Let's Talk Blinds

[bountyhunter]

Thanks Mark, that is the type of information I was looking for to get started. I have a good spot for a blind right behind the tree my one lock on is in right now. I wasn't going to mess with putting one in until after the season this year. I want to have it in place around March or Apirl next year and leave it there.

I was also really thinking about building my own practice setup at home. Not really a blind, but something that had the same size opening at the same height. I could then put the mesh on it and practice shooting through the mesh as well.

I've also got a couple of ideas about how to build my own blinds as well, but I've got more thinking to do along those lines.

By the way are your daughter's for rent to brush in my blind for me........ Sounds like they got it down to an art.......

[Chunky]

I wish I had taken more blind pics over the years to show...but didn't think about it.

Here is one of my oldest from the day she killed her big buck. It is by far, not the best brush job I have done, but you can see it is in the shade, and the lines of the blind are broken up pretty well.

I will search for some more pics.

[Chunky]

In the previous pic, the deer would have had the view that the camera has...except a little lower I guess. She shot through the Y in the limbs just off of her left shoulder.

I have no more pics on the computer, I am sure I have a couple more somewhere, but that was from the film days. I don't really feel like digging, unless it would really help somebody out.

If you are thinking of doing something a little more permanent, I would suggest the cattle panel style blind. They are pretty cheap to do, and much more stable and durable than a pop up...of course you can't pack them to a day hunt.

There use to be a good thread in the DIY section over on TBH...I don't know if it is still there or not.

[Grizzly1]

Chunky~ You really gave some great advice on this thread, Thanks! I usually bow hunt out of a ground blind as well and have not had much luck from them, my bow kills have been from a platform about 14' in an oak tree. You really cleared up some things that I believe I have been doing wrong while trying to hunt from a pop up ground blind and need to spend more time improving on, especially "brushing in the blind". Basically, the pop up is the "structure" or "frame" to hold up the brush you put on top and around yourself.. The set up in the pic with your daughter looks like the perfect set up to be comfortable but also gives maximum cover for the hunter. I really got into bow hunting alot more this year and even just getting to practice in the yard is now a thrill for me, I plan on upgrading my compound bow soon and now I know what I need to do on my set-up to improve my success from a ground blind. Your experience and time spent in the field really shows and it is obviously a great help to others with the lack of experience. Thanks!

[bountyhunter]

Mark, I remember reading about the Cattle Panel blinds but didn't pay it much mind. Now I'll have to dig it up if I can, and if not it still give me a starting place. I could also set something up to match at home easy enough to use for practice. Ok, guess I'm going to try the gound next year, or maybe later this year. I my second feeder is really starting to show some good signs around it and the general area. I might have to look at setting something up over there and leaving the area alone till late season. That is also where a lot of my hog signs are as well, so it might produce some pork chops if not venison. Thanks again for the great advice.

[Chunky]

Grizzly1,

Thanks for the kind words and I am glad you found the info useful. I would like to say that I am no super hunter...heck I usually not even the best hunter in the truck, but I have been doing it a long time. In that 20-something years I have made most of the mistakes possible several times.

Back when I started bowhunting, there was no internet, I read every magazine I could get my hands on. The bow shops were so busy with customers they had little time for questions, if it didn't involve a sale.

These BBs are great for cutting the learning curve down. We had to do it all by trial and error (mostly error). My buddies and I had no mentor or exprience.

One of these days we should start a thread about the dumbest stuff you have done while hunting. I bet I could win that contest.

Anyway, thanks again and you are very welcome.

D,

If you don't fine the plans for the cattle panel blind, I can help with that. I have not built one myself, but have hunted in them and paid attention to the construction.

[Chunky]

Here is a link (if it works) to my video over on Buff's site. I post it so that you can see a little of the cattle panel blind. It was really nice and spacious.

http://www.buffsblackwidow.com/chunk...uared_0001.wmv

[rodwade]

I bought the academy 39 pop up...it's stinks you can't bow hunt from it. WAY too small. and I'm 5'8"

[bountyhunter]

[QUOTE=Chunky;2394863]
One of these days we should start a thread about the dumbest stuff you have done while hunting. I bet I could win that contest.

I've got a few of those in my 30+ years so I might be able to give you a run for your money.

I cut my bowhunting teeth in the mountains of Virginia back whe hunting up there was really tough. We would backpack lumber up in the mountains in Aug. and Sept. to build our treestands in those days. A couple of the stands I hunted were no more then a couple of 2x4s to stand on, and there was no sitting down. You build your stand so you could lean against the main tree trunk or one of the major branches. Oh and we never thought about safety harnesses. No one had even thought about building a blind in those days. We loved the guys that hunted on the ground as they would push the deer to us. Wow, we sure have come a long way.........lots of great memories.

BTW, Great video and Sika!

[Dead Wait]

That was a great video.