ground blinds

[gogo]

Does anyone use a ground blind in open fields? If you do do you leave it there or take it out with you every time you go out?

[Big John]

I use a Ground blind, mostly only for Turkey around here. Being in Niagara, I would be opposed to leaving it out overnight around here, even on private property. So I take mine in early before light and take back out with me when I'm done.
This season I'm setting one up with Bull rush reeds where turkey's always come to. And then just go in at early dark hours and wait for them to come from roosting. They will better adjust to this if it's there all the time.

[Galgo]

We used bails of straw this year in the middle of a field that deer were using to escape our drives. We took two deer from the straw blind. best $20 we ever spent.

F

[wabi]

In an open field the pop-up type blind would be a pretty drastic change in scenery.

Deer would probably stay far away from it, especially if you had just set it up.
Turkeys might be a different story, though. They tend to be rather "bird-brained" about things like that. I've had turkeys walk within feet of a blind I set up that day (in the brush at the edge of a field) and never give it a second look.
For deer I set the blind up weeks in advance, or (preferably) leave it out year-round (again, in the brush at the edge of the field).
For heavy cover (like in the woods) I prefer the camo netting on short stakes type of blind which hides my body, but allows 360º vision. In bad weather I take a camo umbrella that straps to a tree and set up with my back to the tree. A good (as in warm & waterproof) cushion is also part of this setup.

[trky chsr]

I watch a fair number of hunting shows and I know a lot of it is "Hollywood" stuff but you do pick up tips once in a while. One tip I picked up was that deer are not too bothered by blinds as long as they can first see them from a fair distance (like 100yds or so). They get spooked if they pop out into a field from the woods and a new blind is standing there 30yds away. I don't use them for deer but in my many days of turkey hunting from them I have seen many deer that were well within bow range. They certainly saw the blind but it didn't bother them. TC

[Rufus]

I have shot four bucks in the last five years from ground blinds one was a 150" at under 15' i like to set in tree stands better but ground blinds are a very good way to hunt you just can not see and hear as good from them, try to put them in some cover or up against some trees for deer, it will not matter for turkey . I leave mine out from Sept until Feb.

[gogo]

Great info guys keep it coming. Would like to put up three ground blinds, the straw or hay bail blind will be done for sure. Will put two blinds on field edges would like to try a blind in the soya field, cannot put a tree stand any where near where the deer cross the field. Last year they stole a ground blind that was in the woods bet they wont take straw or hay bails.

[vixenmaster]

I put my ground blind close to the saddle crossing & they stopped fer a month nary a deer track. They have now gotten used to it being there since 1st week of Dec. I will leave it there all yr every yr til it rots bad enuff to replace it. These hillbilly deer are very paranoid! Speck with good reason with me inside it using miss vixen! No experience in field work. You can dig a pit, deer don't never expect danger below ground lvl.

[crazyfarmer]

the Va deer must be smarter:-P

I simply cannot get a deer to come near any blind I put up. Thats brushing it in so well you cant see it. Even leaving it out for 2months before season the bucks still know its there and avoid it.

if I had my choice in blinds, I'd get a double bull. They arent cheap.

the only time I use one is when my kids are with me or its raining. Mainly its just for scouting to see what comes out down a field edge

[trailcamguy]

I have 5 popup blinds, one being a DoubleBull. Some are left up, some are moved as needed. Despite my best efforts to conceal them, they are usually noticed by most deer to some extent. Sometimes they seem to be curious and move in for a closer look. Usually they are quickly ignored.
That being said, the blinds with the mesh camo see thru openings seem to command a much shorter attention span than the ones without, which of course, reveal a dark window opening.

Turkeys couldn't care less. Last year I had a hen jump up on one of my yellow plastic stakes as she maneuvered around the blind. And that was 30 or so minutes after I had set it up on the edge of an open field.

[bucont]

Seen three deer within 38 to 45 yards this season out of the pop-up. I carry it in and out every time due to the location I hunt.

[gridironcoach]

I've seen a lot of deer from my ground blind. I spray it on occasion with acorn rage scent. I've had deer come within 15 ft of me. I don't know about an open field though. Unless there are some trees nearby that you can put it close to.

[warningshot]

used a pop up blind this year for the first time ...found it way warmer on days that were way too cold to sit in the tree stand -20 C.... .at first deer were very cautious of it ......later u could see tracks in the snow 2 feet from it ...of course i wasn't in it when that happend...next year it will go out a bit earlier

[Brampton Mike]

A few years back i had 2 fawns outside my blind...they were close enough that i could of touched 1 with my shotgun barrel...as they were standing side by side, one shot with my slug gun would have dropped them both but I passed as we already had lots hanging on the meat pole!

[huntone]

I used a ground blind this year for the first time, enjoyed it. Put it up during bowseason and deer... does , still flocked around it.

Probably, I will take it down next week and put it back up after I bush-hog in August.