Bow Journal- Hunt #8- The Ground Blind
The Ground Blind
The ground blind was built out of necessity. When gaining permission to hunt on a farmer’s land, you take what you can get. Tuesday and Thursday mornings before 10 AM- I’ll take it. Only if you drive up and no one else’s truck is parked at the land- I’ll take it. And ¼ of 1 acre of woods without a tree adequate enough to hang a stand- I’ll take it.
The last place is where my nephew Jonathan and I built the ground blind out of wire mesh, cattail look-alike, an assortment of twigs and corn stalks, and spray paint. It overlooks either a bean or cornfield, a regular scrape spot less than 10 yards away, and a game path easily seen in the dead of night.
From this spot, I have killed a nice buck with my rifle less than 10 yards away, missed 2 does with my bow, lost 1 small buck with my bow after failing to get a pass through after hitting a front shoulder, and drawing back but being unable to get a shot off at 2 other does. Needless to say, in a very short time period over the last season of hunting, I have seen my fair share of deer from the ground. As well as squirrels, possums, and a very curious number of raccoons who I believe one day will walk right into my blind with me, leaving parts of Mr. Jeff all over the corner of these woods.
The distance of last year's buck from the ground blind
This morning, however, I survived the raccoons, as they remained on tree limbs the entire time. I also dodged deer, having seen none during my short hunt that had me back at the truck by 8:00 AM.
Yet during this limited time I did have a chance to set up my remote camera, which I have experimented with before in an effort to capture a still shot of me drawing down on a deer. With a camera and remote device behind me and the receiver in a small wooden contraption at my feet, the plan is to trigger the shutter with a step of the foot while the camera photographs from behind me at an approaching deer.
I’ve gotten my angle right, and I’ve gotten my focal point correct. All I need now is a deer. Which failed to provide itself for my very short hunt this morning.
