Pop-up blind
- Thread starter fivepaknh
- Start date
Yah, it worked great till the horses found it in thier pasture and played volleyball with it.
Sets up quickly and quietly and hides minor movements for a comfortable long (all day) stay. Prepare the areas you might set up in before going there to hunt, and keep the window behind you closed to avoid a moving silouette. I put an orange hat on top when on public land.
Sets up quickly and quietly and hides minor movements for a comfortable long (all day) stay. Prepare the areas you might set up in before going there to hunt, and keep the window behind you closed to avoid a moving silouette. I put an orange hat on top when on public land.
Kreyzhorse
New member
I've got one and use it to hunt turkey out of. Sets up easy and shields your movement. Not totally waterproof, but not too bad either. For the price, I think you'd get good use out of it.
Bowhunter57
New member
fivepaknh,
How do you intend to hunt, out of this blind?
What I'm getting at is if you're hunting with a rifle, muzzleloader or handgun, then you'll be fine. Bowhunting is out of the question, as there's not enough room to draw the bow.
In my experience, pop-up style blinds do not last as long as a hub style blind. It just depends on your intended application.
Good hunting, Bowhunter57
How do you intend to hunt, out of this blind?
What I'm getting at is if you're hunting with a rifle, muzzleloader or handgun, then you'll be fine. Bowhunting is out of the question, as there's not enough room to draw the bow.
In my experience, pop-up style blinds do not last as long as a hub style blind. It just depends on your intended application.
Good hunting, Bowhunter57
I hunted out of an Ameristep doghouse blind, until it was stolen
I'll probably buy another one for this year.
Things to do:
1. Don't unpack it in the house! You take it out of the bag and that sucker is coming open whether you want it to or not.....took out the ceiling fan in the den with mine.
2. Practice taking it down and putting it back in the bag in the back yard until it becomes second nature.....trust me on this one......it might just be that I am a moron, but the "bend, fold, twist" required to get this thing back in it's neat little circle is just not second nature.........you don;t want to drag it out of the woods cursing, hoping you have the instruction in the truck.........
3. Pay attention to where you set it up. I lost out on a couple of deer year before last because I set up in a travel corridor where they were moving from my left to my right. Halfway through my "swing" trying to line up the crossharis, I would hit the side of the window, have to pull the rifle back in, stick it out the next window, and try to reacquire the deer.....
I'll probably buy another one for this year.
Things to do:
1. Don't unpack it in the house! You take it out of the bag and that sucker is coming open whether you want it to or not.....took out the ceiling fan in the den with mine.
2. Practice taking it down and putting it back in the bag in the back yard until it becomes second nature.....trust me on this one......it might just be that I am a moron, but the "bend, fold, twist" required to get this thing back in it's neat little circle is just not second nature.........you don;t want to drag it out of the woods cursing, hoping you have the instruction in the truck.........
3. Pay attention to where you set it up. I lost out on a couple of deer year before last because I set up in a travel corridor where they were moving from my left to my right. Halfway through my "swing" trying to line up the crossharis, I would hit the side of the window, have to pull the rifle back in, stick it out the next window, and try to reacquire the deer.....
Smokey Joe
New member
Ameristep...
Five Pack NH--I too like the Ameristep Doghouse blind. Sets up quick, takes down quick IF you have practiced it, plenty room for a bowhunter or 2 rifle hunters. Got a deer out of one 2 yrs ago.
BOY do I like hunting out of a covered blind in rainy or snowy weather!!! That, my friends, is luxury. Sit "indoors" with a mug of coffee, rifle across one's knees, dry & warm, mebbe even with a book, and watch the rest of the world get soaked and frozen.
The newer ones have the shadow protection so that if they're backlighted your silhouette still doesn't show through, although as noted you can't have the windows on any 2 opposite sides open w/o having a silhouette.
I don't care for the "leaves" all around the edge to "break up the outline" of the blind--it has the outline of a large rock so who cares, including the deer. But they all come that way now, and the leaves certainly don't hurt anything.
Seems to me that the extra room in the Doghouse makes it worth the extra $$. I'm kind of long-handled, and slightly prone to claustrophobia. And every couple of hours a good stretch is a good thing.
The Doghouse runs something like $100. I'd certainly buy a Doghouse in preference to buying 2 of the $50 blinds.
ETA--Just got my latest Midway catalogue. They have the Doghouse for $80. Plus shipping of course.
Five Pack NH--I too like the Ameristep Doghouse blind. Sets up quick, takes down quick IF you have practiced it, plenty room for a bowhunter or 2 rifle hunters. Got a deer out of one 2 yrs ago.
BOY do I like hunting out of a covered blind in rainy or snowy weather!!! That, my friends, is luxury. Sit "indoors" with a mug of coffee, rifle across one's knees, dry & warm, mebbe even with a book, and watch the rest of the world get soaked and frozen.
The newer ones have the shadow protection so that if they're backlighted your silhouette still doesn't show through, although as noted you can't have the windows on any 2 opposite sides open w/o having a silhouette.
I don't care for the "leaves" all around the edge to "break up the outline" of the blind--it has the outline of a large rock so who cares, including the deer. But they all come that way now, and the leaves certainly don't hurt anything.
Seems to me that the extra room in the Doghouse makes it worth the extra $$. I'm kind of long-handled, and slightly prone to claustrophobia. And every couple of hours a good stretch is a good thing.
The Doghouse runs something like $100. I'd certainly buy a Doghouse in preference to buying 2 of the $50 blinds.
ETA--Just got my latest Midway catalogue. They have the Doghouse for $80. Plus shipping of course.
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Wild Bill Bucks
New member
Agree with deanadell. I bought one 2 years ago, and never took it out of the case, until I opened it up on location. Hunted out of it for 2 days, and decided to move to another location. Boy, did I get frustrated trying to do the twist, fold, push, pull, tangle thing.
Took a pretty good ribbing from the guys at camp, when I came riding back to camp, sitting on it. Sure did like it for hunting out of though.
Took a pretty good ribbing from the guys at camp, when I came riding back to camp, sitting on it. Sure did like it for hunting out of though.
Brian Pfleuger
Moderator Emeritus
Side note:
I have one of these that I will be using this season.
I've read that deer in particular are wary of blinds suddenly sitting in the middle of the woods and that for them to be effective they must be "built" in/near existing brush piles or left to sit in the woods until the deer are used to them. Anybody notice any problems with spooky deer?
I have one of these that I will be using this season.
I've read that deer in particular are wary of blinds suddenly sitting in the middle of the woods and that for them to be effective they must be "built" in/near existing brush piles or left to sit in the woods until the deer are used to them. Anybody notice any problems with spooky deer?
Kreyzhorse
New member
The first year I bought my blind, I figured I'd set it up in one of my deer spots. Anyway, had several doe come in and they all spotted the blind about 75 yards away. While they didn't turn tail and run, I could have killed one of the does had I been in the market for one, I could tell the blind spooked them. When they left the area the left the way the came in. I'm convinced they knew the blind was new to the area and they avoided it. A buck would have been long gone.
I haven't used the blind to hunt deer since. It's not my land, but if I could, I think setting the blind up a couple of weeks in advance of deer season would be a wise move.
I've had mine for a couple of years, but have only used it a couple of times. I just wanted to know if anyone else has had any luck. I have the breakdown of it down pretty good. When my kids were little they had some pop-up toy that broke down the same way with a twist and bend.
I've "seen" a lot of deer out of mine 
As far as the "spooky" question....yes...the one's I've encountered have been on the move, eyeballing the blind, if I"ve been stupid enough to pop it up right out in the open....
Think "Turkey hunting" and set the blind up where something is breaking up the outline....set it up with a brush pile behind you so you're not sticking out like a sore thumb....
The main use mine gets is hunting with my 9-yr-old daughter. She LOVES to go deer hunting, but HATES to sit still for more than 3.5 seconds. When we're in the blind together, at least we get to see some wildlife because it shields most of her figgeting.
I also like using them down in the easter part of the state, helps against the mosquitos.....
As far as the "spooky" question....yes...the one's I've encountered have been on the move, eyeballing the blind, if I"ve been stupid enough to pop it up right out in the open....
Think "Turkey hunting" and set the blind up where something is breaking up the outline....set it up with a brush pile behind you so you're not sticking out like a sore thumb....
The main use mine gets is hunting with my 9-yr-old daughter. She LOVES to go deer hunting, but HATES to sit still for more than 3.5 seconds. When we're in the blind together, at least we get to see some wildlife because it shields most of her figgeting.
I also like using them down in the easter part of the state, helps against the mosquitos.....
Bailey Boat
Moderator
I've had one for several years and love it. I use mine primarily when hunting squirels. It let's me take my nap without being in the wind or soft rain (waterproofed it with Scotch Guard) and it keeps leaves from falling on me and waking me up. Never had an issue setting or breaking it down, had the neighbor kid (6) show me how it worked.
mnshortdraw
New member
I have killed quite a few deer out of the doghouse model with my bow. I usually pile brush around it and make it look like a brush pile. Let it sit for a few days and hunt away. I use the shoot through mesh windows, and they can not see you in there. I have had a deer less than 5 feet from my nocked arrow. Bring a camera or video camera. Awesome on windy, rainy or snowy days.