Sleeping and hunting in a blind.

[StuckoYota99]

Evening everyone. Main question: does anybody sleep in their ground blind overnight Second question: is it effective to cut trails and or block off paths to funnel animals into a certain section of trail.
I'm planning on setting up a ground blind in some thick timber. Rhino 300
I will be hunting Blacktails and black bear from it.
I've had trail cameras and black magic set up here for 3 years now and have the same 3 bucks come through.
The blind would be situated above a clearing along a narrow game trail. The trail comes up a narrow Cliffside and into the timber where the deer go through the clearing or down further into the timber and bed.. it's used as transition from meadows and bedding.. I wanted to setup a natural funnel so the animals come through the a
Clearing everytime. The clearing is about 40 yards long and 15 yards wide. I've had mineral licks here for several years and the deer have been somewhat consistent with stopping and hanging out there. My plan is to put the blind within 20-30 yards of the clearing.
If I slept in there would it spook the deer since a lot of their movement is nocturnal? The blind would be next to a drop off so in theory the wind wouldn't push my scent into the timber.

Or am I overthinking this entirely? Thanks for the input everyone.

 

[Deplorable77]

We sleep in the blinds all the time. What else is there to do?
If the blind is a permanent fixture year round, I don't see an issue with you sleeping in it especially in the conditions you described. Is this a "hard" fixed blind or some type of packable unit?

 

[MR5X5]

It's all about scent control. Figure all that out and there is really no differnce between you being in or out of your blind. Plan on using sprays, piss bottles, crap control etc...because you will absolutley be creating more scent.

 

[StuckoYota99]

We sleep in the blinds all the time. What else is there to do?
If the blind is a permanent fixture year round, I don't see an issue with you sleeping in it especially in the conditions you described. Is this a "hard" fixed blind or some type of packable unit?

This is a packable unit that will be brought in during June and retrieved in October.

 

[StuckoYota99]

It's all about scent control. Figure all that out and there is really no differnce between you being in or out of your blind. Plan on using sprays, piss bottles, crap control etc...because you will absolutley be creating more scent.

Do you recommend sprays that eliminate scent or should I use deer urine to cover up my scent?
Thanks for the input

 

[GunsAreFun]

The thought has crossed my mind several times, but I have never done it (other than naps).

My main concern wound be scent and just general need to be a ninja after dark. If they’re going through the area during the night and your up making any noise in a fabric blind (rolling in a sleeping bag, eating, getting up to pee, etc), you’re going to be alerting them to your presence. If it was a wood structure with some insulation and closing windows, that would be a different story.

Not sure how far you have to walk from the truck or what the area is like, but could you setup a camp a couple hundred yards away with some vegetation or hills to dampen sound and smell that has a stealthy way in?

 

[StuckoYota99]

The thought has crossed my mind several times, but I have never done it (other than naps).

My main concern wound be scent and just general need to be a ninja after dark. If they’re going through the area during the night and your up making any noise in a fabric blind (rolling in a sleeping bag, eating, getting up to pee, etc), you’re going to be alerting them to your presence. If it was a wood structure with some insulation and closing windows, that would be a different story.

Not sure how far you have to walk from the truck or what the area is like, but could you setup a camp a couple hundred yards away with some vegetation or hills to dampen sound and smell that has a stealthy way in?

It's about 1.5 miles to the truck as the crow flies. But with quite a bit of elevation gain and loss. Through brush and dead falls.. Getting in quietly is tricky and last year i spooked a buck and doe moving through the timber. My thought is ill make more noise getting into the blind than if I am already inside it.

 

[Rich M]

Sounds like a nice funnel but with nocturnal movement, you would be better off finding where the bucks bed and hunting closer to there.

 

[MattB]

Hopefully you do not snore.

 

[StuckoYota99]

Hopefully you do not snore.

My wife brought that up too.

 

[TheGDog]

Evening everyone. Main question: does anybody sleep in their ground blind overnight Second question: is it effective to cut trails and or block off paths to funnel animals into a certain section of trail.
I'm planning on setting up a ground blind in some thick timber. Rhino 300
I will be hunting Blacktails and black bear from it.
I've had trail cameras and black magic set up here for 3 years now and have the same 3 bucks come through.
The blind would be situated above a clearing along a narrow game trail. The trail comes up a narrow Cliffside and into the timber where the deer go through the clearing or down further into the timber and bed.. it's used as transition from meadows and bedding.. I wanted to setup a natural funnel so the animals come through the a
Clearing everytime. The clearing is about 40 yards long and 15 yards wide. I've had mineral licks here for several years and the deer have been somewhat consistent with stopping and hanging out there. My plan is to put the blind within 20-30 yards of the clearing.
If I slept in there would it spook the deer since a lot of their movement is nocturnal? The blind would be next to a drop off so in theory the wind wouldn't push my scent into the timber.

Or am I overthinking this entirely? Thanks for the input everyone.

I would NOT sleep in there. SCENT & Noise. That is just more time with your scent being put into that area. And YES they definitely are more likely to detect your presence with you all snoring and sweating in there in the night.

RE: using deadfall to your advantage. Hell yes I do! There is a gullie right in front my favorite spot. At a certain spot in this gullie I've drug deadfall over into it such that it forces them to have to come back up and out of the gullie to where I can get a clear shot on them! You most certainly DO want to make use of deadfall to guide and encourage them to go where YOU want them to go!

You're not going to get them going thru your clearing EVERY time, but you certainly can stack the odds in your favor. And any "gardening" work like that... you wanna do it well ahead of time so the whole place has time to settle back down and your scent on everything has time to die away.

 

[TheGDog]

It's about 1.5 miles to the truck as the crow flies. But with quite a bit of elevation gain and loss. Through brush and dead falls.. Getting in quietly is tricky and last year i spooked a buck and doe moving through the timber. My thought is ill make more noise getting into the blind than if I am already inside it.

This falls into that "gardening" category. Sounds like you know full well about the places you can trim thin to allow you to more quietly go into your area. That includes raking away the "potato chips" (dead oak leaves) around your sit spot so your feet don't accidently make noise as well. And this will also create more "deadfall" you can use in your setup.

Also you can put on some SneekTec boot sole coverings in the last like 1000yds to help quiet down your steps as you approach your spot. Those sneek boot coverings also make your boots a lil warmer for those cold morning breezes.

 

[Weber]

This is a packable unit that will be brought in during June and retrieved in October.

What packable unit are you running?

 

[StuckoYota99]

Rhino 300, 3 person. Wanted one I could stand up in and draw a bow back. I'm 5'7" and can do it easily as long as I'm aware of how far back I'm standing. Set it up and brushed it in 2 weeks ago. Put a camera up and some deer cane. And trimmed a trail that avoids the normal game trails. Will check it in September.

 

[StuckoYota99]

Cellular cam has had no signal for a few weeks but dumped 130 photos last night.. these Two bucks are paired up and come through every few days. Solid 3 point with eye guards and the other is wide but didn't give me a good picture. ast year he was a 3 point with a small drop tine and eye guards. There's a small two point that cruised through too.