Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Ground blind?

Any of y’all hunt from a ground blind? I’ve deer hunted since 1985 and never hunted from a ground blind until last year, twice.
This year, the week before Christmas, I purchased one to hunt from with my wife. So far we have each killed a buck from it.
This is my wife with an 8 point that she killed from the blind. The deer is laying right where she shot it and the blind is in the background to the left of her.

You must be a lot younger than me because up until 20+ years ago, you couldn’t hunt from an elevated stand with a firearm in my home state of Michigan. You had to be on the ground. Most people used ground blinds. Many people would build blinds of out foliage/down timber in the woods, because it’s free. Now you have pop up blinds which are easy and convenient, but cost $. I just bought 81 acres a few years ago. I am building hardened ground blinds this summer for a few spots. Pop up blinds are ok but hardened ones are better for my style of hunting. I put a premium on comfort nowadays. When it’s -10 outside, I want to be toasty warm on the inside.

I’m 53.

I sitting in one now, only 35, but glass windows and heater are nice.

I still prefer to be elevated. But ground blinds are very effective and convenient in the right location. They conceal movement well. I have killed just as many deer on the ground as I have from a tree stand. Looks like your set up is in a good spot and brushed in nicely. congrats to you and your wife on your Bucks, Good job.

Congrats to the Lady. I use ground blinds in situations where I can't get elevated and they are nice in increment weather.

Congrats to your wife.

I use them on occasion for hunting both deer and turkey. I get a little claustrophobic in them but they sure are nice when it's raining or snowing.

This is my only permanent ground blind and after 12 years it is blended into the landscape. It is very simple with three old window frames with some camo netting draped around it.

Congrats to your wife on a great buck.

On public land we hunt from them almost exclusively at this point. There are a few spots we have actual stands up. The pop-up blinds are easy to move and faster than a ladder stand.

I take the younger kids a fair amount and it will hid their antsy moving around if things get slow.

I hunt from the ground more than treestands, but use natural cover. The problem with being on the ground is visibility. My treestand use is to gain visibility, not any foolish idea that they can’t see or smell me when I’m at most 12’ up.

A ground setup on a slope can be the best compromise. I like to have a natural obstacle on the downwind side if possible, like a river or big honkin’ rock. I have an assortment of seats to choose from as it’s hard for an old man to stay still on the ground. My latest is a telescoping cone that weighs maybe 2lbs and has a padded seat that doubles as a cover and carrying strap.

I've used tree stands, pop ups and just perching myself under a tree and have shot deer from all of them. That said, I've been seen and sniffed way more often from the ground than I have from being in a tree stand. Also I've had worse shot angles and the need to shoot faster when I'm on the ground. If a doe spooks or blows, you won't even see the buck following her. My best bucks have come from high tree stands because the deer are easier to see and are moving more naturally. Big woods deer have been leery of my tent blinds, farm deer not so much although the OP's blind is brushed in better than mine were. Some of our best ground blinds were on our private property dug into a hillside with just the head and shoulders showing. Dad got some of his best deer from those.

I have been slowly transitioning to ground blinds over the last few seasons. Still have 3 ladder stands I use, but now 3 Ameristep Doghouse blinds as well. I only use one window which obviously hinders my field of view, but have had great luck with them. Put them up early and the deer seem to get used to them rather quickly. I do prefer elevated hunting, but the older I get,the more I like being closer to the forest floor!

Yup. I've got two portable hub blinds that I hunt from during the late muzzleloader season in Iowa. They are GREAT for kids because you can bring a heater in and they can move around, I can read a book, and none of the movement is exposed as long as it's below the window level. And I can set up a solid rest system in it with a tripod. I love them. I busted this deer at the very last minute on Saturday night from my ground blind.

That is a nice buck, Selmer.

I like tower blinds best. I can see flat area around stand as well as 300 yards below me by big green feeder I built in the late 70’s

Done it all ways.

Out of elevated at one spot because its just a bit better. I actually hate elevation as it can give weird angles to shots. I prefer the ground level.

We also hunt a lot just sitting against trees. No camo. Dog next to us. Who often sees the movement far out first.

When I'm hunting pistol or bow I have to hunt closer so dog movement is more critical and we may get into a pop up or box blind close for the bow.

A nice blind sealed up when its nasty is nice. Wind and cold don't bother but rain sucks. And being inside makes the dog happier as he doesn't like cold that much.

Blinds up in the air tend to move too much for me too when its windy. When I need a really solid rest for a long shot and hold for the wind issue the blinds just wiggle a bit much for my tastes.

Congrats. Well done. I often find the need for camo sitting in blind is pretty low on the list. But seeing as how I rarely even wear camo anymore even when just sitting out against a bush or laying on the ground I'd have that opinion. LOL.

Had deer walk by no camo a few weeks back, Less than 15 steps from em while I was trying to get a good angle for the Glock. That failed. They milled but when for some reason one spooked and they came running one almost stepped on my before she realized I likely didn't belong. Probably because I was again trying to get a good clear shot with the Glock.

Ground you have to pay attention to wind. But exactly the same in the air. And as far as that goes morning and evening scent is usually headed down to the ground anyway regardless of wind the elevation never helps there.

I mainly hunt from elevated box-blinds, generally 5-6' off the ground, but I have some that are on short legs or skids, generally in areas with a lot of tree coverage where limbs would block elevated shots. I'll also sometimes use a pop-up blind sometimes to try out a new stand location. If you are only targeting one particular zone, it works fairly well to have your rifle on a tripod rest and the front window unzipped just enough to see and shoot. Spots that prove to be good ones will generally get a permanent blind for the next season.

To this day I'm not sure what the he'll I was looking at to let a rattlesnake slither 6" from my boots Missed it twice with my bow, but not with the Glock.

I have a Ameristep Caretaker blind that I put on top of a 6x6x8 wood platform. At 61 it is much more comfortable than my ladder stands. Will be putting another one up next hunting season.