My hunting spot is a wide canyon with deer trailing up the canyon edges. The only cover is grass about 8" high and a few soapweeds. I tried a popup blind with square hay bales stacked around the edges and a homemade guillie cover on top with some grass to brush it in. When I hunted the blind I realized that there were two small bucks that would pass it unafraid. But, about 40 other deer were afraid of the blind. They would not get closer than 50 yards and were on high alert. This was after the blind had been setup for a month. I am wondering about building a pit blind and wondering what advice "tradgangers" have? How deep? How big of a pit? Should I edge it with bluestem grass weaved into chicken wire or stack square bales around it? Does it need a roof so that I am shadowed? What do ya think? Thanks
I'd love to hear some experienced replies. I just finished Asbell's ground hunting book....so this is a near and dear topic recently.
I guess I should read Fred's book.
If you'll send me your address, I'll mail you my copy. It's in good condition.
Native peoples used em.
Thats good enough for me.
A pit blind eh?? Dig a hole about 18" deep and sit on the edge with your feet in the hole. If the blind is in front of some cover it works a lot better. I've never dug a deeper hole but I'm sure it would work better, my little holes work like a charm, even just in a grassy area with a gillie suit. It's late and I don't have enough energy to say more but if you pm "fujimo" on tradgang here he'll vouch for their effectiveness.
Good luck
. I have a natural pit i hunt. It is the hole
At the root wad of a big blow down. It is about 4' deep. The top of my shoulders and head are the only thing above ground. I have had deer at 3-5 yards and never been busted.
Ttt
A lease I used to be a part of was part of a firing range during WW II and is still adjacent to a Nat Guard range. Needless to say those woods are full of ready made pits! And it is possible to find unexploded ordinance. In all my time there I only saw one round lying right on top of the ground at the base of a tree. I never tried sitting in the craters as I was too busy climbing trees but one of our members killed many a deer from some of those craters. He told me he would find one in a good location downwind of a good trail, clean it out and brush it up a little and hop right in.
One peice of advice if you are in snake country always check good before you enter your pit. Don't want to share it with a buzzworm.
Dig you a deep hole and get inside and cover yourself up, the deer will never see you!! :biglaugh:
Mountain Lion: I see yet another person wants to bury me! :goldtooth:
I've used pit blinds to lower my profile on the ground in areas with no trees. One word of caution--if you're in an area with poison ivy vines, the roots are just as bad as the plants-speaking from experience on getting poison ivy in MI in November!!!