Pennsylvania Game News - December 2010 - 53

Noisy exteriors should be avoided in favor of softer, quieter materials. While the design of a blind itself tends to restrict human scent, some blinds also claim scent controlled exteriors. Remember, however, you will have windows open, so you can’t rely totally on the blind’s exterior fabric for total scent control. Hunters, especially bowhunters, need to take all steps to control human scent anytime they are afield. Blinds offer a variety of door and window openings. Take a good look at the widow size and placement to see if they suit your hunting needs. Better blinds have two window and door coverings, a solid cover and a camo mesh cover. A camo mesh cover allows the hunter to have a variety of views without allowing the animal to see inside the blind. Some mesh window covers claim to allow the shooter to shoot through the window, but I’m a little skeptical about trying that with a bow. Those manufacturers that offer shoot through windows do specify that only fixed-bladed broadheads be used. Personally, I prefer to shoot with the window open. Some blinds offer window openings in the roof as well. Although nice when hunting waterfowl, they may seem of little use for the bowhunter. I’ve found, however, that they provide a good source of ventilation. Although most blinds do not have floors, there are some manufacturers who offer blinds with zip-in floor panels. Although we normally think of collapsible blinds, there are also a variety of solid hard shell blinds on the market. These blinds have all the advantages of a regular blind, but offer additional protection in inclement weather, plus they can be left in place all year. Hard Shell blinds, such as the one offered by Blind Turtle can be used on the ground or placed on an elevated platform, and it even has a trailer hitch designed in it to allow it to be towed to the site with an ATV. Blind Accessories With the growing popularity of ground
DECEMBER 2010

THE WRIGHT BLIND can be used in conjunction with a ladder stand. It can also be used as a ground blind.

blinds, a blind accessory market has sprung up as well. There are battery operated fans, interior lights, bow and gun holders, plus interior shelf units for added comfort and convenience. The one accessory that is a must in my book is a good chair, with the emphasis being on good. My first blind experience included a plastic patio chair. Seemed like a good idea at the time, but after 20 minutes I found one leg sinking in the mud, and I could shoot in only one direction without getting up and physically moving my chair. After an hour of that nonsense I was ready to go outside the blind and shoot the chair. My experience shows that a rotating chair is a necessity and a chair with a backrest makes all the difference in the world. I found the perfect solution in the HuntMore chair. It has extra large duckshaped feet that give the chair solid footing on any terrain. The legs are individually adjustable from 16 to 22 inches. This allows the height of the chair to be adjusted to the size of the user and also allows it to provide level seating on uneven ground.
53

Pennsylvania Game News - December 2010

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pennsylvania Game News - December 2010