Double Bull Question

[erikh45]

I decided to bite the bullet and purchased a DB Darkhorse. I am posting this here because it seems it is well suited for turkeys. I am wondering if anyone has found a good pack to carry it in. Ideally it would be a long slender pack with good support. I know DB sells the Wild Thing, but it is $250. I would also like to carry one or two seats and a tripod. I tried to put it in my seabag from the military, but it carries it too high. I might go to the local sporting goods store and look for a baseball bat bag or something similar. Any other ideas?

Erik

[Hoyt4]

We have used golf carts.I have strapped my chair blind,tripod to the cart.Works nice.Does depend a lot on the terrain also.I have also modified my dB bags and put a zipper top to bottom so you just un-zip the bag lay the blind in and chair and zip it right up.Works nice.

[Hotspotter]

Erik:

Never used the pack, just always put the straps over my head and tuck one arm through so you're carrying it across your back. Not ideal, but your muscles get used to it. You want it behind you as much as possible so it's not rubbing against brush as you move through the woods.

Hoyt, love the zipper idea. Why didn't I think of that before?

Joel

[erikh45]

I went to the sporting goods store and looked at all the bags. I realized that a wakeboard bag would work great. I also have a wakeboard in my garage in a bag. I think I am going to try it out to see how it will work. I like the cart idea. I use one for my deer decoy. I will be hunting the UP of Michigan next week and a cart might prove more cumbersome than just carrying it. I also am going to use my wheeler to get back to where we hunt, so that should help.

[Hoyt4]

We just gave a cart a try a few years ago.This works great on long walks in to through open areas.NE is about the only time we use this.Very easy to get around with the cart.WI,MN smaller land we are hunting and thicker cover.I do not have a problem carrying the blind in.I forgot to mention when we added the zippers to the bags also added some material to make them just a little wider(matrix only)for chairs and tripod.My t2 the blind and chairs fit right in side with my bow holder and makes it nice to have it all in one bag.

[birdswacker]

Golf cart with the big golf bag not the one you put the clubs in theres a bag you put the clubsbag in. Works excellent IMO.

[gurkster]

I also just bought the DB DH. I was tired of being busted by the turkeys while Archery Hunting for them. I am a little disapointed that the bag doesn't pack/carry better. I also did not get the ground stakes with it, is that normal? For the cost I expected the stakes and a better carrying system. I did like the comfort the blind offered, and after it beat me up a few times, setup is now quick and easy.

One question I have is how do you guys adjust the windows while hunting from it? I closed all but the big 180 degree window and dressed in black. I then kept the shoot through screen on the big window, and planned to shoot through it with the bow. Is that how you guys do it? Can I safely leave the shoot through screen off and feel concealed enough in black, with that window open? Most video I have seen seems that seems to be what they did.

For the pack I am still working on it, but I did find an old tent bag that would seem to work, however, the strps weren't exactly right for carrying it, so I had to adjust it some to get it to ride higher on my back.

[Hoyt4]

Gurkster for turkeys you will be fine with out using the screen.I setup with a corner just enclosed and wear a black shirt and hat.Never had a bird bust me in the blind.Once you get out and use this you will find ways that work better for you.Birds will come from a direction you are not ready and with the slide windows it's great to just put down the side you need then slide up the other.The blinds do not come with stakes.I have a box full in the truck when I leave for hunt.Keep them in vest if needed.If it's gusting winds or you are leaving up over night you can stake the blind in.You might not even have to stake the blind down if just up for the day.

[Hotspotter]

Gurk:

Leave the screen up for hunting turkeys (no screen). You're more than covered if you wear full-black with the 180 degree windows open as far as they can go. Be careful with birds approaching from the side, as if you cross the centerline of the blind, birds can see your dark figure silhouetted through the opening. Remember only to peek through the rear ports of the DH, rather than open them a little ways to see what's behind you. I've spooked birds this way.

Watch the instructional video! It should have come with your blind? There are some great species-specific tips in there. Stakes on the other hand, do not come with the blind. That said, I can't remember the last time I staked down my blind? Two years ago or so? It's uncommon, and you really only need to when winds are gusting over the 25+ mph mark, and only then if you're in the open. Usually all the junk I have in the blind, layed up against the inside and on top of the skirting of the blind more than stabilizes it.

Joel

[Hoyt4]

You got it Joel.Joel try out the zipper you will like it.The slide windows on these are great.Sure nice when you have to change position in your blind.

[Hotspotter]

Hoyt:

Shoot me an email, address below.

Thanks!

Joel

[gurkster]

Thanks for the replies guys. I appreciate it. I am sure that I will like the DB Blind, just getting to know it. No archery bird for me this year. Rain, little gobbling and solo birds for me this year in 346D. Tough hunting. I have 5 birds with the gun over the past years, I still NEED that archery killed turkey! Oh well next year I guess. Best wishes to those who still have a tag for this spring.

[erikh45]

Thanks for all the great feedback. I agree that DB should have a better carrying system. Some of the less expensive blinds come with great carrying bags. In my wakeboard bag I can get my stools, tripod, and extra gear inside. I think this will work for now. I may try to wear out my wife's sewing machine trying to figure out a better system. I will keep you all posted.

Next week will be the first hunt with the DB. I will be in Michigan. I guess we will see what happens.

Erik

[Hotspotter]

Erik:

Before you hunt with it, set that thing up a few times. In all honesty, the very best thing you could do is take half an hour, put on your camo, grab your bow or gun, and take a hike into the woods with the thing. Practice setting it up like you will in the woods, next to turkeys. Get inside and shoot a few arrows. Draw your bow at least and practice doing what you'll need to do to make the shot. If with gun, practice where/how you'll need to be sitting to keep that barrel inside the blind. Here's a great video showing what happens when you stick the barrel out of a blind; birds spook! Cool hunt, but the guy lucks out like 3 times in a row at the end of the video:

It sounds corny, and un-necessary, but what you'll learn in a half-hour the easy way, is much better than learning it the hard way and costing you a gobbler. Not that it's difficult, or all that challenging, but there are all kinds of logistical concerns when you're trying to do all these things at once. Esp. on your first hunt with it.

Joel

[stretch]

 Originally Posted By: erikh45

I decided to bite the bullet and purchased a DB Darkhorse. I am posting this here because it seems it is well suited for turkeys. I am wondering if anyone has found a good pack to carry it in. Ideally it would be a long slender pack with good support. I know DB sells the Wild Thing, but it is $250. I would also like to carry one or two seats and a tripod. I tried to put it in my seabag from the military, but it carries it too high. I might go to the local sporting goods store and look for a baseball bat bag or something similar. Any other ideas?

Erik

i just got done hunting with one of the double bull guys. jon b he is the sales manager and we both have the wild thing packs and let me tell you it is the GREATEST thing ever. i can carry my blind, two chairs, my tripid, camera, all my calls, rangfinder, bow holder, a couple cans of pop, half a dozen tie down stakes, a extra jacket if it gets cold, and a arrow tube with my arrows. now that is alot of stuff and the wild thing can handle it all. we hiked in a mile and a half with all that gear climbing hills and going down them and we didn't get tired. oh the other nice thing about the pack is it comes with a hydration bladder in it also. in the pack you can take the flaps off of it and hang them from the inside of the blind or take one flap off and use your pack to carry less stuff. either way the wild thing pack is worth every bit of money and would never buy a different pack to carry all that stuff.

the reason why they don't put tie down stakes with the blind is some people prefer different types of stakes or they tie the blind off to bushes around the blind.

[erikh45]

Joel,

Thanks for the advice. When I first got it I spent a long time in my basement setting it up and taking it down. My 2 year old loves to hang out in it. My neighbors probably think I am crazy, yesterday I spent time setting it up outside and drawing my bow at different angles. I am glad I did. The videos make it look easy to set up, but it can be pretty frustrating at first. Due to the price I do not think I will be getting a wild thing pack. I will be the guy carrying an O'brien Wakeboard bag in the woods Monday morning

Erik