Blinds on Public

So I bought a three man pop up last year to hunt on public, and set it up in the yard the day before, seemed simple enough with one other person. Got into the woods the next morning alone before light, and besides the noise, it was so difficult in the pitch black that I decided id have a better chance sitting next to a tree instead. So do yall go in the night before and set up your blinds, and return the next morning? I feel a little sketched out leaving something of that value over night in NE texas public lands, and don't want to risk it being trashed or stolen. So how do you navigate this problem?

Thanks for any info and tips guys, I appreciate it.

learn how to set it up in the dark

I think if you wait until just before dark the night before season to set up the blind then your blind will be "safe" from those who "borrow" another's property and then don't bring it back. UNLESS you place the blind close enough to be seen from a road or major travel corridor like a closed road.

I also hunt public land in East Texas and have faced the same issue as you. I have placed pop up blinds out the afternoon before and sat by trees, bushes, or in blown down tree tops.

I hate making noise the day of my hunt. To help the deer settle down from me entering their area I usually am seated at my chosen spot by 5:00 to 5:15 am. By being there that early I am usually the first hunter in the area in case someone else has stumbled upon the same secluded area as me.

My experience has taught me that if I sit still in the shadows with a tree, bushes, or other items to break up my outline even when wearing blaze orange vest and hat that a hunter can get really close to deer if the deer don't smell you.

So TLoving, do you generally go ahead and get the blind out the night before, Or do prefer do the natural set up in trees or bushes?

ANYTHING of value left on public land has a tendency to grow legs and walk off.

I "lost" a tripod opening morning some years ago in the LBJ Grasslands that I'd put up the day before, Chain was cut. I guess it could have been the GW. I've left a very brushed in ground blind up there all season one year with no trouble.

you make your own ground blind ahead of time the old fashioned way


I will make a few of these ahead of time for different wind directions.

That thar b a Bigfoot nesting grounds

Now that’s funny!!😂😂

Pop up blinds are loud hard to brush in and basically useless with exception of wanting to hunt in a heavy rain. Like someone stated build one with natural cover

personally, i've never had a problem with any of the pop-ups i've
used as far as noise. maybe with the hub blinds many use. i don't
know since i don't have any of those kind.
i would make more noise tromping around trying to slip up on a
deer than i do sitting still inside a cloth covered doo-dad.

as far as theft on public land, i've had more stuff stolen in the designated
camp areas than from out in the brush. that's why most of my stuff has
my name painted on it in big letters and the metal things are engraved
my name with an electrical engraving tool. stuff still came up gone, but
not near as much.