Double bow blinds?
05-27-2007, 09:42 AM
#1
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Cape Cod MA
Posts: 303
Double bow blinds?
Hi guys i had a great season and i hope you did 2. I was wondering if you guys could give me some input on the Matrix 360. I want it so me, my farther and maybee another person could fit in it. Can the birds see in/ ahve u been made while in it? And what about those rods/cables that you see that go up like a turkey foot -do i ahve to worry about hitting those? thanks
05-27-2007, 10:34 AM
#2
Fork Horn
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Upstate New York
Posts: 242
RE: Double bow blinds?
Hi. I have the Matrix 360. It is absolutely amazing. When you first use it you are going to think you are totally exposed, atleast I did. But the animals just cannot see into it! The black inner liner along with you wearing black, makes you disapear. And to answer your question about size........ we have fit 3 in it, with a video camera and tripod. Ver "roomy." The rods and cables do not get in the way of drawing your bow or shooting, and set-up is a breeze. I highly recomend this blind.
05-27-2007, 01:23 PM
#3
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Cape Cod MA
Posts: 303
RE: Double bow blinds?
thanks.. i had the ameristep dog house and i had a big tom see my girlfreind move and i tested it with a hen and had her make me as well so i was wondering if they can see you in it. Has anyone used this for deer hunting, Do you have to brush in the blind or can you leave it out liek i do for turkeys.
05-27-2007, 03:20 PM
#4
Super Moderator
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 7,437
RE: Double bow blinds?
I own 2 Double Bull Blind - Matrix 360s.
Why - it is just the material and craftsmanship as my buddies went cheaper and bought thecheaper knockoff tho they don't have the 360 capabilty but windows. I ahve helped them repair each blind several times - that material just sucks and is shiny and is just junk.
Now I am not a Pro-staffer forDB but I have found no other blind to match the dependabilty. I have used several other blinds. The window straps and support rods of the DB do not get in the way. You just need to be aware of them. Rarely do I use the full screen over my openings but willuse the screen as I position my viewing to screen only on the sides but leave the front wide open. Now my opening is only wide enough to cover my shot and I do use decoys alot but I position those usually less than 10 yards in front of me. The DB comes tih a video and shows the window opening as I use it. I just tuck the screen mesh up out of the way.
Now spooking birds in your other blind - if the bird saw movement the inner chamber was not dark enough. I hardly ever use the full 360 fiewing of the blind as I want it dark in there as psossible and no back light so no animal can see any movement. You are best to dress in black while in there but it is not all that important. Camo colors work just fine and rearely do I use a head net. I think the reason those birds spooked is what you surmised - they saw movement or heard soemthing out of the ordinary. If they saw movement did you have back windows open so actually they saw just a shadow that was not common? Think about that.
When I do get birds in I not going to shoot or are hens I practice putting gun or bow up - sighting in and then putting back down. As with anything slow methodical movement is the key. If the bird is wary or looks nervous I just freeze, let he bird settle down and then try again. Is really good practice and then you know just how much you can or can not get away with. I ahve yet to have a bird spooked while I was in the blind and I have beenusing them for 4 years now.
This year I had a Tom who would not come to front but was in range on the side.......I used the silent make the window bigger feature of the blind - slowly opened the side large enough to get my shot and then dropped that bird.
Now three people in the DB blind is a stretch - two can sit in there just fine - but three IMO would be a crowd.
Oh one other thing I do - the blind is square - so I point one intersection corner of the square facing out and then sit back in the opposite corner intersection side of the square. Think of it as a diagonal line drawn from corner to the oppostie corner.
This does two things for me.
1. Gives me the biggest dimension to sit and stretch out
2. Puts me int he darkest corner
One other thing on morning hunts - place the blind with window facing West and in a back drop if you can so the sun comes up from behind you. Keeps you in the shadows much longer and hot days much cooler - for evening hunts reverse this.
I also use a Rack-Pack to carry my blind an decoys. Very nice pack frame that once the blind is off the frame and set-up - the pack frame becomes a very nice high back chair and get this - with a head rest! Many a time since I am closer to 60 and am not seeing any birds - I take a nap! That was also a good investment for me. I can travel great distances - have both hands free and carry chair, blind and decoys comfortably and I place this Rackpack right over my vest. That way if I want, I can run and gun and then come back home to my base set-up to rest.
And lastly - the blind is great when it rains - you stay dry! No matter how hard the down pour or how long!
JW
Why - it is just the material and craftsmanship as my buddies went cheaper and bought thecheaper knockoff tho they don't have the 360 capabilty but windows. I ahve helped them repair each blind several times - that material just sucks and is shiny and is just junk.
Now I am not a Pro-staffer forDB but I have found no other blind to match the dependabilty. I have used several other blinds. The window straps and support rods of the DB do not get in the way. You just need to be aware of them. Rarely do I use the full screen over my openings but willuse the screen as I position my viewing to screen only on the sides but leave the front wide open. Now my opening is only wide enough to cover my shot and I do use decoys alot but I position those usually less than 10 yards in front of me. The DB comes tih a video and shows the window opening as I use it. I just tuck the screen mesh up out of the way.
Now spooking birds in your other blind - if the bird saw movement the inner chamber was not dark enough. I hardly ever use the full 360 fiewing of the blind as I want it dark in there as psossible and no back light so no animal can see any movement. You are best to dress in black while in there but it is not all that important. Camo colors work just fine and rearely do I use a head net. I think the reason those birds spooked is what you surmised - they saw movement or heard soemthing out of the ordinary. If they saw movement did you have back windows open so actually they saw just a shadow that was not common? Think about that.
When I do get birds in I not going to shoot or are hens I practice putting gun or bow up - sighting in and then putting back down. As with anything slow methodical movement is the key. If the bird is wary or looks nervous I just freeze, let he bird settle down and then try again. Is really good practice and then you know just how much you can or can not get away with. I ahve yet to have a bird spooked while I was in the blind and I have beenusing them for 4 years now.
This year I had a Tom who would not come to front but was in range on the side.......I used the silent make the window bigger feature of the blind - slowly opened the side large enough to get my shot and then dropped that bird.
Now three people in the DB blind is a stretch - two can sit in there just fine - but three IMO would be a crowd.
Oh one other thing I do - the blind is square - so I point one intersection corner of the square facing out and then sit back in the opposite corner intersection side of the square. Think of it as a diagonal line drawn from corner to the oppostie corner.
This does two things for me.
1. Gives me the biggest dimension to sit and stretch out
2. Puts me int he darkest corner
One other thing on morning hunts - place the blind with window facing West and in a back drop if you can so the sun comes up from behind you. Keeps you in the shadows much longer and hot days much cooler - for evening hunts reverse this.
I also use a Rack-Pack to carry my blind an decoys. Very nice pack frame that once the blind is off the frame and set-up - the pack frame becomes a very nice high back chair and get this - with a head rest! Many a time since I am closer to 60 and am not seeing any birds - I take a nap! That was also a good investment for me. I can travel great distances - have both hands free and carry chair, blind and decoys comfortably and I place this Rackpack right over my vest. That way if I want, I can run and gun and then come back home to my base set-up to rest.
And lastly - the blind is great when it rains - you stay dry! No matter how hard the down pour or how long!
JW
05-27-2007, 05:58 PM
#5
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Cape Cod MA
Posts: 303
RE: Double bow blinds?
thanks alot for all the info. Im 21 and right now 400 bucks is alot to shell out so thats why i wanted to know all about it. I didnt have the back or side windows openwhen that tom made us... i just think that blind lets in 2 much light. I have a gf that is now hunting and i was thinkn about this blind bc she proble is going to move at the wrong times..and i didnt want that to mess her up.
05-28-2007, 06:55 AM
#6
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Elizabeth Colo. USA
Posts: 4,413
RE: Double bow blinds?
JW covered the topic very well, I might add that we cover the front facing part of our bows in black. I use a sticky backed velcro. I also wear a black glove on my bow handand black face mask. I have been busted once, but not since I started making everything black.
We have sat three in the Matrix a few times, along with video equipment. It's a full boat, but can be done.
My buddy shot his blind this year witha gobbler guillotine. He missed the turkey badly, and when we watched the video, you could see the arrow flying horribly. It wasn't until the next day when sitting in the blind again that he noticed a nice V cut in the fabric, from where two of the blades hit. Like JW said, just be aware of where that arrow will go and that it is well below your line of sight!
We have sat three in the Matrix a few times, along with video equipment. It's a full boat, but can be done.
My buddy shot his blind this year witha gobbler guillotine. He missed the turkey badly, and when we watched the video, you could see the arrow flying horribly. It wasn't until the next day when sitting in the blind again that he noticed a nice V cut in the fabric, from where two of the blades hit. Like JW said, just be aware of where that arrow will go and that it is well below your line of sight!
05-28-2007, 07:04 AM
#7
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location:
Posts: 21,043
RE: Double bow blinds?
And to answer your question about size........ we have fit 3 in it, with a video camera and tripod. Ver "roomy."
Now three people in the DB blind is a stretch - two can sit in there just fine - but three IMO would be a crowd.
This year I had a Tom who would not come to front but was in range on the side.......I used the silent make the window bigger feature of the blind - slowly opened the side large enough to get my shot and then dropped that bird.
It's a great blind. It's not HUGE.....by any stretch. It's "adequate" for 2.
05-28-2007, 07:52 AM
#8
Super Moderator
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 7,437
RE: Double bow blinds?
I understand about the price! Beleive me - but I for one beleive - you do your research and purchase the best you can - because you get what you pay for.
Top quality outdoor equipment is never cheap.
JW
Top quality outdoor equipment is never cheap.
JW
05-28-2007, 09:32 AM
#10
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Calif
Posts: 1,894
RE: Double bow blinds?
Great input here for sure!!Just let me add a few points IMHO!!!I do believe this isONE of the finest blinds on the market!Lot of blinds out there for sure and I've had the pleasure of hunting out of many.Durability,craftmanship,effectiveness,visibil ity,price,all have a role to play here,but believe me a good blind in a bad spot or a lack or laziness of understanding of how to use a blind,can give a good blind a bad name.I've hunted plenty out of this blind and a blind such as Ameri-steps Penthouse model and both will get the task done equally as well IMHO!!Its all in what one feels he/she needs and fits there ownpersonal hunting style and I do beleive just how much one takes to the field..
Bob
Bob