Lessons learned from ground blinds

[mparks]

When hunting pigs I dislike anything but a chair so I can move around.
Have a boatload of tree stands.....this will b my first year with a pop up.

[Coach W]

If you leave them on the ground dig in the flaps and make sure a snake can't find his way in there... I was in one when a 5 foot rattler came looking for a meal one time. Un cool.

[Pullersboy]

I've got mine sitting on a 2' platform. Just high enough to get me over some low lying brush. Also high enough so that I don't crawl in there w/ a slithering beast at 5:30 in the morning.

[joebriles]

I like to stake out a piece of carpet then pitch the blind on top of it. For one thing, a quick flashlight scan in the morning will tell you if "Mr. No Shoulders" has decided to use the blind for a crash pad.

I do carpet for the floor as well. It's a must in my book

[txtimetravler]

I do carpet for the floor as well. It's a must in my book

That's a good idea.
Any concern with snakes getting under the carpet?

[sqiggy]

My questions to people that say they don't need to brush in their blinds because they kill deer without doing it, are: 1. Are you sure that there wasn't a bigger deer out there, that didn't come in because HE figured you out? 2. Are you sure that you couldn't have killed the same deer in less time, if you'd have been more hidden? Since nobody could answer those questions accurately (not with any honesty, anyway) it only stands to reason that brushing in a blind has the distinct possibility of giving a hunter an advantage..

Well, I'm one of those "people".
1. Set blind up for my son. Hadn't been in it for 10 min before first deer came out. 8 point at 35 yds out. Never paid no mind to it. Hour later, a MASSIVE 10 point comes out about 75 yds away. Never paid no mind to it. Couldn't shoot either one since we were only allowed to shoot does. Next morning, first doe comes out at 130 yds. Picks out the blind as soon as she stepped out. She came all the way across that field to "check it out" when I finally told my son to shoot. She was at 35 yds out. Ten minutes later, another doe comes out at 150yds out. She does the same as the first. My son dropped her in her tracks at 40 yds out. He's using a rifle. If he had a bow, there aint no tellin how close they would have got.
2. Set blind up and left for a wedding. Come back next morning and son shoots a doe at 75 yds out. He had to wait over 30 min before he had a clean shot. Dropped her in her tracks. She never even looked our way.
3. In Kansas, set blind up for bad weather the following day. 100 yds away, I get up in my lock-on. As soon as I pulled my bow up for the afternoon hunt, I see a MASSIVE double drop tine buck coming in. Comes in about half way between me and my pop-up. Instead of turning my way, he turns towards my pop-up. Ends up walking right past it at less than 20 yds.
Next day, had several bucks walk right by at 15 yds. Most were 3 yr olds and not quite big enough. Even had one to make a rub on a small cedar tree just 2 ft from the blind overnite.
4. One hunt, I did brush it in, REAL GOOD!!! Had a doe step out at 50 yds. She would not come any closer.
I use mine mainly for me and my son and when I go to Kansas. What I have found out over the years, if you back it up to some thick stuff like cedar, yaupon, or a plum thicket, and let the deer see it, they will most likely walk right up to it.

[sqiggy]

Here is a pic of the hunt where my son shot those 2 does, 15 minutes apart.

[tribute06]

The number 1 thing I learned when I started hunting out of pop ups was to buy heavy duty tent stakes to use and not trust the little crappy ones that come with the blind. Also if possible tie the roof to a tree or a bush to keep it from collapsing.

[joebriles]

That's a good idea.
Any concern with snakes getting under the carpet?

I use a thin commercial type carpet like you see inside of a school. Rake and hoe out all of the leaves and make it nice and smooth them put the carpet down. If you see a big lump under the carpet then stomp on it really really hard. Plus the office chair that I have in mine rolls a little easier.

[M.E.B.]

It really depends a lot on where you hunt, as to whether you need to brush in your blind really well. Not all properties are the same. Where I work, if you just throw up a blind and hunt, you will be lucky to see deer closer than 50 yards; and, even then, only for a few seconds before they run. If you do kill a deer, it'll be a young one and definitely not one of the big bucks in the area. If you brush it in really well, you'll see lots of deer and have a decent opportunity at a great low-fence buck. I have friends, though, who's places are so low pressure you CAN get away with just throwing up a blind and you'll get deer to come in. Depends on the place.

My questions to people that say they don't need to brush in their blinds because they kill deer without doing it, are: 1. Are you sure that there wasn't a bigger deer out there, that didn't come in because HE figured you out? 2. Are you sure that you couldn't have killed the same deer in less time, if you'd have been more hidden? Since nobody could answer those questions accurately (not with any honesty, anyway) it only stands to reason that brushing in a blind has the distinct possibility of giving a hunter an advantage. Considering all the effort and expense that most hunters go through to gain an advantage of deer - scent control, camo, attractants, faster bows, better sights, etc., etc. - why would anyone argue that a tactic that takes little time and costs nothing is unnecessary or pointless?

I totally get the point about how they "get used to" to blinds that are left in place for many months or year round - I have the same experience with some of my personal stands. But this is a very expensive practice (it's super hard on your popup) and really not what pop-ups are designed for. They're designed for mobility. So, why put a popup through a summer long torture test when you could take 45 minutes and a little sweat and set up 2-3 weeks before the season, with the same (or maybe better) results? There are deer I've seen, even on the least pressured ranches, that just DO NOT like coming near any kind of obvious stand. These are deer that you need to ambush if you want to take them with a bow. The willingness and skill to brush in a pop-up blind CAN make it possible to get on these deer with a bow; where others will be forced to resort to their bang-stick later in the season.

I'm not trying to be argumentative here (Heck, I really couldn't care less how other hunters choose to set up) but I just haven't ever heard a compelling argument made for the advantage of NOT brushing in a blind. But I've heard plenty of compelling arguments for taking the time to brush in a blind.

Everyone has their way of doing, or not doing, things - to each, their own. No "right" or "wrong." Just sharing my opinion/experience.

I have had does and small bucks all over a brushed in blind only to have a 4 yr old buck or doe look at the blind and be really nervous about it even though it had been there for weeks.

[Threadgill]

1. Some places require more brush than others.

2. When brushing in, always hide/cover the cut ends if the brush. Don't leave any white cut ends showing.

3. Always cut brush away from your blind. I try to go at least 300 yds away to find good cover brush. It's for the same reason as number 2, I don't want a bunch of fresh cut, white stubs sticking up everywhere that stand out to the deer.

I promise there is a double bull in there.

[denimdeerslayer]

They are hot, have limited visibility, and attract spiders, wasp, and snakes. I prefer to be up in the air.

[jerp]

If you have big patches of shinnery where you hunt, clear out a spot in the middle the size of the blind's footprint. Pitch the blind and cut some holes around the windows you will shoot out of. During the off season I set my pop-ups in the backyard and spray them with UV protectant - really cuts down on the fading. My last step in set-up is to cover the top with military camo netting.

[Firefyter]

Here's what I've learned

In Texas, brush it in until it looks good, then brush it in some more.

In Kansas, set it up and kill a deer 30 minutes later without brushing it in.

X2

[47]

cows eat them

If you have big patches of shinnery where you hunt, clear out a spot in the middle the size of the blind's footprint. Pitch the blind and cut some holes around the windows you will shoot out of. During the off season I set my pop-ups in the backyard and spray them with UV protectant - really cuts down on the fading. My last step in set-up is to cover the top with military camo netting.

[ATTACH]541530[/ATTACH]

They eat that too

I've had a DIY ground blind made from cattle panels, burlap & 6 mil plastic liner, covered with a thick Belgian army surplus OD cargo netting & brush... cows were turned out over the summer.

Friend called me to let me know the only thing left of my blind was the cattle panels.