A curious yearling slowly wandered closer, ears pitched forward, trying to make sense of the unusual brown blob. I ignored the deer, focusing instead on larger ones farther away - my mistake.
At some point during its stroll the deer must have whiffed my scent.
Blowing an alarm snort, the yearling spun and bolted across the field prompting the entire 100 head of surrounding deer to thunder away.
Oh well, I thought, that was exciting.
It was also extremely frustrating.
Being so close to that many deer and not being able to take a shot was disconcerting. As I sat scanning the animals, I willed them to come closer. But my Vulcan mind meld, a la Spock from the Starship Enterprise, must have been on the fritz.
The deer stayed consistently out of range, as if they knew who was sitting in the blind.
I really had no one to blame but myself, though. If the blind had been sitting in the same place for a day or more, the deer would have been much more comfortable with its presence and, in all likelihood, would have gotten closer .
.. probably.
There's still the issue of scent to deal with, though, and, let's face it, someone who's been hunting a few days isn't always fresh as a daisy.
My hunting partner, T.J.
Smith of Billings, had supplied the blind as well as provided me with access to the ranch we were hunting. Smith said that after the blinds have set out in the field for a few days, he's had deer walk within 10 feet of them. And, obviously, rifle hunters would have little problem making a shot from where I was situated.
At 70 yards and broadside, it was a target even I couldn't miss with a rifle.
There are numerous pop-up blinds on the market these days, ranging in cost from about 75 on up to 400 or more. The difference in price is reflected in the differing features.
The number of windows, the blind's size, the durability of the tent material, what the poles are made of and whether or not the blind has a carbon scent-elimination liner. All these features can add to the blind's price. Some even have a reversible tent fabric offering different camouflage designs.
One thing they all have in common is that they set up quickly and, because of their relatively light weight (anywhere from 12 to 18 pounds), they can easily be moved.
A versatile blind can provide a hunter with a variety of opportunities. Archers can use them in combination with decoys to hunt antelope, deer and elk.
Rifle hunters can also use them for the same species. Some blinds are specially made for turkey and waterfowl hunters. They also allow wildlife photographers and filmmakers, amateur or professional, as well as birdwatchers an opportunity to get closer to wildlife and observe them without worrying about scaring the animals with their movement.
Blinds also offer a great opportunity for young hunters, and nonhunters, to get close to wildlife. And children seem to like the fact that blinds are like little houses, or maybe playhouses.
The blind I was using, made by Double Bull Blinds, offered camouflaged mesh window covers that allow the hunter to look out, but animals can't see in.
Archers, or rifle hunters, can shoot right through the mesh. The mesh is replaceable.
I found, however, that looking through the mesh too long gave me a headache.
Everything appeared out of focus. My eyes' attempts to make the view sharp strained my brain. The windows do open, but then you risk having the animals see you.
The first day, I couldn't stand the view and had to open some of the windows. The second day, I tried not to look through the mesh as much, or opted to look through with binoculars or a rangefinder.
For a lot of hunters, the idea of sitting in a blind for hours on end may seem downright boring.
I must admit, when I hunt I'm not much for sitting. I like to be on the move, in spite of the fact that I know that's how most animals will spot me - by my movement. But I did like being able to sit in relative comfort and observe the animals.
Besides deer, I saw a roly-poly porcupine waddle across the field, a hawk hunting gophers, a coyote chasing a mule deer and geese move across the horizon at sunset. I even took a short snooze. If I had a larger camera lens, I could've spent hours taking photos from the blind.
Whether all of these benefits make such an investment seem worthwhile is up to each hunter to decide. But if you do buy one, consider that placement of the blind is like purchasing a home - location is everything.
Brett French can be reached at or at 657-1387.
Published on Thursday, October 26, 2006.
Last modified on 10/26/2006 at 12:49 am
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Billings bowhunter Dave Deming hasn't found a species yet that couldn't be hunted from a ground blind, including African game animals, waterfowl, turkeys and predators.
"Depending on what species we're hunting, we've had a lot of success with same-day setups," Deming said.
Deming is on the pro staff for Double Bull Archery blinds, based in Minnesota.
He's been hunting from ground blinds since 1997, and in that time, he says the structures have consistently improved in quality and performance and helped him take game.
"My average shot from a blind is less than 20 yards," he said.
- Whitetail tend to be the most spooky about same-day setups.
To help camouflage a blind in whitetail country, Deming advises using natural vegetation to hide the structures. For example, tucking the blind under a large fir tree, after trimming out some of the branches, hides the structures well. Use the cut branches to disguise the front of the blind.
- Wear black clothing inside the blind, including a face mask and gloves, to disguise your movements.
- Deming is partial to blinds with the Predator pattern. He said in black and white photos of blinds (most game animals don't see in color like humans), the Predator pattern tends to be less visible.
- Before buying a blind, Deming advises hunters to consider what they plan to hunt, where they'll hunt and how much money they want to spend.
- Blinds are a good alternative to tree stands, since they are more comfortable, help keep the weather off and can hold large-bodied hunters. Plus, they're safer.
"I've never fallen out of a blind," Deming said. "And there's times I'll sit in a blind for six hours. You couldn't do that in a tree stand.
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- When turkey hunting from a blind, set the decoys only 5 to 7 yards in front of the blind.
- When deer hunting with decoys, set the decoy upwind from the blind so the buck will circle past the blind to catch the decoy's scent.
- Even though a blind traps a lot of a hunter's scent, Deming still sprays his clothes and the blind with scent eliminator.
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