Natural blind,pop up blind,or ghillie what is your preferences and experiences.
I like a natural blind. It's just easier for me to use what's there than to bring extra stuff along with me. Haven't tried a ghillie yet and for me it's tough to shoot a longbow out of a pop up blind.
Well, haven't done it much but when I have, I use a natural blind. Not sticks piled up but more a cutout in some thick stuff. It is illegal in PA to use a blind that doesn't completely surround you for deer, but I figure that I am okay if I am not "building" anything. Actually hunted from the ground last night and saw my first deer on the ground. A fawn, small doe, and a 3 point, way more exciting than in the treestand.
I use all three. If I could only keep one method to hunt, it would be slipping around in the ghillie. The ghillie is also quite a good partner when used in a natural blind.
Natural ground blind for me!
(http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h227/rnorris/IMG_0013.jpg)
Both natural blind and homemade ghillie
Natural blind!
sitting by a tree that way if i fall asleep i dont fall far and have something to lean on LOL!!!!!!
I just use what GOD has put there. Love hunting from the ground. May not be as many shot opportunities, but I'd rather be down on the ground than in the trees.
Jason
http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=121971
I am addicted 110% to hunting in a ghillie
If I'm after a particular deer then I might pile up some cedar branches on a particular trail.
If I'm going to enjoy the hunt. Then I wonder back and forth through trails. A few steps, stop look around, maybe lean on a tree for 10 minutes and move on. See lots of stuff that way and really enjoy the different views.
I'm with nightowl1...pretty much do the same thing at least till I find a hot spot to move into. I stick to the ground. Fell out of a tripod at 14 while climbing in(did a grand of dental work to dear old dad on the way down!) That and 2 kids in my early 20s followed by a divorce the past year have made my hunting more economical. I've seen a lot from ladders, climbers, tripods, but nothing beats (at least for me) the feel of being on the same level as the game I'm trying to take home.
I use a natural ground blind on the ground. I have had trouble trimming up the ghillie to where I can shoot effectively with it on.
Natural ground blind,left one about 30 minutes ago
Natural-Hap
Natural blinds I make under pines down wind of trail intersections whenever possible. Almost always see deer on the first sit.
Hunting the Oregon coastal ranges for bulls, bucks and bear. Just take a natural spot that allows you to not stand out and which allows for a full draw and settle in. The main thing is to be comfortable so you can stay totally still for a long time.
I like the ground with natural setups and a stool. I just got a Bone Collector blind stool for $16. It has a back, which is better than my old three legged stool, but folds up to just about the same size.
I've been hunting a lot of grassy and brushy spots. My favorite set up is to nestle down in the zone where the grass and bushes meet so that just my head sticks up.
However, last weekend we went up north to hunt the big woods. It is more wide open timber and I had a hard time finding enough ground cover in the right spots. I had deer at the 20 yard line and closer 3 times. Got busted twice with out even moving and once a doe passed 8 yards BEHIND me instead of taking the nice, wide run way 12 yards in front of me.
For bowhunting, I don't ever see getting up in a tree, again.
Natural blind with Ghille later in the season or Leafy suit when it is still 75 degrees and up. I'm also real partial to Asbell wool in the deer woods.
My wife prefers her ghillie poncho and tucked up against the cedars. I prefer troughs and depressions with some brush cover.
Natural all the way...with clothing that blends in well with that natural setup.
(http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f196/jjeffer/BFblind.jpg)
I use natural blinds the vast majority of the time. I hunt quite a bit on the ground with just a swivel seat and using the naturally occurring vegetation and trees. I do carry some pruning shears and a hand saw to modify as necessary, but I try to leave everything as undisturbed as possible and fit myself into the existing flora. I have two points to bring up. First, I try to hunt areas not normally hunted by other people, i.e. areas with no trees big enough to get up into, or treeless fence lines (which deer use very commonly as travel routes). I actually see more deer than I used to when hunting in tree stands. The deer are much more relaxed because they have not been hunting in these areas before and use them regularly. I have witnessed deer (especially older, mature ones) on a number of occasions walk nonchalantly across CRP or along lightly brushed fence lines only to stop at the edge of the treeline for long minutes looking and listening for any sign of danger. I also have found, in my experience, that the best natural blinds are the ones that have good background cover to break up your outline. I have killed deer from my stool with no front cover except 6-12 inch tall grass, but with excellent back cover. I am leaving for Kansas later this week, will try to take a few pics of my setups and post to illustrate what I am talking about. There is an excellent picture in this thread of great natural background cover in the form of a tree but not much for front cover. I try to do the same thing but in treeless or brushy environments. One last point of interest, if the wind shifts, or the deer aren't moving, or you see a small buck scent trailing a hot doe another fenceline, it is a mere matter of getting up, moving to a new position and sitting back down.
I use natural blinds the vast majority of the time. I hunt quite a bit on the ground with just a swivel seat and using the naturally occurring vegetation and trees. I do carry some pruning shears and a hand saw to modify as necessary, but I try to leave everything as undisturbed as possible and fit myself into the existing flora. I have two points to bring up. First, I try to hunt areas not normally hunted by other people, i.e. areas with no trees big enough to get up into, or treeless fence lines (which deer use very commonly as travel routes). I actually see more deer than I used to when hunting in tree stands. The deer are much more relaxed because, apparently, they have not been hunted in these areas before and tend to use them regularly. I have witnessed deer (especially older, mature ones) on a number of occasions walk nonchalantly across CRP or along lightly brushed fence lines only to stop at the edge of the treeline for long minutes looking and listening for any sign of danger. I also have found, in my experience, that the best natural blinds are the ones that have good background cover to break up your outline. I have killed deer from my stool with no front cover except 6-12 inch tall grass, but with excellent back cover. I am leaving for Kansas later this week, will try to take a few pics of my setups and post to illustrate what I am talking about. There is an excellent picture in this thread of great natural background cover in the form of a tree but not much for front cover. I try to do the same thing but in treeless or brushy environments. One last point of interest, if the wind shifts, the deer aren't moving, or you see a small buck scent trailing a hot doe along another fence line, it is a mere matter of getting up, moving to a new position and sitting back down. This is the way I do it and it has worked extremely well for me, but I make no claims as to it being the only way or the best way. Just food for thought.
Slowly making transition out of the trees. I am much more comfortable on the ground and I have never been nervous before but I suddenly find myself more nervous climbing high into trees. For me a natural ground blind with a bunch of brush pushed up against a tree. I try to find a tree on a slight incline that is wide enough to comfortably lean completely back against. The incline down makes doing the sit up to get into shooting poisiton much easier and I can lay still in complete comfort for long periods of time.
QuoteOriginally posted by grouse11:
Well, haven't done it much but when I have, I use a natural blind. Not sticks piled up but more a cutout in some thick stuff. It is illegal in PA to use a blind that doesn't completely surround you for deer, but I figure that I am okay if I am not "building" anything. Actually hunted from the ground last night and saw my first deer on the ground. A fawn, small doe, and a 3 point, way more exciting than in the treestand.
I'm confused....it is illegal to use a blind that doesn't completely surround you? What kind of weird law is that?