Building a late season natural ground blind

[mmcdonough]

Need some advice. I was pretty focused on elk out west this year and did virtually no scouting for whitetail. I have a good amount of public access basically in my backyard but haven't been back there since the spring until last weekend. I also have access to my wife's family property but truth be told I'd rather get a hard earned buck off some public land and pack it out rather than shooting something a quarter mile from her moms house (for now at least).

Finally got a chance to walk around early Saturday morning and I found a great pinch point about 2 miles back. Lots of fresh tracks and a ton of acorns on the ground for feed. I'm hoping to hit it this weekend but I am debating on how to hunt it. I don't want to put a stand or a man made ground blind in there this late so would cutting up a bunch of limbs and brush to make a natural blind be a better idea? Or maybe I'd just be better off sitting at the base of a tree with some cover?

Here's an aerial of the pinch point:



Lot's of marsh on both sides it's kind of on a small saddle where they seem to be crossing. Any advice would be much appreciated! This is only my 3rd year hunting whitetail after moving to the mid-west so I'm still learning on the fly.

 

[Texasbuckeye]

What about a climbing stand?

My thoughts are to stay flexible, being on the ground is good so you can set up on the prevailing winds. Not sure I would go in an set up a ground blind/brush blind tho this late in the game. Maybe something better would be a screen of sorts that could be mobile with you, something like a shadow blind or one of those camo net screens. Can augment with a few branches or some weedy underbrush to give some concealing factor.

Climbing stand does the same thing as the above just a lot easier I think.

 

[mmcdonough]

What about a climbing stand?

My thoughts are to stay flexible, being on the ground is good so you can set up on the prevailing winds. Not sure I would go in an set up a ground blind/brush blind tho this late in the game. Maybe something better would be a screen of sorts that could be mobile with you, something like a shadow blind or one of those camo net screens. Can augment with a few branches or some weedy underbrush to give some concealing factor.

Climbing stand does the same thing as the above just a lot easier I think.

Thanks for the feedback. That's a good idea, I can borrow a climbing stand but I wouldn't feel comfortable leaving it on public so I'd have to take it down each time. I could use screw in steps and just leave them in though. I'm not sure I've seen those camo net screens before. They sound like a solid option too, any brand that you would recommend?

 

[Texasbuckeye]

Just looked at Cabela’s website (where I know I had seen some) and they have primos and another generic type that would be very easy to carry in and out and give some flexibility with deployment. Look under ground blinds and they will be there. Not expensive around 40 bucks each. I am sure there are other brands/types so you can look at those and use that as a starting point.

 

[jspradley]

Thanks for the feedback. That's a good idea, I can borrow a climbing stand but I wouldn't feel comfortable leaving it on public so I'd have to take it down each time. I could use screw in steps and just leave them in though. I'm not sure I've seen those camo net screens before. They sound like a solid option too, any brand that you would recommend?

Double check to make sure natural brush blinds and screw in tree steps are legal on public land in your area too. Those are a no-go on some public lands

 

[mmcdonough]

Double check to make sure natural brush blinds and screw in tree steps are legal on public land in your area too. Those are a no-go on some public lands

Good call, I've seen other stands back there but didn't check to see if they had the screw in steps.