I have always been a tree stand hunter. The more I look at ground blinds, the more I am intrigued by the idea of trying to bowhunt deer from a portable ground blind. I think late winter, really cold weather bowhunting would be fun to try using a popup type ground blind. That being said............I would like to get some opinions from ground blind hunters on what to look for in a ground blind. Brand, features, window configuration, size and anything else I need to know to get the best bang for the buck. Thanks in advance for any and all suggestions, comments, and advice!
I've used a couple , try to get the ones with tall vertical windows. I'm 6'1" and shoot a 30 inch bow, on the normal blinds I have to be careful to make sure I clear the bottom of the window without brushing the top of the blind with my bow. I have in fact hit the top before, I just feel the taller windows are better for bow hunting.
I hunt primarily out of a ground blind. Blinds are great in my opinion, especially if you take someone who can't sit still, or can't climb a tree stand. Some things to look for are obviously the windows. Mine are shoot through mesh windows which are good at concealing you a bit better than an open window, but you have to keep in mind that shooting a mechanical broadhead will open it up and therefore not function correctly, so it's strickly fixed BHs for mesh type windows. If you plan on moving it around a bunch then get one that sets up rather quickly like the hub type ones. I can set mine up in less than a minute by myself and it's light and portable. Blinds are best used when brushed in and undisturbed for a week or so for deer to get used to it though. Most single person blinds are build for those little people off of the Wizard of Oz... yes the lollipop guild, so unless you find a decent one, just go with a 2-3 man blind. It gives you plenty of room to draw your bow and of course put in a space heater during the colder days. If you can sit in the blind prior to purchase you can get a good feel for the window setup. Make sure you can see over the bottom while sitting down in a field chair or one of those bucket seats, whatever it is, make sure you can sit and draw your bow and that it's quiet. I would also look at the material on the inside. Most I've seen are completely black, therefore all that expensive camo you spent days working for and convincing wife/girlfriend/boyfriend/parents that you absolutely need it only makes you stick out worse than if you were naked. The ameristep ones are pretty budget friendly and pretty durable. I got mine at Wal-Mart for $79 and works pretty well. They had a 3 man blind for like 10 more dollars or something.
here is another option if you like ground blinds, its called the ameristep quad pod and sits 6 feet high, weighs 144 lbs and is build like a rock, I set it up over a plot in June and left blind on top and have shot 2 deer out of it at 15 yards this year. When you are done for you just take blind down and leave frame out there, I love this thing and deer don't mind it at all, it seems you get off ground a bit and it doesn't bother them. I bought last year around Christmas for pod and ameristep blind was $250. Scoot
