The Ultimate Guide to Hunting Blinds

Discover which type of hunting blind is best for you with Blain’s Farm & Fleet.

Hunters use hunting blinds to camouflage themselves from their intended target. They’re also water resistant and help protect you from different weather conditions, like rain and wind.

In the past, putting up a hunting blind would involve frame building, making natural camouflage out of surrounding foliage, and a lot of work. Building a blind this way also meant it was not portable.

Now, there are numerous hunting blinds available. You can pick from various camouflage patterns, sizes, and price ranges to find the perfect blind for your next hunting trip.

Type of Hunting

The first thing to consider when you’re choosing a hunting blind is what type of hunting you’ll be doing. If you’re going goose or duck hunting, a layout blind is what you’ll want.

Layout hunting blinds allow you to be concealed from the waterfowl, with only your head sticking out. When you’re ready to shoot, you can open the flaps, and you’re good to go.

You can also use pit blinds and boat blinds for waterfowl hunting. If you plan on using a pit or boat blind, you can utilize blind grass to further camouflage yourself.

If you’re going to be turkey or deer hunting, you can use a pop up blind or a box blind. Pop up blinds can be as simple as a frame with a single camouflage screen.

There are also ground blinds that look like tents with a camo pattern. They have shooting windows to watch for turkey or deer. These portable box blinds are great for multiple people, providing plenty of room to move around and store your hunting accessories.

Hunting Blind Size

Think about how many people will be hunting with you. Are you going to be hunting by yourself? With other adults? Kids?

Hunters recommend getting a large blind if you’re going to have kids with you. It gives them plenty of room to move around, and provides protection from the elements while you’re hunting together.

If you’re hunting by yourself, there are single person sizes available.

Hunting blinds, no matter the size, have made great strides in portability. Many hunting blinds only weigh around 20 pounds.

The light weight makes them fairly easy to carry through the woods. Their portability also makes them easy to set up, getting your day of hunting started in no time.

Where to Set Up the Blind

When you’re ready to hunt, finding the perfect spot is important for setting up the blind. You will want the blind to blend in.

Don’t set up your blind in the middle of an open area where you’ll stick out like a sore thumb. Look for a hunting area where animals will want to feed or drink, but that still give you a good vantage point.

Clear the setup area of sticks and branches that might make noise when you’re moving in the blind. Use the natural surroundings to your advantage to better camouflage yourself and the hunting blind.

Other Things to Keep in Mind

Only Bring the Necessities

If you’re going to hunt with a bigger blind, you’ll still only want to bring the necessities. In addition to your gun or bow, you should bring disposable warmers, food, and a hunting seat.

You may want to bring more items with you, but the blind will get crowded once you’ve got another person or a hunting dog in there, too.

Noise Control

Just because a deer or turkey can’t see you, doesn’t mean they can’t hear you. It’s important to stay as quiet as possible while in the blind.

If you plan on eating, unwrap the food before you start hunting. Using a backpack water bottle for drinking will also help to eliminate noise.

You don’t want to go through all the trouble of setting up your blind, only to spook your target by the sound of you opening food.

For more hunting tips and guides, visit our Hunting Blog.