Tree stand vs pop up ground blind

[mulie hunter]

My buddy and his friend returned from the north kaibab last week. Heres the scenario, they set up a pop-up ground blind on a waterhole and hunted 4 days saw deer but none would come in, had a mountain lion walk within 7 yards though, so on the 4th afternoon they drive to St george and buy a tree stand, on the morning of the fifth day my buddy shoots a buck from the treestand, that afternoon his friend shoots one. Why? same waterhole, different tactic. Did the deer notice something out of place with the ground blind, or was it a scent issue?

[25-06]

Did they get the lion?

[BowNut]

I believe it is sent. From the ground blind you are at nose level with the animal. They can still smell you from a stand but your sent is higher . Did you spray the blind/or yourself with any kind of sent killer?

[bowsniper]

Although coues are wary of new objects on the ground, like a blind, I think that it is a scent issue. Whenever I set up a treestand where the coues could come down a hill from above the level of my stand, they never do until I leave (as recorded on the game cam). Even with complete scent lock from head to toe, I have never had a coues come in from a direction that is even or higher than my treestand. I believe that with a blind, you must have a favorable wind, and in my experience, scent lock will not help that much.

 

Mark

[mulie hunter]

Did they get the lion?

No, my buddy went to draw, and the lion took off , didn't even get a chance to let a arrow fly. He thinks his elbow contacted the blind and made some noise.

[rimhunter]

last year was t he first time to use a ground blind on opening morning I had 7 deer come to water . the wind changed several times and I thought my hunt there was over . Every time I thought of leaving a deer would come in . I sat at that blind several days and had deer come in every day . most coming in from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm nothing in the morning or evening . I had a camera up befor the hunt and two nice bucks were coming in but never came in when I was there. I had to take the wife out of town this year Did not get a chance to try it again . the blind seems to work as good as the tree stands

[gotcoues]

I sat a blind on salt with my Daughter two weekends in a row. On camera we had deer coming and going, somtimes staying for around a half an hour. We sat over forty hours on two weekends and did not see a single deer. I can identify atleast 20 to 25 different deer on camera and nothing. I assume this was a scent issue because they couldn't see the blind in the brush. They would have to be directly in front to see it. Although we tried sprays and cover up to avoid issues with scent, the deer had our number. I am going back tomorrow to check my camera, I think the blind had some effect on the deer but I expect to find the deer hanging out at the salt only 15 yards from the blind (which I left up for experimental puposes). I have treestands and definately wonder if things might have been different in the stands. I feel I am a patient person, but so far my blind and stand entertainment for the last couple seasons has been brutal!!!!

[mulie hunter]

You guys are great, I was leaning towards the theory that the deer noticed something new in the area, but after reading these replies, I think it had more to do with scent control issues.