I want to try a ground blind for the first time this archery season, but not sure when you should put it up. I know the deer need to get used to seeing it, but I built a shooting house this spring and harvested some hogs out of it, but now that it's too hot to get in there, they have every critter you can think of. Spiders,wasp,roaches,probably snakes by now. The question is, has anyone put one out a few weeks ahead of opening season? I fear that they would have everthing including snakes in there. I'm not trying to sound like a wuss, but if I see the critters I see on something elevated, i can imagine what I would see on the ground????? Is a week before opening season ok? Or has anyone put one out the day before hunting, and had good results?

I put my pop up dog house blind up around September 15 th and leave it up until sometime in December. I have never had a problem with critters inside.


Spudrow from MO

In my opinion, it depend on where you hunt. I set one up 2 years ago on the edge of a field pretty much in city limits. The deer were scared of people but were not to affected by scent. It did not seem to affect them very much after a week or 2. They shyed away from it at first though.

I would suggest setting it up early and scenting it with whatever you use to cover your scent. That way when you get in to hunt everything will be the same as far as the deer are concerned.