Ground Blind Question

[russm86]

I got a ground blind for Christmas last year, it is an Ameristep Brotherhood I think, and was thinking about setting it up for bow season as I have an area I found last fall that has a few real nice big bucks and a number of small bucks and I believe there are a couple pinch points they tend to travel through that I could set the blind up within bow range of. Anyways, my question is, will the deer notice that something is different or off when I set it up and if so, will they care? I don't trust people so I don't really want to set it up ahead of time and just leave it there as it sounds like asking for trouble but if I set it up each morning before daylight are the deer going to notice it and avoid the area then? It is not a wide open field but it is a cut block but however there are rolling hills and stands of trees and a log landing with some unburnt slash piles. My thought was if I set it up between or near the slash piles it may not be so noticeable? There is no vehicle access into the cut block and it isn't really visible from the road as it is on the top of a plateau and they used a skidder to drag the logs down a few hundred yards to the nearest road and then tore everything up pretty good but I don't know that I'm the only person that has been in there so as I said I don't know that I feel safe leaving a blind set up for any length of time. Anyone have experience with setting up and taking down tent style ground blinds on a daily basis and have some success?

[BigfishCanada]

Ive seen people build wooden/branch stands that there nice blind can sit in once hunting season comes along. I know when im in my blind its easy to see that deer look right at me as if I was new to the area

[blaine]

I have had success with setting up my blind when I first get to my hunting area, and then covering up my blind with branches and grasses from the area and leaving it alone for a few days, Mind you I set it up a little farther back because I don't hunt with sharp sticks.

[Ry151]

I would be concerned about the smell most of all. I leave mine set up in mid july to air out and the animals to get use to it. Every year elk poke holes in it and stomp on it but the *******s never do it when im around.

[hare_assassin]

Hi Russ,

That area you are describing sounds very familiar. :D

I bought a ground blind and used it last season a bit. I found it to be very effective. I set it up and took it down each time I used it. Mule deer didn't seem to care about it at all, but I generally hunt for the dumb ones (not big, smart bucks). I ended up taking a buck from that blind, although it was way beyond the reach of a bow. I had other animals come quite close and not seem to really care about the blind (including crows and coyotes which are typically very wary). Getting in and set up before daybreak helps, of course.