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Best Ground Blind Ever?

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April 13, 2012

Best Ground Blind Ever?

By Scott Bestul

After three decades of hunting from elevated stands, I’m learning to come down from the trees. I’ve been using ground blinds for deer — with varying degrees of success — in the last few seasons, mainly when taking my kids with me to the deer woods.

While I love the portability and easy setup of most pop-up blinds, they have their drawbacks. In my experience, the blind has to be out there for a while so deer can get used to its presence. Otherwise, they can get pretty jumpy. Or the setup has to be near perfect: Plenty of brushing in and other prep to camouflage the game-spooking silhouette of most blinds.

So I perked right up when a bowhunting buddy from Alaska tipped me off to the Nature Blind. Designed by a Hollywood set designer, the Nature Blind mimics a gnarly old tree trunk that, I’m convinced, would hoodwink any whitetail. The thing looks darn comfy (it has a carpeted floor, insulated walls, plenty of shooting windows, and can hold 2-3 people comfortably), appears weatherproof, and seems to have all the hunter-friendly features you’d expect in a quality blind.

Of course, no product is perfect. The Nature Blind weighs 300 pounds, which means that moving the thing requires at least a couple helpers and — at minimum — an ATV with a trailer. Oh yes, and then there’s the $3,500 price tag. The only way I’m going to own one of these is if Hurteau gives me a massive raise, or if I find that wealthy, ailing uncle we’re all searching for. Sigh … Guess I’ll just keep zip-tying branches to my pop-up model.

 

Comments (17)

Top Rated
All Comments
from Happy Myles wrote 1 year 9 weeks ago

Saw one these blinds in the flesh at the Dallas Safari Club shindig. Expected a gnome or a hobbit to pop out of it.

+3 Good Comment? | | Report
from larson014 wrote 1 year 9 weeks ago

old barn wood looks rustic enough for me and fits right in there into the woods, Ive also hunted in an all white painted plywood blind, and the deer payed little or no attention to it...

0 Good Comment? | | Report
from bruisedsausage wrote 1 year 9 weeks ago

I bet it 'wood' work wonderfully. Years back I found a massive old cedar stump just about the same size as that and decided to crawl into it. After about 30 minutes a black bear came down the trail and I think was getting ready to crawl in with me. He was about 10 ft away and closing fast when I gave him s shout. He peeled away back the direction he came. $3500 is a bit steep though. Seems like someone could design and sell something similar for much less.

0 Good Comment? | | Report
from Walt Smith wrote 1 year 9 weeks ago

I bet it would take a couple years for deer to completly forget about it, I have a vynal sided deer blind that they walk past and pay no attention to and its clay with white trim. didn't cost 3500 either.

0 Good Comment? | | Report
from buckhunter wrote 1 year 9 weeks ago

Would have to be a little more portable for me to consider.

0 Good Comment? | | Report
from jhjimbo wrote 1 year 9 weeks ago

the pop open ground blinds and single chair blinds work
great. while in a pop open i called in an 8pt to a 10yd X bow shot and he never looked at the blind.
the chair blind is easy to set up and change locations if necessary. works with either gun or X bow
on the other hand, by Traverse City on opening day my spot was taken so i had to find another spot in the dark. i wound up with a 200yd left or 300yd right possible shot. not to worry with my .300Wby. the ten point showed up about 40yd right in front of me 15min after the season opened. i was right out in the open on a slight
rise. the deer never saw me and naturally the .300Wby did the job. hoping for not too much meat loss, i made
it a heart shot.
given the choice though i will choose the blind any day
over being in the open.

0 Good Comment? | | Report
from Sayfu wrote 1 year 8 weeks ago

IO can imagine a couple of yokuls coming back from an unnproductive day of hunting, and one say to the other,"let's see you put a couple of rounds through that old stump."

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from RockySquirrel wrote 1 year 8 weeks ago

I have seem this particular one at an outdoor show. LOOKS GREAT! SMELLS OF PLASTIC.

0 Good Comment? | | Report
from clintofio wrote 1 year 8 weeks ago

Hi, I work for Nature Blinds and appreciate the writeup!

To answer some of the comments:

1) Yes it's not cheap, nor portable, but it's not competing with portable solutions per se, but rather with high-end fully-enclosed box blinds of which the nice ones (Ranch King, etc...) are also not cheap, nor portable. Ours just looks like a tree instead of a giant box.

2) The TreeBlind is our first product of 7 patents we have developed and will be releasing the next 12 months. We do have some coming that will be in the 5-15 pound, and $100-300 price range for those of you that need something to carry with you in the field.

0 Good Comment? | | Report
from jamesti wrote 1 year 8 weeks ago

way too heavy and way too expensive for me!

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from Clay Cooper wrote 1 year 8 weeks ago

Ditto's jamesti

MSRP $3,450, I can make my own!

0 Good Comment? | | Report
from RipperIII wrote 1 year 8 weeks ago

best blind i ever hunted out of was an old abandoned shack.
Pretty much waterproof, fairly comfy with spectacular views!

All the other hunters walked right by it heading to food plots, by passing a few fruit trees, tangles of muscadine and honeysuckle to say the least of two stately old oaks.

I only got the chance to hunt it one day, and although I didn't shoot anything, I saw as many or more deer than the guys on the plots.

0 Good Comment? | | Report
from RipperIII wrote 1 year 8 weeks ago

Five years ago, as a rookie hunter, I positioned a pop-up blind along a field edge equa-distant between two persimmon trees. I did not brush it in, it was plainly visible.
First day of bow season I had a nice buck, close to 120" waltz right up to the blind at a distance of 10yds.
I had tossed out two cotton balls drenched in scent, buck urine and doe urine.
That buck walked back and forth between those two cotton balls, then looked at me and took several steps toward me, I thought he might stick his head inside the blind!
he eventually walked on off into the woods, being a rookie, I thought he was too young, and I thought hunting would be this easy everytime...I was wrong on both counts.
Then first day of turkey season, same blind I called in a gobbler to with in 10 feet while I was fiddling with a cheap pot call trying to figure out how to make it work.
Again, I didn't shoot...thought he was a jake, another rookie mistake.
I love blinds on the ground, the blind that I mention saw a lot of action, must have been dumb luck on my part.

0 Good Comment? | | Report
from scratchgolf72 wrote 1 year 8 weeks ago

carpet floor, insulated walls....thats not hunting. hunting isnt meant to be comfortable, these things just cater to those that cant handle being out in the rain and snow.

-1 Good Comment? | | Report
from ENO wrote 1 year 8 weeks ago

I'm not an expert on these things but I can't help but wonder if that blind is designed to lure in hunters rather than deer. But if their giving them away I would like the two story version.

0 Good Comment? | | Report
from RES1956 wrote 1 year 8 weeks ago

Aw Scratch,
When you get old and fat and smart like some of us, you'll appreciate a comfortable hide,,,, (LOL)

+2 Good Comment? | | Report
from scratchgolf72 wrote 1 year 8 weeks ago

maybe someday RES...but for now ill stick with leaning against a tree.

0 Good Comment? | | Report

Post a Comment

from Happy Myles wrote 1 year 9 weeks ago

Saw one these blinds in the flesh at the Dallas Safari Club shindig. Expected a gnome or a hobbit to pop out of it.

+3 Good Comment? | | Report
from RES1956 wrote 1 year 8 weeks ago

Aw Scratch,
When you get old and fat and smart like some of us, you'll appreciate a comfortable hide,,,, (LOL)

+2 Good Comment? | | Report
from Sayfu wrote 1 year 8 weeks ago

IO can imagine a couple of yokuls coming back from an unnproductive day of hunting, and one say to the other,"let's see you put a couple of rounds through that old stump."

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from jamesti wrote 1 year 8 weeks ago

way too heavy and way too expensive for me!

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from larson014 wrote 1 year 9 weeks ago

old barn wood looks rustic enough for me and fits right in there into the woods, Ive also hunted in an all white painted plywood blind, and the deer payed little or no attention to it...

0 Good Comment? | | Report
from bruisedsausage wrote 1 year 9 weeks ago

I bet it 'wood' work wonderfully. Years back I found a massive old cedar stump just about the same size as that and decided to crawl into it. After about 30 minutes a black bear came down the trail and I think was getting ready to crawl in with me. He was about 10 ft away and closing fast when I gave him s shout. He peeled away back the direction he came. $3500 is a bit steep though. Seems like someone could design and sell something similar for much less.

0 Good Comment? | | Report
from Walt Smith wrote 1 year 9 weeks ago

I bet it would take a couple years for deer to completly forget about it, I have a vynal sided deer blind that they walk past and pay no attention to and its clay with white trim. didn't cost 3500 either.

0 Good Comment? | | Report
from buckhunter wrote 1 year 9 weeks ago

Would have to be a little more portable for me to consider.

0 Good Comment? | | Report
from jhjimbo wrote 1 year 9 weeks ago

the pop open ground blinds and single chair blinds work
great. while in a pop open i called in an 8pt to a 10yd X bow shot and he never looked at the blind.
the chair blind is easy to set up and change locations if necessary. works with either gun or X bow
on the other hand, by Traverse City on opening day my spot was taken so i had to find another spot in the dark. i wound up with a 200yd left or 300yd right possible shot. not to worry with my .300Wby. the ten point showed up about 40yd right in front of me 15min after the season opened. i was right out in the open on a slight
rise. the deer never saw me and naturally the .300Wby did the job. hoping for not too much meat loss, i made
it a heart shot.
given the choice though i will choose the blind any day
over being in the open.

0 Good Comment? | | Report
from RockySquirrel wrote 1 year 8 weeks ago

I have seem this particular one at an outdoor show. LOOKS GREAT! SMELLS OF PLASTIC.

0 Good Comment? | | Report
from clintofio wrote 1 year 8 weeks ago

Hi, I work for Nature Blinds and appreciate the writeup!

To answer some of the comments:

1) Yes it's not cheap, nor portable, but it's not competing with portable solutions per se, but rather with high-end fully-enclosed box blinds of which the nice ones (Ranch King, etc...) are also not cheap, nor portable. Ours just looks like a tree instead of a giant box.

2) The TreeBlind is our first product of 7 patents we have developed and will be releasing the next 12 months. We do have some coming that will be in the 5-15 pound, and $100-300 price range for those of you that need something to carry with you in the field.

0 Good Comment? | | Report
from Clay Cooper wrote 1 year 8 weeks ago

Ditto's jamesti

MSRP $3,450, I can make my own!

0 Good Comment? | | Report
from RipperIII wrote 1 year 8 weeks ago

best blind i ever hunted out of was an old abandoned shack.
Pretty much waterproof, fairly comfy with spectacular views!

All the other hunters walked right by it heading to food plots, by passing a few fruit trees, tangles of muscadine and honeysuckle to say the least of two stately old oaks.

I only got the chance to hunt it one day, and although I didn't shoot anything, I saw as many or more deer than the guys on the plots.

0 Good Comment? | | Report
from RipperIII wrote 1 year 8 weeks ago

Five years ago, as a rookie hunter, I positioned a pop-up blind along a field edge equa-distant between two persimmon trees. I did not brush it in, it was plainly visible.
First day of bow season I had a nice buck, close to 120" waltz right up to the blind at a distance of 10yds.
I had tossed out two cotton balls drenched in scent, buck urine and doe urine.
That buck walked back and forth between those two cotton balls, then looked at me and took several steps toward me, I thought he might stick his head inside the blind!
he eventually walked on off into the woods, being a rookie, I thought he was too young, and I thought hunting would be this easy everytime...I was wrong on both counts.
Then first day of turkey season, same blind I called in a gobbler to with in 10 feet while I was fiddling with a cheap pot call trying to figure out how to make it work.
Again, I didn't shoot...thought he was a jake, another rookie mistake.
I love blinds on the ground, the blind that I mention saw a lot of action, must have been dumb luck on my part.

0 Good Comment? | | Report
from ENO wrote 1 year 8 weeks ago

I'm not an expert on these things but I can't help but wonder if that blind is designed to lure in hunters rather than deer. But if their giving them away I would like the two story version.

0 Good Comment? | | Report
from scratchgolf72 wrote 1 year 8 weeks ago

maybe someday RES...but for now ill stick with leaning against a tree.

0 Good Comment? | | Report
from scratchgolf72 wrote 1 year 8 weeks ago

carpet floor, insulated walls....thats not hunting. hunting isnt meant to be comfortable, these things just cater to those that cant handle being out in the rain and snow.

-1 Good Comment? | | Report

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