Bow hunting in a ground blind
11-01-2013, 07:17 AM
#11
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Onslow County, NC
Posts: 1,856
So you guys are saying you've had more success with ever windows open when dressed in camo so that they deer can see straight through the blind and your mixed in with the hardwoods backdrop??
If that's the case then why does every manufacturer say to wear solid black and leave behind you closed up?
If that's the case then why does every manufacturer say to wear solid black and leave behind you closed up?
Those of us that open the windows and wear camo do understand that motion can still be detected in either scenario, but also that our camo still effectively blends us into the environment around us. Like looking into a blank blind we match the environment behind us. This method just gives us either more opportunities and directions to hunt from or lets you breath a little. On those early season days it can get a little warm in those blinds.
11-01-2013, 08:25 AM
#12
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Kansas
Posts: 3,905
So you guys are saying you've had more success with ever windows open when dressed in camo so that they deer can see straight through the blind and your mixed in with the hardwoods backdrop??
If that's the case then why does every manufacturer say to wear solid black and leave behind you closed up?
If that's the case then why does every manufacturer say to wear solid black and leave behind you closed up?
I will never, with a rifle, handgun, crossbow, or bow, shoot through the mesh. Period. I use the mesh on some of my side windows as a partial wind block and to block visibility looking IN, but still let me see out, but if I might shoot through a certain window, I don't have ANYTHING in my way. I do stick my rifle muzzle through the mesh. But I will never 'shoot through' mesh.
I wear black in my blind, sit as far to the back as I can, and leave the back windows closed. Leaving the back windows open allow deer to pick you out against the background. We have ALL seen deer swing their head side to side, up and down while staring right at us. They do this to help judge distance through parallax (the foreground objects appear to move more quickly than background objects). If my color blends in with the back wall, and am close to it, deer can't pick me out inside as easily. Between parallax and "hey what's that dark figure in that box?", I don't want any light or color behind me.
Sitting near the back wall also gives me plenty of room to maneuver for the shot.
I scrape the ground under my blind to bare dirt, or lay down a blanket. Nothing makes you feel more stupid than spooking a deer by crushing a twig or dry leaf underfoot while sitting in your blind, trying to maneuver to shoot.
I used leave my windows down all the time (the ones that I have down while hunting at least). Then I got tired of having sticks and leaves and critters find their way into the blind when I wasn't there, so I started spray painting my window covers black so they look like they're down, even when they're up. Eventually, I just bought some black fabric and velcro'd it to the front of the windows, so I can change which windows are open/black and which are just camo. A buddy of mine spray painted the mesh black on his, then pulls the Velcro mesh off. I HATE Velcro, even in the early mornings before light. Way too loud.
The idea with leaving the windows down (or blacking them out): It's dumb to think a deer doesn't notice your blind. They know something is there, even if it just seems like a big camo box. The camo, I believe in, because I think it helps them be comfortable with something that LOOKS like it should be there. BUT, if that big camo box suddenly opens its big black eyes and looks totally different, deer will notice.
I look at it this way: Would you put a black 55gallon drum out beside your blind on days you're hunting? A lot of blind windows are about that big. You can bet a deer will notice and avoid a big black oil drum, why would you think they wouldn't notice and avoid the big black holes suddenly showing up in your blind?
I also practice shooting from seated and kneeling inside my blind.
Invest in hangers, shelves, lights, whatever you need inside your blind. Having everything at easy access, and being able to see well enough to get set up is important to me. I don't want to make a ton of noise settling into my blind, don't want to waste time fumbling to pick up my bow, or set down my rangefinder for a shot.
Last edited by Nomercy448; 11-01-2013 at 08:29 AM.
11-01-2013, 03:18 PM
#13
Spike
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Mullens, WV
Posts: 72
Here's my thoughts on blinds:
I will never, with a rifle, handgun, crossbow, or bow, shoot through the mesh. Period. I use the mesh on some of my side windows as a partial wind block and to block visibility looking IN, but still let me see out, but if I might shoot through a certain window, I don't have ANYTHING in my way. I do stick my rifle muzzle through the mesh. But I will never 'shoot through' mesh.
I wear black in my blind, sit as far to the back as I can, and leave the back windows closed. Leaving the back windows open allow deer to pick you out against the background. We have ALL seen deer swing their head side to side, up and down while staring right at us. They do this to help judge distance through parallax (the foreground objects appear to move more quickly than background objects). If my color blends in with the back wall, and am close to it, deer can't pick me out inside as easily. Between parallax and "hey what's that dark figure in that box?", I don't want any light or color behind me.
Sitting near the back wall also gives me plenty of room to maneuver for the shot.
I scrape the ground under my blind to bare dirt, or lay down a blanket. Nothing makes you feel more stupid than spooking a deer by crushing a twig or dry leaf underfoot while sitting in your blind, trying to maneuver to shoot.
I used leave my windows down all the time (the ones that I have down while hunting at least). Then I got tired of having sticks and leaves and critters find their way into the blind when I wasn't there, so I started spray painting my window covers black so they look like they're down, even when they're up. Eventually, I just bought some black fabric and velcro'd it to the front of the windows, so I can change which windows are open/black and which are just camo. A buddy of mine spray painted the mesh black on his, then pulls the Velcro mesh off. I HATE Velcro, even in the early mornings before light. Way too loud.
The idea with leaving the windows down (or blacking them out): It's dumb to think a deer doesn't notice your blind. They know something is there, even if it just seems like a big camo box. The camo, I believe in, because I think it helps them be comfortable with something that LOOKS like it should be there. BUT, if that big camo box suddenly opens its big black eyes and looks totally different, deer will notice.
I look at it this way: Would you put a black 55gallon drum out beside your blind on days you're hunting? A lot of blind windows are about that big. You can bet a deer will notice and avoid a big black oil drum, why would you think they wouldn't notice and avoid the big black holes suddenly showing up in your blind?
I also practice shooting from seated and kneeling inside my blind.
Invest in hangers, shelves, lights, whatever you need inside your blind. Having everything at easy access, and being able to see well enough to get set up is important to me. I don't want to make a ton of noise settling into my blind, don't want to waste time fumbling to pick up my bow, or set down my rangefinder for a shot.
I will never, with a rifle, handgun, crossbow, or bow, shoot through the mesh. Period. I use the mesh on some of my side windows as a partial wind block and to block visibility looking IN, but still let me see out, but if I might shoot through a certain window, I don't have ANYTHING in my way. I do stick my rifle muzzle through the mesh. But I will never 'shoot through' mesh.
I wear black in my blind, sit as far to the back as I can, and leave the back windows closed. Leaving the back windows open allow deer to pick you out against the background. We have ALL seen deer swing their head side to side, up and down while staring right at us. They do this to help judge distance through parallax (the foreground objects appear to move more quickly than background objects). If my color blends in with the back wall, and am close to it, deer can't pick me out inside as easily. Between parallax and "hey what's that dark figure in that box?", I don't want any light or color behind me.
Sitting near the back wall also gives me plenty of room to maneuver for the shot.
I scrape the ground under my blind to bare dirt, or lay down a blanket. Nothing makes you feel more stupid than spooking a deer by crushing a twig or dry leaf underfoot while sitting in your blind, trying to maneuver to shoot.
I used leave my windows down all the time (the ones that I have down while hunting at least). Then I got tired of having sticks and leaves and critters find their way into the blind when I wasn't there, so I started spray painting my window covers black so they look like they're down, even when they're up. Eventually, I just bought some black fabric and velcro'd it to the front of the windows, so I can change which windows are open/black and which are just camo. A buddy of mine spray painted the mesh black on his, then pulls the Velcro mesh off. I HATE Velcro, even in the early mornings before light. Way too loud.
The idea with leaving the windows down (or blacking them out): It's dumb to think a deer doesn't notice your blind. They know something is there, even if it just seems like a big camo box. The camo, I believe in, because I think it helps them be comfortable with something that LOOKS like it should be there. BUT, if that big camo box suddenly opens its big black eyes and looks totally different, deer will notice.
I look at it this way: Would you put a black 55gallon drum out beside your blind on days you're hunting? A lot of blind windows are about that big. You can bet a deer will notice and avoid a big black oil drum, why would you think they wouldn't notice and avoid the big black holes suddenly showing up in your blind?
I also practice shooting from seated and kneeling inside my blind.
Invest in hangers, shelves, lights, whatever you need inside your blind. Having everything at easy access, and being able to see well enough to get set up is important to me. I don't want to make a ton of noise settling into my blind, don't want to waste time fumbling to pick up my bow, or set down my rangefinder for a shot.
Thank you for the advice. I set a new blind up today and I feel good about it. I tied it down tight and brushed it in real good. I also kicked up all the leaves down to bare dirt..
See what you think!
http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/g...psa92f66b6.jpg
http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/g...pse711d19e.jpg
11-02-2013, 07:36 AM
#14
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,203
I hunt with 2 to 3 windows open and the mesh rolled up. I don't trust shooting through the mesh. I think just like in a stand, one must move with stealth while hunting from a blind. It's beneficial to be aware of your surroundings and catch sight of the deer before they catch sight of you, but must be done in the shadows so to speak. As previously mentioned, sitting in a fold out chair towards the back of the blind is a great strategy.
If I had to pick between my stand and my blind based on experience and overall visibility then I would choose my stand. However, I would choose my blind if I valued convenience and ground hunting over visibility.
If I had to pick between my stand and my blind based on experience and overall visibility then I would choose my stand. However, I would choose my blind if I valued convenience and ground hunting over visibility.
11-02-2013, 04:06 PM
#15
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,834
I have been hunting with the pop up blinds since they have came out. I have taken deer, bear and hogs from them and even a lone coyote. I as well leave the mesh up, taken off and left at home for main window, kept the sides to watch out. I only leave the main window partially down, not all the way. I don't open the back window/door. I only crack the sides open enough to see out for I sit in the back against the wall on a folding bag lawn chair with the ground cleared out of debris. I sit all day for gun deer season with my Mr. Heater in front of me and my backpack next to me. Pistol on the backpack, M/L leaned into the front right corner, shooting stick on my lap, already set for a basically predetermined shot height. Works great.
Last edited by SecondChance; 11-09-2013 at 03:04 PM.
11-08-2013, 05:38 PM
#16
Fork Horn
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location:
Posts: 338
blinds
i prefer huntin out of a blind myself I have see more than in a tree, my best deer was out of a blind, I have noticed the deer as they come in always look up as they walk which would explain why when I sit in a tree I always get picked off except for one perfect tree I have found with 4 hemlocks in front of the oak I sit in. I have had deer in front of me and not seem to care but kept looking at the trees and that was just on a flat in oaks with no additional cover just popped it up and sat
