Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Bowhunting Ground Blind Recommendation

Any recommendations for a well designed ground blind to hunt antelope out of over a water hole? I want something that is quality, easy to setup/take down with well designed access to shoot. Never done this before but going to try my hand at it.

Ive had good luck with these: https://www.ameristep.com/doghouse

They are cheap and easy to set up & take down.

Double bull blinds work well and are easy to set up and take down, if you know what you are doing.
I’ve used them for deer, antelope and turkeys numerous times.
If you’re setting one up and there are cattle in the pasture, protect it well, or they likely will knock it down, out of curiosity.

Cheap ones, they get stolen too often to put a lot of money into them. I usually wait for Cabelas to put them on sale then pick one up. I keep a couple in rotation swapping them out when the zippers fail. Usually 2-3 seasons depending on how much you use them and if you are careful with the zippers.

It's boring as all getout.........until something starts working in. Then it's awesome. You get a chance to draw and aim without being seen. I've shot several antelope from pop ups as well as a couple mule deer and last year's elk. They work, take a book.

Thanks for the input...I'll start watching to see what comes on sell. Too bad about the thieving but yes, will take that into account in my decision.

Do you set there with the shooting window open? Assuming the one behind you stays closed so you do not skylight yourself and they see movement?

On deer, I have a window open to shoot through and I have it covered with netting. The double bulls that I use have a horizontal window and they come with netting to cover that window. My broadheads are fixed and I shoot through the netting. I’ve only shot deer out to 20 yards in a ground blind and never had any arrow deflection. That netting really helps hide you in the blind.
On turkeys, no need for netting.
And you are correct, keep the other windows closed.

I really like the rhino 600 blind I got from Walmart last year. It as $188. The fabric was a lot heavier than others that only last one season before ripping, also had a clip to open the door instead of a zipper. I was able to get in it with deer 50 yards out in the field by using it as cover and not having to unzip the door.

I keep one window open. It is dark enough in there that you can't see anything inside (from the outside) if all the other windows are closed. Some guys shoot through the netting but I have had very inconsistent results when I tested it so I just keep a window open. I am typically hunting a waterhole or trail so my shot windows are limited anyway.
Here is a pic of an antelope and pop up blind. Sticks out like a turd in a punchbowl. They know it's there and keep an eye on that strange blob but after a while they decide it's ok and come on in.

This pic is of my son standing on my elk waterhole looking at my blind that is hidden in the trees 30 yards up the hill.

My daughter and I have been using a Ameristep Brickhouse blind for several years now and we really like it. It's very easy to set up and take down and has plenty of room for two people to hunt comfortably in. I liked hers so much that I recently bought one for myself.

I usually buy cheap blinds from Walmart. Last one I got from there actually lasted 3 years. Last year I bought an ox 5. It is huge and windows open simlar to the double bull blinds. Not the cheapest blind but still not the price of a Double Bull blind. You can easily stand up in mine if you are 6 foot or less.

Nice pics CS...that elk blind is hid pretty well. I'll be back in the states for a few weeks so going to do some shopping as some of the stores have these setup and sales of for spring turkey season.

I bought one of the less expensive Ameristep blinds and had to leave it in place for almost two months as we couldn't get back to the location. When a friend went to retrieve it it was stuck in a mesquite tree. All the stake loops had ripped out. Ameristep said they don't warrant weather damage. I had to glue and rivet leather patches in place and replaced the loops with para cord. If you leave the blind set up for the season you might want to reinforce the stake loops from the start. I like the models that have a skirt you can put rocks on too. I have had javelinas poke their head in before and it was a little un-nerving.

Tried the dog house and it would not hold up to strong winds, I also had trouble drawing in it a long bow is definitely out. The Cabelas version didn't make to the third use before it ripped. I would go up at least one or two notches up from the cheapest models out there.