Bowhunting the West by John Maynard

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John Maynard
Blinds Are The Wave Of The Future For Bowhunters!

With more and more deer looking upward for danger and with the fantastic eyesight of turkeys, ground blinds seem to be the wave of the future for bowhunters. And, in fact, I am convinced they are the only way to successfully bowhunt turkeys. 

Ground blinds are not new, they've been around for years. But lately several manufacturer's have designed newer, quick set-up blinds that are light weight and easy to carry into the woods. 

There are several things you want to look for in a good ground blind. 

  1. It must be totally enclosed so that it is dark inside. This allows you to move, especially drawing your bow, without being seen. Shoot over and shoot around blinds are not the best kind to buy.
  2. The shooting ports should be large enough to allow you to aim comfortably and see well, and they should also be long enough so that you can see through them while standing, or sitting.
  3. The blind should be large enough so that you can draw your bow without hitting the sides of the blind. You may also want to get one large enough that a friend, youngster, or wife can sit in it with you.
  4. The blind should be light weight for ease of carrying and quick to set-up when the need arises.
  5. The blind should be made of a material that is quiet in the field both in set-up and if you should accidentally brush against the edge while moving around.
  6. The blind should have a camo pattern that will blend in well with the area you hunt.
There are several advantages of ground blinds over tree stands or just some brush piled up. First of all, you can get away with a lot of movement; They are waterproof so you can hunt in bad weather and still stay comfortable and dry; and a blind helps contain your scent. 

I have used blinds for several years and have had deer and turkeys walk right up to them with no fear at all even though they may have only been put out in that spot and hour or two before. 

I've done a lot of research on blinds over the past few years and here's a few of them I would recommend. I'm sure there are others, but these are my personal favorites along with their internet site URL's. 

Lucky's Blinds  http://www.jcshc.com/luckystentco.htm 
Buddy Blind      http://www.specialtyarch.com 
ICE blinds        http://www.goldencoyote.com/ice.htm 
Shelter-Pro       http://www.glmerc.com 

You might want to take a look at any or all of these and ask them for a catalog and then pick what best suits your needs and the area you hunt. Blinds are safer to hunt from, much more comfortable, as effective as any tree stand, and THEY WORK. Good luck!

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