Ground blinds

[Sharxfan]

Okay, so I went to the hunting lease yesterday and set out some hog logs to try and get some swine to come into killing range during the day. At one of the bait sites I have a pretty good tree that I have scoped out as a prime candidate for a climbing tree stand. Now the other bait site is in prime position to be hunted from my box stand. Here comes the quandary.... I have a game cam placed about ~300 yds north of my box stand and when I checked it over the last 4 months there has been a 8 point, an in velvet 4 point and assorted does crossing in front of this cam. When I was out there yesterday there is no really feasible place for a climbing stand.

So the crux of my dilemma is how to get the damn deer. Has anyone here used a ground blind and how effective are they? Do you put it in place days or weeks before the hunt? Have you had any luck putting it up the morning you hunt? Do you use loose material to blend it in to the surrounding enviroment? I need to work out some logistics before bow season starts and need some help.

[Speedykills]

I dont know if you can do this but maybe you could make a man made blind out of branches and brush against a tree line.Thats what i did last year to get my deer.I set it up a few months before still looks good just need to add a few more branches to keep it looking real good.

[cyclepath]

Not a big fan of enclosed ground blinds. To me you have limited vision and can very easily miss seeing a deer coming in. I am an open blind kinda guy. Easy to make not to mention saving 1 to 200 bucks. Many places sell burlap binds that are about 4' by 12' which cost about 12 bucks I believe. Toss up some bushes and branches in front a few weeks before you hunt so the deer get used to it and your good to go. If you already have an enclosed blind then good luck.

[HawgEnvy]

brush blinds work great. I wouldn't waste the cash on a pop up blind. Gather some loose branches and pile them up horizontally. Use more to weave in vertically,grab tall grasses and fill in all the holes. I like to put mine neat a tree stump so I have something to lean against and even better if there's a shallow depression to build the blind around to lower your profile. Pm me w an email address n I'll send example pics

[cjchasman]

Sharxfan...I have used ground blinds as an effective option in similar cases as you have described. I too prefer a natural blind but sometimes it just doesn't come together that way. A ground blind is just another tool available for our use. I normally set up the blind ahead of time (appx. 1 wk.) but have set it up as little as 1 day ahead of time. I always try to break up the outline of the blind w/ natural material. I have had most of my success w/ turkey and deer when the blind has been set up for a wk. or better. I also wear dark cloths, not camo inside the blind. This year I could have tapped a couple hen turkeys on the head as they walked by. Be sure to buy big enough to draw w/ comfort. Bow and arrow take up more space than you think. A small seat w/ a back is also recommended. All that said I really prefer tree stands whenever possible, but w/ a few more years and more wear and tear on the body I keep looking for other options that are less demanding than hanging in a tree all day.

cj

[Ehunter]

I have shot almost as many deer from the ground as I have from tree stands. Several of the ground kills have been without a blind whatsoever. Closest shot was 11 yards. It would certainly help to have a brush blind, or a manmade for that matter, but not completely neccessary. I've shot a couple deer from the ground by kneeling behind a tree and drawing, then leaning out to shoot.