When you can see your own breath, you can either cringe and complain of anticipated cold weather to come, or for some, it’s an invitation to head to the woods, scout for a buck-rub and set up a blind accordingly.
Blinds have come a long way since I was a kid. Back then, all hunting was done from a ground blind that was put together with logs, twigs and fir boughs – anything lying around that fit into the surroundings. Some still are, but there is no shortage of store-bought tent type blinds that set up in minutes and are camouflaged and even eliminate scent – your scent.
Tree stands and raised blinds are popular and probably produce the most deer. And with the introduction of crossbows that shoot a bolt faster and more accurately than a regular bow, well, venison ends up in a lot of larder.
There is something about making your own blind under a fir or in a depression that lets you sit comfortably on something (I like a milk crate) or on a ridge in a makeshift lean-to with a good view of a valley.
No matter which way you hunt, scouting and blind preparation is essential to a successful hunt. How many times have you sat in a blind, heard rustling from behind, turned only to see a buck jump straight up and hightail it back into the woods or swamp or cornfield because you didn’t clear the ground of leaves and twigs that gave you away just like his stepping on dried leaves alerted you?
Preparation, and I don’t mean Preparation-H, goes a long way …well, Preparation-H helps too.
TD