Thinking ahead to the fall deer/elk season, has anyone tried a small heater in a ground blind with success? Awhile back, someone mentioned using a Sterno canister. This sounds like the amount of heat would be about right for something as small as a Double Bull or ASAT, but I also wonder if there is any odor that might come off of this heat source - or any other catalytic type heat source - that would spook game. Thanks. Roskoe

We've had numerous deer in front of our blinds while using a Mr. Heater. They are great! We had to use this propane heater just a few weeks ago in the Matrix during the Youth Turkey season when temps plunged to single digital windchills! You can't detect any odor from 'em and there burn all but silently.

Who'd thought this would EVER be needed for turkey?

I have one of these - new in the box. Thought about using it - but was afraid the heat might drive you out of something as small as a ground blind. Did you have to strip down to your Tee shirt to keep from burning up?

I use the same type of heater. Awesome!

Mr. Heater buddy is by far and away the best. When I work with hunters helping hunters in the fall we always use 'em in our blinds and have never had a problem. They work great! That's the way i'd go as well!

Thanks for the replies. Roskoe

when i hunt in a ground blind when its cold i carry a old sleeping bag and use it to keep warm.

I had this same quandry last year when hunting in Minnesota in late November and December in ground blinds. I considered the heater but told by many it would work well in a wood or box blind where you can close it off but not so much a pop up where you have the mesh windows open.

I've never had a problem staying warm with my cold season hunting clothes, except for my feet. I think that's the problem with most people.

I've tried all sorts of sock combos with very well insulated boots but I'd still be dying after a few hours. Then somone suggested I look at insulated boot covers ($40-$50). I tried them and they work wonders. I can be on stand or in blind from sun-up to sun-down in below freezing temps and never get frozen toes. And if I drop a heater pack in each boot cover, my feet usually stay as warm as they would be if I was inside watching TV.

If you're going to be sitting still, I'd highly reccomend them. They slip on silently, fold up nicelyand weigh about a pound total for packing in. I'd also reccomend bringing along an old board or carpet remnant or something so you can put your feet on them and not on the cold frozen ground. Can make a big differenece.

I got a buddy heater primarily for using in a pop-up blind for ML hunting and bowhunting late season. I got some really positive feedback from a few others here, saying that the buddy heater worked well in the blinds, but I have not used it yet, so can no add my .02 yet.

I Have the Buddy also and it works OK in my pop up blind. The problem with my blind and I think others would have the same problem is that the bottom is not sealed from the wind, plus you have to have the windows open to see. On a calm day when the wind did not blow and it was in the single digits it worked pretty good. Me and dad set it right between us and it was nice, but still had all our cloths on and was nice and toasty! But on days that the wind was blowing the air would come right in the bottom and pretty much did no good for heating the blind. We would put it in front of us and have are legs right up to it and get the "radiant" effect from it and then our feet stayed warm and we were OK. It worked well enough I was willing to drag it with me every time.