Ground blind recommendations

[Al Bundy]

The early snow piled up and destroyed my ground blind so time for a new one.  Don't think mine is made anymore. What is anyone else using??

[bugsNbows]

I have a Barronett. Not sure if they are made anymore... but it's been a good one.

[Otto]

Barronetts are still made, and it is one of the best blinds I have used.  Very sturdy!   They have a great website, and are available on Amazon.

 

[MPHunter]

Probably not the kind of ground blind you are looking for but we use 1x3's for structure and fill in with dead branches and pine boughs. Works great for us. Part of the tradition to freshen up the blinds every year. Here's one after fixing up this year.

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[GreeneHunter]

Pallets make great blinds !

[MPHunter]

Pallets make great blinds !

Have been thinking about using pallets. Less infill. Maybe next year.

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[TreeGuy]

Cabela's had one on sale for 99$ https://www.cabelas.com/product/BLACKOUT-STEALTH-HUNTER-GROUND-BLIND/2780748.uts
Cyber Monday sale so hop on it. I owned a primos and it was ok. Only lasted a few season and was never left out. I now own 2 rhino blinds and they are very well built with good quality materials. If I was going to buy another, it would be the newest primos surround view. It has a one way view netting so you don't have to have it open to actually see out.

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[adkhunter71]

I have a Barronette Big Cat and it withstood two heavy, wet snowfalls of at least 6".  The blind collapsed under the weight both times, but once cleaned off, I was able to put it back up with absolutely no issues.  I thought for sure that it was done after the second time since the snow was mixed with ice and it was HEAVY.  Those things are tough!

[Engraver99]

http://www.luckyshuntingblinds.com

best blinds I have owned - have owned them for 10+ years. They go out in the middle of september and come in just before christmas. These blinds are heavy duty and have taken every snow load thrown at it without collapsing. I have a custom gun blind and a bow blind. you should check out the videos on their sight.

 

[mlammerhirt]

My buddy just told me another friend of ours recently out two of these up on his new property. He was quite impressed and said they seemed pretty heavy duty....and with the pitched roof they wouldn't hold the snow like a hub blind.


https://www.ghostblind.com/product/ghostblind-octagon-hunting-box-blind-diy-kit/

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[Culvercreek hunt club]

15 hours ago, Otto said:

Barronetts are still made, and it is one of the best blinds I have used.  Very sturdy!   They have a great website, and are available on Amazon.

 

for the branch we picked up  OX 5 blinds from Barronbettes. They are a very nice blind and more than enough room to fit two hunters and gear. 6'6" in the center of roof. My only complaint is I wish their slide windows on the thing went up higher and no need for the bottom to go as low as it does. I am 6'4" so maybe that plays into it. I would recommend them though. The are water proof and the fabric is pretty quiet. The entry door could stand to be a tad bigger.  

[Don_C]

I have a Barronett Big Cat out on our property now. It is my first blind and I like it a lot.  A few weeks ago the roof hub caved in with about 10" of heavy snow, I shoveled it out, popped the center back up and nothing was damaged. There had to be 100lbs of snow on it and the sides did not collapse. I have since installed a better center support. Fingers crossed it holds up over the next 36 hours. 

[Al Bundy]

Good stuff here! Thanks.  I have never shot my xbow out of the windows with the screens in place in my blind. I know adds say you can shoot out of it. Anyone actually shoot through the screens??

[Engraver99]

6 minutes ago, Al Bundy said:

Good stuff here! Thanks.  I have never shot my xbow out of the windows with the screens in place in my blind. I know adds say you can shoot out of it. Anyone actually shoot through the screens??

there is some you tube video demonstrations doing that. seems they shoot straight but a little lower than without the screen from the ones I watched. I have shoot thru screens on my blinds but don't use them.

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=shoot+thru+screens&FORM=HDRSC3

Edited November 27, 2018 by Engraver99

[CapDistPatriot]

I have two Ameristep blinds, they are easy to set up and seem to work well. Here are the two I own.

https://www.amazon.com/Ameristep-Taker-Ground-Blind-Realtree/product-reviews/B00JQHWT52/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_show_all_btm?ie=UTF8&reviewerType=all_reviews

https://www.amazon.com/Ameristep-Doghouse-Hunting-Blind-Realtree/dp/B07BCTXRRP/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_pdt_img_sims?ie=UTF8

Opening day my caretaker was collapsed in, but it only took 2 mins to bring roof back up. The doghouse was the less expensive one, and did not collapse.

 

[WNYBuckHunter]

The Redneck ground blinds are pricey, but will stand up to a snow load better than just about anything else out there. They are not as portable as others though, as they use a heavier steel frame than the hub style blinds. I believe Muddy is making a similar soft side blind with a steel frame also.

I havent had very good luck with any of the hub blinds. I buy new ones almost every season and they get squashed by snow, which usually snaps a bunch of the fiberglass rods. I didnt bother buying any this year.

[dbHunterNY]

i've got a baronette big mike blind and a couple ameristeps. i don't use blinds much they work for youth hunters pretty well though. can't sit still long and it's easier to be in reach and help them with things.

[mlammerhirt]

I have a Barronett Big Cat out on our property now. It is my first blind and I like it a lot.  A few weeks ago the roof hub caved in with about 10" of heavy snow, I shoveled it out, popped the center back up and nothing was damaged. There had to be 100lbs of snow on it and the sides did not collapse. I have since installed a better center support. Fingers crossed it holds up over the next 36 hours. 

What did you use for a center support?

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[Don_C]

38 minutes ago, mlammerhirt said:

What did you use for a center support?

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I used a paint roller extension pole that I had laying around the garage. I used some dental impression material to make a blunt end that moulded to my center hub perfectly and around the threads of the pole. I can just unscrew the end and use it again next year.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

3 hours ago, mlammerhirt said:

What did you use for a center support?

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we had two out. one with a center support and one without. same amount of snow. The one that had the center support went down and shattered two rods on the wall hubs. The one without the support went down and just popped in the hubs like you were taking it down. Not a rod was broken. 

[Don_C]

46 minutes ago, Culvercreek hunt club said:

we had two out. one with a center support and one without. same amount of snow. The one that had the center support went down and shattered two rods on the wall hubs. The one without the support went down and just popped in the hubs like you were taking it down. Not a rod was broken. 

Well there goes that theory... I guess I'll find out in a few days if the center support was a good idea or not.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

3 minutes ago, FatBoyD said:

Well there goes that theory... I guess I'll find out in a few days if the center support was a good idea or not.

I think it is a crap shoot. some folks swear by them and others don't. I have decided that if I am leaving one and expect snow I will pop the hubs in and leave it in place but broken down.  Shovel off then pop it up when you want to use it. 

if you get into a bind  and a rod does brake. Pex waterline slides over the rod and makes a flexible patch....in a pinch

 

Edited November 27, 2018 by Culvercreek hunt club

[Don_C]

22 minutes ago, Culvercreek hunt club said:

I think it is a crap shoot. some folks swear by them and others don't. I have decided that if I am leaving one and expect snow I will pop the hubs in and leave it in place but broken down.  Shovel off then pop it up when you want to use it. 

if you get into a bind  and a rod does brake. Pex waterline slides over the rod and makes a flexible patch....in a pinch

 

I actually thought about breaking it down and doing exactly that, maybe that's the way to go. The Pex tip is great! Thanks!

 

 

[Al Bundy]

My buddies blind had rods break and he cant find a replacement supposedly. Anyone here have luck finding replacements?

[mlammerhirt]

I got replacement hub and poles for my Ameristep that collapsed last season. The problem I had is there was a freeze before I could get to it and a huge chunk of ice formed on the top causing so much weight the side poles exploded. When I called Ameristep they told me I would just have to cut the poles to length for my specific blind. Now it is good as new.

So this season I bought Cabela's brand blinds......they apparently have a lifetime warranty and I was told if they break to bring it back to the store and they will give me a new one.

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