My blind and set up.....

I have had a few requests to see my blind, it's relation to the feeding area, my driftwood perches or the overall setup as it looks from the outside. Instead of answering each privately I thought I would just post and all good look if they choose.

It works out great for me but it is nothing that anyone couldn't have. It cost me all of $30 for the blind (on sale) and everything else was free. This is an Amerstep "outhouse" blind. I bought this model because I am 6'4" and I have room tostand and stretch my legs in it. My wife will kill me when she sees that I posted pics of the deck without cleaning it up! Questions gladly answered.

Looking south, you can see the blind is close to the perches and even closer to the kitchen door. Just a couple of steps to warmth, food, coffee, beer, restroom, then just a couple of more steps and I'm right back to the blind

Very Cool! Thanks for sharing. You have given me some ideas to try on my own.

-ron

Thanks for sharing. Nice to see other folks set ups.

Very Nice, you can almost reach out and grill lunch.

Question? Cant you just sit inside the door with the doorwall open which would hide more of your movement from the birds?

Just asking because that's what I used to do when I had a similar set-up/back porch to what you posted

That is great. Thanks for posting it. Now, how can I bribe the wife into letting me set up somehting similar? Shoes? Dinner? Vacation? Probably all of the above plus more.

I was wondering! and the pool too, mind if I stop by?

EveryMilesAMemory wrote in post #12315777
Question? Cant you just sit inside the door with the doorwall open which would hide more of your movement from the birds?

Just asking because that's what I used to do when I had a similar set-up/back porch to what you posted

Well I could except for a couple of things. I used to do that but found I had to cover myself with a sheet or something because the birds would see you sitting there anyway and a lot would shy away. The second reason and it is a big one is that the blind gets me about 8 foot closer which is huge in photography I think. My biggest problem is that sometimes I am too close (yeh I know, some problem huh?) if I have the 300 on the and a bigger bird like a jay or cardinal or larger wood pecker show up. To me, if you want great detail you either have to spend thousands for a 500or 600 or larger lens or youmust simply get close. The blind allows me to get close for a fractiion of the cost.

Chas G wrote in post #12315795
That is great. Thanks for posting it. Now, how can I bribe the wife into letting me set up somehting similar? Shoes? Dinner? Vacation? Probably all of the above plus more.

Well now you have discovered one of the rubs! I leave the blind up all winter which is pretty cool except you do get tired of photoing the same old birds all winter. About this time of year when things start to get interesting I start getting a little pressure to take it down to start getting the deck ready for the season. But until it starts to get really warm on a regular basis I can usually withstand the pressure. Sometimes dinner and a show will buy me another week! Besides, the blind is quite portable so I just move it to the yard by the woods for awhile or take it to the lake when I go.

The missus biggest problem is that it stands right in front of the door and blocks her view of the yard starting to come alive with spring.

BGgraphy wrote in post #12315837
I was wondering! and the pool too, mind if I stop by?

You would be welcome anytime. We could try out my 9' inflatable pontoon boat and explore some recessed coves at the reservoir!! Or we could just float around the pool and have a few sudz!

Thanks for the explaination. I understand exactly what you're talking about when wanting to get closer.

For $30 you cant beat it! Cheapest piece of photography equipment you could buy

I want to add something about the blind. I am in no way contected to Ameristep but can't reallysay enough about this blind. I think theyh are regularly around 60 bucks and I got mine for $30. It has survived 3 winters of being exposed constantly. It has been blown completely bent over and never ripped off. It has been completely crushed and collapsed from the weight of ice ad snow and has survived day after day of rain and high winds with narry a thread coming loose. I keep waiting for the wind to ripit in to pieces. Everytime the snow crushes it I figure well this is it but a little shoveling and brooming the snow off and up it pops ready to go and I figure one of these the material will just rot up. The only thing wrong with it after three years of constant exposure is a small rip that I made with the corner of a snow shovel. A little duct tape seems to have fixed it quite nicely.

I'm sure other brands are just as dependable but I am amazed at how tough this little guy is.

Nice. Gives me some good ideas. Some of the birds are comfortable enough with me I can just sit 10-15 feet away without them doing more than giving me a little glance, but I've got quite a few new varieties coming around that are a lot more skittish, I'd love to get closer to them.

Thanks, Mike.

How do you handle the front window when shooting? In particular, is it open just wide enough for your lens or open enough you can see most of your perches?

AZGeorge wrote in post #12316937
Thanks, Mike.

How do you handle the front window when shooting? In particular, is it open just wide enough for your lens or open enough you can see most of your perches?

Thanks George - good question. I actually do both. If I sit way towards the back of the blind to do handheld shooting and wear dark clothing I'll have the window open about halfway so I can see everything and shoot clearly. However, you will see that you will have to hide your face. Sometimes I wear a camoflaged mask, sometimes I'll have a hooded sweatshirt on and keep my face down or sometimes, just holding the camera in front of your face will do the trick. For some reason, it is just the face that spooks them...well maybe after looking in the mirror I should have known that...as I can have the brightest tee shirt on and bare arms and it won't spook them as long as my face is covered. Other times I'll set up a tripod right towards the front, stick the lens out of the opening that I make just large enough for the lens and to be able to see, sort of, and do it that way. This way I will usually just pile some thing on top of the camera/lens like camo netting that I can see around yet it breaks up whatever they can see of me. Either way, sudden movements are detected and usually result in them flying. Slow and deliberate movements are just fine though.