Ground Blind Usage?

[cevans]

How many of yas, use a ground blind? I have never used one, but got a good deal on Ebay for a Ameristep Doghouse which is 11 pounds and goes up super easy in a couple of minutes, and down about the same time. As I get older, figured someday would have to use them vs. tree stands, so going to occasionally pack it in and out as I stalk, setting it up in key hot spots, then pulling out at dark as well as using my 6 stands over the next 3 months of deer season. Sometimes I pull and move my stands quite a few times too. I paid 45 new for it so if I tear it up, won't be out a lot of money and seems like a nice blind with 4 windows in it, of which 3 sides are shoot thru windows. Just curious as to how many use them vs. tree stands. I can see quite a few places I normally end up sitting on the ground or against trees or logs, in using this where before, been occasionally busted by does and small bucks and might give me a little edge when chasing bigger bucks. Worth a try I suppose.

[UPSMAN]

I use them more for turkeys than deer. Prefer a tree stand for deer but will occasionally use a ground blind,providing the set up is good.

[galamb]

I have used them off and on. I have never found a smaller (read manageable by yourself) portable that would readily accommodate the limb width on an Excalibur, which has made the few I have tried a little tough to use (they really are more suited to rifles/vertical bows.

It has also been my experience that they are not as portable as the marketing would like you to think. You do need to set-up and "brush them in" so they blend with surroundings or they will be "noticed".

Walk into your living room and find a new couch that you have never seen before and you will definitely be curious and have questions - Bambi isn't a whole lot different - you can't just randomly "pop up" where you weren't before.

For that reason alone I find their use is limited. I haven't seen one that would have the durability to last one of (my) bow seasons which runs about 90 days - certainly more of a short term, week or two during the length of a gun season.

But, if you move locations quite a bit and can get it "buried" in, and can shoot easily from it without having to hang the limbs "outside", then they can give you one more dimension to your hunt - but I can't ever see giving up my tree stand.

I did have a Doghouse blind set up the season before last and a bear decided to shred it - must have smelled something???

[kmaxwell5]

That's about all I hunt out of now. I hunt with my kids and we have great luck out of them. Just put them out in advance and the deer will get use to them.

[warningshot]

hunt stands till mid november the n hit the blinds, im getting softer and like the warmth and allows me to hunt in minus 20 celsius weather, great if you want to bring someome who is learning about hunting, hard to find bolts and blood trails arent like angle shots,

[cspot]

That's about all I hunt out of now. I hunt with my kids and we have great luck out of them. Just put them out in advance and the deer will get use to them.

We use them a lot as well. We have about half blinds and half stands. We put them out a month or so before season. They work well especially in the right setup. The portable blinds like the Ameristep we usually get about 3 years out of them before the fabric starts tearing. They are great to hunt out of on a cold rainy evening. Nothing like sitting in the dry.

[galamb]

Nothing like sitting in the dry.

Agree - and I'm a "whimp" - love my comforts.

This is "my idea" of a TREE STAND - none of those wimpy metal contraptions that they sell at the sports store



14 feet up - 6 ft x 5 ft (floor) by 6'2" high at the lowest point of the roof line - ya, I "rough it"

[paulaboutform]

Ground blinds can be very useful and productive. I've used a double bull for years and learned about brushing them in properly while in Texas. I do suggest shooting out of it just to get a feel for what it's like. Generally things appear further when seen from in the blind. Also, I've heard of people shooting through the mesh but haven't been able to bring myself to try it. I'm sure it may work but again, make sure you try it first with your broadheads. Good luck.

[peter p]

The dog house is fine for crossbow shooting but too small for compound bows.

if you set it up in advance in one spot the deer get used to it but if you move it around it's best if you conceal the blind or it will spook them.

[xbowrook]

i use them mostly for turkeys, but i still make an effort to get one or two up as back up spots or spots i can hunt in high winds and or rain... i used to used a doghouse but i recently picked up ( after my doghouse was stolen) a primos double bull double wide.. man this is an awesome blind.. got it set up and can't wait to shoot from it.. got it set up at what we call the pinch point.. a skinny tree area between two standing corn fields.. seeing some deer there and they don't seem to care about the blind being there..

[amythntr]

....I used one on Saturday and it really hadn't been in there more than a couple of weeks....hence maybe the reason why i wasn't getting many pictures in the morning and mostly right around dark...

I was successful using it (having cut out a square to shoot through the netting)...but that was a young doe!

Anthony

[cevans]

Last week and over the weekend did shoot out of the blind using 3 diff. stools and chairs as well as shooting sticks with crossbow. I have shot out of my house aluminum screen windows before at deer and a arrow be it crossbow or vertical bow,,wacks em. Wife makes me replace the house screen windows every time too. lol. I know a crossbow fixed blade will go right thru the blind windows too. Where I use it I planned on packing a 12" blade machete with me as I wanted to camo it a bit where ever I use it. I plan on using it near cut corn fields next to a smallish creek that can't be crossed for miles, and its over 1.5 miles thru thick woods off the nearest road. And in the middle of 250 acres of heavy ridge wooded area that was clear cut about 5 yrs a go in a couple of spots so plenty of cover to use and its min. mile or more in any direction from nearest road also. Just don't like packing stands that far in humping ridges where you never see another hunter as they just don't like the effort put forth and its places like this, where big bucks end up getting pushed during hunting season. I see them all the time, but getting a decient shot is hard also in these areas without taking a chance on wounding a big boy and not getting him too. I just don't take the shot unless its clear and good to go. Hel# to get a deer out when you kill one in a spot like this too. Can't use Atv and have to use a cart or drag, I don't know,,sometimes I pack a stand and leave it there till march or april then go get them packed out. Its just something I want to try and see how it works. I also hunt by myself. Many thanks for all the imput,,keep it coming if you think of anything.

[nchunterkw]

I have hunted out of them for hogs, but not for deer. I like the flexibility of some sort of ghille suit. Bought a new one at Gander Mtn this year....think Tom Berenger in "Sniper" and it has been the bomb. A little hot though....

[cevans]

I have a leafie poncho that I sometimes wear that has added string material for the guile type also. Works great for me and not as hot a total suit.

[nchunterkw]

So far this year it has been great. I'll trade the heat for the performance. I've had 3 deer look right through me. Never knew I was even there at 12 and 20 yards