I love building ground blinds!

[The Vanilla Gorilla]

I've been threatening to turn this big cedar tree into a big ground blind for several years.  It started as a joke, then I got serious about it.   First, I cut me a cave into the side of the monster cedar.  Cedars are pest trees around here, but I figured I'd utilize this one since I'm too lazy to doze it over and burn it.

I infiltrated the core of the tree and cut myself a cave into the side of the cedar.  Then I hauled in a hogwire panel and wired it to 2 T posts for the front of the blind, then covered the panel with the cedar limbs and boughs that I had cut off the tree. Also did this on a side that has a few trails entering the field near the tree.   Cleaned out the inside of the blind with a weedeater and a rake to make my movements quiet. I'll be using a double bull chair, and with the height of the paneling, only my eyes and my bald skull will be exposed. Have to stand up to shoot, but I prefer doing that anyway. The natural darkness of the blind helps, too. Deer havent seemed spooked by it over the past several months.

 

 

A drab or dark colored long sleeve shirt and a bit of burnt cork or face paint to deaden the glare on my mug, and I should be pretty well hidden.  Got a lot of hog and deer action in this particular field. Several very well worn hog and deer trails converge at the edge of the field about 20 yards away, and its perfect for a north and south wind.

 But is it big enough to party in???

 

Why yes, it is. I have named this blind, "Studio 54". Because its hopefully gonna be a party come deer season!

Thanks for lookin yall...

[buckeye_hunter]

Nice! Fun, isn't it?

   
-Charlie

[Covey]

I'm headed out saturday to start construction! can't wait!!    Jason

[Gatekeeper]

Dang you can have a picnic in there! Looks great, good luck!

[ThomastaylorIII]

That inspired me. I have one im going to finish tomorrow that will look similiar (hope ya dont mind). I like the metal frame (I think thats what it is?)

Thanks
Thomas

[John3]

Cool.. We want pics when you make that blind pay off....

John III

[wollelybugger]

Looks like a good place for a nap. I love hunting off the ground.

[The Vanilla Gorilla]

I like the metal frame (I think thats what it is?)

Yep. Just a section of paneling writed to 2 T-posts.  I wanted a blind that I wouldn't have to keep rebuilding every year after they collapse into the ground. This seems to be a good start.

[2treks]

I got a spot up here that you can work over for me VANILLA. It's been on my "to do" for about 3-4 yrs. Maybe I will have to get after it this week end. The time is upon us!
You say you took after the inside with a weedwaker? looks more like round-up.
   I hunted a ground blind that a fella made from a CATTLE PANEL. he arched it up till the ends were about 6" apart and put som field fence on for sides and held it up with a few T-posts. covered the thing with limbs and grass bunches. It was awesome. his panel was 5'tall X 16'long and cost about $20. Thats a pretty cheap and sturdy blind. Good luck from "studio 54" will be looking for some pics.

[Eric Krewson]

I have found from using ground blinds that deer don't have good depth perception. They see the front of the blind but don't see past it to the interior very well.

I would recommend you make a shoot through feature or port hole on your blind rather than stand above the blind to shoot. I have made them both ways and never got caught drawing to shoot through a port hole but almost always got caught trying to shoot over the blind.

Killed my biggest buck ever from this blind. It was a shoot through set-up.

 

[Kingwouldbe]

Gorilla, did you use a backhoe to build that pad.  

[2treks]

I think Eric makes a good point, BUT with that thick ole' cedar behind you VAN, you will be well hid. Some how I think you have ambused from cover before eh?
   Every year it seems like I get to stumbling around the woods and set up with a good back drop and sometimes NOTHING in front. I seldom will get picked off unless the deer get around on me and "sky line" me. I guess thats why the pop-up blinds are so good for people, they are never able to be sky lined unless ALL of the ports are opened.

[ron w]

Blinds are fun to make. When you take in all the factors that make them work,wind, back drop ect. it can take some thought, but that's what makes it fun!

[The Vanilla Gorilla]

Eric does have a good point about shooting thru the portholes. But, Chuck also also is correct. The cover of the cedar hanging in front of and behind the blind works to my advantage. I surely aint backlit by anything!

Also, with all the cedar that hangs in front of the blind, it almost creates its own portholes to shoot thru.

Good suggestions guys!

[2treks]

Can't wait for some nice pics with you and your corked face and a downed critter.
   I used to cork my face as a kid,pretendin I had me a beard.playing hobos or pirates. Good luck

[razorsharptokill]

That looks good man!

[sweet old bill]

I have a total of 5 built with the camo material in place. Our season opens on Oct 17, I now have to wait till a week prior to the 17 to cut pine and tie pine branches into the rope.

I use a 25 foot 1/8 inch or bigger poly rope, then put the camo material Burlap with cloth pins onto the rope.

 Last year I still have pine that looked fresh right into the first week of December when the deer season closed.

The blend of the burlap camo material and the pine tied into the rope sure make for a great blind.

 Some days with snow on the ground this one blind was next to a cut corn field I had over 50+ turkey fly or coast into the field and walk within 5 yards of the blind. But I found when you have a lot of birds it sure is hard to stand and draw your recurve. They seemed to see me first. I wonder if you could shoot right thru Burlap material or the cut leaf camo material ???? On this blind I picked up a lot of the cut corn stalks that the farm machine for some reason did not pick up and used string to tie the stalks to the rope and camo material. Had one doe with her fawn come and eat off the blind with me in it...

Bill

[Ybuck]

nice!  

[pdk25]

Nice blind, Cam.  When are you starting on mine?

[Bryan pinick]

Love ground blind pics....thanks!