Ground Blinds
One of the most popular methods of bowhunting is using ground blinds. They can be as simple as a natural blind built behind a tree, bush, log, or rock or as sophisticated as a portable, enclosed camouflage-cloth blind.
- Blinds usually are located close to game food sources, game trails, or watering holes.
- Ground blinds should always be located downwind or crosswind of the spot where you expect to see your quarry because your scent will be carried at ground level and downwind of your blind.
- Blinds can be fashioned out of native vegetation or rigged from a roll of camouflage cloth or netting, which stores easily in a pack.
- Always clear away all ground cover on your blind’s floor to prevent noise from your foot movements, but remember to replace the ground cover before you leave the site.
- A small portable stool or plastic bucket makes the wait more comfortable.
- When hunting from a ground blind, it is especially important to use camouflage face “make-up” or camouflage head nets and gloves.
Advantages
- Can be set up ahead of time along trails or set up quickly at advantageous spots during a hunt.
- Provide effective camouflage or may conceal the bowhunter totally, allowing more time to prepare for the shot.
- Can purchase commercially manufactured ground blinds, which are readily available.
Disadvantages
- Make human scent and movement at ground level easier for game to detect.
- Offer limited visibility and shooting lanes.
More on Ground Blinds
Ground blinds are makeshift or temporary structures located on the ground that conceal the hunter. They’re made of everything from plywood to branches.
- They should be used instead of a tree stand when you should not be climbing, such as during inclement weather.
- They provide an element of surprise that is lacking with hunting from a tree stand.
You should situate ground blinds:
- Downwind, based on the normal wind pattern during a given time of day, such as morning
- Away from the sun
- Where the foreground and background are safest
