There are a few things that I like to do when I’m in a box blind. I like to have a small shooting rest with me. Sometimes, I’ll even go bigger, but I just carry it in my backpack and put it in the different windows that I think I’m going to shoot out of. Now, that doesn’t mean I’m not going to be shooting out one of these other windows, but this is my primary window. So, I keep it set up right here. It’s quiet to set the gun on. It gives me a good rest for those long distance shots.
When I do get in a box blind, one of the other things I do is, I kind of set it up, where my gun is leaning up against something. I might have my range finder out, where I can quickly pop off some distances before that and my backpack and my water and any other supplies, will be readily available as well. When you get into these box blinds, it’s a whole different type of hunting that I really, really enjoy.
I also like to use either camo tarps or some of the different products that come with the blinds to blackout certain windows, so you’re not skylighted all the time. I think that’s really important, especially if you’re hunting on a food plot and you know that the action, is gonna be in these front five windows. We’ll then blackout two or three in the back. That allows us to be able to move and bob and weave in there a little bit. And from our standpoint, the camera guy is always moving, ’cause if he’s not moving, he doesn’t get the shot. I don’t even see what happens. So, you want those capabilities and abilities in there. And then, the ability to open and close windows silently and securely is really a key deal at the end of the day. It’s something that a lot of people don’t think of that I think is really important. You wanna be able to lock those windows up and doors up airtight when you’re gone, so undesirable creatures are not in your blind when you get back there!
https://www.deergeartv.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/DG_Article-Banner-1.jpg4311219Deer Gear TVhttps://www.deergeartv.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/CebelasDeerGearTV_logo.pngDeer Gear TV2020-05-06 08:00:532020-05-06 09:58:04Tips to Further Conceal Yourself in a Box Blind
When you start looking at all the different stands we’ve built, from the common simple “let’s just throw five pieces of brush up here and hide by this tree”, to some of the most extravagant blinds we can build with feeders and food plots in the area, all of them have a special meaning and all of them are enjoyable at the end of the day.
“ I just, I love that aspect of it. I mean I think it goes back to a little before as a little kid, whether it’s out of cardboard boxes or building brush to hide when you’re playing cowboys and Indians. I sit here today in my fifties and I still like to build forts and deer blinds just as much now as I did then.” – Wade Middleton
Make-Shift Blinds
You can easily create a make-shift blind simply out of the trees around you.
You know some of the most simple blinds a person can put together is to just take a couple of pallets, spray paint them a little bit, to kind of get some of the shine off of them for a future hunt, throw some brush up around them, and you’re going to find success with those. I’ve even seen those go to massive levels, where you put all kinds of brush around them.
Pop Up Blinds
Using a Pop Up blind like this one is one of the most versatile ways to hunt.
The reality is, there’s not always the perfect tree, where the deer want to be to be able to do that and that’s where the pop up comes in, it’s the most versatile hunting stand that you’re possibly going to find. Pop ups come in a lot of different shapes, sizes, designs, fabrics, and each one of them plays and offers a great asset to you as the hunter. The Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s lines of pop ups that we use are designed to maximize what we like to do when using a pop up. You’ve got places to put brush on them, loops on them, they’re big enough that three people can sit in there at times. I like the most durable fabric that I possibly can find so that we’re not taking it down at the end of the hunt. That’s not always going to be possible for some people that may be hunting public land, where they have to take it down. But we’re primarily hunting properties that we can leave them up for long periods. You’ve got a multitude of window configurations (which I’m a big fan of) because you can black some of them out or use the mesh on others. They’re such an important part of hunting from their portability, durability, and their ability to conceal you, in a lot of different situations.
Say you’re just going to a location for a quick catch, you’re not coming back there, Some of the many price point models out there, are probably gonna work perfectly for you. Flip that to another scenario where you’re gonna be hunting a property all year long. You’re gonna wanna invest in one that’s going to withstand all the elements, the changes that are going to be coming in, probably gonna get one a little bit bigger. We’ve used little small one-man ones up to some that I think we could have had a family reunion in, windows at all angles, different types of set-ups within them. And that’s the cool thing about pop ups is, you can find one that’s gonna fit for the situation that you’re gonna be hunting in.
If you start doing research, you’re gonna find a wide range of pop ups available to suit your needs out there. Just think about what you’re gonna use it for. Think about how long you’re gonna use it for. Think about carrying it in long distances, and think about being able to tie it down, anchor it down, or pick it up real fast. Pop ups are without a question, one of the easiest, coolest, best, most versatile ways to set up for any type of a hunting situation.
Box Blinds
Muddy Blinds are designed with the hunter in mind.
Box blinds have really evolved. Some guys go build their own and taking all that into account, but for our investment, we like Muddy Blinds. They are well designed, they have a lot of little features built-in there, a mix of window configurations for a rifle, bow, handgun, or even a crossbow. The design of them is inherently thought out by hunters to be able to give you different options. Whether you’re putting in a big food plot, sticking it up in front of some brush, or you’re going to be cutting senderos, it doesn’t matter. You can put them on the ground, or you can raise them on towers. So, regardless of what you’re looking for, those Muddy blinds, they’re designed straight off the shelf, for lack of a better word, by manufacturers to allow you success.
“The insulation to me is a good selling feature, it can get cool in the winters, so you’ll be able to keep warm. Also, it’s hard to hear someone from the outside when all the windows and doors are shut. They’ve all got the keeper latch, which holds the window up and real easily accessible as far as flipping three knobs, one-handed operation as far as raising and lowering the window. We’ve just started putting three hinges and two locks on the door, which is great because it’s actually pulling the door tighter together and it keeps more bugs out, and it will be a good thing that will last.” – Larry Scott GSM Outdoors
Ladder Stands
Ladder stands offer an elevated vantage point, allowing you to see further and stay out of the line of sight of your game.
Ladder stands can be used in areas where it may be more beneficial to be above the line of sight of your game or if you need a tall vantage point. When you start looking at ladder stands and hang-on stands, not every tree is gonna be designed for this specific stand that you’re messing with. Once you start putting it up you’ve got to be in a place you think you’re gonna find deer, otherwise, why put it up? Then, safety has to come into play. Make sure you get it anchored down, make sure you’re thinking about all of those things. You hear a lot of people talk about tree stand safety, but they probably don’t practice it enough. You want to make sure it’s anchored down, you want straps around it, a lifeline to get up and down, and you want to be tethered in when you’re up there. You want to know that the tree stand and the ladder are working as one, the tree is in good shape, and you’ve taken every precaution and step you possibly can, to get that ladder in place, secured, so you don’t have to worry about it even when the wind is blowing 20 or 30 mph.
See our episode about all the different types of hunting blinds below.
https://www.deergeartv.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/DG_Article-Banner.jpg4311219Deer Gear TVhttps://www.deergeartv.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/CebelasDeerGearTV_logo.pngDeer Gear TV2020-04-13 13:51:352020-04-13 14:09:00Deer Stands Comes in All Shapes and Sizes
A hunting scenario a lot of people can’t control, that they don’t necessarily think as much about is, their clothing in a hunting situation. They’ve spent all summer practicing at the range, in the early fall, they’re wearing a light jacket, light clothing. Then next thing you know, they’re out in a hunting situation, and it is cold, they’ve got tons of gear on, and they’ve put gloves on for the first time. They’ve never pulled the trigger with the gloves! They’ve never raised their handgun into a position to take a shot with all that clothes on and it’s binding and it feels different and the entire summer of practice, and the entire early fall, it kind of goes out the window.
We highly suggest spending some time shooting with gloves if you think you’re going to be wearing gloves in a hunting situation. We know when it’s cold, we’re gonna have our gloves on. Because the entire handgun is going to feel different. From how you load it, to how the trigger feels, to how you reload. Everything about it is gonna be a little more cumbersome and you’re gonna feel like you’re fumbling a little bit, so don’t forget to practice with your gloves on. And if you’ll spend some time preparing for that different feel, it will pay off. You know, because repetitive practice in anything, is gonna help you be more successful.
https://www.deergeartv.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/DG_Article-Banner.jpg4311219Deer Gear TVhttps://www.deergeartv.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/CebelasDeerGearTV_logo.pngDeer Gear TV2019-10-07 08:00:072019-06-30 10:34:33HOW TO: Prepare to Shoot in Cold Weather
Trigger pull and the follow-through in a hunting situation with a handgun to us are two really important things. They vastly differ probably from your competitive shooters and how they would focus on it and what they would be thinking about, but in a hunting situation, it is one shot, one kill in a perfect world. That trigger pull is something on a handgun that’s really different than a rifle or your shotgun. It’s a lot longer, it’s a lot more drawn out, and staying through it, for lack of a better word, is something really key in a hunting situation.
We look at a lot of our misses on the range and even bad shots when we’ve been hunting. It’s been a forced fast pull of the trigger, a jerk, in our mind with that small barrel, you’re pulling everything left or down in a lot of those situations. We think that’s what you want to avoid and obviously the way to avoid that is practice and kind of concentrating going through it. That motion and that practice will pay off and help you begin to focus on that after the boom and staying down and through on that target and not try to peek link in golf. When you peek, you top the golf ball. If you peek right at that moment of truth, when you’re expecting that gun to go off, your aiming point is gonna differ.
So trigger pull, good slow follow through in your mind, make it all good one motion staying down on the target. We think it’d be a big key thing for guys that are picking up handgun hunting to help raise their success.
In this episode of Cabela’s Deer Gear TV, we are looking at the extraordinary knockdown power, speed, and accuracy that comes from a TenPoint Crossbow. We’ll review TenPoint’s Crossbow of the Year, the Stealth NXT and also debut TenPoint’s newest and most powerful crossbow ever to hit the market the Nitro XRT. You’ll see incredible hunting action showing the knockdown and accuracy of the models as well as insight on the features of both the Stealth NXT and Nitro XRT models. We’ll also then look at a comparison of the penetration power of the new Nitro XRT next to a 44 Mag handgun when it comes to creating wound channels. Later on, in the show, we’ll also go on two separate crossbow hunts where we’ll showcase hunting action from the field on two whitetail hunts.
Every episode of Cabela’s DeerGearTV offers insight into new products for deer hunters, how to choose a hunting rifle, what to do when deer hunting, how to deer hunt, what to wear when deer hunting and insight in tactics for deer hunting.
The key to comfort is contained in the first layer of clothing you choose.
When I think back to my early days as a bowhunter, I cringe for plenty of reasons.
The simple fact I had no idea what I was doing is enough to cause such a reaction. But I also remember the misery. I live in Minnesota, which means I bowhunt cold weather a lot. Back then, I didn’t own a single piece of decent hunting clothing.
I just threw on extra sweatshirts, jackets or whatever and made sure that my last layer had camouflage on it. What that meant was I was often cold and always bulked up.
I can remember shooting at a small eight-pointer in December when I was a teenager and watching as my arrow buried into the dirt three feet in front of his chest. My string had caught on all of my bulky clothes and thrown my shot way, way off. That buck would have been a trophy to end all trophies then, and I didn’t have a chance.
Today, my clothing system is much different and it is always centered on base layers.
Hunters now have lightweight, midweight and heavyweight options made from the best material available and are articulated to fit perfectly. They also employ serious technology like Polygiene to fight odor-causing bacteria.
The materials used in the latest wave of base layers are either wool or polyester. The latter seems like a strange choice, but I’ve gravitated toward it over the years because of the feel, fit and fact that it can also be made to wick away moisture.
I also look for base layers offered in a variety of sizes, particularly Tall. Since base layers are made to fit snugly they tend to creep up when you’re sitting down on stand. A Tall option doesn’t, which is always appreciated.
To reap the most out of base layers, I tend to choose options to match my hunting conditions and use them alone while slipping into my stand. Since they are moisture wicking, I know even if I sweat, I won’t freeze as soon as I get to my tree or my blind. Once there, I open up my pack and throw on a jacket, or maybe a vest and a jacket. On really frigid days, I might put on an extra base layer for added warmth.
All this adds up to a much higher level of comfort, the importance of which can’t be overstated.
If you don’t want to get busted on stand, and you want to wring the most hours out of your day actually hunting, you can’t get cold. If you do, you’ll fidget for a while, and then you’ll bail. That is an outcome that rarely results in a short blood trail and a stiff back from dragging out a buck. So get the proper base layers and make sure it doesn’t happen.
When should I get to my stand and how early is too early? Two questions every hunter should ask when preparing for any deer hunt. Some fellow hunters provide their take on when they like to head out to the stand.
“How early is too early and how late is too late when going to and from stands? WOW, that’s a great question that really can’t be answered with a one part answer due to so many factors. To get the right answer you would have to look at the time of year, deer movement, weather conditions, etc.
As a rule of thumb for me, I like to get to the stand at least 30 minutes before daylight for an early morning sit. One hour is even better. For an afternoon sit, I like to get there two hours before prime time movement for that time of the year, at a minimum. However, as I said above there are so many factors in answering this question that I would never say there is an absolute answer to it.”
Wade Middleton, Host of Americana Outdoors®
“Well, I’ll start by prefacing my answer that I am not a fan of all-day sits…that considered, in the AM, can’t get in too early (in most cases). Always good to be settled/quiet for a period of time before the woods officially comes to life for the day. As far as leaving in the AM, if there is action, stay put. If nothing is moving, at all or for an extended period of time, and you don’t have pics to show a pattern of late-morning wanderers, get out. Head back to camp and solidify the plan for the afternoon/evening.
For the PM, same as the AM…too early is a good default. No harm in saving the sore backside if you don’t have a comfortable set-up. Sneaking in just before a forecasted “prime time” is too risky. I’m lazy but not that lazy! As far as getting out, dark is the default. Even with no movement I would vote for staying as long as you can, with a couple of exceptions – you can more easily bail without mucking up the area for future hunts or if Angel is making venison salisbury steak that night.”
Steve Nessl, Yamaha ATV and Side-by-Side Marketing Manager & Avid Hunter
“I’ve always wanted to get in my stands really early in the morning. I prefer about 30 minutes before it actually starts breaking. That may seem early, but bumping one by being a little late is just not worth it to me. Then when the hunt is over, I gauge when to leave by what is around as it is getting dark. I don’t want other deer to see me getting out of the blind during daylight. Usually when it gets black dark, I’ll sneak out.”
Clark Wendlandt, Host of Fishing & Hunting Texas™, Cabela’s Pro Staff
As you can see, everyone has their own preference. However, the general consensus for morning hunts, plan on being squared away at least 30 minutes to an hour before daylight. Regarding afternoon hunts, confirm what the deer are doing that time of year. If you have Stealth Cams setup, check the times of when the photos are taken and gauge from there.
We hope this insight will help you get settled in the stand and ready for when that shooter comes in. Happy hunting!
https://www.deergeartv.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/VIKING.jpg8441500Deer Gear TVhttps://www.deergeartv.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/CebelasDeerGearTV_logo.pngDeer Gear TV2017-10-18 13:05:042017-12-18 15:43:39When Should You Head To Your Deer Stand?
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