Bowhunting can be an exciting and challenging sport, especially when it comes to getting close enough to an animal to shoot accurately. Bowhunters often spend hours scouting, hanging tree stands, and putting up permanent box blinds to increase their chances of success.
However, many hunters are now turning to portable ground blinds for a more versatile hunting experience.
Ground blinds have many advantages for bowhunting, including better concealment, more room to draw a bow, and protection from the elements. With the right setup and placement, a ground blind can provide the perfect scenario to close the deal on a trophy buck.
In this article, we will provide tips and tricks for successful bowhunting in a ground blind.
Choose The Right Ground Blind
One of the most common excuses for not using a ground blind is not having enough room to draw a bow correctly and make the shot. To shoot a bow correctly in a ground blind, you need to have the right setup.
Firstly, it is essential to choose a ground blind that has plenty of room horizontally and vertically. The hunter needs to have space to fit a chair, all their gear, and enough room to draw their bow to full draw without hitting or rubbing against the blind.
If there is not adequate room, one can spook deer by hitting the blind while trying to draw or, even worse, having interference that may cause a poor shot that could wound an animal or make the hunter miss entirely.
The RHINO Blinds R150 is an excellent choice of ground blind for the bowhunter. The RHINO Blinds R150 is rated as a three-person ground blind with a 73” by 73” shooting width, 58” x 58” footprint, and a standing height of 66”.
The large area of the RHINO Blinds R150 makes it ideal for the bowhunter to have more than enough room to draw and shoot without any deflections. Another great feature of the RHINO Blinds R150 is the two full-width panoramic windows of one-way see-through mesh.
The sizable see-through mesh window allows the hunter a wider field of view of their surroundings, allowing them to know the exact time to draw on a deer when approaching.
Secondly, using a bow with a smaller axle to axle measurement or a crossbow can ensure more room for movement. Shooting a bow from a blind narrows room for movement, so it is vital to use a bow that is easy to maneuver.
I use the Bear Archery Whitetail Legend bow for hunting inside of ground blinds. The Whitetail Legend has excellent maneuverability by featuring a 32” axle-to-axle measurement. With the smaller height bow, I can move around in the blind to get into position for the shot without bumping the blind.
Lastly, a well-illuminated sight like the Apex Gear MAGNITUDE series can help with peep sight alignment and visibility in a dark blind.
The MAGNITUDE five-pin sight features the PRO-BRITE pin design that increases brightness without crowding the sight picture.
A shooter’s ring design has better peep sight alignment and glow-in-the-dark visibility, perfect for shooting inside of a dark blind.
Placement of Ground Blind
Placing a ground blind in the right location is essential for bowhunting. To guarantee the blind is in the correct position, use a range finder and place the blind near objects or areas where deer will be.
As a rule of thumb, most bowhunters have an accurate shooting range of forty yards or less. Many of today’s bowhunters can shoot accurately at farther distances, yet it is forty yards or less on average.
Natural areas such as travel, water, and food sources can help narrow down where deer will travel within forty yards or less. When setting up a ground blind for bowhunting, it is important to find these natural areas and narrow down where deer will travel within bow range.
For example, look for the entrance and exit points of food sources or the most popular point of a water source. Additionally, look for natural barriers like a log or a fence that narrows down a deer’s travel route.
These areas are perfect for setting up a ground blind as they increase your chances of getting within range of a deer.
Another great way to attract deer within the shooting range of a blind is by using attractants such as deer decoys, deer scents, and mock scrapes. Deer decoys can help lure deer within range, especially if they are placed correctly.
When setting up a decoy, use a rangefinder to range exactly twenty yards from the blind, then place the decoy into position. By having a decoy at twenty yards, you know when a deer gets near the decoy, it is well within comfortable shooting range.
Using deer scents can also help attract deer within range. On many occasions, I have used scents such as Buck Bombs 2 Hot Does liquid that comes with a scent wick to hang on a tree limb or brush nearby the hunting area.
Another attractant to draw deer within a specific range is Doe in Estrus, used with a Scent Hammock over a mock scrape. Either scent choice gives a specific location for a deer to come.
However, it is important to note that attractants should be used carefully and sparingly. Overuse of attractants can cause deer to become wary and suspicious, making it harder to attract them to your blind.
Other Tips and Tricks for Successful Bowhunting in a Ground Blind
Aside from having the proper bow and setup and placing the ground blind in the right location, there are other tips and tricks that can increase your chances of success when bowhunting in a ground blind.
One of the most important things to remember when using a ground blind is to practice shooting from it. Shooting from a ground blind can be different from shooting on an open range, so it is important to practice shooting from different positions and angles.
This will help you become more comfortable and confident when taking a shot from the blind.
Another important tip is to ensure that the ground around the blind is clear of any obstacles. Clearing the ground of any debris or twigs can reduce the noise when moving around the blind and help prevent you from accidentally hitting anything when drawing your bow.
Additionally, it is important to remember to stay quiet and still when in the blind. Any sudden movements or noises can spook nearby deer, causing them to flee before you have a chance to take a shot.
Conclusion
Bowhunting in a ground blind can be a thrilling and successful experience when done correctly. By having the proper bow and setup, placing the ground blind in the right location, and using attractants carefully, bowhunters can increase their chances of getting within range of a deer.
Additionally, practicing shooting from the blind, clearing the ground around the blind, and staying quiet and still can also help increase your chances of success. Remember, taking the time and effort to prepare for a ground blind hunt can result in the perfect scenario to close the deal on a trophy buck.
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Avoid These Common Mistakes When Bow Hunting From Ground Blinds