My question for you ground blind users...can you just set them up and hunt from them or do you need to brush them in and/or set them up a week or so before hunting from them? I have heard conflecting reports. I was told that the guys from Double Bull says to brush them in if you are going to be within 50 yards of when the deer first sees it. Mr.Ron LaClair states that with the Hidden Hunter blinds its not necessary to brush them in because of their shape. What have ya'll found out in using them? Thanks for your time.
All depends on the back ground, some bushes in the back are great, you can trim a shooting hole in the bush or the slope of a upward hill, anything to break up the top of the blind, just a few branches against the blind also work great.
I have used my double bull both ways brushed in and pop up and hunt and cant really say that it matters. Sometimes when just popping up and hunting I have had deer look at it in a curious way but after a few seconds of looking they go on about their business. But I usually try to find some brush to set up in or in front of to at least have a little cover.
I used a penthouse blind for a few years. It's a pretty big one. I've had deer step out of cover see it and turn away. I've also had deer get to within 5 yds of it. However, just about every deer that has been even close to bow range was a little concerned about it. I've actually had success twice when going to an area where I'm pretty sure the deer will use 1 of 2 trails. I set up the blind close to one trail and hunted the other. They came out of the cover saw the blind and went down the trail I was hunting. I'm sure if you hunt in a place where you can leave it out there for a week or two they'll get used to it, but My experience says they notice it most every time. They might walk past but they are on alert. I've found that the Eastman outfitter telescoping ground blind is about perfect. There's no rain protection. I carry 1 or 2 of these to the woods. They are adjustable which is really nice. They seem to be big enough to give you quite a bit of cover but not to big to perk up the deer's senses. They are made a little fragile though. The stakes are like carbon arrows with field points to go in the ground. Sometimes a point pulls out. Easy fix with epoxy and a new point. Also the fabric is glued onto the stakes. you need to be sure to hold the stake when adjusting or pulling out or you can pull the fabric off. Not a big prob either as a little glue fixes that too.
I have two Double Bull blinds and they get alot of use. I am a big fan of always trying to set the blind back into cover or under an overhanging tree etc. I brush the blind in to the max everytime the terrain/cover permits. I also like to leave them up sometimes for a week or more at a time. The better the camo/cover job you do the less chance someone will eye it from a distance. I'm pretty careful about where I leave it up. Would hate to find one missing one day, been lucky so far. I will say that in Nebraska we set them up in bare pasture fields for turkey and the birds walked right up to blinds. Gotta think a big buck would not make same mistake. Practice out of your blind alot. The depth perception goes out the window once your in one, practice helps your brain adjust.
I think it depends alot on your location. Here in Louisiana the deer seem to be leary of them, at least on leases. I think this is due in part to all the shooting houses folks hunt from. I think on "low pressure" land they seem to work better. That may be just my opinion, but seems to hold true year after year. But then again, we have a 3.5 month rifle season around here. urrrrrrrrggggggghhhhhhhh. :banghead:
I've found that with deer you have too brush your blind in regardless of make or model.Turkey you can set it up anywhere and they do not pay much attention to it.I have a double bull and brushed in it's a killer. :goldtooth:
I've been using popups' for about 5 years now. Deer seem to notice ANYTHING that is different. It dosen't seem to alarm them unless they have smell on them, (as ALL new blinds do) I set mine up in the yard wash with a good no-scent soap and spray with UV killer. If I can I always brush them in, however I have found that just settin' it up, deer will accept it in about 3-4 days, if the deer use the area daily. I alwys keep the mesh up with NO windows or light behind me. Deer willnot accept a "blackhole" in the open or brushed in. I have lots of deer, I get deer within 10 feet of my brushed in blind almost daily. It's been up since mid SEPT. Turkey's don't seen to mind it set in the open or the "blackhole" Mybe I'll get around to posting a pic of my brushed in blind. Good Luck. I think you will enjoy hunting from a blind, but....they do take some getting used to, so don't try it 1-2 times and give up!!!!
Thanks ya'll.
I decided to do some practice in the back yard with my blind and video taped it. Was an eye opener to me how shiny things can be with wrong camo and just a bit of light coming in
(http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii45/heilakka/2008%20season/th_palace1.jpg) (http://s261.photobucket.com/albums/ii45/heilakka/2008%20season/?action=view¤t=palace1.flv)
I hunted out of my Double Bull this fall...first fall with it liked it a lot. I used if for turkey hunting and missed 2 birds...shooters fault.
Anyway if you are a same day set for whitetails then I suggest you brush the snot out of them. If you can leave them up then the deer will get used to them.
Here is a pic or two of my same day cornfield set-ups. Hope I resized these correctly.
(http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h138/oliverstacy/GEDC0758-1.jpg)
(http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h138/oliverstacy/GEDC0757-1-1.jpg)
Josh
i am a fan of the double bull myself, whatever model you get i would brush it in as much as possible, and if it has the shoot thru netting use it the deer dont like the black hole affect, and the netting used on double bull dont effect the flight of my arrows at all.
In Aug. we were in Utah and hadn't seen many shooters. There was a stock pond in the middle of a small meadow, nothing around it taller than grass for 30-40 yds. The last night I thought what the heck, I might as well set up my pop up 40 yds out and sit on this. At exactly 7pm the first doe came in. Two guys drove by on the road (about 30 to my left) and laughed at me! by 7:30 a dozen deer had come in, spooky at first but when there were numbers they calmed down. At 7:45 a forky came in and gave me a 42 yd. shot. done deal. So I guess it can be done.