Groundblind users

[Dukey]

Anyone here shot a deer out of a groundblind? I just got one this year for turkey and want to try and use it on a deer or two this season. I have heard that the deer will get spooky without the windows covered and if it is not concealed with cut branches and brush. How much do you have to conceal your blind in the cover for it to be effective?

[Randy]

Re: Groundblind users

Cover it a little but if you leave it out where you plan on hunting the deer will get used to it. You need keep an eye on it as the wind and rain may push the roof down. Make sure to practice shooting out of it, and good luck!

[dartonman]

Re: Groundblind users

Great advise from Randy...always make sure you can tie the roof up so it doesnt collapse....it will if you dont, speaking from experience....make sure that the blind is "brushed in" and 20 yards from the main game trail...and please, please, please...if you want to see deer...you have to put the blind up at least a month before deer season....as least...that way they can get used to it, and your smell will be gone......another tip why I brush mine in with heavy brush, is to make sure the deer dont get too close to the blind.........al

[buckee]

Re: Groundblind users

Great tips guys. I always set my ground-blinds (home-made) up 15 to 20 yrds from the trail the deer will be using, and leave them out there the whole season.

If you are going to set it up late, hunt it the same day you set it up. "Curiousity killed the cat" is my favourite saying on those same-day hunts, but after that, the deer will shy away from it for a while until all the scent goes away from you setting it up, and they get their confidence in that trail back again.. It's a one-shot deal with those same-day hunts. Don't expect a repeat the next day

[wtnhunt]

Re: Groundblind users

Have killed four or five out of home made ground blinds. They work quite well. Really like using my ground blinds along fence rows edges where there may be overgrown brush. Calling can get them up in your face on the ground, lot of fun.

[Guest bruteshooter]

Re: Groundblind users

All mine are home made. Burlap and twine and natre at it's best hung and mixed in. They stay all year but my 5 gal. plastic pales (seat) goes home for the winter. Family took 7 deer last year alone from them.

[rossman]

Re: Groundblind users

I used one for the first time this year. We had a mature buck crossing the top pasture of the hill we hunt. There were no trees to hang a stand so we poped up a blind. But I think it did spook the deer, even after I conceled it in the fence line with weeds and corn stalks. If we put it up earlier, like a month before the season then I believe the deer would have gotten used to it by the bow opener.

So, I think ground blinds can be effective but it has to be put up mid summer so the deer can get used to it and so the scent can dissipate.

--rossman

[Chrud]

Re: Groundblind users

[ QUOTE ]

Cover it a little but if you leave it out where you plan on hunting the deer will get used to it. You need keep an eye on it as the wind and rain may push the roof down. Make sure to practice shooting out of it, and good luck!

[/ QUOTE ]

Great advice from Randy. I have never used the "shoot-through mesh" for my Brickhouse. I do wear a black shirt when hunting from it though. I've had deer within feet of the blind (with minimal cover) and not spook.

[slughunter]

Re: Groundblind users

I love hunting from a ground blind, especially becasue you can place them in places that tree stands cant go. And they hide you a lot beter. This year I had 13 deer within 20 yards of me, one actually scraped up against the blind, and I was still able to draw and shoot at a giant 8-pointer. But it was very dark shooting through the window and that the only downside. But over all I would hunt a ground blind before a stand.

-shane

[buckee]

Re: Ground-blind users

It's also very important that the blind you choose, fits in with the surroundings, and doesn't stand out like a sore thumb. .

Here's one of my natural ground blinds. The deer pass by me sometimes at 10 ft away or less, if the breeze is right.

And here's my home-made grass-blinds, that I use in hedgerows, that have only tall grass as cover.

and here is how it works, looking at it from the hill.

My buddies and I have shot a lot of deer from these locations, and blind set-ups, so yes, they do work and are a lot of fun too.

[Guest pelk44]

Re: Ground-blind users

Cool Pics! I love Ground Blinds....... WInd Direction comes into play a bit more, but I feel if you have several diiferent locations to place them, they can be very succesful. They can also be a lot more comfortable that a tree stand. I know it allows me to spend more time sitting

[too_pointer]

Since my doc said no more climbing, I have hunted out of ground blinds for 7 years. Everyone needs to check their local laws on when you can put them out, of course private land is a different story. The sooner you can put it out before season opener, the better. My Ameristep is camoed pretty good, but I still take some local camo, like branches, ferns, ect. to lay around the outside. Besides hiding you better, I believe it helps very much to hide your scent.

too_

[MichiganHunter]

i've put my Double bull in the middle of a hay marsh next to one bush that is about the same size with my shooting window towards a thicket where i know the deer were traveling and the deer never paid it no never mind....if u make it look like it is an extention of a bush or a clump of small trees you can fool deer even if u just put it out the day before or the morning/at dark of the day your hunting deer wont pay u too much attention. i think there a good way to go if u aint got a tree

good luck

[Guest BearTrackFarms]

i have had them get spookey with mine sometimes...but have also killed some at 5 steps too

[Michiganbowhunter_SQ2]

i like to get mine up early, but i am not afraid to hunt out of one set up that day or a day before, never had problems seeing deer either way.

[TxBowHunter]

I have shot a few out of groundblinds, but i would rather be suspended up in the air!

[Matchthedeerslayer]

most years i dont even use a ground blide i just set up in some brush and sit in my lawn chair and wait untill i see something. that work for me here in Wisconsin.

[bigmoss]

Been using them for years and shot countless deer from them, all the advice above is good, and make sure as said put it out a month or more prior to the season so they get use to it.

[Guest deadeye270]

The only thing I find that spooks deer about blinds is the black holes created by open windows. This is solved if you have shoot through mesh. The next thing that bothers them is the roofline of most of todays blind, cut some surrounding limbs and place ontop of the blind to cure this problem

[dosse]

Buckee that grass blind is as good as it gets. I have a double bull and have yet to kill out of it. My experience would be to definitely brush it in very very well, keep your distance from the trail and put it in way ahead of time. Basically just what everyone else said, i have done much better sitting on buckets in my CRP fields than i have with the blind

[Guest dedicatedmarine]

If you hunt turkeys, you will soon find out that movement is an automatic stop sign. What i usally do is open the windows enough to see all sides, but not too much that any movement will spook the deer. When i see a deer/turkey, the first thing i do is close the windows behind me. This will stop the sillouhett (dead giveaway). Also, the shoot through windows give you that extra concealment. Good luck and be safe.

[christsavedme]

We are looking at making a couple this summer for the upcoming season! Will post pics as soon as they are done!