I know turkeys don't spook at a blind and deer usually will if not brushed in. How about bears? I'm heading up to the Adirondacks for the early bear season and would like to do some hunting from a blind.
I have hunted them from brush blinds where I was fairly exposed, and they weren't bothered by my presence (at least until I shot an arrow in their general direction). A real rush at 10 yards and under.
I always hunt bears from ground blinds but I make them out of brush I cut nearby to match the surroundings.
If you brushed over a commercial blind well enough I'm sure it would be fine as far as being concealed goes.
However, as we know, one of the disadvantages of hunting from a ground blind is not being able to see as well as from an elevated position.
Natural blinds offer better visibility because you can see a little through the brush walls almost everywhere and therefore have a better idea on what's going on around you.
(http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o691/toddgregory1/IMG_2016_zpsfgtqwa82.jpg) (http://s1338.photobucket.com/user/toddgregory1/media/IMG_2016_zpsfgtqwa82.jpg.html)
This is my bear blind set up for the last few fall seasons.
As can be seen, there is a rocky step behind (not uncommon in the Granite State) which restricts movement from behind.
It's 12 yards from the barrel and set up crosswind for the most common down draft thermal. Experience has shown me that directly down wind results in getting busted since most bears will scent check from there before coming in.
Pop up blinds allow a comfortable chair, effective use of a Thermacell when mosquitoes are still abundant in early season, some scent blocking with dirt and leaves pushed against the interior skirt, and the ability to see underneath the thick hemlock growth where this is located.
Every time i do the bear knocks my blind down while im gone. Kinda got sick of replacing poles so i quit.
I've hunted them from a Lucky's tent blind. Had them as close as 5 feet, but given the narrow shooting windows it sometimes makes a shot impossible. Like Turkeyfoot I've also had bears tear it up when I wasn't there, or when I let the bait get depleted. One even snapped two of the aluminum poles and carted the blind about 40 yrds away. Never bothered to brush it in.
I will this yr. problem is I will have my blind out hunting deer until bear season comes in. I am stressing the bear getting into my blind and tearing it up.
Had it happen before - probably getting ready to happen again.
I would build a blind with the natural cover around the area. I did this for years when we could bait here in WA I always seen bear and as close as 3 feet. At times I had the bear visit my blind when I wasn't there.
The bear that was 3 feet away was walking by stopped turned look at me and then slowly walked past paused at the entrance of the blind at that point I said hey bear he looked at me again then kept walking away out of sight, 10 minuets later he was back at the bait. I didn't shoot him because I wanted the very large bore that was coming in.
Dave
I have hunted them several times from pop ups.
They never seemed to pay much attention to them.
I shot this one from a blind we made out of a brush pile
http://buffsblackwidow.com/oldvideos/bearhuntday33.wmv