Ground Blinds

I was looking at thos blinds also today in CT. The Bone Collector looks like a pretty good deal. Quite large.

I never hunted from a blind much, but always wanted to try it. Only did it once for a week. My wife and I were hunting out of my double ladder stand, and a buck spotted us in it. He wouldn't even step up to the apples after that! So I took the stand down and built a home-made blind with a wooden frame and camo net. I stuck it in the middle of some small fir trees nearby.

After a couple of days the same buck came in at 13 yds but wouldn't turn broadside. Just faced me and the wife in the blind. Every time I would try to draw my bow he would look at us in the blind. Then he spooked!

I may buy one next year and try it out. Can't afford it this year.

I bought the Ameristep Brickhouse blind last year and am very pleased with it. Sets up and takes down easy, price was right from cabelas here is the link

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp?id=0068110418907a&navCount=1&podId=0068110&parentId=cat540014&masterpathid=&navAction=jump&cmCat=MainCatcat20712-cat540014_TGP&catalogCode=QL&rid=&parentType=index&indexId=cat540014&hasJS=true

However I was using it during rifle season, the bone collector blind has taller longer windows so it might be better for a bow. Ground blinds are nice especially after sitting for long periods as compared to a tree stand where there is alot less room to stretch. Anyway I used mine extensively last your and was very pleased with it and felt that for the price it was good value. Not 100% waterproof especially in a heavy down pour, however I can deal with a half dozen drips vice being out in the pouring rain. Carrying case has shoulder straps, so it's not too bad to carry into your location and as a result easy to move locations. I'm happy with mine.

Bill G.

So.. Got the Bone Collector one.

Its pretty nice.

Not hard to set up, very easy if you have 2 people. Take down is easy the second time around.

We learned a few lessons.

1) Do NOT set blind up on a bees nest.
2) See rule 1

Man I am so glad we figured that out before getting in it. Also glad we never got stung!
Other than that, fits 2 people quite nicely. I shoot right, buddy shoots left so that is convenient.
Don't use the great big folding chairs, use the smaller ones, so you can move if you need to.

There is lots of room for a small gear bag.

Its very quiet inside, so you need to pay close attention out the windows.

Door is a little small, but not too bad.

Take a flash light! Its dark inside, and when you are trying to open the shooting windows, light makes it easier.

The directions state very clearly, not to use a mechanical broad-head in the shoot-through mesh.

Also, if using a fixed blade, to line up the blades with your fletches. This is not something most would even think about, but great advice.

More to come as we use it, and learn its quirks.

Always a good rule!

I have two ground blinds. One is an Eastman Outfitters Udercover LX5 Blind and the other is Double Bull Matrix. No question which is nicer but the price is quite different too. The DB is a great blind, only takes one guy 6 seconds from in the bag to set up. I think it's 67" high and something like 5'x5' floor, lots of room for two. Great for running and gunning turkeys.

Oh - you're not going to like what I bought at Cabela's....three weeks ago I bought a Predator ground blind for $59.99 - on sale. Great buy. Although I have shot bucks while on the ground (including a 7 pointer back in 2006), I wasn't too sure a pop up blind with shoot through screening was the way to go. Too "commercial" for my liking. However, was in Maryland last fall and this was all I had to shoot out of one evening beside a watering hole. I shot a spike buck at 8 yards through the screen with fixed blades......went incredibly well. They can't see your movement inside the blind, and the arrow flew like nothing was there. He piled up less than 40 yards away with a nice heart/1 lung shot. Mr. Skeptic made believer......

After this, I told myself if I ever saw one on sale, I'd pick it up. Comes with a really slick backpack carry pouch. I wouldn't sit in it with two archery hunters, but I do plan on it with my kids and their rifles. Much more comfortable in bad weather as the other guys have said. If I'm with the bow, it will be just me. Also, I sit on my knees and/or the ground to lessen sound of a chair, and to give me more head room and room to move the bow.