Ground blinds?

[kodiakfly]

Looking to get back into hunting whitetails this fall and will probably be with my Wife for a decent amount of that. Long story short, I see some ground blind hunting in my/our future. I've never hunted out of a blind before but I see myself buying a couple for us. Whats everyone use? And what's with this shoot through netting? How the hell does that work and not mess up arrow flight?

 

[dangerousD]

I use all Primos Double Bull blinds but I rarely deer hunt from them. I just prefer to hunt from a treestand here in the Midwest. If I do deer hunt, I leave the blind set up for the season or well in advance so the deer are accustomed to seeing it. Otherwise they are very skittish around it in my experience. I mostly use blinds for turkey hunting but lots of guys deer hunt from them for sure.

As for the netting, I don't shoot thru it but I'm usually shooting expandables at turkeys. With a fixed blade I may do it but others will have to comment on their experience with that.

 

[elkguide]

I have several "Lucky's Hunting Blinds" and they are great.
I do not shoot through netting.

 

[StrutNut]

I have a Double Bull as my main blind and a cheap one that I painted white for late season. I have no issues with the pass through netting and fixed broadheads but I do take it down for mechanicals. I have set blinds up and hunted them immediately and I have left them out and really noticed no differences. In every instance the deer see them and dont care. Stay in the back of the blind and wear something dark. Believe it or not they dont seem to mind if you are running a little buddy heater in them even with a glow at low light. I had to once when my site light on my bow ran out of batteries so I used the light from the heater and it worked fine but I do recommend getting a light on your site if you are bow hunting out of it. Honestly I am not thinking you need to pain white for winter even though I did as I had trophy bucks go right by my green blind in the snow and not care. For cold weather I will easily take that blind over a stand as you are just a lot more comfortable, its hides movement and noise as well. The more I hunt out of them the more I like them. View attachment 50671

 

[kodiakfly]

Thanks guys. It'll be fencerow/prairie hunting in ND on my Dad's property. There's some trees, but to get my Wife and I both afield, it sounds like a blind is the way to go. Add to the mix, I have a baby daughter, so I see even more blind hunting in my future.

 

[StrutNut]

Oh the kids love hunting in them. They get to see a lot of Wildlife up close. I saw a TV show where Chris Bracket just dropped a blind in the middle of wide open grass land and was bow hunting Mule Deer and they just walked right on passed it like it was a hay bale. They work rather well. I just think the DoubleBulls work better in the wind and are really quiet but a lot of other blinds have gotten better through the years.

 

[Blackflht05]

I use a Barnett for rifle with my daughter as she is not good at all with heights, so tree stands are out of the question. I usually try to brush is an good spot prior to the season so that when I take the blind out, it goes up on a spot well camouflaged previously with something the deer are used to going past.
So far no real issues.

 

[KeatonMullenix]

I use a Barnett for rifle with my daughter as she is not good at all with heights, so tree stands are out of the question. I usually try to brush is an good spot prior to the season so that when I take the blind out, it goes up on a spot well camouflaged previously with something the deer are used to going past.
So far no real issues.

I've hunted out of every blind imaginable. There's no replacement for a carpeted hard blind but if you don't have the funds then the barronets are by far the best.


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[Desk Jockey]

There are more experienced voices here than me so I will let them chime in.

One piece of advice I have is to get the right blind but also focus on a seating option or chair. I bought an Amer I step blind and a couple of chairs that I thought would be good. The chair / blind / my height combo made it impossible to shoot my bow. Play with your chair set up and ideally shoot a few targets from inside the blind. I ended up shooting from a somewhat awkward hunched kneeling position to make it work.

 

[Blackflht05]

There are more experienced voices here than me so I will let them chime in.

One piece of advice I have is to get the right blind but also focus on a seating option or chair. I bought an Amer I step blind and a couple of chairs that I thought would be good. The chair / blind / my height combo made it impossible to shoot my bow. Play with your chair set up and ideally shoot a few targets from inside the blind. I ended up shooting from a somewhat awkward hunched kneeling position to make it work.

Agree, I had my daughter practice with her chair and rifle prior to the season so she knew where to set up inside the blind to avoid the rifle contacting the supports and having a good sight picture.

 

[StrutNut]

Great points, Chairs are really important. I often shoot off my knees when I can but some times you just cant. Get a chair that swivels and has fully adjustable legs for uneven terrain.

 

[kodiakfly]

Good points. This is why I asked. Never hunted out of one and there's more to think about than just the blind itself.

 

[Johnson27]

Be sure to brace the center hub with something solid. Heavy snow can do some major damage. You can buy brace poles for $30-35. I just cut a 2x2 to size, drilled a couple of holes at the top and zip tied it to the hub. No more collapsed blind.

They are great when the weather is not.

 

[mrgreen]

I hunted blinds extensively when my son was young.

Great points above, as expected.

-Proper chair and practice from it. Address any squeaks.

* Keep mindful of line of sight vs line of bore/ arrow flight with respect to shooting out the window. Don't trust shoot through mesh without testing yours first.

 

[LostArra]

For traditional bows the Hidden Hunter blind gives a little more room for those longer bow limbs and bow friendly windows.
Hidden Hunter Blinds

That said, I hate all ground blinds. I will use mine for an occasional turkey hunt but they are best described as solitary confinement with a photo of the outdoors on the wall.
Every deer-like noise is behind you.
I can "dawn to dusk" in a tree stand before I can sit more than a few hours in a pop-up.
I know they can be deadly in the right spot but just not for me.

 

[xziang]

95% of the time when I hunt with a blind I use a cheap one (40.00) that folds up into a round thing which is a PITA. Anyway I would NOT suggest that for 2 people for it is to tight. I use it in REALLY cold weather when I pack a MR. Buddy heater with me I've killed a handful of deer with it and it serves the purpose.

I have another blind which is bigger and nicer for 2 people. The problem with that blind is the windows don't zipper up so it'll let a lot of wind through/in so not as useful in the COLD COLD weather. I like to use them for comfort and as others mentioned with chairs I'm usually on my knees and take something to throw on the ground to keep sound down along with helping on the knees.

 

[Forestryguy]

I have not had any luck with throwing a blind up and hunting it. Deer in my area will skirt way off from them, in the open. I brush all my blinds in, even if it is just tucked under a low hanging tree, and like to have them out the whole season if possible. Take into account what time of day you are going to hunt the blind and where the sun will be at. I have not found a better chair than the one from Millennium Tree Stands. I prefer the Double Bull blinds, although some of their new ones, I have had to modify a little. Lots of other good advice on here.

 

[Netherman]

Be sure to brace the center hub with something solid. Heavy snow can do some major damage. You can buy brace poles for $30-35. I just cut a 2x2 to size, drilled a couple of holes at the top and zip tied it to the hub. No more collapsed blind.

They are great when the weather is not.

This X 1000

We use the cheap barnetts at our logging property setups in Michigan's UP. Two years ago we got 2' of snow dumped on us and we ended up with three shredded blinds and multiple broken poles. Ever since we have been taping a branch to the center hub.

Regarding chairs I really like the double bull chair by Primos. If you play the amazon stock market (leave in cart until price drops) they can be had around $25. They don't swivel but with the triangle shape that seems to be less of an issue.

Nick

 

[duckhunter175]

For archery hunting and for multiple people in the blind the quality of the double bull can't be beaten. If price is a consideration look at some of the hub style blinds that are very very similar offered by Rogers Sporting Goods, online.