Ground Blind Newbie...

swamp hunter

Senior Member
Got one sitting in the shop for years , Never used one.
Got a spot that needs some hiding cause it's in the open but a Swamp Edge about 50 yards in front of it.
No place to hide . I was just gonna cut a big pile of branches ect. and pile them up , but I got this new Ground Blind...and sometimes it's cold and rainy ..and I got this new Ground Blind.
How are they to hunt out of ?
Any suggestions other than put it out early and brush it in ?
I've never even sat in a Shooting House , I,m a tree stump , Blow down kinda guy..
I kinda feel like I'll be a Big Blob sitting in the open.
 

Jim Thompson

Live From The Tree
If you have the means and time to be able to build a huge blow down brush pile and leave it open enough in the middle for the blind you will be better off. Build the pile now and then add the blind closer to season that way you dont disturb it as much later in the year.

I hate hunting out of them, but they have their places and are definetly better than sitting in the cabin in a driving rain or heavy wind.
 

Gator89

Senior Member
I have killed several turkeys and quite a few deer out of a ground blinds and shooting houses sitting on the ground. Put it out, let the deer get used to it. Brushing a ground blind in does help.

Great for rainy weather.

Heck, set it up over a stump, you can still feel comfy then.
 

jiminbogart

TCU Go Frawgs !
Put it out anytime and don't worry about the brush.

I'll carry a blind in, pop it up, jump in and then see deer. They have never cared. They ain't Albert Einstein.

I've had most every animal in the woods walk by in a first sit in a popup blind over the years.
 
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baddave

Senior Member
i use a versatile ground blind , look it up.. all i need is a tree.. no need for level ground, actually it works great on a hillside... this was a gamechanger for me . 1st year i used it and i don't care if i never climb again.
 

Jim Thompson

Live From The Tree
Put it out anytime and don't worry about the brush.

I'll carry a blind in, pop it up, jump in and then see deer. They have never cared. They ain't Albert Einstein.

I've had most ever animal in the woods walk by in a first sit in a popup blind over the years.

I have just the opposite experience. Every blind I have ever put up that I hunted quick was picked out by every doe (not babies) and older class buck (older than about 2) within 75 yards or so. They dont always blow out, but almost always stare at it the entire time. I dont know if they are staring at the blob in the brush or if they are seeing the black holes or what, but they see something they dont like. Give it a week or so and they dont pay much if any attention to it. Problem is with a bow in hand I cant have em standing there staring at me while I try to draw :hair::hair::hair:

Only time I've ever had luck with a pop and hunt and deer paying it no attention is when putting it in fields with bailed hay.

Turkeys on the other hand dont have a clue or a care in the world about them.
 

Waddams

Senior Member
I have a popup ground blind, light enough to pack around without too much effort. It's nice to set it out and get out of the rain. The other thing pack around with it, though is a chair. I have a lightweight tripod chair with a bit of back to it (bad lower back, need the support. Carrying the chair, blind, rifle, and day pack with my other gear, it can get to be a load. I don't do it much.

I'd much prefer to have place to set the blind out, leave it with the chair in it, brush it in, and be able to sneak in and out nice and quiet. The only issue is making sure you pick a good spot to put it where you will see deer!
 

4HAND

Cuffem & Stuffem Moderator
Staff member
I love hunting out of a blind & shooting houses. Been very successful using both.
 

280 Man

Banned
I have five blinds and do the vast majority of my hunting out of them!

As most have said, put it up early, brush it in. One other thing, leave whatever windows you are going to use down about half. There's something about those sudden black holes that show up when a deer comes in!

Dont think that you dont have to worry about scent control because you do. However, blinds do help!

Also, sit as far back in the blind, face mask, and I wear black from the waist up!

Here's one of my blinds set up last year...

blind.jpg
 

Gator89

Senior Member
I have a popup ground blind, light enough to pack around without too much effort. It's nice to set it out and get out of the rain. The other thing pack around with it, though is a chair. I have a lightweight tripod chair with a bit of back to it (bad lower back, need the support. Carrying the chair, blind, rifle, and day pack with my other gear, it can get to be a load. I don't do it much.

I'd much prefer to have place to set the blind out, leave it with the chair in it, brush it in, and be able to sneak in and out nice and quiet. The only issue is making sure you pick a good spot to put it where you will see deer!

I prefer to haul my ground blind in with my ATV before the hunt and set it up. I have left them out between seasons, but weather is hard on them.
 

Jim Thompson

Live From The Tree
I prefer to haul my ground blind in with my ATV before the hunt and set it up. I have left them out between seasons, but weather is hard on them.

Yep, the longer the pop ups are out the worse for the wear. Heck we lose one to snow nearly every season.

Course I used this as an opportunity to post one of my favorite pics of Ol May before he passed on

Oq_qGz3nNgHXVKbCKVkITDyGVVhc4ZyjXqpQky1W_m-taBZ7xssa4HKt5FqdngKFmOOmWSZ7h6xBjrKXH34J919StDxabV2-7nxOi-dd2Vh5FcwaUaHWUqfZITXUzHQiWU0X53mE8T2qKQEwb5Cgsk9S21eGmB3YaCLlH6Ioz3t83I9KvddjwVs4SsiJLTRxRraONzNefb_-kieyHOvikc1OBjdOSID2DEgunynni4M2jc6gipjnvk7vDDGERsBE7pT74i2FN4wHYkKWcCR7R5g6DOuy03_AkUDe4Mblt_S0LrKj6FjQs9psD8HhUZd1FrevAsGneMuJFPTLX4bnlWNbi8MgNadOT1bIbVwJVnfhVPqfvyEZdZ08UmZcTXDaTxwoiCn6TZ1KVVI2HHU2A42UlRkpyqiG88wN6j4GoI1zlPybm2T6htgFGtkw6kCci3aKIkLWOm6bCWrZCMXv29D9uAU4PDzxuO4ER4GGnVOKCrBBl1dYZ3YdWN6QtN9qJ0daC7b1qvZn688pLVZxRE6UcTsFCGWITi6Tlhq5cDzWb6fM5USnbq_m3wruDzT520cqnE4Q19wxKXvphB2gnwsGqQxhQzVSs5eDb8ttM-zy4V-siD3wBW_mYeh2a3pIBVV7hWuBMeuBvO2i3LabEZ73yVLvAgjaYfw_ZbYAlQJF8ofF-bIfuyIl=s562-no
 

Browning Slayer

Official Voice Of The Dawgs !
If you have the means and time to be able to build a huge blow down brush pile and leave it open enough in the middle for the blind you will be better off. Build the pile now and then add the blind closer to season that way you dont disturb it as much later in the year.

^this^

I built a huge frame like a log cabin out of brush, sat my blind in it and dropped 4 small tree tops on the very top. I build on it every year and I've had deer walk within 3 ft of my blind.

IMG_4005.PNG
 

Browning Slayer

Official Voice Of The Dawgs !

Wayne D Davis

Senior Member
Got one sitting in the shop for years , Never used one.
Got a spot that needs some hiding cause it's in the open but a Swamp Edge about 50 yards in front of it.
No place to hide . I was just gonna cut a big pile of branches ect. and pile them up , but I got this new Ground Blind...and sometimes it's cold and rainy ..and I got this new Ground Blind.
How are they to hunt out of ?
Any suggestions other than put it out early and brush it in ?
I've never even sat in a Shooting House , I,m a tree stump , Blow down kinda guy..
I kinda feel like I'll be a Big Blob sitting in the open.
I'm allot like you. Gotta have a back drop to blend into. I hunt dead falls or find a good area with a small depression in the ground. Then use camo netting about a foot high around the small pocket. Preferably on a grade giving me a lounge chair effect. I only use a pop up blind in the rain or overcast days. I like to be hid.
 

j_seph

Senior Member
I put mine out last year, 2 months before season. Never brushed it in and once the deer got used to it you could go sit in it and they never paid any attention to it. Had several deer at 20 yards, the hardest part is not making any noise when you move cause even though the blind has sat there for months not bothering the deer..................it didn't make a noise like your arm rubbing on armrest.
 

Kris87

Senior Member
I hunt out of one a lot since my son hunts with a crossbow out of one 100% of the time. He killed a big buck out of it this year at 12 yds, so they can be effective. The only downside for me is scent, especially in the evenings. Your wind better be 100% perfect or does will bust you every time.
 

7Mag Hunter

Senior Member
Never brush mine in....usually carry it in , set it up and hunt 1-2 sits then move it if i want to......I suggest u practice folding them back up as they can be a bit tricky to get back in the bag.....I use a fold up dove type seat that fits inside the pop up carry bag.....Great for rainy day hunts...
 
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