Ground Blind - techniques

[HarryO45]

I am a climbing tree stand guy. I also have experience in slings, but I have never hunted from a ground blind.

Over the last few years I have found a perfect location for a blind. (No trees for climber). The exact location is on the “Military Crest” of the slope. It is steep hillside in a clearcut an area they harvested but did not do a good job of replanting. Young planted pines about four feet high are sporadically planted directly below. But with slope, it gives me lots of visibility (and will for at least three more years). Below are three bottoms that join in a swamp and a hardwood ridge line on the other side. My view is about 210 degrees and I will be able to shoot about 300 yards in some areas, but I would say most shots are gonna be about 100 yards or a bit more. Behind me I will have almost no visibility due to slope. My plan is to build a short wooden platform to get a bit higher than the trees below and level it out. I want to hunt with a tripod for my rifle. But other than that I am curious as to suggestions to the set up (floor material, size or model of blind. Windows? Shoot thru?) and strategy while in the stand? I assume you want to be really still but does it really matter in a blind? Do you sit forward in the stand? Or stay back and with gun in ready? I assume you don’t want any or much of your barrel outside the blind. How big of a blind to use a tripod? Or just use sticks or mono?

What should I consider when building and sitting in a ground blind (slightly elevated)?

Thanks

 

[spinefish]

From my experience, buy a large enough blind for you to sit back and have your tripod set up behind a shoot-through mesh. Make sure you have a quiet swiveling chair that is comfortable. It might be difficult to see out 300 yds through the mesh though. It may be helpful to have a few windows open to see distances. If you open the mesh windows, you'll need to be still.

 

[Gut_Pile]

I've never gotten in a blind and said "I wish this thing was smaller".

Open the windows as little as possible. Keep the back windows closed so you don't silhouette yourself.

 

[Gut_Pile]

Also, good blinds are worth the extra $. The cheap ones fade and tear quickly.

 

[bfriendly]

Whatever you do, get a see through one…I’d check out TideWe for the budget friendly…I love mine!

 

[slow motion]

A black shirt will blend with the black inside of the blind.

 

[kayaksteve]

I don’t hunt blinds a lot but when I do I sit as far back as I can and wear dark clothing. Like gut pile said keep the openings as small as practical to keep light out and keep back window closed. At the ranges your talking I wouldn’t think you have much to worry about

 

[Nicodemus]

Harry, have you ever hunted deer turkey hunting style?

 

[Railroader]

You need a Millennium tree seat and a pile of brush...

 

[HavocLover]

Sounds like to me, you’re over thinking it. IMO, less is more. Especially this late in the game. This close to hunting season, building a platform and putting up a blind is bound to throw them off for a while; while they get used to it. I only consider a blind under a few circumstances and all of them have to be met. 1- bow hunting to conceal the movement necessary for drawing. 2- no climbable trees and no other options. 3- compliments 1, if it’s in close/tight quarters.

If I’m thinking 100+ is gonna be my average shot, I’ll just go without. Unless you’re doing the Macarena; a deer isn’t gonna pick you out in a few year old clear cut, 100 yards from them.

If you must be 3-4’ off the ground, consider a tripod and just leave the majority of the leg sections off.

 

[Raylander]

I’d prolly cut one or two of them small pines and tape them to my head. Slip around with a grunt call and a 12 gauge. Shoot through the brush and fill sum tags

 

[basshappy]

@HarryO45 play the thermal updraft. Also if you are looking at shots 100-300 yards why bother with a blind? Slow, deliberate movements at that distance will unlikely catch the attention of deer. Given the distance, the elevation, and the backdrop behind you (trees and more slope?) maybe a blind is over thinking it?

 

[zaraspook04]

Just saw this…never used one…but it has my attention!

https://www.sportsmansguide.com/product/index/guide-gear-4x4-6-tripod-tower-and-blind?a=2231917&utm_source=internal&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Certona_Browse_Abandon_2022&ecid=email-Certona_Browse_Abandon_2022&club_version=&Coupon=NA&email_AB_version=NA&ammo=NA&j=274851&sfmc_sub=18554505&l=58_HTML&u=13006738&mid=7292911&jb=594

 

[WOODIE13]

Those blinds, cheap or not, keep you hidden well. It also holds a lot of scent, not sure of the see through.

Myself and my grandkids have killed a lot of deer out of them. Out of the weather, heater, movement, etc., deer die.

Started to use the turkey hunting the last few years, strutting areas, late morning, definitely helped.

I would dig in a flat spot to make it level, but do what you do.

I really like them, usually archery hunt, but works well with a rifle too.

 

[HarryO45]

From my experience, buy a large enough blind for you to sit back and have your tripod set up behind a shoot-through mesh. Make sure you have a quiet swiveling chair that is comfortable. It might be difficult to see out 300 yds through the mesh though. It may be helpful to have a few windows open to see distances. If you open the mesh windows, you'll need to be still.

So basically Blinds are like gun safes and storage sheds… never big enough? Ha ha.

 

[HarryO45]

Harry, have you ever hunted deer turkey hunting style?

Use a Turkey call for deer?
Haha…
we use to call what I think you mean as Still Hunting. Move extremely slow… use terrain and vegetation to move to a strategic pause and scan / wait then repeat? Do your best with wind (which is the biggest problem) Is that what you are suggesting. A slow move?

I hunted that way out West where to be honest I don’t believe wind is as big of a factor as in the SE.

I have come to the conclusion that my skills are better served scouting and ease into to ambush, get high and wait.

 

[splatek]

Whatever you do, get a see through one…I’d check out TideWe for the budget friendly…I love mine!

My woman got me over of these before last season, and I never used it. My plan was to use it to take my little man (3 year old) out, but it turned out he likes to slip around like I do.
I love ground hunting. Killed a small buck with a Mongolian recurve at about 5 yards two seasons ago. Thanks for reminding me about this, I think I’m going to be bringing this bad boy out.

Question: do you preset? I did that one season with a different blind, and where I hunt the bears had a blast with it. Also are you using these on private only-that’s what I was doing, but I had a buddy who carries out on public, successfully.

 

[menhadenman]

I never really hunted ground blinds as much until I started taking my kids with me. A few things that help me out are good shooting lanes, being mindful of the prevailing wind/sun aspect, access in the dark (so you don’t spook the woods).

A comfy chair, pee jar, and something to kill time sure helps. Good luck and send pictures. Sounds like a sweet spot.

 

[HarryO45]

Sounds like to me, you’re over thinking it. IMO, less is more. Especially this late in the game. This close to hunting season, building a platform and putting up a blind is bound to throw them off for a while; while they get used to it. I only consider a blind under a few circumstances and all of them have to be met. 1- bow hunting to conceal the movement necessary for drawing. 2- no climbable trees and no other options. 3- compliments 1, if it’s in close/tight quarters.

If I’m thinking 100+ is gonna be my average shot, I’ll just go without. Unless you’re doing the Macarena; a deer isn’t gonna pick you out in a few year old clear cut, 100 yards from them.

If you must be 3-4’ off the ground, consider a tripod and just leave the majority of the leg sections off.

I got a little more time being Alabama and I won’t be able to use the stand till later in season as it is way too thick to see into / and across bottoms. I will be much closer to bottoms early season on the mast.

The planted pines are tall enough to prevent visibility so I do have to be somewhat elevated. And I have seen deer much closer than 100 yards as a huge area of green briar is about 50 feet in front of the location. But I don’t plan to let them get that close, that said, I know they could get by me - closer. so I do think I need to be concealed pretty well. I have sat on the ground there and although I can see into little slices of a single bottom from a ground … to scan the entire area I described I would have to do a lot of moving… I really need to be a bit higher. Elevated about three feet in rear and about six feet in front. And yes I do plan to brush the blind in tons of brush in the clearcut

 

[bfriendly]

My woman got me over of these before last season, and I never used it. My plan was to use it to take my little man (3 year old) out, but it turned out he likes to slip around like I do.
I love ground hunting. Killed a small buck with a Mongolian recurve at about 5 yards two seasons ago. Thanks for reminding me about this, I think I’m going to be bringing this bad boy out.

Question: do you preset? I did that one season with a different blind, and where I hunt the bears had a blast with it. Also are you using these on private only-that’s what I was doing, but I had a buddy who carries out on public, successfully.

I honestly have only used it Turkey hunting except once……..it was a nice setup, but I just want to hang from my saddle! I will set it up at my buddies place behind his house, but im not worried about it being gone when I get there!
I mostly hunt public so I’d be selective where I set it up, but I’d surely set it up in the afternoon and go back in the am and why not same evening? It sets up easy and I’d have no problem setting it up and sitting the same day. A short armless cheap chair and you are good to go. But more than likely, I’d set it up and come back In the am. Again, depending on where I set it up I may leave it with a snake lock on it.
Some Folks think the deer are gonna freak out if they see it. But if it ain’t moving, so they ain’t gonna see it let alone freak out If they do.…….make sure it don’t stink and hunt it!