One of the questions we get asked a lot from hunters is, “Can I leave my ground blind out all season?” While permanent ground blinds, such as those made of wood, are designed to stay out all season, portable ground blinds are not.

Most blind manufacturers, including KillZone, do not recommend leaving a portable blind exposed to the elements permanently or for an extended period of time.

Why not? Portable ground blinds are made to be portable, which means that they are designed using lightweight materials that allow you to carry and move the blind quickly and easily.

These materials are strong enough to withstand short-term exposure to the elements over many hunting seasons, but long-term exposure can cause the material to break down faster than normal. Strong winds, storms, and excessive exposure to UV rays and sunlight can also damage the blind.

Leaving your portable blind out for a week at a time is fine. If you are hunting in the same location for several days in a row, or if you want to allow game to get used to the blind before you hunt, leaving your blind up can give you an advantage.

If you choose to leave your blind out, however, make sure that you check the weather first (don’t leave the blind out if there might be a storm that week) and stake the blind down tightly to keep the wind from blowing it away. Ultimately, it is up to you as the hunter to decide how long you are willing to expose your blind to possible damage from the elements.

If you are hunting on public land, check the guidelines first before leaving your portable blind up overnight. Many public hunting areas do not allow you to keep your blind set up overnight.

Keep in mind, too, that ground blinds are an easy target for thieves. If you’re concerned about your blind getting stolen, don’t leave it out overnight.

The first range of numbers in the description of the spotting scope (for example, 20-60 x 60mm) refers to the magnification of the scope. What you see through the scope will appear 20 times closer than it actually is (or 40 times, 60 times, and so on.)

Spotting scopes allow hunters, bird watchers, and others to view wildlife at a higher magnification range than most binoculars will allow. The scope is mounted on a stand for steady viewing at these higher magnifications.

The magnification of a spotting scope is limited by two things: the atmosphere and the optical system.

1. Atmosphere and Spotting Scopes

The range of viewing during the daytime is smaller than at night. Telescopes are built to much higher specifications than spotting scopes, yet telescopes are too powerful for daytime use. The heat waves, dust, humidity, glare, wind, and air currents during the daytime limit the image quality of distant objects.

In ideal conditions, a spotting scope may return a clear image at up to 80x magnification, but rarely do they work well over a magnification of 60, and rarely do hunters need that much power and image quality.

Don’t make the mistake of purchasing a scope with magnifications over 60 times to 80 times just to find out that these magnifications are not practical for daytime use. A scope with up to 60x magnification is all the power you need.

The less ideal that atmospheric conditions are, the lower the image quality will be. Some days, it will be difficult to see anything over 30x magnification. On clear, calm days, you may be able to see clearly up to 60x.

High altitudes and dry climates are more favorable for higher magnification ranges. Humid, low-altitude climates are less favorable. Atmosphere also affects the amount of detail you are able to decipher at great distances.

2. Optical Systems and Spotting Scopes

The optical system also affects the magnification and clarity of a spotting scope. The higher the magnification is, the lower the image quality will be. A premium quality scope will retain the most image quality at higher magnifications. Low quality scopes lose image quality quickly as the magnification power increases. Very few spotting scopes can retain the same image quality at 60x as they do at 20x, and these scopes come at a high price.

Fortunately, most spotting is done in the lower ranges of magnification and does not demand the quality of a premium scope. All good quality, affordable spotting scope will perform accurately for your hunting or wildlife spotting needs without breaking your budget.

As long as you follow the guidelines for shoot through mesh (no firearms or mechanical broadheads, etc.), your ground blind mesh should last a long time before it needs to be repaired or replaced. If the time finally comes when your mesh starts to wear out or become tattered, here are some tips for repairing or replacing the mesh.

Repair Tips:

The best way to repair minor holes in your shoot through mesh is to use nylon thread to sew the tear shut. Pull the thread tight to keep the mesh taut.

For a larger hole, use a small square of mesh to patch the hole. Sew the patch into the mesh and make sure the mesh stays taut.

If the hole is large enough or there are too many holes to patch, you may want to consider replacing the mesh rather than trying to repair it.

Replacement Tips:

For replacing mesh, you can either buy a mesh kit from a ground blind manufacturer or you can purchase camouflage mesh netting from an outdoor sporting goods store or a fabric store.

Use safety pins to attach the replacement mesh to the blind. Cut the old mesh out and attach the new mesh to the fabric of the zipper or to the hook-and-loop strip.

To make a gun slit, use one piece of mesh for the top of the window and one piece for the bottom of the window, letting the two pieces of mesh overlap several inches.

The Turret and Turret XL Ground Blinds from KillZone Hunting are now available with Zero-Detect camouflage. In addition to the Autumn Wooded Oak camouflage pattern, you now have more options for blending in to any environment.

The Zero-Detect Turret XL Blind features a lightweight hub and fiberglass pole design with a scentless carbon protected interior and weatherproof polyester fabric. Windows on all sides of the blind give you superior vision, and a zippered roof hatch gives you more shooting and hunting options.

The Zero-Detect Turret Pop Up Blind features a lightweight steel frame, easy setup and takedown, and integrated portal windows with removable camouflage mesh.

Why Choose Zero-Detect Camouflage?

The Zero-Detect pattern is extremely versatile, making your blind disappear both in woodland terrain and grasslands. The unique color combination adapts to any environment and any hunting season. The green hues blend well with grass and brush, making the pattern well adapted to early season hunting. The darker brown hues blend well into wooded areas and are perfect for late season hunting. To top it all off, the white highlights add contrast and depth to the pattern, an element missing from many of the top camo patterns on the market.

Zero-Detect camo is a pattern-based camouflage rather than picture-based. Developed after weeks of careful experimentation, Zero-Detect camo effectively eliminates the blind’s profile in almost any environment with a precise combination of color and pattern.

The Making of Zero-Detect

Steve Bursey, the owner and founder of Zero-Detect Hunting, is an avid hunter, artist, and businessman who set out to create a camouflage design that would eliminate rather than enhance the profile of a hunting blind.

His prior experience with other camouflage designs suggested that they outlined his profile rather than hid it. He was constantly being spotted by deer, turkeys, and other game. So Bursey set out to create his own camouflage pattern.

After weeks of experimenting in the field, Bursey’s task was finally complete. He had designed a camouflage pattern that blends flawlessly into field, forest, and hardwood environments and even takes into account the dead giveaway of the blind’s silhouette against a lighted sky background.

There are two basic types of materials used to make a ghillie suit: jute strands and synthetic strands. Jute is a natural material, and synthetic material is man-made. Both types of ghillie suits are popular, and both have their advantages and disadvantages.

What Is the Difference between Jute and Synthetic Ghillie Suits?

Jute	Synthetic
Made with natural jute strand material Heavier weight keeps you warmer in cold climates Traditional ghillie suit material, proven as effective camouflage Must be coated with flame retardant	Lightweight or ultra lightweight Keeps you cooler in hot and humid climates Softer material doesn’t make your skin itch and requires only the thinnest layer of clothing Nonflammable

So Which Is Better?

Although up close you might see minor differences between the two types of materials (jute strands tend to be straighter and synthetic strands slightly curled), synthetic and jute ghillie suits are equally effective at blending in with the natural environment.

Some hunters prefer synthetic ghillie suits because of their light weight and their ability to keep the body cool in hot, sticky climates. Other hunters prefer the traditional choice of jute material. The choice between the two types of material is primarily a personal preference and not because one provides better camouflage than the other.

A camouflage pattern might look great up close, but what about from 20 yards away? If the trees-and-leaves pattern blends into a solid mass, the whole point of wearing camouflage is defeated. Too much close-knit detail means that the pattern will fill in as the distance between the hunter and his prey increases.

So What Makes a Good Camouflage Pattern?

For most hunting situations, how the pattern breaks up the silhouette is more important than the pattern itself, and contrast between light and dark areas is more important than color. In paintball, airsoft, and military use, however, color and pattern are more important, since you are disguising yourself from humans rather than animals.

Most experts will tell you to choose the camouflage pattern that most closely matches the environment you will be using it in. So what do you do if you hunt in a number of different environments? Or what do you do when the environment changes—for example, the leaves changing color in the fall or seasonal vegetation changing the landscape? That’s a lot of camo patterns to buy. Not to mention the variety of hunting blinds, clothing, ghillie suits, or other gear you’d need.

How Do I Choose the Best Camouflage Pattern?

Your goal should be to find a camouflage pattern that is adaptable to your environment. Look at the pattern from a distance as well as up close. Does the pattern turn into a dark blob as you back away? It will act the same way in the woods or marsh, outlining your silhouette instead of concealing it.

Ironically enough, a pattern that might look wild and intimidating up close can become completely invisible at a greater distance. The choice many hunters make is to select a camo pattern based on how attractive it is. Unfortunately, attractiveness has nothing to do with how effective a camouflage pattern will be.

Loose patterns often work better than complex, detailed patterns. Also, patterns laid out over an open or neutral background help break up your profile no matter where you are hunting.

Look for contrast between light and dark. If the pattern is primarily dark and complex, it will blur into a solid color and pattern from a distance.

The best camouflage pattern is one that breaks up well in a variety of different environments. Choose your camouflage wisely, and it should work well for you in almost any setting.

Looking for the best hunting blind for you? Here are some guidelines on what to look for when you’re ready to shop for a portable hunting blind.

Size and Dimensions

How large the blind needs to be depends on how you hunt (gun or bow) and how many people you hunt with (solo, double, with kids, etc). Is the blind big enough to shoulder a gun or draw a bow? Factor in things like width, length, height, and window height. The Turret, Turret XL, and 360 Blind from KillZone Hunting are all large enough for bowhunters.

If you hunt with other people, is there enough room for more than one hunter, including all of your gear? Tight quarters can cramp your shot.

Size also affects your profile. A low-profile blind is better for use in areas with low-lying vegetation. In the woods and areas with taller vegetation, a high profile is easy enough to hide.

Camouflage Patterns

Ground blinds come in all different camouflage patterns. Most are an “all-purpose” camo to blend in with a variety of the most typical hunting areas. Others are specific to the landscape, such as grasslands or prairie, desert or dry areas, and snow. Match the camouflage to the natural vegetation of your area. Then customize the camo pattern by brushing in the blind with branches, grass, and local vegetation.

Visibility

Some blinds (such as a chair blind) are designed with windows on three sides. These are best when you only need to see out the front and sides. Other blinds have visibility on all sides with a combination of large mesh windows, slotted windows, and portal windows. A few blinds even have a zippered roof hatch for waterfowl hunting and improved ventilation. The coveted 360 ground blind has one window all the way around the blind for an obstructed view in any direction.

Weight

If you pack in to your hunting spot, consider the weight of the blind you’ll be carrying, along with the weight of all your hunting gear and supplies. You can easily find a hunting blind under 15 pounds. Look for one that folds into a backpack or carry bag for hands-free carrying.