Blind purchase, blind opinions?

[Mojostick]

I have a Cabela's Club Visa promotion for 0% interest/no payments until July 2009 for a purchase of $200 or more. So, I think I'm going to buy a blind.

I know the Double Bulls are popular, but Cabela's doesn't sell the Recurve model, like 3 Rivers does. Are the 67" DB models offered in Cabela's high enough if I use a 56-58" bow?
If so, is there one more like over the other?
Matrix 360 or Dark Horse?
 http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/index/index-display.jsp?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/subcategory/subcategory-index.jsp.19_A&_DAV=cat20712&returnPage=&rid=&returnQueryStrin g=&navAction=push&navCount=0&parentId=cat20712&id=cat540014&cmCat=MainCatcat21424-cat20011

I also asked about the Ameristep Dominator, supposedly made for longbows.
 http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/catalog/item-link.jsp_A&_DAV=MainCatcat21424-cat20011-cat540014&id=0046704418618a&na vCount=54&podId=0046704&parentId=cat540014&masterpathid=&navAction=push&catalogCode=QX&rid=&parentType=index&indexId=cat540014&hasJS=true

I'll be using mostly in scrubby brush area's for deer, overlooking trails in thick cover. Any thoughts?

[Kevin L.]

Are you near a Cabela's store? I'd say take your bow in and try it. The one they opened in Scarborough has every blind set up in the store. Let me know in  a couple of hours or so, if you don't have one. I'm headed down to Portland today to go to a couple of baseball games, but I'll take my 56" Mojostik and check them out for you, if you'd like.

I love hunting from blinds. That's why I got my 56" from JD, specifically for use out of blinds, but it shoots so well, I believe it'll be the only bow hunting with me this year  

[Kevin L.]

OK, I'm headed out the door now, so I put my 56"er in the truck. I'll try to get by between games and see how it does drawing inside these two blinds. I'll PM you the results late Sunday or Monday.

Kevin

[flightmedic]

any double bull is the best option

[GMASIUK]

I bought the double bull dark horse this spring for turkey season and it is awesome. I shoot a 62" BW recurve and had no problems(other than missing the turkey LOL) shooting out out it. I shoot more upright and don't even cant my bow. I had birds all around me this year and was able to move all around without detection. Get the DB you can't go wrong, the quality is great. Glen

[Oliverstacy]

I bought a Double Bull Matrix "Recurve" model from Cabela's this past Jan.  They had to special order it but they did get me one.  Just as a side note they wanted to charge $469 plus tax (since Michigan has a store) and shipping on top of that.  I argued that 3Rivers and others had them in stock for $439 and they reluctantly gave in.  This was through the Custom Order department.

I absolutely love the blind...it is 74" high compared to the 67" normal blind.  They have plenty of Matrix's left at the store in Dundee and last time I checked they were offering a $50 gift card with purchase of the Matrix.  I like the extra room of the "Recurve" model.  I have a 62" longbow and a 60" recurve and had plenty of mobility in the blind.  

I missed a turkey out the back "just in case" shooting port (don't feel bad GMASIUK...LOL) and it was nice to be able to move around, just wish I had connected on the shot.  

If your going to charge the blind on a card and have that long to pay it off get the best…if they could order a Matrix “Recurve” model then they could probably order a Dark Horse “Recurve” model also.  I noticed that 3Rivers had them in stock finally.  

I’m going to be hunting a lot out of it this fall for deer.  I’m going to hunt in and around cornfield on my parent’s farm.  There are a ton of spots the blind will work where there isn’t a tree in site let alone one that will hold a treestand.  

I’ve been in several Dark Horse’s in the last month and have to admit the blind has it’s advantages.  Being able to set a consistent shooting gap around the whole front of the blind will be a plus.  If they could order you a “Recurve” model I’d go that route…although I love my Matrix.  

Either way it’s a chunk of money to lay down so whatever you decide think it through since your going to want to hunt out of it.  If you get a cheaper model you may regret it and not take it afield, that is just a waste of money in my book.

Also I got the Double Bull Magnum chair from 3Rivers…worth the extra $10 any day of the week, absolutely no comparison between the two.  

Whatever you decide make sure it’s something your going to want to hunt out of for a long time.

Josh

[Mojostick]

Cool, thanks all. Kevin, that's beyond the call of duty! LOL Big thanks.
I think I'll try that special order option from Cabela's.
The few spots I want to use this blind at not only don't have a good tree, there really isn't a good spot for a "natural" ground blind. I'm going to use it on a big 2nd cut that was timbered about 7-8 years ago. The cover is pretty thick and there's cow path trails going all throughout. It's big enough that I won't bump too much sneaking in and out of it.

[NDTerminator]

My wife only hunts out of ground blinds.  She has the original DB, a Matrix, and I have a Big Game Treestands, Escape Deluxe.

I've shot & hunted or attempted to shoot/hunt out of all three with recurves up to 60", with my go-to bow being 58".  By far the best for Trad bows is the Escape Deluxe, as it's 75" high.

I found both DB blinds to be mighty tight quarters even with a 56" CM (I shoot with very little cant so my main problem was upper limb room).  With the tall & roomy DX, no problems at all.  It was also much less expensive than the DB's (all were bought at the Cabelas in East Grand Forks, MN)...

[Mojostick]

Is Primos now making the Escape Deluxe? It looks like it. I found nothing on the 2008 Big Game site for any tent style blinds. I did find older BG Escapes online, but I think Primos bought out the Ground Max line.

Cabela's does have this and it looks the same...

 http://www.cabelas.com/prod-1/0057270418583a.shtml

[Oliverstacy]

There were two of us in my Matrix this spring turkey hunting with a tripod and camera...no problems.  He had a 66" recurve and that is the only reason it seem small.  My 60" was able to be moved anywhere...while his needed to be watched a touch.  Alone in the blind he was fine since he could position himself in the middle and shoot any direction.

He commented that if he had a 60” bow it would have been a piece of cake.  He is normally a fingers wheelie shooter and we have a great spot all picked out for this fall to hunt together using the blind.  I’m trying to convert him to a recurve/longbow fulltime but it’s going to take time.

Remember the difference in material and consider flap/shine/window adjustment capabilities in other blinds.  Double Bulls are expensive but worth every penny to me.  I have to admit I was lucky…I had a great Christmas and received $400 in Cabela’s gift cards so the choice was easy.  Even if I hadn’t I would (and was) save my money until I could afford one.  You are going to use the card option so you might want to go for all the marble up front but that is just me.

With gas the way it is I could see going a bit cheaper but ya only live once so have fun.

Josh

[hotfootTG]

I have a Cabela's Lightneng and shoot a 62" Bob Lee out of it. No problemo.
Al (Als Decals)

[waiting4fall]

[Widowbender]

I have the regular size dark horse. I didn't want the extra weight and length of packing it (recurve model) a mile back in the woods. I turkey hunted with a 58" bow with tons of room. The shape of the roof of this blind makes it seem way bigger than my gorilla G-30, which is supposed to be the same size. I could use a longer bow out of the dark horse, no problem. the dark horse is the best blind I've ever owned and I've owned several. It's a lot of money but they are worth it. The dark horse front window that slides and adjusts has zippers at each end that let you square up the window a bit so you can shoot out of that part as opposed to just being able to look out of the corners. The matrix 360 window doesn't have that feature. IMO the Dark horse has more of the window space that is usable for shooting. Its kind of hard to describe unless you are looking at one of them.


David

[NDTerminator]

Originally posted by Mojostick:
Is Primos now making the Escape Deluxe? It looks like it. I found nothing on the 2008 Big Game site for any tent style blinds. I did find older BG Escapes online, but I think Primos bought out the Ground Max line.

Cabela's does have this and it looks the same...

  http://www.cabelas.com/prod-1/0057270418583a.shtml  

Yep, thats' it...

[Kevin L.]

OK, I just got back home, but here's the skinny. I thought there was plenty of room in any of the ones mentioned, but I cant my bow about 20 degrees or so. I did a good close inspection and would recommend the Double bull, by far. They were of a similar design to the Ameristep (both use poles and hubs), but if you looked closely at the velcro and zippers, not to mention the poles and hubs, the DB was better built. It definitely looked like it would last longer, IMO. So, unless you're quite a bit taller than 5'9", you should be able to shoot either bow out of the DB with no problem.

[Mojostick]

Kevin, thanks for all the help!

[Kevin L.]

No problem. I ended up with a gift card for an early Father's Day from the in-laws, so I had some shopping to do while I was there