Advice for bringing non-hunters in the field

[GottaGo]

My wife always in really interested in hearing about my time in the stand whenever I get back from bowhunting. This year I put in a new food plot on her parents' land and all the talk of hunting this summer has peeked her interest enough she wants to come sit with me a few times this fall. What advice would anybody have for physically hunting side-by-side with somebody? I've always hunted from treestands, but I don't think things would end well if she was in a stand with me and the tree starts swinging in the wind. That leads me to thinking I will be experimenting with a ground blind. I can put one out anytime as it will be on private land, but what do I need to consider when looking at blinds? What about trying to draw a bow and manuever in them with 2 people, does that start to get tricky? Finally, any advice on particular blinds? I'm hoping to keep price down as I could easily see her going once or twice and getting bored and not interested in going again and the blind would likely just sit in storage after that.

[Lentz]

So quick questions do you have a buck and a doe tag? It would help her keep interest if you shot a for on one of the first evenings and just do the last 2-3 hours that's how I started out when I was 12 I would go out 3-4 times a day and each time would be 2-3 hours, but last year i got to where I could sit for 5+ hours at a time (I was 15 then) this year I'm going to tuff it out and do a few hole

So if u have a few doe tags just take her out and stick one and in a few years she might get a bow

But blinds with 2 people

First off make sure you go in there ahed of time and cut down the grass and rake the leaves so its not noisy

Practice shooting in your blind with yourself then add a chair for her one of the bigger ones so it's like she's actuly there

You should have plenty of room people on tv do it with a camera guy and his tripod

[mabr]

I say 2 person ladder stand. There not very high and most have a guard rail around them to make them feel safe.

I had my wife in a blind with me 2 years ago during the early antlerless season in my intensive harvest zone and it was a blast!!! No does but a nice 10 walked within 30 yards and she got to see it all. She still talks about it!

[Scoot]

Both blinds and ladder stands are great options for this. If you're worried about the tree swaying, put it in a decent sized tree and don't hunt out of it if it's too windy (with her, at least). A couple things I'd focus on with a newbie: make sure she's comfortable- warmth (this is a big one- bring hand warmers, even if it's not that cool and dress her warmer than you think she needs to be- she can take stuff off), no skeeters, comfy spot to sit, something to eat and drink, etc. Do this earlier in the year as later in the season can get pretty rough temp/weather wise. It might be a good idea to keep the sits she comes on reasonably short- get to the stand 1/2 hour later than you normally would (not good advice normally, but I think this is a good suggestion to help keep her interest long enough to make it through to the magic last hour).

One thing I did with my son this past season, and you might consider with your wife, is I gave him my camera and let him do some shooting of his own. He LOVED being able to take pictures and he actually got some pretty nice pics of deer. It was a lot of fun for him and me.

Have fun and good luck!!!

[snapcrackpop]

Wives love to read.

[Rippinlip]

I would side on the blind more.

The double tree stand is a good option, but movement is a key.

Easier to get away with some movement while in a blind too, hunting movement anyways , but anyways.

She could be reading a book like posted earlier (great advice), playing on a cell phone or playing a hand held game, all options in a blind over a tree stand.

My wife reads while in her tree stand now, but has learned over the last few years when and how much movement she can get away with.

Took my daughter out in the blind the last couple of years and plenty of room with chairs in there to shoot and she still was able to play hand held video games to pass the time, volume off of course.

[harvey lee]

I guide handi capped archers every fall and we use ground blinds. The guides all sit with the hunters and we really have no issues at all.

We mainly use Double Bull blinds as they donate then to the group and they will work fine for 2 people.

If I can get in a blind, in a chair at 290#'s with a hunter in his wheel chair and a steel rod with base to hold his crossbow in front of a window, it should be able to be done by any sized person.

IT was tight and now I have a blind built by a HSOer and that is much larger and works great for my hunters. We could actually have 3 in chairs in the blind.

Thanks Scoot!!

I agree I would clear out all the weeds and leaves on the ground inside the blind. If I have kids in the blind with me, I will close a few window nets on thier side incase they want to move around. This way, the deer will not see the movement.

Would not hurt to cover the blind with some leaves and branchs also unless the blind is set out well in advance of your hunt. Some deer will walk right up to a blind and others will shy away at first anyways.

[GottaGo]

Thanks for all the tips, she really liked the idea of bringing a camera with a trying to take some fun pictures. I went out today and bought a new blind and set it up in the garage. She really started getting excited about everything when I made her go sit in the blind with me. I'm hopefully gonna get it put out in the next week or so then I'll just have to impatiently wait until we can get out hunting!

[Boar]

Cool, before ya know it, youll be helping her pik out a bow.