I typically hunt from a tree stand, but have also set up a pop up blind this year. This weekend I hunted from my pop up. Really enjoyed it and found it to be a challenge since I was eye level with the deer. Any of you guys that bow hunt from a pop up have any advice? I set the blind up in the brush, and wore dark clothing but it seemed like the deer could spot the slightest movement since I was eye level with them. Any advice is appreciated!

I got one with the shoot through mesh and was amazed at how well I was hidden. At times, I had deer within 10 feet of the blind this weekend. I was surprised with the amount of movement I could get away with.

Very cool stuff...

I have hunted from popups and ground blinds cut into trees and behind brush piles for years with a bow. Here are a few rules I try to go by.

1) Always have some spot blocked out that you can lean back or forward to draw behind.

2) Only move when the deer are feeding or looking away. (Can be tricky if there are numerous deer there, but that is where the blocked out spot comes in)

3) Get used to holding the bow at full draw for an extended time to let them move into position.

4) Most importantly, always try and let the deer settle down before trying to move. You will be suprised how much of a difference it makes if they can feel comfortable at your feeder.

Brush in all the outlines of your blind....if the background in your blind is black were black...keep in the shadows

I'm fixin ta invest in a Primos Vision blind my self.

I tried to take the kids last year in a popup. It looked excellent in the dark. About 30 minute into the day, I had two does come down the trail we were watching. As soon as I could see them, they stopped and did their little head moving back and forth thing, then bolted. After the hunt, I walked over there and looked at my setup and I saw that I was completely skylined against a coastal field. The moral to the story is brush it in.

I’ve been hunting pop up or natural ground blinds for years, first of all wear all black you don’t need camo inside a pop up and DON”T lean forwards backwards or otherwise, that will defiantly change your anchor point, if you do move, don’t shoot from that position. It’s best to sit perfectly still, if you are blended with the background (black) they will not see you. Practice shooting in the sitting position, once you’ve learned this it’s a great way to hunt.
Remember moving will cause noise, and they hear 10 time better than us, try to still still and not move around much.

Depends what kind of pop-up you have, but I haven't had many problems from mine. I have a few self-made and a couple of double bulls.

Some of it was said already, but wear black. I also think it is important to wear a dark mask. You would be surprised how much your skin will shine. The main issue that I have found with the mesh is that it really makes shooting during low light conditions tough. Also, I shoot expandable broadheads and don't trust them enough to go through the mesh.

When we build our own blinds, we create a solid spot that we can sit behind. This allows an area within the blind that you can move all you want and the deer can't see you. It is perfect for making the draw and then lean over to shoot.

Stay at the back of the blind and the "shadow" will conceal you better than anything else. Make sure that you double check your draw to make sure you don't hit the top or the back of the blind with your arm.

Good Luck

I have hunted from a pop up from time to time and it definitely is a viable way to hunt. For me, I will always prefer trees in the early season especially because of the heat. Plus, I like being able to see all around me and the hearing is much better.

Still, a ground blind is really nice in the dead of winter or when you don't have a good tree to hang a stand on (like my West Texas lease). Plus, it is a great way to hunt with a partner or to video.

My success in ground blinds went up pretty good when I finally started wearing all black and left the camo outfits at camp. Take the "black" advice seriously.

Give them a few days to get used to it.

Very seriously. Probably the most important of the advice...

I wear either a black face mask, weather permitting, or black paint on my face. Only way the deer catch me is if they come from down wind.

Only open one window... They smallest one you can still shoot out of.

Less windows open less light in and less sent rolling out

Good advice

Good thread here. I found this really helpful. Hunting out of a ground blind for the first time this year. Needed this thread about 3 days ago. Just glad I found it. Changes to be made with a quickness.

Actually, there's nothing like learning from making mistakes. I don't think there is one person on this forum that didn't learn from a mistake. Hopefully it's not with a 180 class buck like I did in my early days.

if you were close enough to see all the bumps on my head; I earned every one of them the hard way.

I prefer to hunt from a tree, but have a ground blind in place for the nasty days. I am the only one of use that climbs a tree for bow season. No one up here climbs a tree for gun, its way too cold and wet most of the time for that.

When I use my blind I dress as dark as possible, even wear a black jacket and face mask. Any movement is easier to hide that way.

If you are smart in placement I actually think its easier to hunt from the ground than a tree. I still climb a tree cause I like to see all around me, while I wait. Also I'm not real fond of snakes so most likely I'll go up a tree in Texas all the time.

You need to make sure the blind is dark inside. I normally hunt from a pop up or ground level box. I leave the stands out for months before season, so I don't worry much about brushing. I close all the windows except a small one in front then I leave the mesh up on that one and cut an even smaller hole to shoot through. The blind needs to be dark enough that it is difficult to read a book in. Then you need to set a little back from the window. If set up like that, the deer will not see you.

I have a unscientific test that I try at each blind to assure myself that I'm hidden. I wait until a bunch of crows are in the corn then I move towards the window until they spook. If the crows cant see you, it's certain that the deer cant.

The deer may still spook but it's because the smelled or heard you. This set up only works if you know exactly where the deer are going to be.

Thanks for all the advice guys. Hope to have better luck with it this weekend!

Lots of good adice and tips here. I just slightly adjusted mine. I rotated it to use the two small windows vs the bigger window. Had some deer come in yesterday and they busted me taking pics.

I sat mine up under a tin roofed shelter by a old tank facing south east. It works out perfectly for afternoon hunts. The sun is in thier eyes, I'm in the shadows and the wind blows from them to me. The animals were already used to the shelter and it has worked out pretty good.

A office chair has made the sits much better too. I can face the window and turn to draw back with ease.

I got the Ameristep Bone Collector, is that mesh screen supposed to be shoot through? Not sure if I want to try it, they have shooting holes in some windows and of course you can take the screen down. Just not confident shoot through screens don't hurt the accuracy.

I worry about scent control in pop ups, but I think better overall than even high up ladder stands. I'm finding scent control in ladder stands is tough as it can swirl and even if high the scent gets down to ground pretty quick downwind. I have been busted this past week at 50 yards by both hogs and does downwind of ladder stand. On flip side I've been in popup blinds and had does look in the window downwind not busting me. I could have petted it.

Every year I wait until fast grass goes on sale at the hunting stores. I pick up some for my layout duck blinds and popup blind.

That combined with brush really help break up outline.

Does the shoot through mesh affect the accuracy or flight?

Where do you purchase the "black" clothing to wear. Especially the head net/baklava?

I bought all mine out of Academy's general clothes section.

I honestly think they affect both. No one can tell me that net doesn't offer some sort of resistance to an arrow, even if it's just coming out of the bow. Remember, if your'e going to use the shoot through mesh, only fixed blades no mechanicals.