Ground blind 101

[Mitch-In-NJ]

In the "what do you want to see in a DVD" thread a few folks asked for more info about setups.  Me included.  I like the nitty gritty not the whooping.

I was out today working on a ground blind and figured I would share.

Feel free to point out my mistakes.

First, a Google maps view of the property.  This piece of land is surrounded by private and state land, but I am the only one who can hunt this little piece.  To the south of this shot is a swamp.  To the east is where the bucks are still grouped up (I have seen them from the road), but they should start to break up soon.

I have added some basic info.  Bedding areas, travel routes, water, fences.

Amazingly, this shot was taken this Spring.  The food plot is new.  The guy who runs this farm, a friend, planted sugar beets, canola, clover, winter wheat and who knows what else in what used to be a paddock.  I didn't ask him to, he just did it.  We all need friends like him.

The ground blind to the east is the one I built today.  The treestand just south of it is a Chippewa (I am a ground hunter primarily, but I am going to get up in the air a bit more this year, just because).

I know that's two stands pretty close together (the blind and the treestand) but I plan to let my nephew hunt from the blind when he's with me - I will use the stand and hopefully we can double up.

To the north I have a tree I will be using my Guido's Web on.  It is at the junction of two travel routes.

The southwest ground blind is an Ameristep Penthouse.  It's about 10 yards in from the fence and about 7 yards off minor a trail.

This property holds several does and fawns, but deer travel thru this place all the time going from the residential areas to the state and private land and the bucks start showing up with greater frequency as the season progresses.    

   

I wish I had this idea before I started building, but I didn't, so unfortunately you won't see the location before I started.

Here's the blind, almost complete.

   

The land at the base of the tree is about two feet lower than the food plot.  I started by taking fallen branches and laying them out as a form.  Then I took smaller branches and stuck them in vertically.  Went around and pulled up some tall grass and stuffed it in between, then laid some fresh cut branches in front of all of it.  The leaves on the fresh cut branches will dry up and brown, but most will stay on.

Here's the entrance.  After this pic, I filled this in more with fresh cut branches.

   

Notice that I have brush behind me as well as in front.  Later I built the brush up behind me (to the right in this pic) a bit higher to give more backdrop to my head and shoulders.

This shot gives a better view of the sitting area.  I plan to put a tree seat here.  Before I left, I sprayed all the ground material with Round-Up.  By Friday it will all be dead and I can clear it out.

   

This is a southern angle from just above seat level.

   

Southwest view of food plot.

   

This is the view of the entrance from the sitting area.  It faces the creek.  I suppose if deer move from the food plot toward the bedding area to the north, I can walk the creek and try to cut them off if I want.  I filled this in a bit more after the pic was taken.

   

Last shot is a little wider and the blind is all finished.  Hard to see, but the rear of the blind is built up so that when my head and shoulders are in shooting position there is some backdrop to blend in to.

   

I should have taken a pic of me in the blind, but I didn't think of it until I was on my way home.  Basically, I have my seat low to the ground.  I can see over the blind and I can see them coming from the north, but most of my body will be blocked by the tree until they are in range.  That should allow me to move from the seat to my knees without being seen which will give me clearance to shoot over the brush.

Based on the pics I have from my trail camera and the deer sign, I should have no problems getting opportunities at less than 20 yards from this spot.

This is the stuff I love to read about and see.  I guess there are some others like me who do as well.

[calgarychef]

Question and a comment.  Do you have to raise above the blind to shoot?  If so you need to put some more blind material behind you to break up your outline.  I usually set up the blind behind me to break up my outline and try to keep the shots a ways away.  If you're too close you can't get away with much if any movement.  The blind should be well into the bush not on the edge of it.

[The Vanilla Gorilla]

More stuff behind you...and in front.   Also keep in mind that the green stuff you pile up will settle and your blind that used to be 4 foot tall somehow is now 2 foot tall.   Personally, I like to take a peice of welded wire and stake it up in a semicircle and kinda weave branches thru the openings then cut shooting holes where I need them.

[Mitch-In-NJ]

The backdrop of this blind is above my head.  I do need to rise up to shoot, but not much.  The floor of the blind is two feet below ground level.

As for the wire, that's kind of how I built it, but I used large branches laid horizontally and then short branches stuck in vertically.  Then piled live branches in front of that in a similar fashion.

I will try to get over there later and take a pic with me in the blind.

[Mitch-In-NJ]

Built it up a bit more, front and back.

 

My friend is a bit shorter than me.  He's standing in this pic.  Tried to get him to take a pic of me in there, but he had trouble with the camera.

 

And a shot inside.

 

I should be pretty well concealed.  As the blind settles I am sure I will have to build it up a little, but as it is now, I am going to have to cut some shooting lanes in it.

[Gatekeeper]

Looks like you had fun. It appears that you will have plenty of cover.

What is the primary wind direction in that area? That’s going to play a big factor in your setup.

To the east of the yellow “X” ground blind is a place where the woods narrow down, are there more woods to the south?  If so that may be a funnel.

What is the terrain like? Are there any saddles, ridges or knobs?

[Mitch-In-NJ]

The wind blows from NE to SE, generally.

There are more woods to the south and they are bound by a paved road.  That thin piece is a funnel.  Once the bucks break up they tend to cross just a bit north of the blind.

The terrain is flat.  This propery is in the bottom of a valley.  To the west is a residential area.  To the east are farms.

[DannyBows]

Looks like a fine set-up! Good luck, hope your work and planning pays off.

[njloco]

Looks great Mitch, I'm sure you took into account that the brush behind and around the blind that is not part of it will thin out when the leaves start to fall, but by then I'm sure you will be showing us pics. of the deer you got.

Good luck

[KEG]

Thanks for sharing. Good luck.

[Mudd]

Now just imagine what it would look like if you had this with you.

 
 

One of my "On-the-bow blinds".
These are easy to make and they work!!

God bless,Mudd

[Eugene Slagle]

Originally posted by Mudd:
Now just imagine what it would look like if you had this with you.

 
 

One of my "On-the-bow blinds".
These are easy to make and they work!!

God bless,Mudd

Mudd; I've been thinking of making one of these, just haven't gotten around to doing it but I have a few weeks left.

[hardwaymike]

Hey Mudd, how do you make that blind? And do you have to have a take-down bow to attach it to? That is a very awesome blind to both of you.

[Mudd]

I will pm the instructions. Not wanting hijack this thread.

This read is way too good to do that to.

God bless,Mudd

[Mike Vines]

If you are wanting more foliage behind you, tie a piece of parachute cord around a branch or two in the tree above you, and pull it down and tie it off.  And when you are done hunting that blind for the season, release the cord and allow the branch to go back to it's original form.

[Mitch-In-NJ]

Originally posted by Grapes:
If you are wanting more foliage behind you, tie a piece of parachute cord around a branch or two in the tree above you, and pull it down and tie it off.  And when you are done hunting that blind for the season, release the cord and allow the branch to go back to it's original form.

Good tip.  Thanks.