My buddy says that even moving his feeder 10-15 feet away spooked them where they took alot longer to come back to it.

Would a deer notice when you put up a well positioned portable ground blind and spook off?

I guess a way to test it would be to set it up on Saturday, hunt from the stand on Saturday and observe their behavior, then try to hunt from it Sunday, but just wanted to get your thoughts.

TxP

I set one up fri. evening of opening weekend and hunted it sat. morn. I seen deer, I had one old doe that would'nt come out of the tree's to the feeder but the other one's did, so I guess it depends on the deer, also I didn't have it brushed in or anything, just sitting there in the open lol

Thanks for the response, that helps a little - I would imagine brushed in would have helped more...

Anyone else?

TxP

Deer are funny. some may not care, others might not show back up for weeks/months. Almost backed over a doe w/ my tractor one day while a friend was standing about ten feet away. Then a the same place, one spooked when we pulled up in the truck from about 300 feet away. Anyway, some may pay more attention to it if it's moved.
just my

Thanks man...

My buddies place is covered up in does, from what I can tell, there seems to be an endless supply... They can't seem to buy enough feed to keep them healthy, so it's time to cull a few out. (When he bought the place the deer were close to starved to death)

Will be attempting to get a pig fri/sat night... Not holding my breath though...

TxP

I put my camo ground blind right in the middle of some tight mesquites. The deer always notice, stare at it alot and then go on about their business. I fill the freezer every year and hunt from the day I put up the blind. I may try brushing it in some this year, just for a change of pace.

Thanks again guys...

Anymore opinions are always welcome

Set one up in Menard in some cedar bushes, but didn't brush it in much, they noticed it. some reacted to it more than others.

Set one up this season in East Texas, cut some limbs off two cedar trees and placed it in the middle, also has a fallen tree behind it. I pilled a little brush on all sides, it blends in with the two trees perfectly, no deer have noticed it so far. Or if they did, they didn't pay it much attention.

This is my thoughts and what I have observed.
I put my ground blinds up where they will see it. I have had more deer walk to it just to check it out. When I brushed it in and try to hide it, when they noticed it, they broke and ran off. So far, I'm at 100% at deer NOT running off when I set it out in the open. The only thing I do is back it up to some trees or heavy thickets just to help break up the "roundness" of the blind. All you can do is try and see what works best for you.

I put mine up last week and hunted out of it that afternoon.It was back in the trees but not brushed in.I had 5 bucks and three does come to within 30-50 yards and that is all they would come in. They didn`t get my wind but noticed it right away. I took it down with an hour of light left so I wouldn`t educate them any more than I already had. My advice would be to put it up at least a couple of weeks in advance and brush it in really well.

I spent half a day building a brush blind last saturday after seeing a big buck on camera. I cut cedar limbs from trees not 40 yards from my feeder. I built the blind, peed under the feeder, came back and hunted that evening and shot the buck at 23 yards.

I have had a deer run to about 10 feet of me while grunting and others bust me before I ever see them. I would brush mine in a little.

ive put up feeders and had deer eating at them that night.... i think people worry about "spooking" these animals too much. u have to remember, this is where they live, they wont just pack up and move to ur neighbors. besides, they gotta eat, they dont starve themselves because someone put up a ground blind.

Great responses guys, thanks! Sounds like it's a mixed bag on the responses.

What we're deciding to do is move the tree stand over to where i was considering putting the ground blind, but we'll set up the ground blinds for the night hunts on the pigs. The elevated level of the ground where we'll set up the ground blind should help us not get scented out by the pigs as well...

TxP

I go out in the summer, and set up my pop-up then build a brush wall around it leaving room on one side for entering the door. I build the brush wall far enough away from the walls of the blind so that I can collapse the blind, and remove it leaving the brush walls. I don't like to leave the pop-up in the woods for long, so as to avoid sun and weather damage, or theft. A couple days before the opener, I go out and set it up inside the brush wall that the deer and hogs are used to seeing all summer. The animals don't seem to even notice it! I also have several brush walls built around the ranch with longer range open country, for calling coyotes, works for them as well!

That sounds good man

Does anyone have pics of their pop up blind set ups?

TxP

I always make sure that I brush it in real well. Dont know where you hunt but use the cover that is available to conceal it best you can, if you have mesquite trees then get it up in one, not sticking out like a sore thumb. I do most of my hunting from a ground blind and it seems as long as you hide it really well it doesnt spook them.

I've always had better luck NOT brushing them in if it was a temporary set-up or if I wanted to hunt it the same day as a I put it up. I've hunted out of 2 and both manufacturers said to put the blind in an open place where the deer could see it. I usually back it to a bush or some brush, but I think that if it's out in the open somewhat and not moving, they don't recognize it as a threat. If they can't make it out because it's brushed in, but they know something is up, they spook because they can't tell if it's a threat or not.

Like most others, i think it depends on the deer. But i try to brush mine in as best as i can.

Had a buddy put his up on a food plot 2 weeks ago on friday before the saturday morning hunt, right after first light, had a nice 8 round the corner to the food plot, seen the blind, and was gone to the next county.