Artificial Blind Usage

[DeanoZ]

My perspective, coming from someone relatively new to the sport as well as someone who said "I'll never hunt outta one of those things".  Opening day this year called for rain, and I was not about to miss it on a count of rain...on the other hand I've spent enough time in the field on active duty, soaked to the bone, chills, and a heartbeat away from hypothermia because it "builds character" and makes ya "hard".  True enough it does but being miserable don't make ya smart and I hunt to enjoy the thrill of the hunt.  So after complaining to my buddy about the impending rain he suggested I take his blind with me, if for no other reason it will keep me dry and able to stay out longer.  So i took it along, begrudgingly, dreading having to set this thing up in the dark and all the noise it would make...and it was a pain in the a_ _ and a bit noisy, but you did not hear another quip from me once I was in it and the rain was falling!  The next couple hunts I took the blind out with me, even though it was not raining...why you ask?  Well that first day in the blind a lot of things I did not take into account occurred, that quite frankly without having the added advantage of concealment, every Turkey from here to the Mason Dixon would have seen or heard and left the area.  Now the 4th day I felt comfortable enough, and being somewhat of a purist, I decided to venture out without the blind and close to a spot where they were roosting. I slipped in nice and quiet, was well concealed in a hedgerow, so much so that a Tom and Jake came cruising into my setup so fast that they caught me with my pants down..face mask off, gun on my lap, mouth call on my knee.  They saw me move, and where outta there...if I had the blind that day it would have been lights out for the tom no doubt.  The next two days I setup around the point of the hedgerow where it juts into the field and because there are no trees to lean against I used the blind...so here is another perfect example of its use.

I never did close the deal on that Tom and went back and forth between using the blind and setting up without one where it did not warrant..both had there merits and both had their disadvantages.  However, from my perspective the weather, terrain, or situation dictated the appropriate response.  Would i call it an unfair advantge?  Not neccessarily, yeah i can be more liberal with my movement and flaws, but I have less than a 180 degree field of view, can't see whats behind me and found out you still need to be stealthy inside one when a bird approached within shooting range.

Bottomline:  They are not a panacea for the inexperienced(I discredited that theory)..or even the experienced, it still takes a certain amount of skill to place your self in the right place, at the right time, under the right circumstances to take a bird out of a blind.  Isn't that what hunting is all about?

[charlie elk]

Personally, I cannot imagine ever being in a situation where I would want to kill a gobbler by sitting in a pop-up blind and waiting for him to wander close enough for me to do so. However, that is entirely based on my perception of what turkey hunting is "about", and my own personal experiences in chasing gobblers. It is also clear to me from all of our collective discussions on this forum (and others) that all of us don't live and hunt under the same conditions, and that using a blind may well be the best method of achieving consistent success in some cases.

Totally agree Gobblerman.

Are you seeing a lot them used where you hunt?
This what sparked my curiosity.

[charlie elk]

Bottomline: They are not a panacea for the inexperienced(I discredited that theory)..or even the experienced, it still takes a certain amount of skill to place your self in the right place, at the right time, under the right circumstances to take a bird out of a blind. Isn't that what hunting is all about?

In my humble opinion you got right DeanoZ. A lot of mistakes can be made inside a blind too.

Using a blind or not to me is like choosing a bow or gun; modern shotgun or muzzleloader: decoy or not etc. It is all hunting and boils down to personal choice or conditions the hunt is conducted under.

[JPH]

ORIGINAL: charlie elk

Hunters should be able to discuss any issue without rudeness or self righteous hissy fits.   I quietly ignore those who can't they will then drift away.  Please notice the disclaimer below my signature.[:)]

Sorry man, we've just had a really bad history here. In looking at your profile I see that you joined after the worst of it so I don't blame you for being taken aback by my reaction. Let me give my take on blinds as a peace offering.

I am not a blind guy but that is based on my hunting style and not any ethical issues. Even when guiding new hunters I tend to prefer mobility to total concealment. I do see a lot of blinds in the stores and I do hear more and more hunters talking about using them, but I can't say I see them in the woods. I hunt private ground. the only exception I can think of are my Amish neighbors in Missouri. They cannot wear camouflage because of their religious beliefs, so they build blinds out of discarded lumber. Apparently high def camo is not a requirement.

Again, I hope we all continue to support each other as we legally and humanely hunt in a manner of our choosing.   

[Crappiepro]

ORIGINAL: icdedturkes

They have taken out one of the largest skills required to kill a turkey.. Blinds to a large degree has created a generation of folks that buy a license and never learn to turkey hunt

  I agree a 100%!! Thats part of the skill required to hunt them!

[Gobblerman]

"Are you seeing a lot them used where you hunt?   This what sparked my curiosity."---Quote Charlie E.
 
Very rarely ever see anybody using one here in southern New Mexico.  I found a really nice one upside down on a mountainside this spring....had apparently blown away from where it had been set up and the owner may not have been able to find it.  I moved it slightly to a spot that I figured if someone came looking for it, it would be more visible.  I plan on going back later this summer to see if someone came and got it....if not, I will pick it up and maybe find something to use it for at some point. 
 
Jim 

[JPH]

ORIGINAL: Crappiepro

ORIGINAL: icdedturkes

They have taken out one of the largest skills required to kill a turkey.. Blinds to a large degree has created a generation of folks that buy a license and never learn to turkey hunt

  I agree a 100%!! Thats part of the skill required to hunt them!

Oh boy, I'm not sure I want to get into this again, but I'll tray to do it with a delicate touch.

I generally understand where you are coming from. When I see hunters sitting in big pop-up blinds on TV, my first reaction is that they are "cheating".  I admit, that is my gut reaction.

But on second thought, I consider that those hunters had to successfully scout that location, set the blind in such a way as to avoid spooking birds. They had to predict the direction the birds will approach from and they need to work the birds with their vision and hearing limited. Maybe hunting from a blind might not only have its own advantages but also its own limitations as well.

Furthermore, I start to consider all the devices I use to hunt turkeys. Decoys, calls made from synthetic material, Under Armor, aerial photos, a shotgun with 3" mag loads. The list goes on and on. Considering that, what right do I have to determine what is cheating.

Chances are, the hunters who cry foul when they see blinds being used are the same hunters who think nothing about their own fiber-optic sight, their GPS unit, or their 4-wheeler. Do you see my point?

I'm not saying that you have to like blinds. To each, his/her own. But I think it is a little arrogant for any of us to presume to sit in judgment as to what legal methods fit the description of "required skills". If the question were about expanding the legal use of blinds where they are not currently allowed, I would freely accept the debate. But if it is a legal means to pursuit and it is not being shown to be unsafe, inhumane, or damaging to conservation, I think we need to be very respectful.

Again, my thoughts. Not trying to make any enemies. 

[joeturkey]

Hey Charlie, getting back to your original ?, I hunt in wisconsin also and have definitely seen the expansion of blind usage. They are everywhere! Every field I see turkeys in regularly, once the seasons open up here comes the blinds.I think some hunters are using them to show that this hunting area is taken.The vast majority of them are visible from the roadways. This is not my favorite way to hunt turkeys. Like JPH I prefer to remain mobile and run and gun them most of the time! But I have taken a few birds while using them and don't have any problems with anyone doing likewise. Now that we can hunt all day in wisc. I find it getting harder and harder to stay comfortable sitting in the woods all day. I would never start my morning hunt out in the blind unless it was a steady downpour. If its really raining hard or I'm just plain tuckered out from chasing them all morning there is something to be said for a dry comfortable chair to sit in and relax,snooze and wait for ol tom to come by! Speaking of comfort I have been using the gobbler lounger turkey chair from cabelas the last few years and highly recommend it! You can sit down anywhere with it ,no tree needed. I actually prefer not to sit to close to a tree so I can shoot 360 degrees right or left handed. Oops there I go getting off topic again, sorry its 3rd shift!!! Anywhoo, using blinds has kept me in the woods longer, improving my odds both for success and enjoyment of the sport!! Good luck and Good hunting. joe

[joeturkey]

Hey Charlie, One more thought about blinds, for some of the newer hunters on here. 98% of the turkeys I have personaly harvested were without blinds. 100% of the birds that I have called in for other hunters have been taken without blinds. I usually hunt 3 or 4 (seasons 5 days in wisc.) each year and spend at least 90% of the time hunting without them!! They just aren't that necessary for success!  Joe

[charlie elk]

The gobbler lounger gets a big thumbs up from me joeturkey.  I wore out my first one bought my second last year.  It works very well for hiding in plain sight; like the time in OK hid behind a yucca bush to get my first Rio, in WY sat next to sage brush for a Merriam and along lots of brush lines and bunches of grass or corn stalks here in the Midwest.  Last Dec even used it to sit in an open field with snow pushed up around it in order to kill my first winter turkeys. 

Do you think sitting in a gillie suit on a gobbler lounger counts as a blind?