How many times have you been in your blind and those ducks are going by and you bust out a hail call and low and behold they turn, they are coming right in. You start getting ready, these ducks are really checking you out. They like your spread but then they flake off. Missed another chance. Could it have been your blind? This happens all to much. In many areas its hard to find good coverage from all angles. When your hunting the edges of water and there isn't a bush or tree all around, or your on that pond and the only place to be is on the leve or the dam,what do you do?
There are many options you can take in these situations. Most of us hunt on public lands and run the risk of permanent blinds being taken over by other hunters. I am a firm believer in the portable blind. Everyone has their own twist on these but here are some ideas.
Take some iron posts or aluminum whatever you can get your hands on. Fence posts like T-posts work but are a little heave and harder to get in the ground. Go as light as you can and as simple as you can. Depending on the size of your hunting party, take 3 or 4 stakes about 4 to 5 feet long. take these and place them in the ground far enough that they are sturdy but not too deep that its going to take the from down too far. Make either a triangle or trapezoid shape out in front with enough room to keep your gear inside. Find some burlap or other camo covering that matches the surroundings fairly well. Depending on how rugged you want to go you can fasten the covering to the stakes. You can use heavy duty zip ties, or other fastening material and fasten enough of the material to each stake that it will hold up to the abuse.
If you have some sort of back drop where you plan to set up use it to your advantage. Find some good overhead coverage if available. If you don't you can take the same stake material and cut them about 2-4 feet longer than your front. at the last 2 or so feet of it bend it to whatever angle you wish that you can comfortably stand up and get around in. Get the same camo material you but on the front and take it to the top of the stakes. If you don't have a lot of material and need to skip out a little take it higher rather than lower. Set all this up in your yard and get a feel for it and get your stool or whatever seat you use and check the heights out for what you need. This is a quick and relatively cheap way to get a portable blind set up. If you looking from something a little more permanent than switch to a heavier fence post or a heavier grade stake. You can weld some hooks up and down the stakes to hold your material. If you going after the more natural look and have enough of cat tails or tall grass or whatever it may be and want to spend a little more time, do the same sort of floor plan as the portable one, take some chicken wire or other mesh wire and weave whatever you have into it.
If your like me and get out and check for new hunting spots in the off season, get you ax or saw and go take a walk and get some natural stuff where you think you want to set up for the oncoming season. I have used everything from young stands of aspen trees to willows and cat tails. Get creative. Take a few steps out in front toward the water as you go and find the holes. My recommendation is using the fans from the lower tree limbs around, if there is any. However I would wait till the season gets closer so that when you get there on opening morning your not scrambling to find some more cover.
If your state permits it, take some of your buddies out with the shovels and get down a little bit. It the art of concealment. Hunting is dynamic, you must change for what the situation asks for. Good luck to you all and like always lets preserve what we love and spread the enjoyment to others.
John Gilbert
Southwest Colorado
Duck Junkies Pro Staff
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