I'm getting to the point in my life where I don't want to climb a tree unless I have to. It hurts on the way up, it hurts on the way down and it hurts to sit stock still for any real length of time.

I hunt hogs more than anything else but the premise is the same. I want to spend time in the woods but I don't want to climb up and down trees anymore. Sitting on the ground is okay but I can't sit still for hours on end. Making a blind from brush is okay but I can't sit through inclement weather in one and be comfortable.

I'm a little scared to leave a ground blind long enough for deer to get used to it as I hunt on public land and things seem to go missing if left out there. Does anyone do same day setups and still connect with decent deer? If not, how do you keep the blind there? Brush it in? Not brush it in?

I would really like to be able to sit comfortably in any weather and stay all day even if that entails a nap or two during the day.

I have had pretty good luck from ground blinds the last few years...I usually set them up and do some tree/limb trimming and then brush them in real well to help blend in(can't hurt)..I don't hunt public land so I understand not wanting to leave it as it may disappear therefore other than leaving a day or 2 brushing in may not be easy if you have to do it everytime..like you my knees as well as vein and circulation problems in my legs make it rough...plus every hour or so I need to stand or wiggle around to keep the body parts from going numb.

I hear you brother.
Getting ok sux!!

I haven't hunted a lot from ground blinds, but we did have a natural ground blind built on one of my leases. Basically it was limbs/logs/etc across between 2 trees stacked high enough to conceal up to shoulder height when sitting in a folding chair. Worked well, and I would wear my leafy ASAT suit when I hunted it, but this option obviously doesn't address the all-weather requirement.

I've been looking at an Ameristep "Tent Chair" blind to use as a run and gun setup to hunt some roads and firebreaks that don't have climbable trees available. 10 pounds with integrated chair. Seems like an interesting idea since its compact and can take in and out with you. BUT, that also leaves the concern about spooking deer without letting them get used to it.

I've had some public land success with a ground blind. Its much quieter and quicker for me to set than a climber. The biggest con is not being able to see as far (obviously). What I do is set the ground blind up in the back yard for a day or two before my hunt to let it air out. I've had deer notice the blind, but they still came within bow range. They are more cautious, but they don't avoid it like you would think.

As SG said above, the only issue that I have had is sight distance due to not being elevated. I have never bothered brushing them in or anything and have had no problems. I don't archery hunt from them only gun hunt; so I don't need the animal within 30 yards.

The best part is you can use a comfortable folding camp chair and being able to stand up every 30 mins, allows me to sit as long as I want. They are much warmer, just because they block the wind.

Thanks for the info guys. Dicks has Ameristep Doghouse on sale for $55 so I got one. I figured at that price, I could afford to try it out.

I guess it would be cheating if I put a bunch of long range ir motion detectors around with a silent alert?

I know a place where there is a little drain 70-80 yards wide between two big 4 year old clearcuts. I can see 200 yards down the drain through the mature oaks the loggers left. Both clearcuts are used by deer and hogs.

Now I just need to hire two men and a truck to haul a lazy boy recliner 1100 yards into the woods up a hill.

Killed several deer from ground blinds. Just locate in the areas that will allow you to brush them in and look natural in the habitat. I have deer walk within a foot of my blind and never had a clue that I was in there. Go ahead and spend the money and get you a comfortable swivel seat and for me the biggest thing was practice shooting from your blind. Especially get comfortable drawing your bow. I will never forget the first time I drew back and stuck my broadhead through the roof of my Double Bull.

One additional suggestion: Carry shooting sticks or a tripod rest with you. It is hard to hold a rifle steady from a ground blind unless you have a prop.

I had a 4pt come up and stick his head in the window out of curiosity the morning my son and I set it up. It was hilarious when he stuck his head in and realized there were people in it.

x2 on the shooting stick.

Motivated Movers might be able to hook you up.

Jeremy

Awesome!

I used a ground blind a lot the last few years because my kids were with me a lot. They both killed their first deer from one and I killed a couple myself.

I have killed deer, turkey, crows, and hogs from my Double Bull blinds on same day setups. Turkey and hogs are easy. For deer and crows, I have to really camo the blind up a lot. But, it will work. It just takes time and some good hedge clippers, time, and some paracord to camo it up good.

We have made ground blinds out of old shipping pallets. Paint them and brush them in. We do it at the base of a tree with as many as three pallets together. Large hinges hold them together and allow for adjustment. Re-bar stobs hold them in place.

Just sit it up and hunt I've killed a bunch of deer out of mine toting it on public land an hunting out of it. I've yet to have a deer spook. I've killed about 9 deer out of it in the last couple years and they were all within 60 yards.they dont ever pay it any attention

Thanks for the replies. I'm looking forward to trying it out.

I have never killed a deer from a pop-up blind.I own three and have had no success but have killed a lot of deer from ground blinds I have made from natural surroundings.

I just can't stand sitting in one in the woods. You have so many blind spots that I always feel like I'm missing something. Don't mind them on roadbeds, fields, etc