Trad Gang

The first is the blind with me in it, in a color photo.   The second is the blind in black and white, supposedly how deer see it.  I had my hat off for the photo because I left it by the camera       They do show that one can become part of the landscape by being still...even without camo.   The photos were taken at the lower end of my woods, next to a decent trail.   The surveryor's tape marks the western line of the woods...in case you wanted to know 8^).


(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v134/oldearcher46/100_0255-1.jpg)


(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v134/oldearcher46/100_0255a.jpg)

Very well hidden, George. Jawge

flannelflage.
love the stuff.
jamie

Looks like a good spot you have there George. I was in a "natural" blind yesterday myself.A nice size pinoak came down and you know how those babies hold their leaves.Sat on a spackle bucket brown and tan plaid shirt, Trad Gang camo hat, face mask, and a pair of my Real Tree Deep Timber pants. I had 7 or 8 turkeys feeding 5 yards out for 20 minutes or so. Never even knew I was there. One of them had a 4" beard too.Then I had a squirrel that wouldn't leave me alone must of thought I was another squirrel or some kind of nut!I will wack a deer this season on the ground.

Ya know, after looking at both pictures a while the thing that sticks out to me is that the leaves take on a very light, almost gray tint in the black and white photo. What makes me notice you the most in the photo is the darkness of your clothes. I tend to favor the darker pants and dark plaids also. I wonder if a lighter color would blend in a little better? I always feel like I'm shining if I wear light colors. Especially early in the morning and in the evening. Any comments?

Another candidate for Groundpounders Inc...Nice George....good luck in your new "home".  :thumbsup:    ;)    :clapper:  

(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a281/sf1oak/PB230006.jpg)

what are you guys sitting on in those pics?

I have a folding stool I carry from time to time.
This one is just a stump that's next to the tree.

Bodork....a gray hooded sweatshirt disappears in backgrounds like these.

Looks Good George.

I see you better in the B&W picture. Guess that is why deer see movement so easily. I like that blind. Looks like some thing I would sit in.

(http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w249/elkheart/Alexsview.jpg)

Pic in previous post (and how tha heck do you get multiple photobucket shots into a single post?) --is one of my three primary elk blinds, which together have given me more close clean elk kills over the past 25 years than I care to admit. These are serious blinds, not just squat-down spots for a few minutes. In this spot and other like it, I can sit for hours and stay in the shade and downwind of the well-used elk wallow (mud in background). I can move around. I can feel relaxed. This took much study over a long time to get it right, and how it has paid off over the years! Just a bit of brush piled up in front to waist height, plaid jacket and camo face maks (does anyone sell a plaid face mask?), a tree to lean against and provide daylong shade, a down log to sit on, a foot-deep hole dug out for foot comfort, and more brush behind to break up outline and conceal small movements. Mid-September this year I watched a 5x5 bull stand broadside and look around, then wallow for 20 minutes, all at 14 yards from this blind. Previous years I've watched whole herds come in and splash and play ... and never once had one even glance my way. And yes, elk have died here! No Quadruple Bull, Etc. needed or wanted -- just good old-fashioned woodsmanship and a visit to the chosen site a couple of weeks before opening each year, with small folding Gerber saw and e-tool. Thanks for a good thread, George. How much more fun, and cheaper, it is to study the old ways of doing things, rather than studying what we should buy next. Dave

If I got the photobucket magic right, here is Alex Bugnon sitting in the same wallow blind.

(http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w249/elkheart/Alexplaid2.jpg)

If he didn't have the blue cap on, we couldn't see him at all in plaid.

Thanks guys!  Being able to actual see your set ups will really help me in the woods.  

Keep them coming.

Jim

I'm also a big fan of natural ground blinds and enjoy seeing others. Here's some pics of my current blind
  (http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j319/Screamin_Eagle/1groundblind72.jpg)   (http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j319/Screamin_Eagle/2groundblind72.jpg)  
I built up the back with sticks and leaves for added concealment.

Gene

Here's a setup I'm using/working on right now. Taking advantage of recent blowdowns(on the advice from Joe Skipp ,thanks) this is what I have so far.

(http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m238/byerswolfe/asatgbdraw.jpg)
(http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m238/byerswolfe/bwasatgbdraw.jpg)

Dave2old...here's a b/w version:  He's not there anymore 8^).


 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v134/oldearcher46/Alexplaid2.jpg)

Dave2old.sewing up a plaid headnet is easy.You can buy the material at any fabric shop or use the back out of an old flannel shirt.

I've been using my old all purpose grey fleece pants, a light brown/black plaid flannel shirt over a duofold wool blend base layer shirt, and a camo fleece headcover, which really traps the body heat well. The only time I've been picked off was when I was wearing tan pants. I don't think the doe knew what I was. She just knew something was different and slowly backed out of there. I've added more brush since then because the sun hits pretty hard in the early afternoon.

pretty cool George.

The hat will still show in Alex's set-up. Blue is one color that whitetails can see according to university studies. Here is one of my set-ups with my boy testing it out for me.

(http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f311/vermonster13/Jakescout011.jpg)

And in B/W Vermonster:

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v134/oldearcher46/Jakescout011.jpg)

that hat is a pale grey fleece boonie, David.   :)