Ground Blinds?

Can anybody suggest a good ground blind to buy? Preferably not too expensive…$300 or less as I’ll be looking to buy 2 of them.

Rogers sporting goods.com

Friend of mine bought the double bull blinds. I like them

A little tip to remember.
Put some blaze orange on the roof if you are using it during a firearm season, otherwise other hunters won’t know you’re there.

Ameri-step has a good selection of ground blinds. They are priced more reasonable than some of the other brands, but they are excellent quality.

I was looking at the Ameristep line. With these ground blinds and mesh windows, how do you take your shot? Do the mesh windows zipper open or something?

Weekender wrote:

I was looking at the Ameristep line. With these ground blinds and mesh windows, how do you take your shot? Do the mesh windows zipper open or something?

Most windows you can shoot through. Mine Velcro out as well.
DT

I’ve been happy with the Barronett Ox 5. Enough room easily for myself and two kids. I’ll be ordering another one here shortly.

I got an Ameristep 3 person Brickhouse on clearance at Walmart last winter and used for turkey season. I only had it out for 3 days, but I really liked it for the price. Plenty of room for me and my two kids. The windows are shoot through but they way the clip in I just lowered one when I shot my turkey.

When they say “shoot through” are they talking an arrow?
I would assume it has to be a fixed broadhead, not expandable?

Seems like if the mesh was loose at all it would cause problems?

haleysgold wrote:

When they say “shoot through” are they talking an arrow?
I would assume it has to be a fixed broadhead, not expandable?

Seems like if the mesh was loose at all it would cause problems?

I’ve wondered the same. I haven’t shot through mine. I thought about trying a couple to practice, but I’ve never seen a pro on TV ever shoot through. They always have the screens down.

I put my FIL in 1 a few years back for deer hunting. Shotgun.
He asked if he needed to pull the mesh down to shoot.
Told him it was Shoot Through windows so no.
He didn’t, shot and they started on fire! He wasn’t happy with me.
So for sure they don’t mean gun so is it just for broadheads?

If you are going to spend $300 get double bull and get them on sale at Rogers sportings good. I’ve been using them since being in MN lifetime warranty and you pay shipping they fix or replace for you. Great service at Primos to get this all fixed and back to you.

You can buy a pretty darmed nice portable, collapsible ground blind for a lot less that $300. Just make sure it is a hub style, those old generation hoop style ones are not too bad to sit in, but a regal PITA to collaps and fold up.

I have to bump this thread back to the top.

Anybody know what “Shoot Through” mesh means?

When they say “shoot through” are they talking an arrow?
I would assume it has to be a fixed broadhead, not expandable?

Here is an article related to your question:

https://www.bowhuntingmag.com/editorial/shoot-ground-blind-mesh/309633

haleysgold wrote:

shot and they started on fire!

I’m guessing he had the barrel tight to the window. I have shot rifle, turkey loads and fixed blade broadheads through mine with no issues.
DT

Interesting stuff here!

Another tip. If you are going to leave the blind out through a heavy snow. Make sure you support the top/center hub somehow. Either a stick inside or a rope pulling up to a tree branch. With a wet heavy snow the top can collapse and break poles. Believe me, lived it learned that.

Just ordered a ground blind from Rogers Sporting Goods – lowest price I’ve found for the blind I wanted and free shipping to boot!!

Pete

Yesterday I finally bought a ground blind. Ended up buying the Xenek Ascent ground blind. Easy to pop up and set up, but I have no real review until we actually use it.

Question though…. do we need to wear orange while sitting inside the blind? We’ll put an orange hat on top of the blind. But what about orange requirements while sitting inside the blind?

Weekender wrote:

Question though…. do we need to wear orange while sitting inside the blind? We’ll put an orange hat on top of the blind. But what about orange requirements while sitting inside the blind?

I’m pretty sure you still need to wear the required blaze orange even if you’re in a blind. I don’t hunt from a ground blind for deer so maybe someone on here can chime in with their thoughts.

I realize I’m late to the party, but hopefully I can help for the future. In my unpopular opinion, a lot of ground blinds out there are relatively poor quality, and I’m not a fan of the poly material they are using. It is light, yes, but it is also weak, and horrible in the wind. I’m also not a big fan of some of the huge blinds coming out today. This is one area bigger is not always better.

For lower cost or portable blinds, I still like the blinds most of us started with, an Ameristep Doghouse. They are a great size for 1 person, or even 1 and a kid. 2 grown men would be a tight fit. They are cheap, really cheap if you get them on sale, which is often, fold up small, and they are light. I still have a doghouse, but it’s been a long time since I’ve used it. Nowadays if I want portable, I simply leave the blind behind.

If you are looking for an high quality blind that will actually perform as a blind, and last many years if not decades, then look at Lucky’s blinds. I’ve now got two Lucky’s blinds, and they are the best of the best. Nothing else even comes close. Both of mine are the “2 man gun blind”, except one is a 6′ an the other is a 5′ (actually 4′ 11″). They are made with a stainless steel frame, and what really blows all other blinds out of the water, they have steel rods that go across all the windows to shoot from. Sure, you could bring a shooting rest or sticks with you, but shooting off a window of a Lucky’s blind is awesome, just like a wood built stand. They are made of a strong canvas, likely cotton duck, and besides the durability, they work really well in wind. None of that high speed floppy flapping like a flag like cheap blinds. That combined with the steel frame also allows them to handle insane weather without any concern. Every other blind I ever left out all year collapsed and/or shredded to pieces in only a couple years. There’s none of that spritz of water that comes through in a heavy downpour. Once the canvas absorbs water, it is 100% weather proof, think army wall tent. The full height door is awesome for 6’5″ me, and no snagging my feet either.

That’s all good, so lets talk about the bad of a Lucky’s blind. The super easy setup and tear down, also means they don’t pack up tiny. They are like carrying around a 5′ or 6′ (blind height) long 4×4 bit of lumber. I’ve got a blind bag, and I’ve carried them up to a mile into open oak woods for turkey, but I wouldn’t recommend it. Weight is not a big deal. Even the lightest blinds out there are maybe 15 pounds. These Lucky’s blinds are around 25 pounds. If you are looking for a blind to leave out al season, or maybe carry 1/2 mile tops, then the Lucky’s blind is the best of the best. They are custom built, so you can say exactly how you want them. I got both with slide screen windows, and I’d recommend it. They work really well. I also got the slide rope windows without Velcro, which is my preference. Unless you intend to carry these more than 300 yards regularly, skip the bag. The bag works really well, but throwing a blind over my shoulder works even better for short walks. The “2 man gun blind” is not overly big at all. You could get two grown men in there, but not with excess room. I mentioned I have both a 6′, and a custom 4′ 11″. The 6′ is definitely nice to be able to stand up and stretch, but that’s not something I really do when hunting. If you are someone who hunts morning, goes in for lunch, then hunts evening, I’d get the short one. It’s actually bigger around, stouter/stronger, and it conceals way easier in the shorter brush and grass. You have to brush the heck out of the 6′ to blend it into 3′ tall prairie grass, where the 5′ just a few bundles tied to the roof and you can hardly see it.

Tim Conroy Jr. wrote:

I’ve now got two Lucky’s blinds, and they are the best of the best

I’ve got a Luckys brand blind I use for turkey hunting every spring. My Grandfather gave it to me in 2012 before he died of cancer. It’s very nice. I think it’s made in Michigan isn’t it?

Yes, hand built by Bob (the owner), and likely other employees, but he is who you talk to if you call. They are in Ubly, Michigan.

I’m usually not this diehard about one product, but this is a case where nothing else even comes close. They do cost money. If you get the bare bones basic blind, I think they were asking $300, plus I think $40 shipping. As I said, the slide screens are well worth it. The one I bought this year cost me $400 shipped to my door. It’s expensive, but when you compare to a Bull blind at $500+, a Bull blind is junk by comparison.