Do ground blinds frighten deer?
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Milwaukee, WI
Posts: 276
Do ground blinds frighten deer?
Reason I think they dois because on 9/16 Ibuilt a ground blind and yesterday 10/19 I finally got a chance to go hunt it. What happened was a buck came thru but never got closer than 50 yards. He didn't know I was there but seemed weary about approaching. I considered it's possible the blind just wasn't in his route cause afterall it's not like he started to come my way then changed directions. He pretty much straightlined 50 yards out.
Still the question lingers in my mind... could he and other deer be wearyof my ground blind? Granted it's been there over a month but I'm sure they remember that before then it wasn't. Any thoughts?
Still the question lingers in my mind... could he and other deer be wearyof my ground blind? Granted it's been there over a month but I'm sure they remember that before then it wasn't. Any thoughts?
#2
RE: Do ground blinds frighten deer?
They may isf it sticks out bad.......but set it up about a moth befor season so they can get use to your blind but try to but twigs and sticks to make it blend in well....it works!!
#3
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: NW Oklahoma
Posts: 1,166
RE: Do ground blinds frighten deer?
Deer will investigate anything new usually at night. He probably checked your blind out after you put itup and smelled your scent and just steers clear of it. Other deer may not be bothered by it at all. It also may be that itsort of stands out if it's not set back in some cover.
#4
RE: Do ground blinds frighten deer?
I look at it this way, if I came into your house and rearranged something, you'd probably notice it right?
Deer know their surroundings like you know your house. Something out of the ordinary "concerns" them. Eventually they get use to some changes when harm is never there. This buck was leary, so rightly he should have been, there was a predator in that pile of sticks that were not there once....perhaps the wind swirled.
The only experience I've had is with a pop up blind, the deer were leary of it.
I did however shoot a nice 2.5 year old buck 19 yards from my blind, the does were skittish, the buck looked at the blind only once, he was more concerned with the does, it was Nov 10th last year, my first birthday buck.
Deer know their surroundings like you know your house. Something out of the ordinary "concerns" them. Eventually they get use to some changes when harm is never there. This buck was leary, so rightly he should have been, there was a predator in that pile of sticks that were not there once....perhaps the wind swirled.
The only experience I've had is with a pop up blind, the deer were leary of it.
I did however shoot a nice 2.5 year old buck 19 yards from my blind, the does were skittish, the buck looked at the blind only once, he was more concerned with the does, it was Nov 10th last year, my first birthday buck.
#6
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Milwaukee, WI
Posts: 276
RE: Do ground blinds frighten deer?
I wasn't winded because there was a steady 7mph breeze and he was upwind the whole time. I do however think I may be in a bad spot because it is at the center of a triangle formed by criss crossing trails. The ground blind being there even at a month's time would still I think keep deer on moderate alert. Top it off, this is extremely high pressure public land.
Would you guys suggest tearing it down and putting up another one in some obscure corner even if all I'm covering is one of the trails?My thinking when I put it up was to be able to guard all 3 trails by putting myself in the middle of them all. I guess covering too much ground could mean covering no ground sometimes huh?
Would you guys suggest tearing it down and putting up another one in some obscure corner even if all I'm covering is one of the trails?My thinking when I put it up was to be able to guard all 3 trails by putting myself in the middle of them all. I guess covering too much ground could mean covering no ground sometimes huh?
#9
RE: Do ground blinds frighten deer?
I would think they'd get used to it if put up early enough. Maybe something else kept him wary of it that day. I know someone who was trying a pop up blind for the first time, she heard deer approaching before she even had it totally set up. She got in the blind and killed a buck several minutes later.
#10
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Northern Illinois
Posts: 612
RE: Do ground blinds frighten deer?
Top it off, this is extremely high pressure public land.
How do you know nobody else has been using your blind?? If someone else sat there and that deer spotted that person he may be staying clear of it because of that. Not hunting it for a month on public land doesnt mean its not been hunted at all........