What do those of you who use ground blinds find as limitations? I.e. Size,
> weight, packability, vision, cost. Do most use ground blinds as semi
> permanent
> or as pack in pack out blinds. Does anyone use them in deep hard to get to
> public land or is the size /wt thing limiting?
>
If I hunt public land where I like to walk and get away from the crowds.I take a pair of pruners and a lite gerber folding saw and a stool.you can make a blind in minuts that will be a lot less noticable to a deer.and move on quick notice.when the wind changes etc.
I do like Hill Boy. Just make a little spot with some limbs and brush. Works great and leaves you the option of slipping in and out easily. I have left my blind and stalked after deer that didn't come close enough to the blind. Also, no limitations on room to move this way. I don't like being confined to a closed blind.
I just got what I think will be the best ground blind I've yet found for the Trad bowhunter. It's called the Escape DX by Big Game treestands.
This thing is 75" tall X 77" wide. I was having no problem shooting my 58" H1 from a stool or actually standing (with a slight cant). I was able to shoot my 60" H2 from the stool; I could shoot it standing if I was careful. It goes up exactly like a Double Bull but with less grunting (and half the cost). It only weighs 17 lbs, so was a breeze to carry into the cattail slough wherein the buck I'm hunting beds. Even comes with 8 tie down stakes. I brushed it up with cattails and it set up 9 yards from the trail the buck uses most of the time in the evening...
I prefer makeshift as well,carry a string and tie between trees or limbs, have some backcover to keep from silhouetting myself and stay mobile.
I forgot to add lay brush against the string for front cover.
Get a ghillie suit :D I have had deer and turkey up close. Just sit up against a fall down and they wont know your there. They are lighter than a blind and depending on what model blind you have, ghillies are cheaper.
QuoteOriginally posted by BMOELLER:
Get a ghillie suit :D I have had deer and turkey up close. Just sit up against a fall down and they wont know your there.
Wouldn't do me any good up here, as we don't have trees in ND... :D
If we are talking about Pop-Up commercial blinds then I would say that the size, weight, and packability while not great are not inhibiting factors. I have carried mine far on my shoulder and if a really long haul have strapped it to my packframe.
The biggest reason I do not use mine (Double Bull T-5) more is that it is not as versatile or as effective as a treestand. If treestands were not an option then I would probably use it more.
It does limit your vision and the "peripheral" experience.
I think the best way to use it for public land hunting is to wait till you find a good or required scenario for it. For example a well defined trail in front of a big deadfall or a good area with small trees that a stand just cannot go in. In this situation I consider it "better to have bad tree in a good spot than a good tree in a bad spot" (Wensel paraphrase).
If you are on private ground and the blind can be left up for prolonged periods then that is a completely different situation.
Almost all of my hunting is on public property but I have used blinds on private ground as well with mixed results. In a situation (South Texas) where the blind was left setup for prolonged periods hogs, javalina, and deer paid it no mind. In another situation (Florida) I set one up for several days and the hogs were very wary of it. The next day I setup a treestand in nearly the same spot where the blind was and shot a hog.
Hope this helps.
The biggest limitation for me is my depth preception is thrown way off looking out through the windows. I always seem to think the game is much father than it is and I shoot poorly. I've gone to building a quick brush blind and tree stands. I still have to be careful though, even with a natural brush blind, if there is a bush I have to shoot over that is only a few feet in front of me it again can through my perception off. Just a reminder to practice shooting out of one if you plan on using it.