Ground blind set up and access (more newbie questions)

[Annapolis]

Been learning a ton from you guys—thank you.

Planning to set up and stake down my collapsible ground blind on the private land I have access to. I’ve already located a good spot where I can be well brushed in and have views/ shooting lanes to various places where my cams are picking up deer—in different directions from the stand that will allow me to play the wind a little (via which windows I close and which ones I open).

To be clear, this is for firearm season—starting early December.

My questions:

The landowner is cool with this plan and is willing to let me set up the blind a few weeks early—I’m thinking the second week of November—to let the deer adjust to its presence. Does that seem like enough time?

There’s no accessing this blind site without trekking a ways, over noisy leaves, possibly crunchy snow, and some deadfall, and I’ll need to carefully walk down some steep hills. This will happen in the dark, of course, with me wearing a headlamp and moving as slowly and quietly as possible, but there’s only so much one can do. I know folks suggest being in the blind (or stand) half an hour or so before sunrise: is there an advantage to getting out there much earlier? Does that give the deer more time to reset from any disruption my approach might cause? I will, of course, do my best to avoid accessing via areas where I think they’re likely to be, but, again, only so much I can do.

I plan to wear matte black in the blind. Any other blind-related things I wish I’d known pointers are very welcome. You won’t insult my intelligence. I’ve harvested two deer in my life, so am very much just getting started, even though I’m in my mid-40s.

One point of frustration I can already imagine: if you’re in there and have only one side window open (mindful of the wind and not having the deer silhouette you), and then you hear a deer coming from a direction that would require you to open a different-side window, do you just sit there silently and hope the deer wanders into your sights? (I feel like that would drive me nuts!) Or do you take your chances and zip up/zip down as quietly as possible in an effort to target the deer where it is? Too risky?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Pilsner]

When you go in to set up your blind the first time take a rake or a leaf blower along with ya. Maybe some pruning shears or a pocket saw. Make a clean, debris free walk way for yourself. Sure, some leaves will blow into your path afterwards, but it will still be much quieter than not doing it. besides you will need a ton of brush to brush in your ground blind. if you put out some reflective cat eyes along your route you might be able to walk in without your headlamp turned on if there is a moon out. if not be sure to use the red or green light not your white light.
When you brush it in, use about 4x more brush than you think that you need.
Once you get in there and get set, I don't touch a window or a zipper unless the wind changes.
As for getting there early, I know some ol boys in Texas who will put a cot in their ground blind and sleep there the night before if they don't think they can get in there without spooking game in the morning.

 

[Annapolis]

Thank you! Might be a bit colder in Maryland in December than Texas—but respect to those guys.

 

[Honyock]

Get your blind up at least two weeks before you hunt. I usually put blinds up a month before. Open the front and side windows a few days before you hunt so you're not messing with them in the dark. You still have to play the wind game hunting from a blind so having the windows open shouldn't matter. Get some good stakes (not the ones that came with your blind) and stake out the guy lines unless you want to look for your blind after a windstorm. As far as walking in, clear you a lane to your blind and go in early. I'm in a blind or stand at least 30 minutes before legal shooting. That way if you make noise going in it gives it time to let things settle down before it's light enough to shoot. Get a comfortable chair for your blind. You will sit longer and not move around as much.

 

[Erict]

- Enclosed blinds can reduce what you hear quite a bit, especially on the "closed" sides, or in the rain.
- Get a chair with 3 legs.
- Wax your zippers to keep them smooth.
- I wouldn't bother brushing in a blind - they are likely to smell it when first set up. If it's been there a while they get used to it. Brush is just something else to get blown into your view at the wrong time.
- Opening/closing windows may help a little with scent, but I don't think it's going to hide your scent to downwind deer.
- Like any fixed hunting location, I always have landmarks "ranged" ahead of time and sometimes use a sharpie to write it on places like a hunting blind shooting rail 2x4.

Good luck.

 

[CMF]

like mentioned, you still need to hunt the wind, the blind is not going to contain your secent, if you think it will, just bring a thermacell or make some smoke and you'll see that it doesn't help.
Clear your trail.
Distubing deer on the way in is all a matter of where the feed and bedding areas are. No harm in getting in earlier.
Any reason you're blind hunting vs stand? I hate blind hunting, but do it with the kids. If I'm going to hunt the ground by myself, I won't use a blind, just a mesh with steaks that is about knee high. Then you have no issue of deer coming in on your blind side.

 

[Annapolis]

Don’t have permission to put up a stand on the site (and am still not confident in mounting them anyway). Why do you hate blind hunting?—because of its limitations, I assume?

 

[Boarmaster]

Been learning a ton from you guys—thank you.

Planning to set up and stake down my collapsible ground blind on the private land I have access to. I’ve already located a good spot where I can be well brushed in and have views/ shooting lanes to various places where my cams are picking up deer—in different directions from the stand that will allow me to play the wind a little (via which windows I close and which ones I open).

To be clear, this is for firearm season—starting early December.

My questions:

The landowner is cool with this plan and is willing to let me set up the blind a few weeks early—I’m thinking the second week of November—to let the deer adjust to its presence. Does that seem like enough time?

There’s no accessing this blind site without trekking a ways, over noisy leaves, possibly crunchy snow, and some deadfall, and I’ll need to carefully walk down some steep hills. This will happen in the dark, of course, with me wearing a headlamp and moving as slowly and quietly as possible, but there’s only so much one can do. I know folks suggest being in the blind (or stand) half an hour or so before sunrise: is there an advantage to getting out there much earlier? Does that give the deer more time to reset from any disruption my approach might cause? I will, of course, do my best to avoid accessing via areas where I think they’re likely to be, but, again, only so much I can do.

I plan to wear matte black in the blind. Any other blind-related things I wish I’d known pointers are very welcome. You won’t insult my intelligence. I’ve harvested two deer in my life, so am very much just getting started, even though I’m in my mid-40s.

One point of frustration I can already imagine: if you’re in there and have only one side window open (mindful of the wind and not having the deer silhouette you), and then you hear a deer coming from a direction that would require you to open a different-side window, do you just sit there silently and hope the deer wanders into your sights? (I feel like that would drive me nuts!) Or do you take your chances and zip up/zip down as quietly as possible in an effort to target the deer where it is? Too risky?

Thanks in advance.

I used to hunt ground blinds for better than 15 years. I got into using climbers but still will use a ground blind.
As to your walk in you are going to spook everything regardless of your speed or cat like approach or your green headlamp. So my advise is to grt down there as fast as you feel safe do it. Get the disruption over with and that way things setting back down quicker.

I wear camo clothing. Black is great but dont freak out about it. Made sure you are sitting in the shade and not with the sun on you.

Only open any windows far enough for you to slip your rifle barrel out.
I use a bi-pod for a rest.
I have a comfortable chair with arms. The arms help me steady the butt of my rifle. I just got a new one that swivels with adjustable legs.

I open the side curtains only enough to peek out without moving much. I never open the rear window.
I wait for the deer to walk by and shoot them out the front. I put my blinds where that is going to happen.

Dont be thinking you will be unzipping or messing with velcro with a deer in close.

Go hunting and you soon find out what you can get away with and how best to position your blind based on how the deer use the area. Good luck. Let the air out of one.

 

[Boarmaster]

Don’t have permission to put up a stand on the site (and am still not confident in mounting them anyway). Why do you hate blind hunting?—because of its limitations, I assume?

I try and hunt out of my climber whenever possible. I prefer to be outside and elevated so I can glass around and well, be outside and have more to look at. I don't like sitting in a dark box peering out a small window or even a large screen. I want to be outside. Thats my only gripe with blinds. They are mobile and effective and have their place in many hunting situations.