I’m usually a stand hunter, so when I hunt from a ground blind, whether it’s to stay out of the rain or hunt with a friend, I sometimes miss certain advantages of the tree stand, specifically elevation. So naturally, the question arises: How high off the ground can I put my blind?
Ground blinds are called ground blinds for a reason. They belong on the ground. That said, you may benefit from an elevation of two or three feet in certain circumstances.
This quick guide covers what these circumstances are and how to go about elevating your ground blind.
The Benefits of Hunting From the Ground
You usually set up a ground blind on the ground. Far from a problem, this actually has specific benefits you can take advantage of:
- Easy accessibility: You basically just have to walk into a ground blind, meaning that people who have trouble climbing can still use it. This could mean kids, the elderly or the disabled, for example.
- Simple setup: A ground blind doesn’t require any foundation. It sits on the ground, so you can fold it up like a tent and stuff it in your pack. To elevate it, you’ll need some kind of elevated platform that requires a lot more work.
- Inexpensive: Similarly, a ground blind is a relatively cheap option for hunting concealment. However, elevating it will require much more expense.
- Versatility: You can easily move a ground blind around and set it up nearly anywhere. Elevating a ground blind limits the places you can use it. Plus, most elevation platforms are permanent, so you can only use the blind in one place.
Why You Might Elevate a Ground Blind
Sometimes you might want to elevate your ground blind two or three feet. Like being elevated in a tree stand, elevating your ground blind, even by this small amount, gives you certain advantages:
- Better visibility: You may need this if your blind is surrounded by high grass or snow banks.
- Better bowhunting angle: Even a slight elevation increase can improve accuracy for bowhunters.
Additionally, elevation can help you continue using your ground blind in an area where the ground is muddy, snowy or flooded.
How to Elevate Your Ground Blind
Elevating a ground blind involves setting it up on a platform that you buy or make yourself. It should meet these specifications:
- Two to three feet off the ground
- Wider than the blind by at least six inches on either side
- Capable of holding the weight of all hunters in the blind moving around (calculate about 200 pounds per hunter)
- Steps or ladder to reach the platform
If you choose to build your platform, there are several ways to do it. The most common way is to build a platform on stilts like a deck. However, simpler methods include simply stacking wooden pallets or building full cement foundations.
Regardless of how you go about it, put safety first. Make sure the platform is stable, even while you’re climbing onto it and moving around.
Christian grew up in the Ozarks where he spent much of his childhood on his grandparents’ homestead learning about firearms, hunting, and the great outdoors. He graduated with his BA in English and German from the University of Arkansas in 2012, after which he was a Fulbright Fellow in Germany.
An avid traditional bowhunter, much of his writing covers this and other similar topics, but he also covers just about everything from history and economics to motorcycles.
Christian has been featured on pewpewtactical.com, fee.org, mises.org, boredpanda.com, and numerous other major publications. He also is a journalist concerned with political and economic analysis and has written for the Mallorca Daily Bulletin. See more of his work at ChristianMonson.com.
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