Cheap blind options

[Double-O-Dave]

I was nearly in your position, but at the last minute, another lease member dropped out and I "inherited" his blinds. My thought was quick and cheap, and my plan was to build a simple raised platform approx. 3 ft. off of the ground, and perhaps 5 ft. x 5 ft. out of pallets and plywood, and then put a pop-up blind on it and brush it in. I think the pop-up would be sacrificial, and only hoped that it would last for the season. BTW, this would have been for a rifle, only - no bow or crossbows for deer hunting allowed on our lease.

Good luck,

Dave

[xman59]

I jumped on a lease at the last minute this year, and didn't have time to build a blind. I messed around and couldn't get over to College Station, and lost out on a popup that 97JeepGuy had for sale...thanks for being patient and trying to make it work, Andrew hate that I didn't get to meet you.

So I'm looking at a couple of options on the cheap and want input from guys who have done something like them. Pros/cons, what you did that you would change, etc. This will be in a SMZ bottom amidst oaks, yaupons, and scrub pines with a few trails criss crossing through it next to a clear cut. It won't be ideal no matter which route I take, but I'll have to make it work

1st option: taking cattle panels and forming a single, number 6 figure type of "ring" with a small opening to get in it, weaving yaupons and pine limbs through the panels and getting it as full as I can, with a black cloth draped behind the seat to try to hide movement as much as possible. Clearing out 3-4 small shooting windows on a roughly 240* layout, with hand corn at 20-25 yard distances

2nd option: getting a roll of the camo burlap and creating 1 or 2 areas on the northwest and southeast side of the intersecting trails to hunt the wind the best that I can, and hoping that the burlap doesn't get too messed up by animals over the course of the season. I've never used it, not sure how it holds up to weather. I'll have a pallet with a 1/2" plywood skin on it to sit the chair on, and get me off of the ground, since it stays wet for a little while down in there when it rains.

Anyone who has done either of these, chime in with some advice the cattle panel route seems to make the most sense to me, for sturdiness as well as the ability to throw a piece of panel over the chair with scrap ply strapped to it and have a rain shield in case of a storm. Just trying to figure a somewhat easy solution that I can carry in by hand instead of disturbing the bottom with a vehicle/ATV this close to season. Heck, if anyone has a better idea, feel free to suggest it Thanks in advance

I just bought a pop up from wally world the other day$88,, plenty big enough to bow hunt out of

[TxDispatcher]

Thanks for the input. I didn't think about using pallets and wrapping them. That may be an idea

The burlap seemed the easiest option, but the cattle panels are here and would be sturdier. But I have 15-20 pallets stacked in the warehouse, which sounds like a heck of a deal never thought about wrapping them with the burlap...give it some rigidity to where it isn't flapping in the breeze and drawing attention. I know they'll get used to it with time, just trying to minimalize all that I can

And I didn't really give much thought to buying a new pop up blind, but it may be more beneficial to drop $$ on one and not be hauling materials off of the road down into the SMZ. Since that's what I had intended to do with the popup from here anyways, I guess looking at the time it would take to get it all in there and set up versus walking in and erecting a popup and brushing it in, the question is this...what is my time worth? After season is over, I'll build an elevated stand and do it right. And then not sell it like I did when I got off of my last lease

[Mudslinger]

Check Rogers Sporting Goods. Probably the cheapest buys on ground blinds ever!

Not sure you can get anything any cheaper anywhere.

https://www.rogerssportinggoods.com/hunting/deer-hunting-1/blinds/deer-ground-blinds.html

[diamond10x]

I’m sure a lot of places have pop ups on sale. I bought 2 ameristep warlocks last year for the price of 1 from midwayusa around this time.

[crawdaddct]

A carry in tripod is worth it's money for setting up quickly. Ziptie some camo material around it. Brush it in a little. Good for bow or rifles

[ChickenWilly]

A 10 ft tripod shoved back into a cedar is deadly! Those are pretty much all I bowhunt out of at our place . I dont have any blind material around my tripods at all.

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[BrandonA]

Wood Pallets and T-posts make a good blind. EX wife killed a 169" deer 3 hours after I set one up for her 30 yds away from it.

[TxDispatcher]

Check Rogers Sporting Goods. Probably the cheapest buys on ground blinds ever!

Not sure you can get anything any cheaper anywhere.

https://www.rogerssportinggoods.com/...nd-blinds.html

Headed to look...thanks for the link

I’m sure a lot of places have pop ups on sale. I bought 2 ameristep warlocks last year for the price of 1 from midwayusa around this time.

I'll check out Midway, thanks for the suggestion

A 10 ft tripod shoved back into a cedar is deadly! Those are pretty much all I bowhunt out of at our place . I dont have any blind material around my tripods at all.

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I wish there were cedars around to do that in...I would love it. But cedar trees are scarce around Votaw

[mooney_ag]

Pallets or old privacy fence panels/pickets would be cheap and effective this late in the game. You'd be able to make some solid openings to shoot from as well.

[rtp]

Good luck. I had a lease fall in my lap last minute last year so I can relate to the last minute scramble.

[sbushee]

The cheapest you can get is a machete, few pieces of rope and cutting brush.


Pop ups are the biggest POS’s I have ever dealt with if you leave them out in the elements for any period of time.

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This. Or how about just backing into a bush or climbing a tree? Costs 0 dollars. That’s about as ch ap as it gets

[Paycheck]

Cabelas got the Herters Terra ground blind on sell for 69.97. Don't know nothing about the quality.

[deerslay3r]

I just picked up a practically new portable tripod on craigslist for $60. Tripods are hard to beat and craigslist will sometimes give up some great deals

[Chuckfu]

How about a old dog kennel wrapped in burlap.
Turned out to be a cool permanent pop up