The ground blind seems to have grown in popularity in recent years. There isn’t much that beats the view and feeling you get when perched 16 feet up a tree. I do find, however, ground blinds are growing on me.
Am I getting soft? Maybe. For those long, late-season sits, however, they are hard to beat. Ground blinds conceal movement, protect you from the elements, and give you more room to spread out. One complaint I do have, though, is that they are at ground level. This frequently limits your vision and keeps you directly at the eye level of approaching deer. Small brush, debris, and slight changes in terrain can limit what you can see.
Getting higher
Elevating your ground blind is relatively simple, and even adding just a little extra height can make a world of difference. Stacking pallets, which are often available for free, is a cost-effective method of creating a platform for your blind.I usually set up a square of four pallets, stacked five or six high. Slightly offsetting each layer, and not stacking the pallets directly on one another, adds stability. The squares don’t need to be perfectly matched, as long as the stack remains stable.Even adding just a little extra height can significantly improve your vantage.
Experiment and see what works for you. Use whatever materials you can get your hands on. I like to top the pallet with a section of plywood. It doesn’t need to be fancy, just something strong enough for chairs to sit on and to prevent chair legs from poking through gaps in the pallets. You can also build a relatively low platform, without breaking the bank on lumber. Even a four-foot platform elevates a blind enough to move you slightly out of view, and helps you see over the underbrush.
Originally published in the August 2023 issue of Ontario OUT of DOORS
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