Ground Blinds and bow length

[M1982]

This was my first season hunting with my hill style 66” longbow. On our lease there are 4 of us who have young children that we carry hunting with us. We have built 4 foot platforms on our food plots and we use pop up ground blinds and then remove them after season to make them last longer and it is safe for our kids and allows them to be able to move some without spooking game as much. Being that I had not been traditional Bowhunting in the past it was not an issue until this season, but it is really impossible in most of our blinds. My question is would something like a Toelke Pika or Big Jim Thunderchild allow me to be able to shoot from these or are they still going to cause problems?

[Steelhead]

I depends on the size of your ground blind.Sounds like you allready have bought the ground blinds and 66 inches wont work.

I had a double bull.Cant remember the dimensions.But I liked a 60 inch or shorter recurve.But liked 56 and 58 inch recurves in that blind for more freedom with the bow and clearance for the bow in the blind when shooting of just moving around with the bow.

The 54 and 56 inch Pika or Thunderchild would probably fine in most blinds depending on hieght,width and or circumfirance of the blind.

[Larry Dean]

My wife shoots a 58" recurve and a 54" Lost Creek NAT, she is very accurate with both. There are several different size blinds for sale, close out prices, at the local Bomgaars. I tried to talk her into the cheaper mid-sized one. "You aren't sticking me in that dog house."  I believe the larger one would work for me and my 66" longbows very nicely. However, you mentioned having kids in there with you, If you can be accurate with a shorter bow, that may be better. My guess, even a larger 6by6 would require bodies to shuffle if you needed to cant the longbow, alone in the bigger blind no problem.  Personally, I prefer natural blinds that are provided by the invasive cedars that grow where we hunt.  I like watching hawks and eagles fly by.

[creekwood]

We have built 4 foot platforms on our food plots and we use pop up ground blinds

Your question has spawned another question from me, is this platform 4 foot square or is the platform 4 feet off the ground?

[M1982]

4 feet above ground. The platform is around 8 foot square.

[creekwood]

If you have any pictures of a blind on the platform, I would like you to post it.  I would think that it might be more difficult to get a shot off if the animal gets too close (the longer the limbs the more difficulty), since you would have to be shooting at a downward angle.

[trad_bowhunter1965]

I use Barronett Big Mike blind it's 80'' tall and I shoot 64'' Longbow bow out of it no problems you shouldn't with 66" bow.

[M1982]

Quote
I use Barronett Big Mike blind it's 80'' tall and I shoot 64'' Longbow bow out of it no problems you shouldn't with 66.

I know this is a “logical” answer but we have about 5 good blinds and while buying 5 big mike blinds is probably not much money difference in a new bow but a new bow is a lot more fun.

[Orion]

I was going to suggest a Big Mike's blind as well, but a new bow is more fun.  Go for it..  Don't overdo it though.  I think something in the 56-inch range will work nicely out of almost any blind.  I use 56-inch recurves out of Double bull blinds, but have used a 64-inch long bow out of those blinds as well.  Ability to get a shot is more limited with that long a bow our of that particular blind, however. Good luck. 

[GCook]

Add a 1x10 or 2x10 "lip" box on top of the platform the diameter of the current blind and attach the blind to it so it sits higher and gives you clearance.

[SlowBowKing]

Since you’re new to Trad, just keep in mind, the shorter the bow the harder it is to draw. If you’re going from 66” to something really short like a 54-56” it is going to be a BIG change.

I shoot my 60” Black Hunter longbow out of a really small blind, and I am absolutely maxing it out…if I didn’t shoot canted, I wouldn’t be able to do that.

[dnovo]

Another thing to consider is the height of the windows. Especially since you are starting 4 feet off the ground. Windows that are too high will restrict your downward shots.