Ground Blinds

[Cooperman]

Can anyone give their oppinion on hunting from a ground blind as opposed to a stand. What are the advantages/disadvantages. I can see warmth and shelter from rain/snow, but I think you wouldn't be able to see much unless you were up on a ridge?

[nofishfisherman]

You pretty much answered your own question.

Advantages:

Staying out of the wind and rain. (its very nice to stay dry)

Conceals your movement

Somewhat mobile so you can set up on a new spot in a pinch

Disadvantages:

Visibility - you are limited in where you can hunt because you'll need a good line of sight at ground level. If you are hilly terrain they work much better or if you can set up on the edge of a field.

The other disadvantage is that you are hidden from view from other hunters. You're blaze orange isn't showing and you are on the ground where bullets may be flying. Not always a good situation.

[Cheetah]

Ground blinds are great for certain situations. Make sure you put some orange on it for your own safety, private or public land.

[Musky Buck]

I couldn't see more than 10 yards from a GB where I hunt almost in any of my 5 stand locations, tall grass,cattails,willow, etc. so I'd need hip boots to hunt out of a GB as I'd be swimming so a stand up is the only option, I could GB the edge of the cover but I'd rarely see any deer as they don't come to the edge until shooting light is gone so I have to be in the jungle if I want a shot at a nocturnal or near nocturnal buck.

[DonBo]

I only use mine when the perfect tree is nowhere to be found, oh and for turkeys!

[TruthWalleyes]

I'm on the other side of things i guess. I've hunted out of an elevated stand once, maybe twice. The rest is sitting on the ground, or in a chair in my home made ground blinds. I've been in the tent ground blinds once, but don't like them as much as using stakes and camo mesh blankets that i've made. They're great wind blockers, and better camoflauge.

I have hunted with guys who are 'stand only' hunters, and i think they are often hindered by their need for trees! They'll walk around the hunting area for an hour looking for a perfect tree, and i've already found my golden spot before they've even put their first spike in the tree. Also, it's gotta be pretty hard to shoot behind you in a tree. I use a swivel chair in my ground blind, so if a deer comes from behind, i simply duck below the camo blind, spin around, lift the gun above the blind...and BAM!.

I'll set up where i can maximize my shot range and area, and often times there is probably a tree in the area that will do that, but it is also nice to be below the tree branches because i think often when i a tree other trees are reducing your shooting area. My 2c.

[BobT]

I hunt in northern MN and we make our own ground blinds using available deadfalls and brush. Of course we do this early in the year so the deer become accustomed to its presence. I like ground blinds of this type. Protection from the elements, primarily wind, is probably my favorite part about it. There are times when you can actually see better from ground level than up high in the areas we hunt.

[HookEmHard84]

I think the concealment factor is the biggest plus of the ground blinds. You really have the abilty to get yourself in a good shooting position without giving yourself up. I have been busted several times just trying to get my gun on a deer/draw on a deer in tree stands.

I do agree about the saftey concerns though. Dont like the idea of being invisible to other hunters. I always bring some Blaze to put on the top of my blind during gun season.

[ClownColor]

I would love to hunt out of a ground blind. They are very comfy, they shelter you, you can move around, stretch, lots of room...however, the one day I used it I'm alomost died!

I set up about 1 hundred yards from a trail. Had my blaze orange showing on the blind. Decided to get out of it a walk around. As soon as I got out, a hunter walking the trail near by kicked up a doe which then ran right at me. The hunter flung 3 rounds towards me while I ran towards a tree swinging my arms to grab his attention. the deer literally stopped within spitting distance of me and the blind. What happened next could start a whole new thread. The hunter actually RAN AWAY! If he would have hit me or even if he thought he hit me, he would have laid me there to die. Not good!

I'm quit sure though that if I would have been in my blind he would have unloaded his gun in my direction espically when the deer stopped right at my blind. Now, he had no idea I was there cause the required orange on those blinds is very little. I don't blame him totally for shooting towards me, just the fact he ran away...like full sprint up the trail.

I would love to hunt out of it again. I would defently add as much orange to it a possible if hunting public. The orange will not scare the deer away!

I now my story is probably very rare but good luck and stay safe!

[TruthWalleyes]

I hunt 99% private land, and even then, i carry an extra orange hat and orange gloves...If i'm sitting under an evergreen tree, the hat and gloves are hung on the tree for increased visibility to other hunters in my party. Same goes for when i'm in my ground blind, to which my head is typically visible, the hat and gloves are hunt on the top of the blind for safety. I definitely stress hunter safety, and ask all hunters to point to the map and tell us where they will be...Thats a scary situation ClownColor...I had a teenager shoot directly at me two years ago in plain sight, he had deer fever, eyes glued to the scope, and when the deer popped out of the woods he must have completely forgot about the other hunter (me) sitting 90yds away in plain sight! Boy did he get chewed!

[niterydr]

I "made" a ground blind this weekend, found a spot that was 1) along a deer trail with obvious signs of use (scrapes), 2) deep in the brush to hide me. I moved a few branches here and there to conceal my hands/gun on my lap and he ended up coming from the direction I was expecting, directly at me. Ended up shooting a 6 pointer about 10-15 feet away. Hardest part was not to give myself away as I blasted him with the lever action 30-30 (click of the safety off nearly sent him running)

[maros91]

When do you guys put your blinds out? Month before the season so the deer get used to them. 2 months before? Week before? Carry it with ya and set it up that morning? Just wondering what you guys do.

[harvey lee]

I typically use my climbers for archery and riflwe hunting. if I am hunting a meadow then I will use my ground blind.

This weekend I will be Ml hunting in my ground blind. Nice with no wind and you are out of the elements.

As far as how soon does one set them up in advance, I typically like to set mine up a few weeks ahead of time if I am on private property.

One can go out the same day if you brush it in well enough but a week sooner would be much better.

I have a orange patch on each side.

I would much rather sit in a tree in a thicker woods than on the ground. last weekend in ND, I was in my climber about 14ft up. High enough that I could get above most of the lower ground cover. I saw a buck at approx 80 yards and dropped it. If I would have been in my ground blind, I doubt I would have even seen the buck.

That are a great option and they have thier time and place. Either brush it in very well along woith the top or set it up as soon as you can before you go out to get the deer use to it.

My Lone Wold climber is very comfortable but I have a very nice chair for the ground blind. Trouble is, I can get so comfy, I can fall asleep.

One tip when you use a ground blind, clear out a spot on the dirt so when a deer comes in and you have to move, your feet are not rustling in the leaves on the ground or you step on a twig. deer will hear that.

[deerminator]

I mainly use ground blinds for archery because the hilly terrain and scraggly trees in the farmland I hunt lends itself better to them. I would agree on the concealment factor. While your line of sight is nowhere as good as in a treestand, I've drawn on deer 15-20 yards from the blind staring straight at it no problem. I almost couldn't believe it. They key there, though is for archery earlier in the year I'm like a sniper. All black clothes and black face paint to match the blind interior and just one or two windows (max) open for shooting options, usually over a bean or cut corn field or instersection of multiple trails in the heavy cover. I never gun hunted out of them, but I would think it could be very effective in similar situations.

[maros91]

Thanks for the responses. This was my first year hunting out of a blind and I had it up about 2 weeks before opener but didn't see any deer out of it. It was a thick area but didn't offer any trees to get up in. I also have a comfy chair inside the blind and always find myself dozing off. Thanks for the responses.