Haybale Blind Ready to Go!

[deerminator]

What do you think? This is the spot the kids and I will be doing a couple of hunts out of early season. Though I may move it down the line to a different spot after the beans are picked, which I know will be sooner than later this year. Still some green in the field but most is yellow and a lot brown. Still, the farmer who leases it has a lot of harvesting to do so you never know where he'll start first. The first photo is from the tractor track where the deer will often travel through the field. I had the windows completely down then. The second photo is right on the edge of the field with the mesh windows up. (Note the little spyhole off to the left one of the kids will man.) I could have dropped down the hay over the windows when not using it but I'd rather them get used to those two dark spots on the haybale.

[mabr]

That's one of the neatest blinds I've seen!!! Is it store bought or homemade? Looks like what one of my friends calls the TATOR TOT'S (round bales) you see in the hay fields.

I thought about making one out of alfalfa bales last season but was worried the warden would have frowned on it.

[reinhard1]

looks great to me, good job!!!good luck.

[deerminator]

Thanks. I bought it from a company that sells kits to make round haybale blinds. This is a blanket they sell that you wrap around a pop-up blind and then zip tie it together. I called the DNR and they told me it wasn't considered baiting. The blanket is supposed to last for one season. It cost $60 so it was a little spendy if it only does last one year but I thought I would try it out.

[deerminator]

An update on the DNR angle involved. I had previously talked to someone in the front office in St. Paul and they were laughing that it could be suggested as baiting. But I wanted to be sure so he did put me in touch with an officer. She said that hay could be considered baiting if it was put there for the purposes of hunting but not so sure about a blind made of it since it was intended for concealment. She took down the name of the product and company so she could look at it via the web and she'd get back to me. Well, yesterday she did and said that she and other officers had discussed and it would NOT be considered baiting so to go ahead and enjoy the hunting out if it! I have her name and phone number as my CYA. I kind of thought it was ridiculous that anyone would think it's baiting. I'm surrounded by beans, corn and hayfields. I doubt the deer would be coming to my blind to get their sustenance every day. lol.

[Gordie]

Very cool deerminator after the hunt you could use it to cover up your strawberries

Good luck to you and your kids

[deerminator]

Thanks! So long as we see deer I will be happy. The chances are good given I've used this spot before and they hang in the woods behind the blind. Unfortunately, I can get out opener but the next Friday or Saturday. I think the beans will still be up and even if they aren't, they'll have been picked not long ago and the farmer typically pressure seeds regardless so it might be a hot set-up for a few weeks yet.

[DonBo]

Pretty sweet set-up. I can sure think of a few spots I'd like to have one of those.

[Rippinlip]

That is a great loking set-up.

I am thinking my daughter might even sit in that one with me.

[Andrew Erickson]

nice!