
GroundBlinds.com

One October afternoon up in northern Saskatchewan, a 300-pound buck with a black, gnarly rack that took my breath away stepped out of the bush. As I was trembling and settling my muzzleloader on his shoulder, he threw up his head and looked 125 yards across the meadow. I froze. He didn’t see me, but he sure saw my blind. He stomped, wheezed and flagged away like he’d just see the boogeyman.

Three weeks later I returned to Canada for a rifle hunt. My mama didn’t raise a dummy. I pulled that pop-up off the ridge, moved 60 yards to the west, tucked it deeper into the spruce that rimmed the glade and brushed it up with boughs and grass.

Later that afternoon another monster stepped out of the willows and looked my way. “Uh, oh,” I cringed. But he dropped his head and kept coming, muscles rippling and 150-inch rack shining in the sun. My .270 cracked, and the big boy fell 70 yards from the blind’s door.

Those hunts pretty much sum it up. You can either spook a big deer from a ground blind, or sit there and shoot him dead. It depends on where you put your blind, and how well you set it up.

Hiding behind a deadfall in the shadows and resting your rifle over a limb is a dynamite setup.

A round hay bale, a slash pile, a fallen treetop, a copse of switch grass…you get the picture. If you can find a natural structure near a food source, trail or funnel blazed with rubs and scrapes, it should be your first choice for a ground attack. That way you blend in with a natural part of a buck’s habitat. Hide in a nook or cranny that deer see and walk past most every day and you’ll do well.

But sometimes you’ve got to get more aggressive and take your game to the deer. One December, I patterned a herd of animals staging in a CRP field and nibbling tender green forbs that had sprouted after a rain. The pasture was dotted with cedars two to four feet high. I cut a few bushes, dragged them to a spot where the visibility and wind were good, arranged a hide in two minutes and climbed in. That afternoon 20 deer strolled within muzzleloader range and never blinked an eye. I smoked an 8-pointer.

It worked because I was able to blend my blind into the surroundings. If you can’t do that, forget about it. If you build a big, new blind out in an open field (or in open woods for that matter) and try to hunt it the same day, most every old deer that approaches from 200 yards away will spot it, slam on the brakes and wonder something like, “What’s that blob, I’ve never seen it before?” Old does will start head bobbing, blowing and running. You probably won’t get a shot at a buck with a slug gun or a muzzleloader, and you certainly won’t shoot an arrow.

This is perhaps the most important thing to remember--cover your back. Stack cedars, logs or brush behind you so that it fully covers your head and shoulders when you sit down to hunt. Background cover with no large holes of air is what breaks your outline and hides your moves. You need only minimal cover in front and on the sides. And don’t get carried away. The smaller a blind and the lower its overall profile, the less chance deer will pick it out.

I spotted a herd of deer feeding on forbs in an Iowa CRP field. I cut and build a makeshift blind near where the deer were feeding and smoked an 8-pointer.

There are hundreds of portable blinds on the market. Any model can work well if you hunt smart and hide it. Tuck a tent into a brushy fencerow, amidst some dead-fall timber, in a weed ditch that rims a field…you get the picture. It can’t hurt to choose a camouflage pattern that matches your terrain. Green camo near a wheat field, desert camo near a plains waterhole, etc. Then go a step further and brush the blind with oak limbs, pine boughs, prairie grass or the like. Again, the better you hide it, the better off you’ll be.

Sunlight shining onto a canvas blind can light it up like neon. Whitetails might spot that sheen hundreds of yards away. So face a morning blind west and an evening blind east so you’ll be hidden in mottled shadows. Of course your blind needs to be downwind of where you expect to see and shoot a deer. Spray it down good with your favorite odor- killer. Be sure to close the rear door and window flaps so deer can’t look through your blind, see you move and bust you.

Iowa TV star Kandi Kisky moved in with a portable blind and shot this monster as he stepped out to feed. Notice how well the camo matches the terrain.

In the summer build a stick blind near a field or on a ridge where you hunt a lot. Or set up a portable and let it weather and blend in. Come season, it will be a natural part of the landscape, and deer will be accustomed to it.
I’ve found that deer are most apt to spot a new blind in October or later in December, when their senses are on red alert. Try a ground attack during the rut, when bucks drop their guard. A bruiser chasing a doe might run smack over your blind!
With a lot of setups, and especially late in the season, you have more cover on the ground than up in bald tree when the leaves are down. Keep your movements to a minimum and deer will rarely see you.
If a deer sees you one day, he or she will look hard in that direction from then on and get ultra-spooky. Move your blind 50 to 100 yards and renew your ground game.

Situate your blind where a buck will quarter past it rather than walk straight in. That way you can draw your bow unseen and get a good quartering-away shot.

IMPORTANT: Do not set up where deer will walk straight at you through the open woods. If an old doe catches you move or simply sees your blind as some strange blob that wasn’t there yesterday, she’ll either spook outright or back off and skirt you. Any buck behind her will probably do the same. Instead, set up where animals will walk past your blind at an angle, either quartering-on or, better, quartering away. This way, a doe or buck won’t see your blind’s outline from the get-go and get suspicious. If and when an 8-pointer walks into range, you’ll be out of his direct line of sight when you draw your bow or shift your gun. And finally, he’ll be in good position for a shot, either quartering or broadside.
When gun hunting, I sit either on the ground on a small folding stool with my back against a tree as wide as my body. That back cover is most important. I craft a small fort of sticks, grass and the like around me. Great tip: Use your boots to clear the leaves around your feet down to the dirt, so you can sit and turn quietly. Take those piles of leaves and sprinkle them over and in the blind sticks to further break your outline.

A small, natural hide that blends you into the deer habitat works great.

For archery hunting, I often just simply stand behind a tree about 20 inches wide. I try to put another wide tree or, better, a copse of several trees three or four feet behind me. This gives me the required back cover, and I can crouch hidden behind the front tree until it’s time to draw and shoot. I usually build a small screen of sticks and brush to the sides, but again I keep it tight and small.
Accessories: My little stool gives me a couple feet of elevation to see and shoot a buck that comes mincing through the woods. You need that extra height, so packing a stool is worth the hassle. I always use a monopod or shooting sticks for a rock-solid gun rest.
One day not long ago in Montana, I froze as an 8-pointer quartered toward me from 80 yards out. The woods were flat as a pool table and wide-open, but I didn’t care. The buck stepped into the ditch in front of me and completely disappeared. I drew my bow and stepped two feet out from behind my hiding tree. When he popped back out of the ditch on my side, I ran an arrow through his lungs at 16 steps. He never knew I was anywhere in his world, and he never knew what hit him. Anytime you can use a ditch, river bank, creek crossing or similar wrinkle in the terrain to your ground advantage, do it.

The lower the profile of your natural blind, the less likely deer will see you. Go prone when gun hunting if you can.

I use the stool when bowhunting from a natural blind to take a load off until the deer start to move. Then I stand and remain standing. I screw a utility hook or a specialized arm-type bow holder in the front tree, and hang my compound on it at shoulder height. When I see a deer I lift it off the hook with little noise and movement, two big keys to success when you’re trying to whack a deer from ground zero.

Ground Blind Manufactures

API Outdoors™ Terra XL Blind
Don't worry about a trophy sneaking up on you out of sight in your ground blind ever again. The API Outdoors Terra XL Ground Blind features 360° of removable camo mesh windows that eliminate all blind spots. Concealment skirting at the blind's base wraps completely around the entire blind. The Terra XL features zip-in full window curtains, extra portholes with silent magnetic closure flaps, and replaceable shoot-thru camo mesh window sections. The blind anchors in solidly, thanks to realistic stubble straps, stakes, tie-down ropes, and removable/adjustable leafy concealment strips that connect with snaps. Blind comes with a collapsible API Outdoors® hunting chair with backrest for long days in the blind. Comes with camo backpack with padded straps for easy transport. Color: Realtree® Hardwoods HD™. Weight: 24 lbs. Footprint: 60'' x 60''. Hub-to-hub size: 74''W x 82''H. Imported.

Features:

No blind spots! - 360° of removable camo mesh windows
Full zip-in window curtains
Extra portholes with silent magnetic closure flaps
Replaceable shoot-thru camo mesh window sections
Concealment skirting
Anchors with stubble straps, stakes, and tie down ropes
Realistic leafy concealment straps connect with snaps
Collapsible hunting chair and carrying pack included
74''W x 82''H hub to hub

The Escape Deluxe® Ground Max Blind
The Ground Max blind from Big Game Treestands is easy to set up and tough as nails! The Escape Deluxe features durable and weatherproof 600 denier polyurethane-backed polyester exteriors. The Complete Scent Elimination® coating masks and conceals human scent. Phantom Pro® black interior conceals shadows inside the blind for additional concealment. Easy to use collapsible hub system requires no in-field assembly to put blind up. Blind features a full seam zippered entrance, 12 large zippered windows with silent quick releases, and a large zippered roof opening. Includes a carrying case with backpack straps, nine tie-down stakes, and an interior stake pocket. Brush Deception® native brush holders help conceal blind further. The Escape Deluxe® also features shoot-thru mesh windows. Big Game Matrix® camo pattern. Dimensions: 77" W x 75" H.

Features:

Durable weatherproof 600 denier polyurethane-backed polyester exterior
Easy to set up hub construction
Complete Scent Elimination system
Phantom Pro black interior
Full seam zippered entrance
12 large zippered windows with silent quick releases
Large zippered roof opening
Brush Deception native brush holders
Shoot-thru mesh windows

Dark Horse™ Blind
Double Bull Archery has combined the optimum wind resistance and stability of their T5 blind with the infinitely adjustable viewing of their Matrix blind to create their best ground blind yet! The Dark Horse's winning combination of features means you no longer have to choose between stability and visibility, making you more dangerous in the field. Enjoy a full 180° (six foot-plus) of shooting opportunity across the front of the Dark Horse thanks to Double Bull's Silent Slide window system. Adjustable from 1'' to 20'', you can leave the Silent Slide window open or cover it with shoot-through netting. Netting system is designed to let the hunter peek through the top for a clear line of sight if needed. With a black interior to maximize your concealment, you don't have to worry about game spotting your silhouette or profile. Custom cotton/poly exterior is weather resistant, silent, and won't shine. Four shooting ports and two viewing ports open up the area behind your blind to hunting as well. A convenient and durable fiberglass frame system lets you set up the Dark Horse in seconds! Blind includes a five inch wrap around flap that forms a tight seal with the ground to block scent and light from escaping the blind. Add to all of these features the world's first camo pattern conceived specifically for a blind--Pattern Masters™ Ground Swat™--and you'll have one of the most effective blinds in the industry. Weight: 20 lbs. Footprint size: 5' x 5'. Hub to hub size: 6'6''W x 5'7''H.

Features:

Strength and stability of the T5 with the adjustable viewing options of the Matrix
78'' of shooting opportunity thanks to the 180° viewing window
Silent Slide Window System adjusts from 1'' to 20''
Shoot through netting designed to let you crack it at the top for clear line of sight
Black interior to hide hunters and movement inside blind
Weather resistant, no shine, quiet exterior
Shooting and viewing ports in rear of blind
Durable lightweight fiberglass frame system - blind weighs just 20 lbs
Bottom flap conceals light and scent from inside blind
Tie downs and stakes to anchor blind
Special "Ground Swat" camo

Primos® Vision™ Blind
The Primos® Vision™ Blind gets you shots you’d never have otherwise--the result of ultimate stealth and comfort, 360º full-view sightlines, and plenty of shooting room (77''W x 70''H). Made of water-resistant 600 denier polyurethane-backed polyester with UV coating and Phantom Pro™ dark black lining, this blind features a full-seam zippered entrance, unlimited window/shoot-thru mesh placement, and magnetic closures with silent clips. Includes a large carry bag with padded straps and gear pockets. Color: Predator® All-Purpose Deception. Weight: 18 lbs.

Ameristep® The Choice Hunting Blind
Breathable 3D Mesh construction and the 360°: hunting view make this cutting edge hub-style ground blind a great tool for serious hunters who want to blend into the woods completely when they hunt. The dull fleece finish of the high quality NS3 Micro-Tech Fabric eliminates shine off this blind and silences excess noise. Multi-layered 3D leaf, ghillie, and mesh construction gives The Choice Blind a 3D camouflage covering unlike any other Ameristep ground blind. Realtree APG® HD™ camo pattern. Mesh construction gives this blind a breathability hunters will appreciate when the temperatures go up, keeping it cool when other blinds start holding heat. Durable and quiet Ameristep hub and Durashell construction will give you several seasons of use. Comes with high wind stakes and tie-downs, backpack-style carrying case, and 3D mesh windows. 60'' x 60'' x67''. Weight: 22 lbs.

Features:

3D camo exterior and mesh windows helps this blind blend into the background
NS3 Micro Tech eliminates shine and silences excess noise
Multi-layered 3D leaf, ghillie, and mesh Durashell exterior
360° view and shoot capability
Mesh construction gives blind breathability unlike most ground blinds
Durable and quiet Ameristep hub and Durashell construction
Comes with stakes and tie-downs and carrying case
3D mesh windows
60'' x 60'' x 67''H

Bone Collector™ Hunting Blind
Fortified with a carbon-enhanced, scent-blocking laminated interior made from cutting-edge NS3 Microtech Fabric which also eliminates shine and noise with its dull fleece finish. 75'' x 75'' x 69''. Hub to hub: 75''. Floor to ceiling: 69''. Color: Realtree® AP HD®. Weight: 20 lbs.

Features:

Scent-blocking fabric
Vertical window technology
Heat-release vent system
Shoot-through mesh

Lee & Tiffany Lakosky's Doghouse® Blind Combo
Built for concealment with ReLeaf® Durashell™ and ShadowGuard™ construction. Blind includes window tie-downs, shoot-thru mesh, four windows/three portholes, stakes and high-wind tie downs. Includes a back pack carrying case for easy portability. Color: Realtree® AP HD®. Dimensions: 60'' x 60'' x 68''. Weight: 14 lbs.

Features:

Ideal for firearms and bows
Portable and compact
Combo includes blind, folding chair, saw, and bow holder

Ameristep® Two-Man Deluxe Chair Blind
The Ameristep® Two-Man Deluxe Chair Blind brings together a package that includes folding chair and camouflage cover perfect for quick set up. Dimensions: 61" Wide x 52" Deep x 60" Tall. Color: Realtree Hardwoods HD®

Features:

Quick and easy set-up
Camo mesh side windows with silent magnetic closures
Front and side zippered windows
Spring steel construction
Carry case with shoulder strap
Packed size: 20'' x 42" Long
Weight: 17 lbs. (blind & chair)

Primos® Stake Out™ Ground Blind
Need an easy to use ground blind that can take what Mother Nature dishes out during turkey season while keeping you concealed? The Stake Out ground blind starts with Primos' Bricaid™ spun-bonded camouflage screen material. This special material is water, UV, mold, and mildew resistant and die-cut for a more realistic 3D camo effect. Five collapsible solid fiberglass poles support the blind. The poles feature sharpened ends and push caps for quick and easy setup and are shock-corded for quick and compact takedown and storage. Blind stands 27'' high to give you plenty of concealment while you work the gobblers and stretches 12' to give you plenty of blind to work behind. Collapses down to a compact 17'' x 3'' for easy transport in its carrying case with shoulder strap. Color: Mossy Oak® New Break-Up®. Imported.

Features:

Realistic 3D camo ground blind
Roomy 12' x 27''
Made of Primos' Bricaid die-cut camouflage screen material
Water, mold, mildew, UV, and rot resistant
Supported with five collapsible, shock-corded, solid fiberglass poles
Quick and easy setup and takedown
Collapses down to 17'' x 3''
Comes with carrying case with shoulder strap

Ameristep – Bighouse
Our BIGHOUSE TSC™ (Patent Pending) is large enough for standing bow shots, and is the LARGEST "Hub-Style" blind available.

Bighouse Details:

Model #901
Hub-Style Technology
Shoot-Through TSC™ Mesh Kit Included
ShadowGuard™ Interior
Durashell™ with Edge ReLeaf™
Window tie-downs
Zip-In/Zip-Out Shoot-Through Mesh
Gear Pockets & Bow Holder
Floor-to-Floor Fiber Poles
Stakes & High wind tie-downs
Backpack: 8” dia. x 52" Long
Weighs approx. 22 lbs.

Ameristep – Frontier Blind
Our NEW! frontier Blind features rugged HDPE (High Density Polyethylene) construction with tinted windows, carpeted floor platform and is extremely weatherproof and wear-resistant; holding up to any hunting environment.

Frontier Blind Details:

Durable HDPE Construction (High Density Polyethylene)
Large Door
Tinted Windows to Mask Movement
Easy to Assemble
BLIND: 48” x 48” x 86” Tall
WEIGHT: 130 lbs.

Ameristep – Intimidator Blind
The INTIMIDATOR BLIND offers the ultimate concealment and protection in a Hub-Style design adding new dimension to the hunting experience. ShadowGuard™ enhanced lining that eliminates shadows and silhouettes. The NS³ MICRO-TECH fabric eliminates shine and all excess noise. Also see the DOMINATOR and the NEW! Brushline System.

Intimidator Blind Details:

Models: #3303 and #3304
360° shoot through camo mesh eliminates blind spots
The ONLY hub-style ground blind w/removable floor
Noise free magnetic window curtain
Patented electronic game call speaker window
Reflective orange safety system
Ground skirt helps keep elements out and scent in
Three sealed camera ports
Blind shelf for keeping gear in close reach
8 replaceable shoot-through mesh windows
Stubble pockets for ultimate concealment
Stakes and high-wind tie-down ropes
Pack dimensions: 8” square x 43” long
Weighs 24 lbs.

Bale Blind
The Bale Blind™ incorporates natural cover (alfalfa, corn, straw, cattails). The Bale Blind™ has an easy entrance door and is made for BowHunting. This blind is wind-tight, water-tight, and scent-tight and can withstand mother nature.

Bale Blind Details:

Center Height: Approx. 67 inches
Shooting Diameter: 6 feet 6 inches
Floor Space: 4 Feet 4 Inches by 6 Feet 6 Inches
Weight: 180 lbs
Shooting Ports: Customizable
Viewing Ports: Customizable
Tie-Downs: None
Colors: Up to Mother Nature
Option: Center Height (5 Feet 7 Inches)

Double Bull – T2 – Swat Camo:
The T2™ is lightweight/Portable(12 lbs) and has a low-profile roofline. This ground blind has 6 total shooting ports and one huge 21” x 52” netted shooting port. The T2™ is great for hunting in heavy cover and features the Ground Swat Camo pattern which is designed and scaled specifically for use on blinds. The T2’s™ custom cotton / poly fabric is weather-resistant, silent and won’t shine this blind also has a black interior lining.

T2™ Details:

Center Height: 64 Inches
Shooting Diameter: 69 Inches
Floor Space: 7 Feet by 5 Feet (35 square feet)
Weight: 12 lbs
Shooting Ports: 5 (7inches wide by 15 inches high)
Shoot-Through Net System: 1 (52 Inches Wide by 21 Inches High)
Tie-Downs: 2 Wall; 6 Stake Rings (4 Corner, 2 Center-Wall)
Colors: Ground Swat ™ camouflage

Double Bull – T5 Prostaff Ground Blind
Roomy Comfort, Great Views, Strong Framework - The next link in the evolutionary chain that became the Matrix 360™. The T5Pro-Staffer features wide netted viewing windows on each wall between the eight (8) shooting ports, allowing the hunter or hunters to track their quarry and position the shot in advance. The T5 gets its name from the five (5) - hub framework system providing unmatched integrity, strength and adjustability. The 25 - square feet of floor space allows plenty of room to take along a hunting partner or two!

Black interior absorbs light, eliminates see-through and results in an indoor / outdoor contrast too extreme for game to overcome, especially on sunny days! The 5 - inch scent / light flap at the base of each wall forms an even tighter seal to the ground to ensure no light leaking in or scent escaping at ground level. Features our unmatched silent window systems, custom fabrics, patented adjustable framework. Available in Predator Deception All-Purpose camo.

T2 - Deception All Purpose
The Lightweight Blind with the Subtle Outline. When that big buck is sneaking along a wooded trail heading for his bedding area, working a scrape line or rubline in heavy cover, the T2Low-Profile is the ultimate hide. The T2gets its name from the two (2) hub framework system offering lighter weight, lower profile and more portability. The T2’s tapered roof-line is designed with the knowledge that sometimes less is more, especially when you need to set up in tight quarters. Horizontal roof-lines can sometimes tip off a deer, especially a hunt-wise buck. The T2Low Profile casts a more subtle outline, in a lighter package that still offers substantial roomy comfort.

The lighter weight (only 12 pounds) and lower profile is achieved by our use of a framework featuring only two hubs and eight support poles. Position the front side with the huge 21 x 52 - inch netted shooting port at the trail where you expect the deer to walk, and get ready! Five additional window openings offer the hunter a myriad of shot opportunities and the ability to track moving game.

Trophyhouse blind
Our TROPHYHOUSE™ Blind is ideal for hunters who do not need an enclosed, tent-style blind, but still appreciate concealment and freedom of movement. It's tall enough to hide while sitting upright in one of our CAMO CHAIRS OR STOOLS. Works great with our DIRECTOR'S CHAIR (as shown)

Trophyhouse Blind Details:

Model #864
Spring-Steel Construction
Die-Cut 3-D Leaf Pattern
NS³ Micro-Tech Fabric
Stakes & Tie-Downs
Pouch Pack: 15” dia. x 2" Thick
Weighs approx. 4 lbs

Ground Blind Accessories

Huntmore 360º Stool

Tired of hunting from an uncomfortable, squeaky stool or from a folding lawn chair designed more for lounging in the backyard than hunting? If so, look no further than the new Huntmore 360 stool. Custom designed to be the absolute best hunting stool in the world, the Huntmore 360 is lightweight, comfortable, and most importantly DEAD SILENT.

The secret to the Huntmore 360 stool is the cast aluminum hub system. Used in conjunction with specially designed tube bushings which eliminate metal to metal contact, the Huntmore 360 is absolutely silent - even in the coldest conditions.

The Huntmore 360 also features a large 19"x19"x19" foam seat and adjustable back supports for the extreme comfort. The adjustable legs and large adjustable foot pads ensure that you won't sink into the wet ground and allow you to adjust for uneven terrain.

This innovative stool weighs approximately 10 lbs and folds up to store in the included heavy-duty bag system. Rated to 300 lbs. Limited Lifetime Warranty.

Ameristep® Swivel Tripod Stool

Our Swivel Tripod Stools are great to use with any of our hunting blinds or just to hang out. Silently swivel and with the adjustable legs, can comfortably sit for an all day hunt.

Model #829
Aluminum Construction
20" Long x 23¼" Wide x 19" High
Rugged Weather-Resist Poly/Fabric
Rated For: 200 lbs
Weighs 2½ lbs.

Quake The Bull™ Stool All-Terrain Seat

The best seat in the house—highly functional, yet incredibly comfortable too! The Bull Stool’s plush, 12" diameter padded swivel top offers a truly relaxed seating experience. Its three legs are adaptable to any location; because they are individually adjustable to any height between 16" and 22-3/4", they can handle inclines and rough spots with ease. The legs store inside the seat when ready to move; the entire system weighs just 5 lbs. Maximum weight capacity: 500 lbs.

Fold-Up Camo Director's Chair, Camo Arm Chair, Camo Tripod Chair, and Camo Tripod Stool by RedHead®

Let's face it -- blinds aren't the most comfortable place to spend the day. The RedHead® Fold-Up Furniture is designed to give your back and knees a rest, keeping you refreshed, alert, and ready to hunt! Steel tube frames; weatherproof 600 denier polyester seats; 16'' seat height; fold-up design for easy carrying and transporting.

API™ Seat or Seat Cushions

API seats offer hunters a comfortable perch in a variety of hunting situations. All work well as a ground or stadium seat. Neoprene padding or EPS filling to keep you comfortable. Each has a 1" nylon web strap for easy transport.
Color: Realtree AP HD®.

Pole Mountain Bowlegs Bi-Pod

Fully adjustable rotating legs with dampening inserts hold your bow horizontally or vertically. Featuring durable, lightweight aluminum construction, the universal fit attaches to any bow accessory hole or riser cutout.

Features: