Pre-set blind?

[VanHelden Game Calls]

To start off I have never been a blind fan.  BUT last year I started helping at our local learn to hunt program where we take anyone that has never turkey hunted out hunting.  This involves kids and it is early in the season when there is absolutely no green and many times snow.  So last year I implemented a blind and had success setting it up the morning we hunt, I also used it in an area where I only had a field to hunt, no fence lines so I had open field where I used the blind - again set-up every hunt.

Well it can be a ton of work hauling the gear and this year I will be hunting with a young kid so not much help hauling gear.  I am thinking of pre-setting the blind but I have concerns of busting birds during set-up and changing their routine 2 days before the hunt. I have not noticed and freaking out from the birds when we show up in the mornings, I have had them brushing up against it last year(on video) in the middle of a dirt field.

What has been your experiences? Pre-set the blind or man up and haul like a mule?

And they are talking 30mph winds 2 days before and 20mph the day before the hunt. Its a double bull matrix blind but the ground is frozen except for a softened top couple few inches here in WI

[Garrett Trentham]

Just set up four blinds on our hunting lease this past weekend. I use them some, but they're mostly for my father and grandfather. We bumped birds off the fields driving in in the morning when we started, but by noon there were birds walking within 20 yards of the blinds.

I don't think you'll have any problems setting up the blind two days before the hunt if it's in an area that the birds frequent. Take longer stakes and a cordless drill with a small bit to make pilot holes for them, hammer them in the rest of the way, and tie the blind off from the stakes to the hubs on all sides.

[VanHelden Game Calls]

The weather answered my question.  40mph gusts and a couple inches of snow

[Dtrkyman]

If there is a good chance to bust birds I would hall it in, I have a magnus rack pack, it is a blind carrier and chair all in one, so it eliminates carrying an extra chair..Not sure if you want to drop 100 bucks on it, but I mostly bow hunt and can run and gun with all my gear using this!

If you can slip in somewhere and not bother them much I would pre set, can you pre set at night, if so that is what i would do!

[appalachianstruttstopper]

Pre setting blind will not affect the patterns of turkeys. As you already stated, they will walk up to them and try to get in them moments after putting them up.

Turkeys don't associate blinds, vehicles, hay bales, downed trees etc. as potential dangers. As you probably already know from your previous experiences. Deer on the other hand of course, is a different story.

[VanHelden Game Calls]

App, I agree its not the "blind" its the setting up I was worried about spooking them off the pattern. 

But I am not going to trust the blind in the open with the wind or the snow.  So call me a mule

[jakesdad]

Ive always tried to slide in during the early afternoon but have never had any troubles turning birds off their patterns.I usually haul everything in on one of those cheapie black plastic snowsleds.Easy to pack everything in on and can tie stuff down on it if need be.

[jims]

I would have to disagree about birds being ingnorant of blinds!  I hunted towards the opening of Nebraska archery season and the turkeys were in 15 to 75 group flocks.  Toms weren't gobbling at all but hens were being social making lots of racket.  I set up 1 blind 2 days prior to hunting and the birds wanted 0 to do with my blind.  I set up another blind inside the edge of roosting trees.  Again, the turkeys didn't want anything to do with the blind and only roosted from the opposite side of the trees.  In fact, once they saw the blind they headed for the opposite side of the trees to fly up to roost.   I thought it might be my decoys or calling until the 3rd and 4th days I used a ghost blind (mirrors) out in the open on the opposite side of the trees with the same decoy set up.  The mirror blind blends 100% into the surroundings.  At both morning and night of those days I was literally surrounded by turkeys...they couldn't see a blind so didn't shy away! 

The first few days I got inside my blinds at around noon when the turkeys were high on the hills so I wouldn't disturb them when they returned to their roost trees.  Were the large flocks of turkeys shy of my regular blinds.  From everything I saw....yes they were!  Will things likely change once they get into smaller flocks and toms get more aggressive....I'm about 90% sure they will!  Things may be different in other states where toms are farther along in the rut and turkeys are broken up and not so cautious!  If you are having problems with flocked up turkeys or henned up toms being shy of blinds try something different or possibly don't even use a blind!

[L.F. Cox]

To start off I have never been a blind fan.  BUT last year I started helping at our local learn to hunt program where we take anyone that has never turkey hunted out hunting.  This involves kids and it is early in the season when there is absolutely no green and many times snow.  So last year I implemented a blind and had success setting it up the morning we hunt, I also used it in an area where I only had a field to hunt, no fence lines so I had open field where I used the blind - again set-up every hunt.

Well it can be a ton of work hauling the gear and this year I will be hunting with a young kid so not much help hauling gear.  I am thinking of pre-setting the blind but I have concerns of busting birds during set-up and changing their routine 2 days before the hunt. I have not noticed and freaking out from the birds when we show up in the mornings, I have had them brushing up against it last year(on video) in the middle of a dirt field.

What has been your experiences? Pre-set the blind or man up and haul like a mule?

And they are talking 30mph winds 2 days before and 20mph the day before the hunt. Its a double bull matrix blind but the ground is frozen except for a softened top couple few inches here in WI

Don't mean to upset you but the scenario you described is not taking a kid hunting it's basically giving the kid a Wild Turkey.

That line of thinking and action is what's wrong with our society today....great things should be hard earned.

The right to kill a Wild Turkey should be earned not given...

[jakesdad]

To start off I have never been a blind fan.  BUT last year I started helping at our local learn to hunt program where we take anyone that has never turkey hunted out hunting.  This involves kids and it is early in the season when there is absolutely no green and many times snow.  So last year I implemented a blind and had success setting it up the morning we hunt, I also used it in an area where I only had a field to hunt, no fence lines so I had open field where I used the blind - again set-up every hunt.

Well it can be a ton of work hauling the gear and this year I will be hunting with a young kid so not much help hauling gear.  I am thinking of pre-setting the blind but I have concerns of busting birds during set-up and changing their routine 2 days before the hunt. I have not noticed and freaking out from the birds when we show up in the mornings, I have had them brushing up against it last year(on video) in the middle of a dirt field.

What has been your experiences? Pre-set the blind or man up and haul like a mule?

And they are talking 30mph winds 2 days before and 20mph the day before the hunt. Its a double bull matrix blind but the ground is frozen except for a softened top couple few inches here in WI

Don't mean to upset you but the scenario you described is not taking a kid hunting it's basically giving the kid a Wild Turkey.

That line of thinking and action is what's wrong with our society today....great things should be hard earned.

The right to kill a Wild Turkey should be earned not given...

I have to disagree here some.Starting out young kids and giving them an edge for success is what keeps them interested in coming back.Repeated failure will turn a kid off quicker than anything.I've started my boy who is 7 hunting in a blind for that reason.Ive also explained to him that once he gets a little older the blind stays home and we hunt backs on bark.You wouldnt have the local high school pitching ace throw to a kid just learning to play baseball would ya?Ease them in slow then show them that it wont always be "easy" as you say.

[VanHelden Game Calls]

Cox I appreciate your minimalist approach and dedication to woodsmanship, I also appreciate the fact as humans we are able to adapt and use our knowledge and ingenuity in our pursuits.

I think I have been doing a pretty good job helping them learn.  We have gone scouting, we had classroom time on turkey behavior/gun safety, etc., we have shot alot to get ready of the opportunity presents itself.

The landscape in my area consist of broken up 40's at best so working and locating birds across great tracks of land is not an option. Some areas all I can hunt is the field so cover is not an option.

We have 2 days for this program and the longer we spend in the field the better. We have little idea of the weather conditions and it is usually crappy, Its going to snow again tonight

Using available products to lengthen the time afield is worth it to me.

Honestly - unless your wearing a loins cloth beating turkeys with a stick the whole anti-technology case is a bunch of smoke.

[JakeT]

To start off I have never been a blind fan.  BUT last year I started helping at our local learn to hunt program where we take anyone that has never turkey hunted out hunting.  This involves kids and it is early in the season when there is absolutely no green and many times snow.  So last year I implemented a blind and had success setting it up the morning we hunt, I also used it in an area where I only had a field to hunt, no fence lines so I had open field where I used the blind - again set-up every hunt.

Well it can be a ton of work hauling the gear and this year I will be hunting with a young kid so not much help hauling gear.  I am thinking of pre-setting the blind but I have concerns of busting birds during set-up and changing their routine 2 days before the hunt. I have not noticed and freaking out from the birds when we show up in the mornings, I have had them brushing up against it last year(on video) in the middle of a dirt field.

What has been your experiences? Pre-set the blind or man up and haul like a mule?

And they are talking 30mph winds 2 days before and 20mph the day before the hunt. Its a double bull matrix blind but the ground is frozen except for a softened top couple few inches here in WI

Don't mean to upset you but the scenario you described is not taking a kid hunting it's basically giving the kid a Wild Turkey.

That line of thinking and action is what's wrong with our society today....great things should be hard earned.

The right to kill a Wild Turkey should be earned not given...

I have to disagree here some.Starting out young kids and giving them an edge for success is what keeps them interested in coming back.Repeated failure will turn a kid off quicker than anything.I've started my boy who is 7 hunting in a blind for that reason.Ive also explained to him that once he gets a little older the blind stays home and we hunt backs on bark.You wouldnt have the local high school pitching ace throw to a kid just learning to play baseball would ya?Ease them in slow then show them that it wont always be "easy" as you say.

well said. I totally agree.

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk

[L.F. Cox]

A kid that has to earn or work for something will appreciate it more than a kid that has everything handed to him....

[L.F. Cox]

Honestly - unless your wearing a loins cloth beating turkeys with a stick the whole anti-technology case is a bunch of smoke.

When you get inside an enclosed blind you have defeated a Wild Turkeys only means of defense....his eye sight.

Combine that fact with the use of dA'coys and what have you or the child accomplished by killing a turkey ?

Not much...just a bunch of smoke.

[IowaGobblers]

When I do use a blind, almost always for youth hunts, I always pre-set the blinds. Walmart has these extra large stakes you can get really cheap and they make a huge difference. Just this week we had 35 mph+ gusts and the stakes kept her solid, plus one string was tied to a tree for insurance. As for birds being blind shy, the bird my younger cousin shot this morning along with a jake walked within an arms length from the blind, I could have spit at him. Never had birds scared of blinds if I pre-set them.