they are a bit wary as there is something new in the area. They have stomped thier feet and all at the blind but if one sits still and does not make any noise, they will walk by.

One still also needs to keep the wind direction in mind for scent control.

[lovebigbluegills]

Something I thought about yesterday--for those of you that have hunted ground blinds for a while, have you ever recovered an arrow? Without the downward angle to stick them in the ground, seems like the chances of finding your arrow would be slim and none (and slim's out of town?).

[harvey lee]

I use the lighted arrow nocks so thats helps alot.

[InTheNorthwoods]

Something I thought about yesterday--for those of you that have hunted ground blinds for a while, have you ever recovered an arrow? Without the downward angle to stick them in the ground, seems like the chances of finding your arrow would be slim and none (and slim's out of town?).

It totally depends on the individual circumstances. Certain situations are more conducive to finding your arrow, but the same holds true out of a elevated stand. On a personal level, I have filmed two shots out of a ground blind, both pass throughs, and we found both arrows with relative ease.

[charliepete]

I've shot a few deer on the groud and have always been able to recover my arrow. 2 years ago I shot a buck while sitting flat on the ground against a tree. The arrow was actually traveling slightly upward when it hit the deer (exit hole higher than the entrance). It was towards dusk when I shot, so when I came back the next day I just walked a line from the tree I was sitting against to the scent wick I'd shot the buck at. My arrow was just laying in the popple whips. Shooting a deer on the ground with a bow is a rush especially if you've always hunted tree stands.

[harvey lee]

I help guide for a handi capped hunt every fall. We have from 10-15 disabled archers who all shoot crossbows. We typically always find the bolts they have shot at deer. They are also half the length of a regular arrow.

One just needs to follow the shot as best as possible and then look hard. We typically find 75% of the bolts.

[ARROW 1]

Here is a ground blind I made this spring. I put it out in early May. I used a hog panel layed down 3 pickup loads of cattails. Lined the inside with heavy black plastic. I used chicken wire to hold it all together. The backing was shinny so I lined it with black landscaping material.I set it up on two dock sections to keep the foot noise down. Total cost $45. Never hunted from a ground blind before. Hope I can stick one out of it.

[DonBo]

Harvey, how did your handicap hunt go? Wanna share some stories?

[harvey lee]

Short story.

11 hunters and we harvested 4 bucks and 5 does. One hunter lost a deer and the other had plenty of chances but was waiting for King Kong.

[DonBo]

9 for 11, great job Harvey!