Tips for bow hunting from a ground blind.

[Tarhunt]

This will be the first year that my son and I will be bow hunting from ground blinds. What tips do guys have when hunting from them? The one private property that we hunt, we cannot use ladder stands. The landowner is totally against it. So, I don't push the subject. Do you guys wear black clothing? If so, any particular brands? Thanks.

[Rusty]

Practice out of it a bunch before you hunt.  I can't tell you how many stories I've heard of people shooting the blind or having their bow limb hit the blind and mess up their shot.  

[BowhunterNJ]

Yes definitely check your clearance at full draw.  Also realize you will lose a few minutes towards first and last light because you'll get less of it in the blind.

[Haskell_Hunter]

100% agree that you need to get into it and shoot from it.  Even if it's in your back yard first before you take it into the woods.  Also, shoot while wearing your gear.  I had a deer sneak up behind me, come around the blind, and I was rushing into a draw and my back elbow rubbed against the back of the blind.  BUSTED!!!

 

Don't shoot mechanicals through the mesh.  That is a really bad idea.

 

Do you have something to sit on?

 

Tie it down.  A good gust of wind can roll those things over.

 

Don't get complacent and 1) play on your phone, 2) talk too much, 3) fall asleep, or 4) move around inside it too much.

 

I usually open 3 sides and keep the back closed.  The sun rises at my back, so that preserves my silhouette.  You might want to take the same approach.  I wear camo inside of it when it's cold, but in temps like this I wear a darker T-shirt or whatever is comfortable.

 

Have a place inside to drop your gear on the floor.  I always have a floor plan for where I go and where the gear goes in the blind.  It helps when your start setting your shot, moving your feet into place, and drawing back on the bow.  You don't have to think "am I going to step on that ziplock full of GORP" when you're setting up that draw on a monster buck.

 

Law says you need to put some hunter orange on blinds now.  I hunt private land and do it anyway.  I bought a cheap plastic hunter orange vest and tied it to the top.  Helps me find the blind in the dark.

 

Good luck, I love hunting from a blind!

[jerseyhunter]

 Keep movement to a minimum and don't open the window behind you. For that mater keep the shooting window open and the others just cracked enough to see. Black clothing not needed, just your camo. If your not moving they can't see you, just the blind so throw some trimmings on it. GL.

[Tarhunt]

The blind is faced South. I really had no choice on where to put the ground blind. The property owner wants us to hunt only a small part of his property. So, I'm very limited on where I can put the blind. The afternoon is best time to hunt the property but, the sun shines in the blind pretty much of the day. We are planning on picking up black clothing and plan on sitting all of the way on the back side of the blind.

[buckhound]

PATIENCE PATIENCE PATIENCE!!! 

[buckhound]

i like to put some branches around to break it up or put it in middle of bushes or what ever you can do to help break it up....

[Haskell_Hunter]

I've had deer and turkey walk up right against the blind with three sides wide open, and they were none the wiser.  I've had chipmunks run across my boots, of course once they looked up and saw me they freaked out.

 

As long as you sit relatively still, you'll be fine.  You'd be amazed how hard it is to see inside those things.  Have your kid sit in it and walk around it.  You're pretty well hidden.

 

And if you can find some natural cover, build it up around your blind.

[LPJR]

Tarhunt,

 

Will be hunting with my son from a blind in one of our spots as well...

 

One thing I can suggest is to make sure his sight pins can be illuminated with an adjustable blue light (dimmer).

 

Also make sure he is seated high enough for the shot to clear the window......

 

Good luck and HAVE FUN!

[smoking gun]

There's a thread on here where someone chopped a tree down and placed a blind then added a septic tank for bait and a ladderstand feet away...he probably has sound advice lolololol

[Tarhunt]

Tarhunt,

 

Will be hunting with my son from a blind in one of our spots as well...

 

One thing I can suggest is to make sure his sight pins can be illuminated with an adjustable blue light (dimmer).

 

Also make sure he is seated high enough for the shot to clear the window......

 

Good luck and HAVE FUN!

Yes. He'll be sitting in a chair and he has illuminated sights on his compound. He has practiced shooting from his chair and he has some nice tight groups. The only thing that he has not done, is shoot out of a blind. I may bring a target on Saturday and have him some shoot at it a few times.

[smoking gun]

add the smoke pipe for the ozonics central air system

[B B]

Keep the sun at your back if possible.  Might not be so bad now, but when the leaves fall it ain't fun looking into the sun and you won't be able to move without being seen.  Wear black. you're trying to blend in with a shadow not foliage.  Good luck!

[mazzgolf]

Practice out of it a bunch before you hunt.  I can't tell you how many stories I've heard of people shooting the blind or having their bow limb hit the blind and mess up their shot.  

 

Yes definitely check your clearance at full draw. 

 

my back elbow rubbed against the back of the blind.  BUSTED!!!

 

Add me to that list of stories you heard. One of the few times I actually had a chance at a deer, and my back elbow brushed the back when I finished my draw. It didn't take 5 seconds for that deer to see it - I guess the whole blind moved. I was in one of those small doghouse blinds - I thought my draw was short enough, but i guess I was sitting a bit further back than I thought from when I practiced.

 

So, that's what I would add to the advice - don't just practice, but PAY ATTENTION to where you are sitting when you practice. When you get out in the field, put your blind chair in the SAME spot at the same distance away from the blind walls. If you are back just a few inches, that could be the difference.