Ground Blinds

[bassislife]

Looking to purchase a ground blind for deer hunting. Have no idea what is good for the money.

Anyone that has one please give me some advise!

Thanks

[bottomdweller]

I have a double bull blind, I like it alot. They are the costlier ones on the market.

[echotrail]

If you've got a good location and you know your going to hunt it most of the time just get a roll of camo and then build up some brush in a circle (Leave a small entry point) weaving the camo into it as you build. Go 4' to 5' high and use a camp stool to sit on. No roof, but it is an outdoor experience.

[deerminator]

A natural blind in the right set-up can be deadly. In this situation, however, I want to be 90 percent sure the direction and path the deer are taking. Some ideas are sitting inside corn a few rows and trimming a shooting lane (if its your land or the farmer lets you), sitting in tall grass and trimmng a small shooting lane, or digging a pit blind inside of a large deadfall. I have two blinds. I would suggest not getting a doghouse or smaller pop-up since drawing is difficult. Can be done but its difficult and claustraphobic. A hub style blind is the way to go in my opinion. I would go withthe doouble bull if you have the moolah ($400) or a GroundMax Escape Deluxe (Bought mine for $150). Both are nice and the only ones I know of that allow you to adjust and open and close windows silently from the inside. That's key because you need to have as little window opening exposed as possible, even with the mesh windows. Deer will see you if windows aren't just so.

[dan z]

a couple years ago scheels had a company make some really nice ground blinds for them. they had 360 shooting and the windows were shoot thru style or you could also undo the magnets holding them up really nice hub style blind dont know what kind they have now but if its about the same they are great blinds from what I remember

[bassislife]

Has anyone used the Dog House made by Ameristep? they seem affordable @ $70.00

[harvey lee]

I have seen many ground blinds get used and usually this can be said, the less expensize ones will be a little more work to set up and will also not last as long. I use all Double Bull blinds and have not had any issues. I once purchased a look a like Double Bull blind from the big box store and it lasted for 1 hunt. But, it was less money.

There are many different brands out there and look them over good as one might just work for your situation.

If you are hunting with a gun, a ground blind as suggested would be a great option and would also csave one some cash.

Good luck.

[deerminator]

I ditto what harvey said. I own a ground max escape deluxe and two dog houses. I got each of the dog houses from fleet farm for $50 a piece on clearance and they do work, but not very well for bow. I only like to have one or two windows (mesh up)open max or you will get spotted if you move the least (even with all black clothes to match interior. It is also extremely hard to draw your bow back without hitting the sides of the blind and you have to really manuever to do it. I find it next to impossible but have successfully used for bowhunting. It's just not a lot of fun to sit in something like a little bunker while bowhunting.

A hub blind like the double bull or the ground max will give you much more room and lead to a more enjoyable hunt. Makes it easy to bring a buddy to or a kid. There is no way you can do this bowhunting in a doghouse.

That said, the next blind I may drop my money on will be an Ameristep Dream Season ($400 also) since I want to build a platform for it and it allows you to shoot down for close shots with mesh windows along the bottom. Before I do so, I will try it out extensively at the store first, drawing my bow inside if they will let me, etc.

Final tip, wherever you get a blind, make sure they're good about taking it back if you don't like it. I dropped $200 on a Cabela's blind a few years ago and it basically fell apart the first time I used it. They took it back immediately and I swapped it out for a groundmax.

[deerminator]

Wanted to add one more thing. Ground blinds, especially a nice one, can make an all day sit much easier and relaxing than perched on a fixed position treestand. I've packed breakfast lunch and dinner with a book in my pack and had many an enjoyable late October or November day that way. Just keep your ears opening for crunching leaves like I do when in the big woods.

[hanso612]

Each of the last three years, I have had slob hunters stop and shoot at deer on my farm in Southwestern Minnesota while I was in the field. There are few stand hunters in our area and this is one of the few areas left where the deer drive is still king. I've even watched as neighbors dropped people off on my farm with loaded guns in the truck and proceded to drive my farm in their truck in big concentic circles. I also have witnessed many violation on the WMA next to our farm. The point is that in these blinds the deer don't know we are out there, but more importantly, the other "hunters?" don't know we are there either.

Be carefull when in a ground blind on private property that isn't out of range from the section road.

If it takes a big sign on the road it might be worth it.Hans

[harvey lee]

Call the sheriffs dept or the conversation officer and report the problems. Many times my father had these same issues and a few phone calls and they came down and within a few weeks and a deer decoy, the word got out. No one comes around any longer as they know they will be caught.

[hanso612]

I hunted 4a and offered to let the Co use my blind during 4b and muzzle loader and never found out if they did. I have called tip in the past and have had mixed results. They are unable to answer most questions about whether a practice you are complaining about is legal or not and suggest you just call the sheriff as Harvey lee suggested.

I chose to talk my neighbors and post my property more clearly and as I suggested plan to make it clear that I am in the field by not getting dropped off and leaving my car between me and the road. I also plan to use a flag so all the neighbors know I'm hunting in the blind.

I benifit from all the driving activity on neighbors fields and don't begrudge a shot at a deer that is running down the property line even if it's technically on my side of a non fenced section line. I just don't want to be caught in the crossfire which has been the case on two ocassions hunting from a ground blind.

There is always grey areas and I prefer to talk to the parties first hand. Last year we made great contacts and helped a young kid finish off a deer. We could have been sticklers and caused a rift ,but I think we managed to work it out without gettting the authorities involved.

We will see this year in old zone 4, With all of the hunters hunting both weekends- twice as many hunters will be looking to hunt the same small patches of public property. The conflicts can only increase this year on WMA's and those little patches of unposted grass on private property will be attracting many hunters not able to find a place to hunt on the opener because of the doubling of hunters. So if I were going to hunker in a ground blind this year I would make sure it is clearly marked for these newly disenfranchised hunters to see. Hans

[deerminator]

Good reminder hanso612, I almost always am bowhunting in a ground blind during gun season about 200 yards into some big woods off of a nearby township road. Our neighbor has his tripod stand on his adjoining property about 50 yards from the road. We talk every year about where we'll be and I put a couple of strips of orange duck tape on my blind on each side. This has never seemed top spook deer and it keeps me visible to the slob hunters you refer.

We hunt near a bunch of lake homes (with people living in them most of the time), and each on our own property. But you'd be amazed. Every year, we get people cruising down our dirt driveways, gun in truck cab, looking to pop a deer. This year, I'm thinking about putting some bright no trespassing signs along the woods perimiter with an orange ribbon of duck tape around the tree trunsk as well.

[Rhino__14]

I just purchased the Ameristep Penthouse from Cabelas for $200 to use this year. The main reason I went with this blind was the size (78" square by 90" tall") and weight (only 20 lbs). Both rifle and bow shots can be made standing up if necessary and it will fit 2 guys easily. I am still getting use to the setup and breakdown but I figure 5 more minutes of setup time will be well worth it to get all the extra space.