Brushing In Ground Blinds

[rtp]

Does anyone hunt out of a ground blind that is not brushed in?

Never have. Most of the time there are deer within 10 yards of it the same day I set it up. I have hunted mostly working cattle ranches and farms so the deer are used to inanimate objects appearing and disappearing in their range and dont ever seem to concerned about it. I usually put them up and hunt them the next day without any problem.

[Casey]

I'd like to set one up and hunt it same day to gauge reactions. Sounds like some of you are saying brushing it in is completely unnecessary regardless of how soon after setting it up you climb in.

[Bowhica]

2 weeks ago I set up a blind around 10 am and sat in it for the evening hunt. They walked in all around the blind and half the deer looked at it and the rest could care less. These deer aren't really pressured so I didn't expect any to jet on me. And they didn't.

[Gladesgator]

I have never brushed in a pop up and have used them, like that in FL,TX,AL,ID and SC deer never paid any attention to them after the first two minutes of them seeing the blind for the first time.

[76aggie]

I used to really work hard at brushing in pop up blinds except for when hunting turkeys. But, I tend to leave pop ups in the field from before bow season till the end of the general season as I bow hunt all season long. Every pop up I had turned "pink" by the end of the season and I got tired of buying them every year. I started making my own bow "box" blinds. I get much, much more use out of them than I ever did with pop ups and the deer pay no attention to them after a short while. I try to put new ones out in early spring and get years of use. No brushing in at all other than any natural brush close by and works like a charm.

[catslayer]

Have 4, none brushed In

Well one kinda is it just is in a more covered spot... had deer walk hand distance away

[Shane]

I'd like to set one up and hunt it same day to gauge reactions. Sounds like some of you are saying brushing it in is completely unnecessary regardless of how soon after setting it up you climb in.

It's never been an issue for me at all. What IS an issue is the window(s). If you set it up and have all the window flaps shut and leave them camo color, and then you show up to hunt and open a window so there's a new black hole in the blind, the deer always shy away from that. It freaks them out when a black hole suddenly appears. I just paint my window flaps with flat black spray paint so they're always black, whether they're open or closed. Deer don't pay any attention to them then. They just need to get used to seeing the same thing every day.

[Shane]

I do prefer to set them up under trees to get them in the shade though. Lots cooler to sit in that way.

[Lajita]

We don’t. Most deer are smart enough that they will know the blind is there even if it is brushed in.

[trophy8]

I'd like to set one up and hunt it same day to gauge reactions. Sounds like some of you are saying brushing it in is completely unnecessary regardless of how soon after setting it up you climb in.

I try to set them out in late August or early September if I expect the bigger bucks to show themselves opening day. Usually it doesn't seem to bother them at all.

[dfkoon]

I do not brush mine in. Usually back up against brush though. At least have a tree near it.

Oh, and my current blinds are now more pink than camo color due to age. Don't think that really hurts them either

[bpa556]

Yes


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[sqiggy]

I'd like to set one up and hunt it same day to gauge reactions. Sounds like some of you are saying brushing it in is completely unnecessary regardless of how soon after setting it up you climb in.

Several years ago, my son drew a doe/spike hunt at Gus Engling WMA. I set up the double bull on the edge of a field, about a 5 acre patch. The hunt started just after 12 noon. We hadn't been in the blind 15 minutes when a 8 point walks by at 35 yds. Never even looked our way. Seen another buck later that day. Next morning and last day of hunt, doe steps out on far end and makes a bee line to our blind. I finally told him to shoot her when she was 35 yds out. 15 minutes later, same thing. Shot #2 doe at 40 yds out.
The next year, we drew the same hunt except it's a either sex hunt. Got same compartment and went to same field. But this time, I brushed it in. The deer that came in, freaked out. Didn't kill anything on that hunt. That was the last time I will ever brush one in.
Drew a hunt at Keechi Creek. Put blind up and left for the day. Came back next morning and my son shot a doe. She never even looked our way.

[ByronB]

If I use a pop-up and leave it out during the season I would brush it in. My Krivoman is not brushed in. My son arrowed a doe this season from my Double Bull we set up in the dark one morning. We had deer feeding in front of the blind at ten yards. Shot a doe at 9:15am. I took the blind down after the hunt.

[Briar Friar]

It's never been an issue for me at all. What IS an issue is the window(s). If you set it up and have all the window flaps shut and leave them camo color, and then you show up to hunt and open a window so there's a new black hole in the blind, the deer always shy away from that. It freaks them out when a black hole suddenly appears. I just paint my window flaps with flat black spray paint so they're always black, whether they're open or closed. Deer don't pay any attention to them then. They just need to get used to seeing the same thing every day.

OP...yes...because I hadnt read this post yet... Thank you!

I leave my flaps open, because I agree with Shane. I always kick the blind to see if anything stirs inside too...yellow jackets, hornets, rattlers, etc. Squirrels are more observant than the deer for me. I absolutley love getting barked at for 15 min during a sit...it draws the does right in.