Best Hunting Blinds of 2017
Portable ground hunting blinds are becoming more popular every year as the designs and durability continue to improve. Factors contributing their popularity are; older hunters are moving away from ladder stands, portable stands, and self climbing stands, young hunters are being mentored by their parents or grandparents, and they are ideal for hunting areas that do not have trees available for a tree stand.
Today’s hunting blinds are of higher quality and are designed to be comfortable, compact, light, and easy to set up, making these blinds attractive for both deer and turkey hunters. Large hunting blinds also provide room for multiple hunters or for shooting in the standing position, which makes them an excellent choice for the archery hunter as well.
In choosing the right hunting blind you need to consider the following; where are you hunting, what is the terrain like, can you leave the blind up for an extended period of time, how often are you going to be using the blind, and what weapon are you using? This should help you decided on which blind is best suited for you.
Advantages Of Using Hunting Ground Blinds
So what are some of the advantages of using a ground blind?
– It’s more comfortable, allows more freedom of movement, and allows for a comfortable seat to be used.
– It helps block your scent. This does not mean it’s a scent eliminator, so continue to practice scent control.
– It gets you into places where there are no trees available or trees large enough to support a stand.
– They are much more affordable now.
– They are very easy to set up and take down.
The Best Big Game And Turkey Hunting Blinds – Whitetail, Elk, Mule Deer, & Caribou
These big blinds are great for both turkey and big game. They offer comfort, height, and room for more then one hunter. Below we briefly review the best portable hunting blinds available.
Browning
Browning is our number one choice when looking for a great deer blind. Hunters, if you’re looking for a sit down shooting position then the Illusion, Mirage, Phantom, and Phantom X are great choices. These prices range from $179.99 to $299.99. If you’re looking for a blind that allows you to shoot from the standing position then you want to purchase the Powerhouse. The Powerhouse is priced at $299.99, not a bad price for a great blind that will last.
Powerhouse Features And Specifications
SILENT-TRAC Window System for Limitless Window Positions
Stand-and-Shoot Design
180° Curtain Style Viewing Area
180° Strategic Window Placement with “Shoot-Thru” Mesh
Durable 600D Polyester Fabric with Blacked Out Backing to Help Keep You Concealed
Realtree® Xtra HD™ Fabric
Aluminum Hubs with Engineered Tips and Pins
Strong and Flexible Fiber Glass Poles
Oversized #10 Zippers
Durable Mesh Windows for Even Better Concealment
Accommodates Long and Recurve Bows
Center Support Included
2 Camera Window Ports
Full Length Zippered Door for Easy Entry
Ground Skirt Helps Conceal Movement, Keeps Scent In and Light Out
4 Gear Pockets for Storage
Brush Loops for Extra Concealment
Bow Hanger Included
Oversized Stakes with Tie Downs Included
Includes Durable Custom Carry Bag with Padded Shoulder Straps
Dimensions: 59″ wide x 59″ deep x 82″ high
Shooting Dimensions: 74″
Weight: 23 lbs.
Barronet
Our number two choice for Deer hunting blinds are from Barronet. These big blinds allow for the hunter to either stand or sit when shooting. They are much like the Browning, but just a step behind on the design and necessities. The blind technology and high quality fabric help make this portable hunting blind light, easy to set up, and easy to take down. Barronet blinds provide plenty of room for multiple hunters and caters to both gun and archery. If interested in Barronet blinds take a close look at the Big Mike or SupperTough hunting blinds. Prices range from $199.99 to $299.99.
SuperTough Big Mike Features And Specifications
Double-Layer Welded Fabric
3 Year Warranty
80 Inches Tall For Standing Shots
Versatile 5-Panel Window Configurations
Extra reinforcement on all corners
Replaceable shoot-through mesh camo windows for broadhead use.
Durable five-hub design for easy set-up and take-down.
Brush holders provided for additional concealment.
Height (A): 80”
Set-Up Size (B): 75” x 75”
Footprint (C): 59” x 59”
Water Resistant
Weight: 29 lb
Capacity: 2-Person
Primos Double Bull Blinds
These blinds offer a 360-degree view and enough room for two hunters or an adult hunter with two children. Shooting is from a sitting position since the blinds are not tall enough for standing, making this blind less desirable for the archery hunter.
A real advantage over many other blinds is the zipper-less double-wide door, making it very easy to get in and out of. The window zippers are quite when operated, easy to maneuver, and give a 180 degree front view. The carrying case needs improvements and comes with only one strap. Primos blinds are heavier than most large blinds and are more difficult to setup and pack away. The cost for the Deluxe hunting blind comes in at $482.95.
Our team agrees that the Primos blinds are over priced and the quality does not live up to its high price tag.
Primos Double Bull Deluxe Blind Features And Specifications
270-degree field-of-view.
180º full-front view
Double Bull cotton/polyester canvas
Ironclad, lifetime warranty
Zipperless double-wide door
70″H x 60″W x 60″D.
Wt: 27 lbs.
Other Blinds To Check Out
The following blinds are of less quality and more suitable for shooting from the sitting position. However, depending on your hunting techniques and how little you want to spend you may find something you like. Check out the BlackOut, Invisi-Bull, and the Ameristep blinds.
Best Turkey Hunting Blinds
The big blinds mentioned above are also great for Turkey hunting. However, if you’re like me, you like to move and stalk after the first couple of hours of daylight, so a blind that is light and effective is more practicable.
Hunter’s Specialties
This blind is easy to set up, pack away, and carry. It stands 27 inches high and stretches out 12 feet. The material is very durable and will last many years. These blinds run from $20.00 to $25.00.
Specifications
Easy carry, easy setup 12′ x 27” ground blind
Collapses to 19” package for easy carrying
Shock-corded poles
Spun-bonded polyester blind material die cut for 3D camo effect
Designed to last
Ghost Blind
The Ghost blind is quite the blind and would be great to try, but is the cost worth it? The design of this blind use mirrors, which are angled down toward the ground, reflecting its immediate surroundings. The blind requires the hunter to either be sitting behind it on a chair or crouching, and does not have much area to hide behind unless you purchase more panels, which adds more weight. The Ghost blind will run you between $150 and $200.
Specifications
4 reflective mirror panels Constructed with unbreakable, waterproof plastic
Optional Extra 2 Panel Additions
Dimensions: 102”W x 46”H
Weight 12 lbs
Recommendations And Tips
*Purchase a high quality blind, it will last longer and you will be happy with your decision.
*If you want the best (cost, quality, comfort), purchase a Browning!
*Don’t purchase the cheap $50 special deer blind, these will only last you two to three years. The biggest problems with these blinds are the zippers. The material and zippers are of low quality and will tear out easily.
*Blinds where the door zips down to open and requires you to step over are not desirable. First, if you step on this part of the blind you will most likely damage or tear the zipper. Second, its not a safe practice to be stepping over this when carrying a weapon, as you can easily trip.
*Blinds will help block scent, but if you do not practice scent control (clothes and body) you can still be scented.
*Do not fully open all the windows in your blind, this increases your chances of being scented or seen. Control the light and scent by keeping windows shut, using only small peak holes, and one or two openings for shooting.
*If possible set your blind up 2 months before the season starts and use as much of the natural cover as possible. Take advantage of natural foliage to help conceal your blind.
*Wear black or dark clothing to help conceal you in your blind.
*When stalking Turkeys do not carry a blind, carry a decoy and when you have that Tom in sight use the decoy as a blind, approach by crawling with decoy in front.
