Hunting from a blind A blind is a temporary or permanent structure built with the purpose of hiding a hunter from the senses of game animals. Temporary blinds may be built out of bits of the local environment (branches, grass, rocks, etc); there are also portable blinds, tent-like structures that hunters bring along. A good blind doesn’t only prevent the game from seeing you, but somewhat hinder the spread of your smell and the noise you produce. Unlike a tree stand or a high seat, blinds are usually constructed at ground level. Blinds for hunting waterfowl may be at water level, or slightly above to compensate for the fall and rise of the water levels. A hunter who arrives at a guided or outfitted hunt seldom has to be involved in the construction of the blind(s), but it doesn’t hurt to know what makes a good one. The main rule is that a blind is supposed to look as if it is just a part of the local landscape. For example, using branches of trees that do not grow in this location, or are seasonally incorrect (bright green in the fall, or dry yellow in the summer) may spook your quarry. Some animals, like black grouse on leks, will be suspicious of a change in the environment, and shy away from the blind for a couple of days. With others, especially those that are new to the neighborhood, such as migrating waterfowl, you can hunt from a blind as soon as you put it up. A blind is constructed near a place where an animal is likely to visit - near a waterhole, a food source, a place where it may hope to find a sexual partner, etc. Often, these attractants are added by the hunters - as in artificial bait, decoys, and calling. The blind design depends on the quarry and the type of hunting, as well as the number of hunters. A blind for a rifle hunter that knows precisely where the game will appear may be very compact, with only a small opening for observation and the weapon. Blind for bird hunters, by contrast, must be open from the top, and spacious enough to allow movement for swinging a shotgun. Read more...

The biggest faults in blind design are usually the result of being human-centric - paying more attention to what’s happening at our eye level, and ignoring what’s below and behind. A blind built this way may be counterproductive: it impales the field of vision and impedes with your movements, but the game will see you very easily, because, when there is not enough cover below and behind, your silhouette will show prominently, especially with the rising or setting sun at your back! When in the blind, the rule of thumb is never to assume the game can’t see you, but to behave as if you were sitting in plain open view. Especially when you see or hear the animal approaching, don’t make any nervous movements “to get ready” - move slowly and calmly, and wait until it’s in the right position and distance for a shot. Stay calm and pretend you aren’t there even if there’s nothing in sight. Some hunters prefer walk and stalk hunts to hunting from a blind, saying that the latter is “boring”. Tastes differ, but hunting from a blind is only boring if you don’t have the right mindset. Hidden from the acute senses of local wildlife, a hunter may be privy to the most intimate scenes of nature. Birds and animals, fish and insects (except the bloodsucking kind) all provide entertainment, and will give lasting memories. Hide details