Ground blind limitations

[Scott Caldwell]

What do those of you who use ground blinds find as limitations? I.e.  Size,
> weight, packability, vision, cost. Do most use ground blinds as semi  
>   permanent
> or as pack in pack out blinds. Does anyone use them in deep hard to  get to
> public land or is the size /wt  thing limiting?
>

[hill boy]

If I hunt public land where I like to walk and get away from the crowds.I take a pair of pruners and a lite gerber folding saw and  a stool.you can make a blind in minuts that will be a lot less noticable to a deer.and move on quick notice.when the wind changes etc.

[Jerry Jeffer]

I do like Hill Boy. Just make a little spot with some limbs and brush. Works great and leaves you the option of slipping in and out easily. I have left my blind and stalked after deer that didn't come close enough to the blind. Also, no limitations on room to move this way. I don't like being confined to a closed blind.

[NDTerminator]

I just got what I think will be the best ground blind I've yet found for the Trad bowhunter.  It's called the Escape DX by Big Game treestands.
This thing is 75" tall X 77" wide. I was having no problem shooting my 58" H1 from a stool or actually standing (with a slight cant).  I was able to shoot my 60" H2 from the stool; I could shoot it standing if I was careful.  It goes up exactly like a Double Bull but with less grunting (and half the cost).  It only weighs 17 lbs, so was a breeze to carry into the cattail slough wherein the buck I'm hunting beds.  Even comes with 8 tie down stakes.  I brushed it up with cattails and it set up 9 yards from the trail the buck uses most of the time in the evening...

[sabas silva]

I prefer makeshift as well,carry a string and tie between trees or limbs, have some backcover to keep from silhouetting myself and stay mobile.

[sabas silva]

I forgot to add lay brush against the string for front cover.

[BMOELLER]

Get a ghillie suit  :D    I have had deer and turkey up close.  Just sit up against a fall down and they wont know your there.  They are lighter than a blind and depending on what model blind you have, ghillies are cheaper.

[NDTerminator]

Originally posted by BMOELLER:
Get a ghillie suit   :D     I have had deer and turkey up close.  Just sit up against a fall down and they wont know your there.  

Wouldn't do me any good up here, as we don't have trees in ND...  :D

[LV2HUNT]

If we are talking about Pop-Up commercial blinds then I would say that the size, weight, and packability while not great are not inhibiting factors. I have carried mine far on my shoulder and if a really long haul have strapped it to my packframe.

The biggest reason I do not use mine (Double Bull T-5) more is that it is not as versatile or as effective as a treestand. If treestands were not an option then I would probably use it more.

It does limit your vision and the "peripheral" experience.
 
I think the best way to use it for public land hunting is to wait till you find a good or required scenario for it. For example a well defined trail in front of a big deadfall or a good area with small trees that a stand just cannot go in. In this situation I consider it “better to have bad tree in a good spot than a good tree in a bad spot” (Wensel paraphrase).

If you are on private ground and the blind can be left up for prolonged periods then that is a completely different situation.

Almost all of my hunting is on public property but I have used blinds on private ground as well with mixed results. In a situation (South Texas) where the blind was left setup for prolonged periods hogs, javalina, and deer paid it no mind. In another situation (Florida) I set one up for several days and the hogs were very wary of it. The next day I setup a treestand in nearly the same spot where the blind was and shot a hog.

Hope this helps.

[ptaylor]

The biggest limitation for me is my depth preception is thrown way off looking out through the windows. I always seem to think the game is much father than it is and I shoot poorly. I've gone to building a quick brush blind and tree stands. I still have to be careful though, even with a natural brush blind, if there is a bush I have to shoot over that is only a few feet in front of me it again can through my perception off. Just a reminder to practice shooting out of one if you plan on using it.