Ground blind , shot distance

[Tvoskamp]

I had a few thoughts. Most of the places I hunt have tripods set up with distances of 16 to 25 yards. I have been thinking of moving to the ground this next season because the deer always seem so keyed up when they get close and they are always looking up in the trees. I think I might have more success setting up on the ground on the travel lanes instead of at the feeding areas. When you ground hunters set up how far off the lanes do you set up? Another way to ask the question what yardage do yo ideally hope for from a ground blind.

Thanks for your help,

Travis

[horatio1226]

I have had deer eating acorns about 5 yards from me in my blind. I try to keep my blind at 25 yards or less from where I think the deer will be. Alot depends on where the cover is and finding a suitable place to put the blind. My blind is 6 feet square. Hope that helps. I had probably 10 or 12 deer within 25 yards of my blind
this year. I think that the longer the blind is in its location, the closer the deer will come to it.

[koger]

I try for 25 and under, mostly end up 20 and under. I took my buck this year at 10steps on the ground,from a blind, 16 yds the year before, same blind.

[Chuck Hoopes]

The particular situation almost always dictates the distance.  In every situation there is the best spot for the blind, given wind, cover, terrain, sun, shadow, etc. etc. and thats the spot for your blind.  It may turn out to be 5yds. or 25yds-- it just is what it is.  I still hunt, and ground blind exclusively, and for my money the best blind,  is the least blind made from natural material on site-- Often I do no more than bend a sapling to block deers view, often nothing at all-as the cover lines up just right for a shot at a deer quatering away. Being absolutely still, no movement, ZERO. NOTTA,INERTNESS is the key to getting shots at deer from the ground.  Respect them and their super acuity and sensitivity to movement and they will Volunteer.  Disrespect Them and countless numbers of deer will pass you by, and you'll never even know they were in the area. I think most hunters would be amazed at the number of deer they never saw, because of some slight movement they made,- They thouht it was too slight to matter. Afterall they have made similar movements over the years and nothing happened, no deer spooked etc.  Wrong, countless numbers of unseen deer have detected these movements and left the area w/out the hunter have the slightess notion of their presence.  Sit STILL, man, they will walk right to you.  You don't have to build an elaborate blind and wait weeks for them to acclimate.-- Just be still, Weary,Weary, still.

[wingnut]

Yep get away from the feeders and you'll find the deer to be less jumpy.  I like to hunt 100 yds or so on access trails and use either popup blinds or just he top section of a ladderstand in think cover.  Lots of fun.

Mike

[ron w]

I like my shots to be 20 yds. or under, so set up where you feel the range will be in your "zone". Only you know your effective range.

[calgarychef]

What Chuck says ahould be written in stone somewhere.  Go back and re-read his post, then read it again.

I shot my buck at 10 yards this year, on the ground with no blind.  Be still.

the chef

[Steel]

I carried a pop-up blind to good spot last Sunday morning set it up and within 1 hr add 4 doe's feeding within 10 yards of the blind. I left the blind setup and added some ceder limbs to the brush pockets on the blind before I left that day. Yesterday I climbed into the blind again and had 2 more doe's come in within 10 yards never looked at the blind. Deer/turkeys will get real close to a blind if you set it up right and keep the wind in our favor. I try to keep my shots to 15-20 yards while in a blind for some reason being inside a blind makes it hard for me to judge distance. Still haveing deer feed within feet of you for 10 minutes and never know you are there is great.

[Ssamac]

This was the first year I used a blind. Very small thing I got on sale at Cabelas, like a teepee. I put it by a trail and left it there 2 weeks before the season. When I went opening day, I sat down and had deer before I could get ready. One deer came right up and put her head in the window!! She left pretty quick when she saw me. I had a problem shooting too close. Did not seem sporting. So the 2 I shot were about 15 yards. If I waited they would have come closer.
Silence is the thing, however, They see the blind as part of the scenery unless it starts to make noise, and what's noise to them could be a hard swallow to us. I was interested in those who wrote about setting one up on the spot and hunting. I felt it was important to leave the blind there a couple of weeks. As far as making natural covers, I guess that's ok as long as you don't make a lot of noise or disturb the area doing it. I've hunted on the ground without a blind and you can do well if you can be slow and quiet.

sam