OT - Ground Blinds

[cnjarvis]

I'm considering building 2-3 semi-permanent ground blinds for archery & rifle hunting and I have a pretty good idea of how to build them but I don't have a good idea of what SIZE to build them.

Any tips or hints would be appreciated. TIA

[deerwhacker444]

I made these a few years ago for duck hunting, cheap and lightweight. If you build it right, the top rail could be a rifle support.



Covering is bundles of dried bamboo leaves zip tied to frame.

[86er]

Build it one and one half times as tall as your bow and twice as wide. The back to front should be 3/4 of your height. The reason for these measurements: you can move and turn around with rifle or bow, if you fall over backwards (fell asleep, recoil, whatever) you don't hit your head on the wall, you can fit two people, you can take a quick nap, you can back up from the windows to keep rain off you or to get out of the sun glare.

A good but often overlooked design is the piece of pie. You put the point into the brush and make a narrow, horizontal window on each side and the front. The shape is less pronounced to animals when they look at it. I just bought a bunch of triangle "blinds" from the City of Houston surplus. They were bicycle lockers at the transit stations. Perfect ground blinds with a little paint on them.

[cnjarvis]

Thanks guys.

Joe, do you have any photos of those lockers?

[RSY]

Have you thought about one of the portable collapsible numbers that you can shoot through?

Scott

[cnjarvis]

Have you thought about one of the portable collapsible numbers that you can shoot through?

Scott

Yes and I have a pop-up blind but it's miserable in the wind/rain. I'm looking for something I can leave in place either semi-permanently or at least 4 months out of the year.

[Leverdude]

I have 5 or six pop ups, all ameristep or other Sportsmans guide cheapo's.
I leave them set up from Sept first till at least the end of January & while they fade a little most hang out real good.
I left 2 Ameristep dog houses out all year & just checked one the other day & its fine. These are in woods tho. In the open it might be different.
My oldest one I think I'll replace this year because the zippers busted. I like them. You need alot more room with a bow than a gun.
I kill 5 or 6 a year with a bow from those little tents.
Bout a month & they start going up.

[RSY]

Have you thought about one of the portable collapsible numbers that you can shoot through?

Scott

Yes and I have a pop-up blind but it's miserable in the wind/rain. I'm looking for something I can leave in place either semi-permanently or at least 4 months out of the year.

I stake them down and wear a poncho???

Scott

[RIHMFIRE]

WE BULID WOODEN BOX FRAMES AND COVER THEM WITH A PLYWOOD ROOF AND CAMO TARP SIDES AND COVER THEM WITH
LOCAL VEGITATION. WE USE GROUND AND ELEVATED BLINDS.
WE MAKE THEM BIG ENOUGH FOR THE FOLDING LOUNGE CHAIRS.
MIGHT AS WELL BE COMFORTABLE

[HEAD0001]

You realy need to answer a few other questions first.

1. Wll you be the only hunter in ther blind??
2. Will the blind be heated??
3. How large of a person are you, and do you have any handicaps??
4. What will you be hunting with(weapons)??
5. What type of chair will you be using??

I built a small cabin for my father(8'X14'). He was in his 80's. We put a lazy boy and a wood burner in his "blind". His goal was to be in the woods, shooting anything was secondary. So he did not care about the smoke coming out of the stove pipe. This was his favorite place in the world. I wish he was still enjoying it.

We have built several around our property. And we have shot some nice bucks from them. For us the trick is to put them in and leave them there. We build ours 6'X6'. This gives plenty of room for two people. We have found that putting your windows higher helps, but animals can not see in through the glass. Make sure you use sliding windows from left to right, they are much easier and quieter than windows that go up and down. We use graphite on the window rails to reduce noise. A carpeted floor is also great for quietness.

For me comfort is king(I am a handicapped person). I can spend an entire day in my blinds, and be comfortable. I even have one built on a small trailer and can pull it around with a 4-wheeler. For mine I use a Mr. Buddy propane heater. The heater is the berries. Tom.

[Old Time Hunter]

Use a pop up camo tent...mush easier.

[cnjarvis]

You realy need to answer a few other questions first.

1. Wll you be the only hunter in ther blind?? I'd better be! My daughter may eventually tag along
2. Will the blind be heated??Sometimes. I have a Coleman Sport Cat that I intend to use occasionally.
3. How large of a person are you,No comment! and do you have any handicaps?? None physical
4. What will you be hunting with(weapons)?? Rifle & Bow
5. What type of chair will you be using??Tripod stool or folding chair

I built a small cabin for my father(8'X14'). He was in his 80's. We put a lazy boy and a wood burner in his "blind". His goal was to be in the woods, shooting anything was secondary. So he did not care about the smoke coming out of the stove pipe. This was his favorite place in the world. I wish he was still enjoying it.

We have built several around our property. And we have shot some nice bucks from them. For us the trick is to put them in and leave them there. We build ours 6'X6'. This gives plenty of room for two people. We have found that putting your windows higher helps, but animals can not see in through the glass. Make sure you use sliding windows from left to right, they are much easier and quieter than windows that go up and down. We use graphite on the window rails to reduce noise. A carpeted floor is also great for quietness.

For me comfort is king(I am a handicapped person). I can spend an entire day in my blinds, and be comfortable. I even have one built on a small trailer and can pull it around with a 4-wheeler. For mine I use a Mr. Buddy propane heater. The heater is the berries. Tom.

After reading the responses I'm seriously considering a 5' cube with a 1/2" pitch roof to shed rain. I'm not planning on putting a floor in it though so it will rest on bare ground. Carpet might just make good insulation for the walls though. (but not where the heater goes!)

[HEAD0001]

Dirt floors are fine. I suggest you get a more comfortable chair. Why not be comfortable. A good chair to get is one of the handicapped shower chairs. Get the one that has all four legs adjustable for heigth. Especially if your floor may not be perfectly level. The heighth of a chair is important, and the shower chairs are infinitely adjustable, and very comfortable. 5' squared is a good size, but 6' squared is considerably better. 5X5=25, 6x6=36. You can get an additional 11 square feet of interior size by going one foot larger. Make sure you have your roof drain toward the door, and not toward your main window.

We have made a bunch of these "deer shanties". We have got it down pretty good. There are a lot of other good suggestions. Put plenty of hooks to hang things on. Depending on distance of shots a good rest is great. Always make sure you are not backlit by another window. The deer wil see that. Adjust the heigth of your windows, and put your windows in the corners, not in the center of the wall. More-smaller windows are better than large oversized windows.

Plexiglass works great for windows, just make sure they slide, not raise. Tom.

[big bear]

A friend of mine is big into white tail hunting.He did something of interest I think, in one of his blinds, a cozy wooden minicabin with propane heater, chaires and small table. he painted the insides BLACK, so the deer can't see movement in side.