We use them with a great deal of success. I back them up into the surrounding brush so the deer can't circle around directly behind me and I only open up the front window...keeping the back windows closed. I leave enough room to peek out the sides and make sure that the velcro is barely attached in case I need to pull down.

We like them so much that we are going to start building 10 ft tall flat platforms and just put pop-ups on them rather than building a whole stand.

I'm guessing Dan is talking about those spring steel blinds like the Ameristep. I too use a You Tube Video to figure out how to get them to fold. I just got back from antelope hunting and had two of those blinds. Took me about 10 of those videos to finally decide on how to do it. Once I figured it out, my Ameristeps were as easy as my hub blind. Maybe even easier. Now, next year I'll have to re-educate myself

Yes, those are the ones that most warranted my post. There's usually a key step in the setup process that must be done in a specific order and manner to get the blind to open correctly. Otherwise, you might find yourself wanting to toss it as far as you can throw it. Best try it first in your back yard when you have plenty of time and do your best to remember exactly what you did once you're in the woods.

I agree with everything said about the importance of brushing it in and wearing black inside. Regarding shoot-thru windows, the mesh must indeed be very tight. I have had success shooting through them, except when shooting at an angle. When shooting at an angle, the side of the broad head can snag a bit which affects accuracy. With all that said, I typically do not use the mesh anymore because you lose too much daylight. So, I keep the windows partially open and wear black.
Anyway, here is a pic of a recent set up:

Pee Jug!

I can't say my experience has been that deer soon accept them as part of their natural surroundings. I hunted a new tract last year and put one up at the edge of a pasture about two months before the start of the general season. I cut and area out of the brush so it didn't stick out so much and brushed it in as best I could. It still wasn't enough to keep deer from stopping to look directly at it from the other side of the pasture, a distance I would estimate to be at least 300 yards.

I've had much better experience with ladder stands and tripods when it comes to deer eventually paying them no attention at much closer distances. I have no data to support such a conclusion but it's always seemed to me that deer are much more wary of what they see on the ground as opposed to what's above them.

Have used them with success and great failure. Our deer are not readily accepting of them. If they have been there all year or you brush them in very well, maybe it will be ok, 99% chance nothing older/wiser than 1-2 years is getting within bow/xbow range of it.

That’s interesting.

I try to brush them in but sometime I don’t brush them in at all hardly and have no issues getting deer to get within 20 yards of them. I do tuck them next to a cedar or under a mesquite tree

I’ve killed mature bucks the day after I’ve put the blinds up and killed does the same day.


I would always advocate brushing them in well, however

This is interesting. I have heard different sides to this. I have heard take a pee bottle in and carry it out. I have also heard some say they just pee inside the blind. They say the ground soaks it up. Seems like the inside of the blind would start to smell.