Ground Blinds insides and outs of em!

[Ron LaClair]

There are many good portable ground blinds available today. I purchased my first blind many years ago, a "Lucky" blind made here in Michigan. It was a good blind but it didn't hold up well in windy weather. Many times when getting to my blind in the morning before light I'd find it had blown down during the night.  

I try to buy and use American made products, and that's one of the reasons I use the Hidden Hunter blinds which are made in Michigans Upper Peninsula. The other reason is that it is the fastest and easiest blind to set up and take down of any blind I've seen. That's a big plus when your hunting turkeys and need to quickly pick up and go to the birds. Also if you're hunting public land and don't want to leave your blind in the woods for a thief, the HH folds into a D shape for easy carry over your shoulder.

The tie down cords of the HH pull down from the top, through loops on the side and hold the blind down very securely.  On the family farm I've left blinds up for extended periods, even as long as a year. Through winds and snow they have stayed  put.

I'm 6'2 and I can stand up in my blind. It's roomy enough for two people, many times my wife and I have sit side by side in the blind. The 6 windows offer plenty of visibility and shooting room. I hunt with bows up to 60" with no problem but could use longer if I wanted.

The DAT (digital all terrain) is a great pattern as is the Woodland Green when hunting in the pines.

DAT

     

Woodland Green

     

Nat Gear camo in snow.

   
http://www.shrewbows.com/hiddenhunterblinds/index.html

[Deadbolt]

Thanks for all the info thus far..

Question - How do the double bull windows open and close? Magnets zippers just gravity? That's the one thing I like about the ground max...those magnets are a big selling point!

Keep the thoughts coming!

[stabow]

Deadbolt you could fix double bull windows up with magnets. I had been thinking of doing it with mine. Now the netting just hangs down and you slid it up under the strap.....stabow

[Brent Hill]

I use the the alligator clips to hold open the or close the windows on my db.  Its my redneck custom touch.

[trapperDave]

I use the Yukon Tracks and cant say enough good about it!!!!!!!!!  GREAT BLIND,, even greater price, got mine for about 150 shipped

[Kevin Winkler]

I have DB Matrix and a Hidden Hunter that I bought this Spring. I like certain features of each.

As Ron said, The Hidden Hunter will withstand the wind. I had mine setup along the edge of a field for Turkey this Spring and a huge storm came rolling in with 50+ mph winds over night. I thought for sure the blind would be a total loss.....the next day I checked it and it was exactly as I had left it 2days before. My DB blind would have been in a heap on the ground or blow away into the next county.

I did buy shoot through screens at Comptons for my Hidden Hunter blind and I am looking forward to using it this fall. I also like the window configuration on the Hidden Hunter better than the DB. As far as having room to shoot, the Hidden Hunter worked great with my 60" recurve. The DB matrix I have is not the recurve model so it is a little tight for shooting a stickbow, but they do make a recurve model that is taller.....but the price is plenty also.  

Best would be to try out a few if you can. I don't think you could go wrong with the Hidden Hunter for an all around blind, plus they are 100% USA made.

[JockC]

I like my yukon tracks enforcer elite.  They have switched over to magnets and loops for the windows on that model.  Got it on sale, which seems to happen toward the end of turkey season every year.

[Deadbolt]

Oh decisions LOL keep it comin boys!

[Talondale]

I've used the   Ameristep G-30   a buddy had for turkey this spring.  It's 64" tall so I had to cant my 66" recurve to shoot out of it.  I experimented with proping up the blind with our bags - it gave bow clearance but also raised the bottom of the shooting window, making close shots impossible.  It worked well for the turkey and was plenty of room for two guys or me and my two twins.  I'd want a taller blind or a shorter bow.  The hubs made noise when popping out, which wasn't an issue for turkey hunting, but would be for a same-day deer setup.  Velcro windows are too noisy for deer IMO unless you shoot through them.  It would have limited use for bowhunting deer where I hunt but not bad for turkey.

[La. bowhunter]

I own 2 Double Bull Matrix 360 recurve models and have had several others and they dont even come close in comparison. I am 6' 1" tall and weigh about 285 I shoot a 62 inch bow canted slightly. I have had 2 people my size, a camera on a tripod, my bow, a shotgun, and a turkey vest full of junk with plenty of room to move about and shoot. I can set this blind up staked down and tied off in about 2-3 minutes. With only one person, a bow, and a camera and tripod there is lots of room, the windows can be situated however you want them because they go all the way around and are infinitely adjustable. The windows can be used with or without the shoot through net. The only con is the price they are expensive but in my opinion they are worth every penny and I would do it again if I had to.

[John3]

Have you considered "no blind"?  Building a natural blind and backing into it?

I owned a DB T-5 and had to sell it. For me I just hated being in the blind. I always felt cut off from nature surrounded by black material.  I will say I could shoot great out of the blind. If wanting to use a longer bow in the blind, consider kneeling to shoot.

John III

[Covey]

Does the hidden hunter have room for more than onr person? Jason

[Deadbolt]

I have been hunting out of man made ground blinds for years but it is hard enough doing it by yourself now add in a child or someone new to the sport it just won't come together.

I plan on bringin out a few non hunters this year to let them experiece it but I want them to enjoy thenselves and see game.

I will be hunting with my asat 3d leafy suit with no blind the days I hunt solo.

[jojotater]

I like the new Yukon Tracks Enforcer Elite in the Adrenaline camo, really blends into the hardwoods. A lot of windows, and they are cut low. You can configure the windows in an almost unlimited way, because of the buttons and magnets. It does not glow with UV. Sets up super fast. I think it is 80 inches high. The only thing I didn't like about it was it didn't come with an air conditioner; you'll have purchase that separately.

[Don Stokes]

Here's my Yukon Tracks Enforcer. You can almost see it. I had to reopen holes in the front every visit.

[Don Stokes]

jojo, it sounds like the updated Elite model with the magnets and buttons is a big improvement. May have to get another one...

[Ron LaClair]

Does the hidden hunter have room for more than one person? Jason  

The Hidden Hunter blind is 6 X 6, plenty of room for two. My wife and I have sit side by side in our blind many times. I shared a HH blind with a young man one time and his only complaint was that it was hard to get deer in close because I snored when I dosed off in my chair....     :rolleyes:  

There's a video demo in this link

 http://www.shrewbows.com/hiddenhunterblinds/index.html    

   

[Tom Leemans]

I have the Ameristep Penthouse TSC. Here's my take.

Set up is about as easy as it gets. Just make sure you tie it down because it's big and it can catch the wind.

Very roomy. I'm 6'2 and shoot a longbow. I could stand and shoot if I wanted, but the windows, though plenty large, would not be high enough for me to see anything at a distance. There's easily enough room for two people and their gear. I've thought about using it as a tent before.

The windows have shoot through mesh. There's windows enough to see out all 4 sides, but I still feel as if I'm not seeing everything I could. I don't use it for deer hunting much because of this.

It doesn't take down as quick, but isn't bad, once you know the secret handshake to get the springform frame to fold up.

It works great for turkeys, but deer don't like it at all. They definitely know something is there. I think part of the problem is that the fabric is slightly reflective. It needs to be brushed in really well and you better set it up a long way in advance. It does keep you warmer and dry on a cold or wet day though.

All this said, I still hunt deer from natural ground blinds almost all of the time. They are just high enough to conceal my movement, yet I can shoot over the top. I also use the surroundings to break up my outline., From a deer's point of view, they'd probably see me from the neck up, if I sat up straight.

[Deadbolt]

Great info guys I think I have narrowed it down to my top three so far!

[Tom Leemans]

If I had to do it over again, I'd get a HH for sure, even though it's 3 times the $ of my Penthouse blind.