Build a deer-hunting ground blind

Experienced deer hunters know that that one of the secrets for a successful deer hunt is avoiding detection. The choice to hunt from a ground-blind or a tree stand should be made well before opening day, each has its advantages and disadvantages. For the hunter that opts to hunt from the same level as their quarry, success lies in building a deer-hunting ground blind that keeps the deer hunter concealed as well as sheltered.

If you think of a ground-blind like selling real estate or opening a business, you'll come to understand that the key to success is location, location, location, so let's begin there. You'll want to build your ground-blind nearby traffic, which means that you should have in-depth knowledge of every deer run, feeding spot, and hiding place in your hunting area. The only way to gain this knowledge is to spend several preseason early mornings and late evenings carefully scouting the area as carefully as you can.

What you will learn after several scouting expeditions, are the most likely habits of the deer on opening day. Deer will range over a larger area than you might expect, so don't expect them to be anywhere in particular on any given day. Do expect them to move about freely, driven by their need for safety, their favorite food, and mates when the rutting season arrives. All of these will change as the seasons change and the pressure of being hunted takes its toll.

Nevertheless, you must choose the location best suited to your level of skill, the likelihood of attracting a passing trophy buck, and your choice of hunting equipment. You location must be within the firing range of the spot where a deer is most likely to appear. It must also be a safe location, out of the range of fire from other hunters that tragically mistake any ground movement as something to snap off a shot at before checking to see if there is a human standing where they thought a deer should be.

Once you have decided, after careful preseason scouting, on the best location for your ground-blind, it's time to begin building. Like pre-season scouting, it's a good idea to have your ground-blind completely constructed in advance of the season's opening day. There are several different types of inexpensive ground-blinds that can be purchased from your nearby sporting goods store, or you can opt to build one using any available materials. You may have seen ground-blinds built entirely from tarps and canvas. Other hunters may prefer to cut and gather fallen trees and branches to build a more natural looking blind. The choice is entirely up to you and the amount of time and labor you have available to put into building it.

If building a ground-blind from tarps is your choice, you'll have to carry in all the necessary building materials and get the blind constructed at least a week in advance of the deer hunting season. When building it, depending on your location and the weather, you can consider making it large enough and comfortable enough for staying warm, dry and comfortably seated. You'll want the blind to appear as natural as possible while having at around 270-degrees of vision.

You can use a tarp for a roof to help keep the rain, frost and snow off by building the sides with cross-members strong enough to support the weight. The roof should also be build in a way that it will drain somewhere other than on you. You must stay dry and warm while hunting, so if you ever find yourself getting wet or damp, call it a day and head back to camp.

The floor of your ground-blind is more important than you might think. You need to keep the floor free of debris such as twigs and leaves. Don't drop your high-protein snack bar wrappers down there, either. A nice addition to have on the floor is a solid foot-rest. You can use an old section of a log for a foot rest. Remember that keeping your ground-blind as natural as possible is important.

The walls of your ground-blind should be build to shelter your from the prevailing winds and still provide the degree of visual freedom that you need to keep the deer in sight. If you have to face into the wind, or the sun for that matter, to spot your deer in the vicinity of the most likely location, you haven't chosen the right location. Find a location where you are sheltered from wind and sun as well as having a clear view of approaching deer.

You should build your ground-blind with your hunting rifle or bow in mind, as well. Make it large enough to allow sufficient freedom of movement raise and lower your gun or bow easily and quietly. Add a peg or a hook of some type to rest your gun on so that you aren't supporting its weight all the while you are in the stand. You can also build a shelf for holding such things as your buck-call, antlers, binoculars and thermos of steaming hot coffee.

Finally, one important consideration for building your ground-blind is to provide yourself with a comfortable seat and backrest. Maintaining a comfortable position will reduce fatigue and increase your endurance. It is important that you support your back, as you are likely to be dressed in layers of heavy clothing during the early morning hours. If you keep these suggestions in mind when building your deer hunting ground-blind, you will be more comfortable, more alert deer hunter throughout the coming deer season.

Published September 20, 2010

Build a deer-hunting ground blind