Always hunted from a treestand but this coming fall 2013 I want to start hunting from ground blinds instead - for the advantages they offer.

Seeking some articles on how to make the best one, etc.

Also, would I be better off just buying a commercial ground blind instead?

I shoot Traditional with a recurve so my shots must be fairly close as well...

Homemade vs. commercial depends on where you hunt, how the deer act, etc. I've never had a lot of luck with a hommade blind--I'm sure that is at least in part due to not building them properly. Our deer are super spooky also. One reason I've gone to blinds is because I've been busted 20+ feet up in a stand so many times.

Commercial blinds are nice, but where I hunt they need to be put out at least a couple of weeks before the season starts and left out. They need to be brushed in, set in a blowdown, etc. Even then the deer can be leery--I've had one in the same spot literally for a few years, and the only deer that will get close are the youngsters. I have friends that do ok with hommade blinds. Lots of trial and error.

Chad

It depends on where your hunting if its public land or private access. If you have alot of traffic in your hunting area people would be less prone to steal your jimmy rigged ground blind them the new 2012 cost you alot of money free gift for them blind. If its private access then your fine with a commercial ground blind and can reep the benifits of them.

I could be hunting on either - State Land or private property. Had to say....that's why making the ground blinds may only be a limited option.

i shoot a recurve 60" out of blind for turkey you will need to cut the top off it or you will be forever hitting your limbs either on the ground or the top frame. don't know of one tall enough that you can stand up in and shoot so you will need to be sitting down, get a swivel stool and one that has a lot, i mean a lot of adjustments to it as all blinds have their windows at different heights, deer for the most part don't like blinds and most of them are the wrong color to boot, you most likely will have to brush it in. shooting through the screen is easy and has no effect on the arrow and long as you hit the window, therefore you will need to adjust the stool so that you are not schrunching up or down to make the shot. some compounds will shoot with the top on.

cheers

Ameristep Penthouse is plenty big, but you do have to shoot sitting down. I use a folding metal chair, camp chair, etc. I've killed a few deer, a fox, squirrel, etc. from mine. I generally hunt with a 66" longbow.

i use the ghostblind predator its great. it sets up almost anywhere in 5 min or less and you are ready for the kill shot. Bagged a doe and a buck in the same week. Had other deer walking within 10 yards of me, they had no clue I was even there. i highly recommend this blind.

If you will be on state land, figure on taking the blind with you at night or it will be gone the next time you go out. For a home made blind, it better be portable or the next time you get there, there will already be someone in it or it will be smashed and torn up. This is spoken from experience. a lot of people think everyone else's stuff is theirs too because its on state land.