Gimme Your $.02 On Ground Blinds Please

[Lawdwaz]

I'm considering buying a ground blind.  A elderly friend (80's) asked if he could borrow an old mesh camo screen I have that I used to use for goose hunting.  It is very simple and is just stuffed in some 6' rebar.  no roof etc.........not much of a blind for deer hunting compared to what is out there today.

I thought maybe I'd buy a good blind and set it up for him for the gun season.  I don't really have any interest in using one but maybe I'll change my mind??

What kind of blind are you guys/gals using and how well do you like it?  How does it handle the weather such as rain or snow? Noisy? Ease of set-up?

Thanks....

[Otto]

You can find a pretty decent ground blind for around $100 at Gander or Field and Stream, even Cabelas has some lower priced models that are pretty nice.  I don't use it much for deer season, except for some really crappy days, there are very comfortable to hunt out of and I can hunt in all kinds of weather.  I do use one in turkey seasons, I can spend only about an hour or so on the ground, but can easily spend the entire morning in a ground blind.  Turkeys and deer don't seem to notice as long as you keep some windows closed and screens up until you need them down.  

The ones that use the pop out style frame are the easiest to set up.  I would not plan on leaving it out if there is going to be any significant snow or wind.  At the least, knock it down and leave it in the woods, they take two minutes to set up.  Also, I don't leave them out in the sun for extended periods of time.  One of them turned almost bright red when I did that.  A few cans of camo paint fixed that for a while though.  

It would be a nice gift for an 80 year old guy, and it would certainly let him hunt for longer than sitting behind a mesh screen with no protection from wind, rain or snow.

[Zem18]

I used one twice for bow hunting and by no means am I an expert  but i am not a fan of the sitting down or kneeling shot with the bow. With that said, using one for gun would not be bad at all. Bring a nice camping chair in there and you can be comfy. Takes a minute or less to set up the new ones. If you can tuck it into some brush or pile some branches around it to break up the outline would help conceal it. Kept me dry the one time it was raining but not sure how it would handle wet snow. 

I'm sure your friend would appreciate the gesture and he may stay out longer with a roof and comfy chair. 

[Buckmaster7600]

They are perfect for what you described. I have a few rarely use them unless my daughter is with me or I bring my 96yr old neighbor. You miss a lot looking through the windows that my biggest negative.


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[Al Bundy]

I bought a ground blind three years ago for my wife. We were in dicks and we stopped and looked at this thing. She asked me what it was and really didn't know much about them. This idea would have been laughable back when I started hunting. So.. I had an idea about them. A tent you sit in and stay out of the elements right?? The more I thought about it, The better I liked the idea.  My wife said let's get one. I really couldn't pay quick enough. A tent to sit in that my wife likes and wants to use... RUN to the cashier.  I placed it wrong for a while and didn't use it correctly. Took a bit to figure how to use this thing. Even though it's a camo tent, you still need to attempt to hide it or blend it with your surroundings and place it month or more before season. My hunting buddy finally found the spot for it last year. I shot a nice six out of it last fall with my 30-06. First deer from the tent and first deer with the rifle. I also saw a small 4 and a one antlered 3 point out of it. Various does.  This year first sit of the year with my xbow, two hours in, a small,six sauntered near me. First buck with the xbow down. Second deer from the tent.... 

Getting the picture??????? This thing is great and is my favorite spot. My wife doesn't go much anymore in it. I seem to have taken it over. 

 

Setup up is a bit of a pain sad to say. Not awful put you have to pull it open. Takes a level of effort to pull open. But.. once per season and that is it. I also dont want you to think it's awful, just more than I would like.  I have a bit of health issues sadly but I can deal with this thing. 

Good luck..

[growalot]

I like my Dog House blinds they are roomy for one person,OK for two.  Holds up in snow.

[Lawdwaz]

6 minutes ago, Dan.NY said:

I bought a ground blind three years ago for my wife. We were in dicks and we stopped and looked at this thing. She asked me what it was and really didn't know much about them. This idea would have been laughable back when I started hunting. So.. I had an idea about them. A tent you sit in and stay out of the elements right?? The more I thought about it, The better I liked the idea.  My wife said let's get one. I really couldn't pay quick enough. A tent to sit in that my wife likes and wants to use... RUN to the cashier.  I placed it wrong for a while and didn't use it correctly. Took a bit to figure how to use this thing. Even though it's a camo tent, you still need to attempt to hide it or blend it with your surroundings and place it month or more before season. My hunting buddy finally found the spot for it last year. I shot a nice six out of it last fall with my 30-06. First deer from the tent and first deer with the rifle. I also saw a small 4 and a one antlered 3 point out of it. Various does.  This year first sit of the year with my xbow, two hours in, a small,six sauntered near me. First buck with the xbow down. Second deer from the tent.... 

Getting the picture??????? This thing is great and is my favorite spot. My wife doesn't go much anymore in it. I seem to have taken it over. 

 

Setup up is a bit of a pain sad to say. Not awful put you have to pull it open. Takes a level of effort to pull open. But.. once per season and that is it. I also dont want you to think it's awful, just more than I would like.  I have a bit of health issues sadly but I can deal with this thing. 

Good luck..

Who makes yours?

[Al Bundy]

Mine I pretty sure is field and stream magnum from dicks sporting goods. its field and stream anyway. Not a top end model but not a bottom end model either. I also sat my brother and 12 yr old nephew in it last fall. It was tight. But we did it. And we saw some does and the 3pt that day.

[The_Field_Ager]

Gave up on manufactured blinds after I lost two to snow damage. They are not built for ski country. I make brush blinds for gun now. Next Summer I plan to build a permanent small 2 man shed for late gun season

[aqua750]

if you decide to get one make sure you buy a good one! otherwise if you buy a POS you wiil not enjoy the experience and maybe ruin your chances to open another hunting chapter . were does it say you have to freeze your balls off, get wet be uncomfortable and want to go back to camp early besides if you spend the extra money for a good one and dont care for it  you can always sell it  put a mister heater, a comfortable  chair, a backpack full of supplies and you can sit all day long because your comfortable. Mine is a field and stream brand no complaints  it is high enough that I can stand up and stretch. I throw some landscaping burlap over and around it and cover it with cut up branches , dead ferns and best of all half a bale of hay  the burlap gives you someplace to stick sticks and branches  etc DO IT

[NFA-ADK]

Make your own with the surrounding material.   Nothing wrong with fabricating your own also.  Unless you need it to be portable this is the best route if you want to leave it out year round. 

Check out GhostBlind, if you can afford it this is the best blind on the market if you like to move around and hunt different spots.  We don't use it often but when we do it is amazing how well it works!

Otherwise as stated above I am sure the better ones will last longer and hold up better if you want to try a store bought one.   They are easer to set up then making one I am sure but I would not leave them out year round or if a heavy snow comes in.

[Paula]

I bought one two years ago. I think it's called Big Mikes. Think it's 80 inch tall. I haven't used it yet. 

Edited November 8, 2016 by Paula

[stubby68]

          I have a cables extreme hub blind. It is 6 X2 X2 high. lots of room Light to carry and easy to set up and get in. Also have a double chair blind and an Ameristar doghouse. Both are great.

[stubby68]

The cabelas has a panel in roof that zips open for duck hunting or just letting some light in

[BizCT]

First year hunting with ground blind. Using Ameristep, can't remember the model, but so far so good. Setup was under 10min. Looks good, works good, deer under 15 yards don't even look at me.





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[turkeyfeathers]

5 minutes ago, Biz-R-OWorld said:

First year hunting with ground blind. Using Ameristep, can't remember the model, but so far so good. Setup was under 10min. Looks good, works good, deer under 15 yards don't even look at me.





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That thing looks like another big boulder. Sweet. No blending is required. 

[BizCT]

That thing looks like another big boulder. Sweet. No blending is required. 

Yea blends well. The log and branches in front of it were placed there by me just to help a little. A few weeks before the season started I opened 3 of the windows so the deer would get used to the black. When I hunt I only use those 3, the rest I keep closed. Less shot ops but keeps me concealed very well.


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[BizCT]

https://vimeo.com/190662482

This doe is under 20 yards.


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[wolc123]

I have a couple two-story blinds that I made out of old construction-style truck caps and snowmoble trailers.   I build a 3 foot high, 2x4 wood framed wall on both sides and the front of the trailer, sized to fit the cap.  The cap sets on that wall, with the second deck built up on the ladder rack (also has a three sided, 3 foot high wall, but no top.)  The front of the caps and solid wall faces the prevailing wind direction (south west).   In rainy conditions, I hunt from the enclosed first floor, with the hinged side doors folded out.  Those provide additional rain protection and the 3 foot walls provide perfect gun rests.   There is padded, swivel office chairs on the first floor and plastic swivel chairs on the second floor.  

I shot my crossbow buck yesterday afternoon from the open upper deck of one in fine, warm, calm-weather conditions.  I past years, I have taken several more deer from the the lower enclosed sections (mostly antlerless) during rough weather conditions including wind driven sleet and rain and heavy snow.  I leave these out year round and they are very durable.  They were also cheap as all the materials were free (I even garbage picked the office chairs).  A few spray cans of cammo paint, and some hardware was my only expense.   They are kind of fun to build and easy to move around.  I just jack them and block them up level when I get them into position (long before hunting season).  

[turkeyfeathers]

Our $60 cheapo blind is way too comfortable. I may set it up for lousy weather on the skirts of some pines we never enter for real lousy weather I'm pushing it by getting so close to gun season but I'll brush it in well and hope for the best. It held up well for the month of May. Let's check to see how it does in snow now.


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[stoneam2006]

Walmart had them for 40 bucks quick 1 man pop up...for a limited use situation I don't see how it could go wrong

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[wooly]

I used to make fun out of guys that hunted from these things.

Now I make fun out in my own!

Read that 2x's so it sinks in.... 

 

At first I felt confined and trapped hunting from one.

Now I feel more like I have the option of portable comfort and concealment anywhere in the forest whenever the need arises on short notice. Also nice to be able to spread out my gear and keep it out of the elements on days it would likely never come out of my backpack hunting from a stand.

 

One thing that keeps me out of the treetops once we start dipping later into winter is ice and snow. My blinds are my go-to set ups for those days without sacrificing much in the department of effectiveness when placed with a little thought in advance. They definitely keep me in the woods longer whether the bugs or snowflakes are flying outside.

 

 

[nyslowhand]

For what you want to use a blind for, they'd be perfect for an old duffer type of gun hunter. I'm a ladder stand guy, so when I bought a blind a few years ago I could never get used to not have an elevated, 360deg view of my surroundings and it definitely restricts your listening ability. At least for me as a bow hunter. That blind got left out during the SZ regular season & got crushed by a wet snow storm. Snap, crackle, pop, trashed!!

I've since bought another one for foul weather sits. Does take a little natural camo or concealment and time for the deer to get acclimated to it. Do read instructions before putting it up! Those fiberglass frame rods are not indestructible. When/if they break you're sort of SOL.

[10point]

I have one from dicks only thing  i dont like  is during gun season if your  hunting public land that has a lot of hunters on it you have to worry about them not seeing you in the thing and possibly taking a shot in your dirction .

The animals don't seem to notice them .

 

 

Edited November 8, 2016 by 10point

[mlammerhirt]

The cheap one I have from Dicks has a camo flat that flips up and reveals a blaze orange reflective square for safety....a human eye scanning the woods floor can pick out that square pretty quickly even if the blind is brushed in.

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