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How to hunt with a ground blind
I hear people say all the time “I had so many pics on my trail camera the deer were coming to this water hole everyday. I sat 5 days in my ground blind and didn’t see a single deer”. What people don’t realize how important it is to follow these simple set of rules: 1)Set up your ground blinds early 2) Brush your ground blind in 3) Have your ground blind out of line of sight, 4) Don’t keep all the windows open and 5) Eliminating odors from the Ground Blind.
1) Setting your ground blind up early, this is the single act can make or break you’re your hunt. It is so important let animals get used to your blind being there that they feel comfortable approaching close enough for a shot. I always like to have my blinds set up 2 weeks in advance. Well we live in turbulent times and ground blinds are not cheap so I can understand why you would not like to leave your ground blind up for two weeks out in the forest. That is why I have come up with a simple solution that really works. Number two on our list is brushing in your ground blind, this is how I kill two birds with one stone. I will go into my desired ground blind spot and basically build a blind out of deadfall, branches and brush clearing out the floor the same size as my pop up blind. This structure resembles what my blind will look like when its in place, the animals get used to the structure and now I have my “brushing in” materials ready to go.
2) I will then come in a day before my hunt to set up my blind and brush it in. Brushing in a blind adds depth and takes away from having one solid blob standing out in the open. I place large “cross beams” to hold smaller branches. I look for evergreens and branches with leaves to maximize concealment. I like to put branches and brush in front of the winds as well because I do not like to shoot through mess. I have had too many upsets because of shoot through mess, and I find that it is easier for me to pick and opening with the window then to risk a poor shot.
3) Although it is not always possible I try set my ground blind in manor that forces the animals to cross my blind instead of facing directly at it when they enter my stand site. One so I minimize the chances of getting busted and two it offers me a higher percentage shot.
4) I cant tell you how many times I hear “I got busted in my ground blind”. This is almost always because the hunter had both back and front windows open. The nature of the ground blind is it uses the darkness of the interior for concealment of movement. Have you ever looked out your home window at night and not been able to see anything but then shut off you lights inside and you can see outside. Well it is the same concept. As long as the light out side of the blind is much great then that of inside it will be hard to see inside from the outside. Only keep the side open that offer you the best shot opportunity.
5) If you just bought your blind set it up outside in your back yard mix up a bucket of muddy water and throw it all over you blind and let it sit out there for a week . this will eliminate the plastic smell and take a away any sheen the blind may have.
Well now you have the recipe for success with your ground blind, so get out there and start hunting with your pop up blind