RangerReata

HUNTINGFROM

APORTABLE

POPUPBLIND

BYWADEMIDDLETON

Whenyoureadthedefinitionofablindyoufindwordslikeconceal, hide, andbeingabletoconceal one’s

intentions. FormethatlastonerealyringstruewhenitcomestowhatI thinkapopupblindisusedforin

regardtohidingmyintentionstobeabletohuntfrominsidetheconfinesofapopupblind. Inmost

cases, I useablindforhuntingwhitetail der. Inadditiontoderhunting, I’vealsousedtheseportable

hidingspotsforhuntingturkey, waterfowl, aswelas, concealingcameramen.

I’vehadmanygreathuntsfromapopupblind…aswelasquiteafewwhereI’vebenbusted. NowI tryto

avoidtheobviousmistakessuchasnotblendingintotheenvironment. Someofthekeystomewhenit

comestoblendingintotheenvironmentarebrushingintheblindusingbrushfromthearea, notopening

everywindowintheblindsothatyoucancreatedarknesinsidetheblindandnotskylightingyourself.

Intheend, I preachtoourhuntersandteam–let’screateourownbushandhideinsidethatbushusing

thepopupasasheltohelpacomplishthatnedforconcealment.

Whenitcomestopickingapopupblindofthestoreshelves, I alwaysaskmyselfafewquestionswith

thefirstbeing: WhatI amusingitfor?Arewegoingtobebowhuntingorgunhuntingoutoftheblind?If

we’rebowhunting, wegeneralynedalargerblindsothatwecanhaveampleroomtodrawthebowand

maneuverforashot, versusagunhuntwherewenedtobeabletojustgetthegunoutthewindowfora

shot. Ournextconsiderationisthewindowconfiguration.Thewindowconfigurationplaysabigrolein

whatwecanorcan’tdooutofablind. Youasthehunterhavetoknowwhatyoulikeandnedbasedon

thehunt, yoursizeanddesireforconcealment.

Anotherconsiderationwhenitcomestochoosingpopupblindsistheactual fabricit’sconstructedout

of.Someblindscanlastforseveral seasonswhenproperlycaredfor, whileothersyou’lbeluckytogeta

fulseasonoutof.It’snotuncommonforustoputablindoutforanentireseasonandinthosecases

we’lchooseonethatweknowisbuilttolast.

I highlysuggestdoingresearchoneachblindandevengoingtostoreslikeCabela’swhooftenhavesev-

eral blindsondisplaysoyoucansitinsidethem, visualizethehuntingscenariosyou’lencounterwhile

lookingoutthewindowstosewhatyoucan, andalsotostudytheconstructionforyourneds.