Who uses pop-up blinds for deer? Are they effective?

[nyslowhand]

Reason I ask is, three years ago I bought one that has the guille covering basically for foul weather hunting.

First year I hunted only 3 times and saw a doe poke its' head out of the brush, turn around and leave.

That's all I saw. Didn't put it up last year.

This year I put it up between a couple of trees in a typically heavily traveled area and brushed it in in early August.

Since I put it up I have not seen any tracks or signs of deer in that area.

Maybe the blind???

[bubba]

I have a dog house pop up blind. I put it in a patch of cedars 4 years ago and left it. I brushed it in and it is still there.  I hunt out of it ocasionally and have seen deer.  I think the trick is the same as a ladder stand.  Put it up and leave it up so the wildlife get used to it. I only sit in it when the wind is right. You still need to be still and quiet in it as I am sure you know.  I have not harvested a deer out of it yet , but I know I could if I used it more often.  It is on a piee of property, I do not hunt a lot. 

[Fantail]

Deer notice blinds, I think more so when the windows look like eyes or blotches out of place - off the ground. Having said that I took a doe out of one two years ago within smoothbore range. Turkeys could care less. I have used it durring gun season if it's a drizzle day and I don't feel like staying soaked. Also if it's freezing out you'd be suprised how much warmer you keep inside on of those things, with at least the mesh windows up.

[fasteddie]

I have a Teepee blind , a couple of DogHouse blinds and 2 Hub Blinds . The hub blind would be the best to shoot out of while bow hunting as it is roomy (although I have not shot out of it) . The Doghouse is pretty small to draw a bow in but great for gun hunting . The Teepee blind is good for gun hunting only .

[WNYBuckHunter]

I have one, its one of the big, squareish ones. I have seen deer out of it, but havent taken any yet. I use it mostly for taking my daughter out. I am going to try shooting my bow out of it this year.

[Doc]

Here was my experience with my pop-up that I got last year. I set the thing up nested neatly into some pines. I thought it was good enough ..... lol. A group of several does came out at the lower end of my small field (about 150 yards away) they moved up the field and at about 100 yards, the one larget doe stopped and began the old head bobbing, foot stomping, routine. Everybody but her was fooled. By the time she got done, they all took off although I think the others really didn't know what her problem was.

The next day, I set it all back up again, except this time I tucked it back behind the limbs of the pine trees, and brushed it all in with goldenrod. When I got done, it was an absolute perfect camo job. In fact about a wek later when I finally decided to try out the new set-up, I actually got a bit confused for a few minutes as to where I put it. It was a good set-up and is the way I should have done it in the first place. But this time, nobody showed up. So, the moral of the story is camo or not, those things still stick out. Do your absolute best job of concealing and brushing it all in right from the first time you use it.

I'll be trying it out again this year.

Doc

[growalot]

I have a dog house...I'll be setting up this week end.....and I have a chair blind that I loved during turkey season ...but it spooked several deer :-\

[fasteddie]

I forgot about the chair blind . I have one of those also . You are pretty much contrained in a chair blind and it's only good for gun hunting . I think it would be better for pistol than rible . Although you can see out the side windows , it is difficul to get a rifle through them to shoot . Can't much gear inside of a chair blind . Once you are in it , it is difficult to try to lift it and turn the blind to adjust it . You are pretty cramped in one . But .......... it works !

[burmjohn]

We have a blind, I'm thinking about setting it up this weekend or next so the deer get used to it.  I was just worried about leaving it out for to long. I guess it will hold up.

[nyslowhand]

Heavy snow will absolutely crush a pop-up blind.

First the top caves in or collapses and then fills with snow.

Sides collapse with the weight, it's not a pretty sight!!!

Moral of my fubar is to put it away before it starts snowing.

[gundeck]

I put up a pop-up blind every year and see plenty of deer from it.  Have had deer on more than one occasion almost poke their noses into the windows.  As long as I leave it for the season, they don't seem to mind it.  It is brushed in,but in the corner of a grass field (about chest high) next to a hay field.

[fasteddie]

Last year when two of my sons were hunting in Mendon . They had  blinds set up in a hedge row .My youngest son moved his several yards North which made it visible from the road (if someone had real good eyesight) . It came up missing . It had been staked down and didn't blow away . Whoever swiped it , didn't take the cover . Damn thieves !

[Doc]

I'm glad this thread was started. You all kind of reminded me that it would be a good idea to get mine set up so the deer can get used to it. I'll be getting busy on that as soon as I get the rain to stop long enough to get out there.

Thanx for the reminder!

Doc

[fasteddie]

If you have a new one , it would be a good idea to set it up and let it air out .....

[JGaruti3]

From my knowledge you need to have those out in the field for a while so the deer can get used to them.

I own one and I never seem to have any luck when it comes to deer.  I can only leave the blind up though the days I hunt since I am on public land so it does not seem to serve any beneficial purpose for me when deer hunting.

The turkey are much different for some reason...why that is I have no clue.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

I have had the same experience ....need to get it out there early and brush them in. Think of it this way. If you left for work and when you came home there saw an extra couch place in the corner of you living room...would it alarm you...would you notice it?. We are hunting in their living rooms.

I have only taken one six pointer out of mine. the doe 15 minutes before he came through busted me in there and I really think the blind was the last thing on his mind when he was trailing the doe.

[vipertech]

I've successfully taken deer from mine on a couple of occasions via shotgun.  I've never let mine sit out and always packed it in. I will definitely agree that some deer seem to get suspicious of them.  For the most part though, if I just tuck it in amongst some brush or stack some brush around it, I've had good luck.  I've only had two shot opportunities with bow.  The first time I blew the shot and the second I was at full draw but the shot never presented itself.  That brings up the point that if you plan to hunt with bow from a blind, DEFINITELY practice some before hand.  It's a completely different feel trying to shoot from inside a blind with bow. 

Generally speaking, I just don't like the view from inside of them.  I greatly prefer the wide open where I can use peripheral vision, etc.  So if I have to hunt from the ground, I tend to prefer to try to create a blind using natural cover. 

[JW QLTY]

I can attest to them working very well,several deer have been taken from one left out to age in my old club of course location has a lot to do with it and I brought a 3 inch tree limb in side to use as a rest so I could shoot resting rifle across my forearm,I have done this a few times always shoot using a rest and avoid a wound only is my advise .John

[onemore]

thanks just posted a similar topic, sorry. Glad to hear some use it, I will keep all poted on my success with it.

[fasteddie]

Just a tip -----

Most of the pop up blinds now the the fiberglass flex rods that support the roof . Cut an 8" piece of metal clutheshanger . Bend one end over and hang it from the fiberglass rod . Bend the other end up and hang your compound by the wheel or cam . Bend the hanger so it will hold the bow but be easy to remove for a shot . You can keep an arrow nocked on the hanging bow .

[JW QLTY]

I used a friends that was up all season and it produced.Bring a 3 of 4 foot 3 inch log in for a steady rest so you can shoot a rifle across your forearm.Always shoot from a rest is the best advice I can give.JW

[HUNT6246]

I have a Double Bull pop up.  I've tried it several times but haven't seen any deer from it.  But, a couple of years back we'd seen a large buck crossing a logging trail in the woods.  I set the blind up in the open about 20 feet off of the trai.  I was expecting the buck to come by but instead a large bear came down a game trail on the hill.  I figured if he turned left or right on the logging trail that he was mine at about 10 yds.  Instead he crossed the logging road and kept coming towards the blind.  I didn't want to try shooting a bear in the head with the bow.  When he got to 12 feet I hollered at him in my loudest voice and told him to get out of there.  He turned around like a cat and went up the hill where he came from.  That's my blind experience and that bear acted like he never saw it.