pop-up ground blinds

[David Petersen]

#4705

While I’ve never demonized them and know they’re especially good for hunting turkeys in open areas like corn fields, I’ve never had any use for a pop-up ground blind and delight in building impromptu brush blinds as needed. Nor do I fancy lugging a bunch of stuff into the woods and having to lug it back out again, etc. But then I do almsot all my hunting in the Rockies where we have plenty of trees, brush and cover to snuggle back into. Down in AZ however, it’s been more problematic to get by with brush blinds, and on a recent hunt in WV I was simply helpless for cover in those very open hardwoods. So now I’m shopping for a pop-up to take to AZ with me next month. I tried out a friend’s recently but the roof is too low for even my 54″ Shrew and I really felt claustrophobic. I’d sure appreciate your recommendations for specific brands and models that in your experience work best for trad bowhunters. Of course, the cheaper and lighter (more portable) the better. Much thanks, dave p

[Jesse Minish]

#33104

Dave, I use a Primos Ground Max Predator Den. I shoot a 52″ bow but have shot my longer bows out of it with out problems. I think it is 70″ tall if I remember right. It seems well made and easy to setup. Cabala’s has them on sell for I think $99.

[JasonJelinek]

#33128

My 12 year old recently saved up and purchased a pop-up ground blind. He purchased the Primos Double Bull Matrix 360 for $250 + tax. I’m 6’2 and was able to stand up in the middle of the blind. There is netting around the entire blind, but you can pull up fabric to block out the sun and keep you hidden. That fabric has portals you can drop down in case an animal comes in behind you. The blind also came with 4 ground stakes and the bag doubles as a backpack (the blind is 20#) and has a slot for a folding chair.

I have had a Double Bull Darkhorse Recurve model for 2 years and paid $440 for it and my son’s Matrix is actually a better blind, plus the Matrix has the Predator camo.

The Double Bull blinds are well built blinds that will last a long time, plus you can order replacement parts. They are the ones that most others try to copy.

Lastly, I shoot a 68″ Howard Hill Wesley Special out of it with no problems.

[William Warren]

#33254

Dave,

You mentioned inexpensive. This is the best blind I’ve seen for the money.

http://www.agrisupply.com/hunting-blind-cabin-type-/p/67919/cn/4100006/

While it does not have the shoot through window screens I find I can shoot through the openings only partially zipped. I can shoot my 62″ recurve from it, just have to cant it a little. I did buy one last year but so far I have only practiced shooting from it. Takes some getting used to as far as judging distances but other than that I think it is OK. They offer 2 different camo versions one lighter and one darker. Hope this helps.

Also, folding it back up is a trick! Had to go to Youtube and watch a tutorial to figure it out. Most of these blinds fold the same way but there is a trick to it.

Duncan

[William Warren]

#33264

Sorry Guys, that’s a 60″ recurve not 62″

[Chad Sivertsen]

#33979

Dave,
Look at the Apache Blind. It is wing shaped and you hide behind or in front. It is small, weighs a couple of pounds and fits in a day pack. I’ve got a couple with light weight rods I made to replace the heavy rods it comes with.

Something as simple as a piece of camo cloth with support rods or clothes pins or clips to attach to brush can work.

I have 3 DBs and they work but I find them too awkward to carry for miles and too confining to sit in for my taste. I prefer to be out in the air with full vision and hearing capability.

[David Petersen]

#34026

Thanks, Amigos. I’ll check all of these out. Chad, I have long used a “half umbrella” in camo, which works just like the Apache only it’s lower. With no wind you can brush it in and it’s great. It can also be wrapped around a tree trunk to sit under in a rain. But in completely open situations the umby and Apache have the same problem: they hide you from only one direction and we can’t always predict which way game will come in. And the umby in a wind is impossible, wanting to become a drag parachute. I also have burlap camo which works great if there’s something to attach it to. But in this instance I need a full blind that can be set up with no structural support or natural cover within reach. I hate it, but there it is. Thanks again to you all and keep ’em coming. I probly won’t order until this weekend. dave

[kellydockter]

#34220

when my father and i hunted the kaibab we used a large piece of leafy tank cover cut into two. you can get it at your local army serplus. i would strap it to my back pack and throw it out as needed to make a blind or hide. it’s cheap and fast and lets you move when and where you want. liteweight tent poles work if needed for sticks

[Frank H V]

#34320

The Double Bulls aren’t inexpensive, but I’ve shot my 66″ Howard Hill out of it. I get really goofy arrow flight shooting through the netting though. The Howard Hill like a lot of longbows aren’t cut to center.
I’ve shot my newer Super K through the netting without problems as well as my 64″ Blacktail Elite. I’m 6’3″ & the tall center height is appreciated on the Double Bull. It is just heavy enough that I don’t want to pack it a long way though.
Frank

[JasonJelinek]

#34330

If I had the backpack type bag for the blind I wouldn’t mind carrying it in at least a mile or more in, it’s only 20#. I’ve carried the blind (with my homemade shoulder strap for the bag), 2 folding chairs, my backpack, bow and arrows in at least 3/4 in and back out for a total trip of 1.5 miles. Keep in mind that I live in relatively flat ground and if I had a lot of hills to climb I might think differently.

[jfelkins]

#34516

I use an ameristep brick house and really like it. I got it on sale for $99.

[Chad Sivertsen]

#35234

If you can get by with a DB T2 they are much lighter and easier to deal with. Of course they are smaller and you have a personal height problem so a T2 might be a bit short. You can set up over a hole or depression to gain height. You can also set the blind on rocks or logs to increase effective height and then put a strip of camo cloth around the base to fill the open space from blind to ground. IMO that is a better plan than lugging a heavier blind very far.

The AZ backcountry begs you to cover ground, walk for miles and see what’s over the next hill so go as light as possible I say.

Have fun

[rnorris]

#36458

I use the Hidden Hunter Blind (new to the site, I hope the pic works)

[rnorris]

#36460

I think the deer up at ShrewHAven confuse the blind with these rocks so prevalent in the area…

[rnorris]

#36467

They work for me. I killed this fat girl out of the previously posted blind on a cold and windy day this month.

[tom-wisconsin]

#36478

Dave,
I had the Primos Eclipse which is 70″ tall and it did not work with my recurve. Maybe one from this company would work. Some of them are 80″ tall.
Barronett Blinds

[tom-wisconsin]

#36480

By the way Happy Thanksgiving to all.:D

[David Petersen]

#36570

Norris — good to have another fellow Shrew-ball here :P, and thanks for the photos, which always liven up a thread. After checking out all the good leads provided here and elsewhere, I’ve ordered a Primos Ground Max. A bit heavy at 17# but seems roomy and high enough (Tom) at 70+”, since I’ll be shooting a 54″ Shrew and sitting on the ground on a folding camp cushions with a strap-supported back and shooting from my knees rather than a seat. But mostly, at $99 on sale and free shipping, it seemed like a good deal for the money. When it arrives I’ll set it up and practice shooting out of it and if I’m not pleased, I’ll send it back and start over … so please keep your posts, opinions and photos coming. It’s all fun.

Thanksgiving P.S. It’s hardly a secret any more but revisionist history says there was no turkey meat at the original “turkey day” feast. But there were five deer! dave

[shawhill]

#36618

My neighbor down the road just picked up a ghost blind, and I have to admit its pretty neat. Its mirrored and canted towards the ground to reflect the surrounding environment. Plus it has no top so your bow hight won’t matter. Its only 12# and you can relocate it pretty quick. But he paid a pretty penny for it. $300-400 with the carry bag.

[rnorris]

#36632

Thanks for the welcome Dave. The beauty of that 54″ Shrew (I know you are already aware of this) is that you can shoot it out of just about any blind made.

I hunt out of one every year, but I have to admit that it isn’t my favorite way to hunt. BUT….sometimes it saves the day…..biting wind, drizzle…

I actually have a hard time after the shot from a ground blind. I lose the direction of travel easily.

[Cottonwood]

#37129

This is the Ameristep Doghouse blind, and it works with a recurve but doubt longbow use in it.

And here it is set up in one of my deer trail areas along the river.

[stalkin4elk]

#37852

I once ordered a cheapo and it sounded like a cheapo plastic raincoat in the cold.Set yours outside packaged and set up and test the fabric for noise so you can return it if needed. Sent it back and paid for the tall DB with no regrets. One of the original DB guys is a longbow man. The blind doubles as an icefishing tent.

[Jason Wesbrock]

#37921

As much as I dislike spending extra for the logo of some hunting show (or celebrity for that matter), I ended up buying an Ameristep Bone Collector blind this year. Cabela’s had them on sale for around $200. I’d have probably paid more for one without the logo. 🙂

I’ve been in a lot of blinds, and never really found one I liked. They either had zippers on the windows (which means you can’t open one and close the other if an animal takes an unexpected route) or the windows were so high that my upper limb would crowd the roof when I tried to shoot. Being 6’4″ with a 32″ draw, I need a lot of room in a blind.

I have to say, someone knew what they were doing when they designed this blind. It has no zippers on the windows, is constructed extremely well, has lots of loops for attaching brush, and has vertical shooting windows that make limb clearance even on very close shots a non issue.

[Cottonwood]

#37988

Well its not a pop up, but fold up…..

Thanks to one of my friends for posting this up on another forum, I thought I would pass this along.

Some of you might have seen the commercial “Ghost Blind” that uses mirrored material. They cost $300 and they’re on sale for $250 right now in the link below.

http://www.ghostblind.com/flashintro/index.html

I did a little “hunting” on the Trad Gang archery site (PowWow Forum) this morning and found these two great videos on how to make your own “do it yourself” Ghost Blind. 😀 The guy showing you how to make them has to call them a “Casper Blind” so he doesn’t get sued. These two “Part 1 and Part 2” videos will show you how to make your own Casper Blind that shouldn’t cost you an arm, a leg, three fingers and two toes to build. These two videos below are the cat’s meow. 😎 Enjoy!

[M]

#39099

Dave,
I also hunt those open hard wood ridges from the ground. I use a tree seat, and I like the one Millenium tree stands sell. It is easy to pack and comfortable enough to sit in all day. I also use ASAT camo leafy suit. I have had deer under ten feet that never saw me as long as I don’t move. I also use this setup for turkey in the spring. I also carry a piece of mini bung cord that is ten feet long with a hook on each end. I purchased this from three rivers archery. It is small enough that I can hook it to the smallest branch or bush and then hang other brush on it to make a blind. With two pieces I can encircle myself and have 360 degree coverage. The wind here is never consistent and changes through the day so I like to stay mobile, and besides I just don’t enjoy sitting in a tent all day. I like the ASAT because it is light but a ghillie suit might be more effective.

[little g]

#40719

covert blinds

[David Petersen]

#41693

M — a tree seat indeed offers a whole other realm of options. I hadn’t thought of it. Only problem I foresee is that it limits you to maybe 90 degrees of shooting coverage without conspicuously turning or dropping off the seat to your knees. In some setups, where game can’t come in from behind, that’s no problem, but in others it could be??? But then, my brush blinds when possible are built under a tree to lean back on and provide shade, and that can limit the shooting area also.

More opinions on this good turn in the topic?

[rnorris]

#41862

With regards to the tree seat…..my solution on some private land my family owns is that I have 6 or 8 milk crates strategically stashed through out the woods and swamp. If I want to sneak and sit, I am always near one of the crates. Along with a pair of clippers, I can set up a pretty good impromptu stand site very easily.

I also like the Nif-T-Seat, kind of a compact milking stool. No need for a tree, and easy to slide down off of onto yours knees if you want to.

[William Warren]

#42120

If you want to make your own seat, here is a design that appeared in Field and Stream years ago.

Just slide the two sections together and top them off with a couple of camo cushions and your set. I like to find a tree that will fit between the two back legs so I can lean back like Dave says. Just set it up and build your blind around it. Here is one that has been in the woods a few years.

If anyone is interested I’ll provide some measurements.
Duncan

[Frank H V]

#42746

I’m enjoying seeing what everyone uses too, keep it comming. I regularly use a Double Bull folding seat & pack it in over my shoulder & set up under a large sage bush or between two trees. Keeps me mobile.
Frank

[rayborbon]

#43130

Jesse has recommended a good blind. Lots of room.

[JEMBO]

#43949

Every Nov. I visit/hunt with my son and his family in the Texas Hill Country. This year he had a pop-up purchased from Academy Sports that was aprox. 6′ square and 84″ tall. It worked great for a longbow. The blind was made by Ameristep and cost $120. He tells me he can’t find it on either Amerstep or Academy’s website just in the store.
Lloyd

[David Petersen]

#45023

Lloyd — thanks for posting and welcome to the tradbow campfire circle. 😀 Dave P.

[rayborbon]

#45133

I’m not much of a treestand or ground blind hunter. Having limited experience in both I would have to say that I prefer the ground blind hands down.

When it’s cold I can throw a blanket over my legs. Also, I can get my bow ready (including nocking an arrow and start drawing) without the animal seeing any movement. Most ground blinds I have seen have black innner walls. I have heard some people prefer to wear black from the waist up to blend in. When using a ground blind I believe there is a rule some people follow. That is to only open up a maximum of 50% of the windows on ONE side so as to avoid detection of your silhouette. I think that is a good rule.

The few times I have used treestands the deer looked right up at me if I made any movement. It was very hard to draw without getting busted while hunting from a treestand. In those cases I believe the deer were used to seeing my friend in that treestand year after year. The old myth that deer do not look up is exactly that, a myth. On the treestand I noticed that some make more noise than others and that some were also a lot more comfortable than others. I would always use a hanging treestand as they seem more versatile around my parts.

Now on the ground blind you are exposing your scent a bit more. There is one other down side. Deer seem to be more wary of ground blinds which appear on the scene. The longer they are in place the more likely they will be to ignore it. However elk don’t seem to care about them. After about 2 days most deer seem to ignore ground blinds if they are placed among or next to some trees or other foliage so that the ground blind looks less obvious. In other words I wouldn’t personally place one in the middle of a clearing. However, it could work for you but I would avoid that.

[bruc]

#45222

Going a little higher than 14′ in a tree stand remedies the problem of deer looking up. If they look up it is because they heard or smelt something.
Going higher than 14 or 15′ creates a safety issue, I’m sure, some that are not used to heights, may feel uneasy even at 14′.
Make sure the tree stand is hung properly. Tie yourself in and hunt on the ground when its real windy !

Bruce

[rayborbon]

#45286

I suppose you could dispute my experience but I stand pretty firm that when deer get used to seeing people in a tree, they look up. I am sure that if you make noise or if they smell you, they will look up as well. Not sure on the 14ft deal. Seems like it is a general rule to avoid being detected but I am sure a deer can see higher than 14 feet.

At any rate I was just trying to be helpful for those who would consider the differences between a ground blind and a treestand and shared my experiences. Whether you find these experiences valuable, credible or whatever is certainly up to you to decide. I make no claim to using them often or taking much of a liking for using them. However they have their uses and merit in some conditions for me. Which is more of a rarity than anything else.

[bruc]

#45407

Hey Ray not trying to dispute anything. I hunt from tree stands a lot and deer certainly do look up no question.
If they did not see movement, smell you, or hear something out of sinc then quite often they go back to doing their own thing. That’s what I observe where I live. They may react totally different in different areas.
I have two different ground blinds and have used them very little. When I have used them the deer really seem to spook unless the blind is left out for at least a couple of days.

The walls of my house are not covered with monster whitetail racks, and until that happens I am in no position to dispute anyones thoughts or ideas 😉
Bruce

[Treetopflier]

#45534

Bruc and Ray — I personally find the advice both of you are offering on ground blinds and tree stands to be solid. Many mor ways than one to skin a cat. Like Ray, I like my butt solid on the ground. And like Bruc, I’ve been around enough to see that sometimes it’s a treestand or nothing.

Going back to the beginning here, I’m waiting to hear how Mr. Peterson likes his ground blind for his upcoming AZ whitetail hunt. I’m betting he burns it after a few days and returns to his beloved brush blinds.

But in the end, I don’t care enough about another hunter’s “elevation preferances” to post an argument. May we all be safe and comfy, high or low. ttf

[Biggie]

#10699

I’m like you Dave, I can’t stand to sit in a tent peeking out of a hole!
I have a Double BUll Matrix.It’s the only one I can use and not feel claustraphobic.(sp)

[rnorris]

#10845

“I can’t stand to sit in a tent peeking out of a hole!”

I have to agree with that. Nothing like the view from a tree! I do use my Hidden Hunter blind every year, mostly where there is no suitable tree, and to hunt during extreme weather. The temperature difference on a cold Michigan day between a treestand and a tent blind is amazing.

[David Petersen]

#14598

Well, the hunt in question is over. I hauled the new blind down to AZ but never got it out of the truck. Sat in ground blinds and a tree stand instead. I’ve never liked tree stands and rarely ever used them, but I became quite fond of this setup and sat it out about 20′ up 8 hours a day, 6 days running and wish I were still down there sitting in it now. Maybe if they built a pop-up blind that was only 2′ high all around and topless, I could go for it. Anyone want a screaming deal on a NRE Primos blind, never used? I’m serious. As several of you have noted, claustrophobia is the key word. And I just enjoy building and using brush blinds. Oh well, a bold experiment into modernity. Thanks for all the very good advice along the way. dave

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