When our noses start to itch, we know someone’s been talking about us. A couple of waterfowl hunters from Georgia have been swapping opinions on our KillZone Layout Blind on the Georgia Outdoor News forum. Check out what they had to say:

Miller-Black: “I have been wanting a layout blind for awhile now and did not want to lay under burlap again and get soaked this year (although it was effective). I went ahead and bought a KillZone Layout… Just got it today in the mail. It seems to be a knock-off Finisher. I feel like the quality is ok but only time will tell. I will let you guys know how it does in a month from now. Here are the pics.”

Layout blind with carry straps

Layout blind unfolded

Layout blind set up

Even dogs like the KillZone Layout blind

Layout blind with doors closed

“Almost forgot the best one.”

Beer can holder

Another duck hunter on the forum replied, “I have one as well. I bought it brand new from the KillZone website… I have hunted geese in Georgia and hunted ducks in Arkansas with it and I love it. Easy to set up and I almost always go to sleep in it. I’m 6’8″ and I have no problem getting in and out. Also, the Finisher Neo tube will work great on this blind. For the money it is the best…I can almost buy 3 for what 1 Finisher cost.”

Duck hunting is a family tradition for Tom McCullough, one of the owners behind KillZone Hunting. In November 2011, his family met up in South Dakota for a duck hunt, using a mix of blinds, including some of our KillZone Lay ‘n Slay waterfowl blinds. The khaki material is perfect for hunting in a cornfield. See their duck hunting success in the slideshow below!

It’s a good idea to practice setting up your layout blind before your first time in the field with it. Once you get the hang of assembling the blind at home, setting up your waterfowl blind in the field will be a lot quicker and easier.

Before Setup:

1. Take your layout blind out of the box and packaging.
2. Undo the Velcro strap that holds the blind together.
3. Unfold the blind, including the foot bag and doors.

Unfold the blind and door flaps.

Assembling the End Frame:

1. Grab the upright bar and connect it to the side bar by pushing in the button and sliding the two pieces together until the button pops out of the placement hole.
2. Do the same thing on the other side of the blind.
3. The back of the layout blind should be standing upright.

Assemble the end frame.

Attaching the Headrest:

1. There are two holes for the headrest piece. Set the headrest bars inside the holes.
2. Push in the buttons on the headrest and push the headrest piece down until it locks in place.

Attach the headrest.

Assembling the Middle Frame:

1. Next, assemble the middle of the frame.
2. Connect the upper and lower adjustable tubes by pushing in the button and sliding the two pieces together until the button pops out of the placement hole.
3. Do the same thing on the other side of the blind, making sure that the button pops out of the same placement hole as the other set of adjustable frame tubes. You may need to try a couple of different holes before finding your comfort level.

Assemble the middle frame.

Installing the Backrest:

1. Grab your 2 straps with the buckles and drop them right behind the headrest.
2. Attach the Velcro on the backrest to the Velcro on the inside of the blind.
3. Next, grab the strap at the foot end of the backrest. Pull the strap around the bottom rail of the frame, pull it back underneath the seat, and connect the buckle to the strap at the head end of the backrest. As you pull the strap back, the seat will lift.
4. Connect the other strap and buckles on the other side of the backrest.
5. Tighten the two seat straps to stabilize the backrest. As you push down on the seat, the blind will pop up. Now your layout blind is ready to use!

Assemble the backrest.

Practice using your layout blind before the hunt.

Shooting from a layout blind requires practice. Even the best shooters from a standing or sitting position can struggle with consistency when it comes to shooting from a layout blind.

Shooting from a reclining position in a confined space, with your eyes on the sky rather than the horizon, is a challenge for first-time layout blind users. Getting a decent shot now requires sitting up and stabilizing your body and your gun before you shoot. Here are a few tips for learning to shoot consistently in a layout blind.

• Practice before the hunt. Since even the most experienced shooters can’t expect dead-on shots their first time in a layout blind, it helps to simulate the experience beforehand.
• Be patient. There’s no need to take a long shot. Wait until the birds get within a comfortable range. Once they begin their final descent, the birds are committed to land.
• Get up slowly. You have more time than you think. Use your elbows and your abs to help you sit up. Most layout blind doors are spring-loaded and open automatically at the touch of your head or shoulders, which lets you keep your hands on the gun.
• Stabilize yourself and your gun before shooting. Don’t try to shoot while sitting up. Your shots will be a lot more accurate if you take an extra second or two to steady your aim first.

"All my hunting partners have Finishers, but they are impressed with my blind, as it is just as good but less than half the price." - Craig

The KillZone layout blind combines function, comfort, and value for the waterfowl hunter. The best way to get to know our products is to hear what other hunters have to say about them. Take a look at these reviews from KillZone customers on the Lay ‘n Slay hunting blind.

Lay ‘n Slay Hunting Blind Reviews

“This is a great blind for the price. All my hunting partners have Finishers, but they are impressed with my blind, as it is just as good but less than half the price. I’m 6’3″ and have plenty of room to spare in this blind.

I figured out that the headrest bar is easier to operate if you put it on backwards so the push buttons don’t hold it in place. This way you can simply pull it out versus trying to push the two buttons in enough to allow you to pull it out. The screen to look out is much larger than a Finisher. There are pro’s and con’s with this. It tends to shine a little; this can be fixed by spraying a light amount of paint on about half of it. It can be “camoed in” with corn stubble or tall grass, but it takes longer to conceal this area of the blind than the rest of it.

The front of the frame won’t hold itself up unless you are lying in the blind. This is probably caused by me putting so much corn stubble on it to conceal the blind that it is weighing it down.”
- Craig

“Saw my first KillZone blind up front and personal. Great blind! I would have to say it’s just like the Migrator. Same material as most blinds. But what I liked about it was the bottom of the blind seemed more durable! The only thing that bothered me was the small holes in the face cover of the blind. Not bad but didn’t feel like I could get a clear view of the outside. Ranking, between 1-10, I would have to give it an 8+. And for the price, well worth it and they will go fast!!”
- JBird (posted on the Mack’s Prairie Wings forum)

“This is a great blind. It sets up in about 5 minutes, is very lightweight, and [has a] waterproof bottom. Easy to camo, and easy to pop open for a shot. I hunted out of it the day after I got it, and it was great. I am gonna get another one for my son.”
- Takeem

“This item is great! Exactly as described, and arrived within 3 days! I was able to hunt from the blind by Sunday. I ordered it on Wednesday!”
- Bill F.

Thanks to Soar No More for this unsolicited video of our KillZone Lay ‘n Slay layout blinds. Soar No More specializes in pigeon decoys and pigeon hunting products. Neal Hunt, President and CEO of Soar No More Wingshooting Co, said, “We have been very pleased as a company, as well as our pro staffers, about your remarkable layout blinds. We’ve been promoting them for a while now and our few customers that have gotten them also, have been very pleased too.”

Hunting in a stubble field during late season is a challenge,
but a rewarding one if you can figure out what works.
Don’t hesitate to try new techniques.

Hunting geese in an open field has its challenges, even in the early season. Add in the gun-shy geese towards the latter part of the season, and it’s even more challenging. Here are a few tips on concealing yourself in an open field and outwitting late season birds.

Hunting Techniques in a Layout Blind

Instead of setting up your layout blind in the middle of a large field, try setting up near the fence line at the edges of the field. For one, the birds will be less wary of landing there, since most hunters set up in the middle of the field. Besides that, the stubble along the fence line gives you natural cover that can be difficult to find in the middle of the field.

Better concealment means that birds will be less likely to spot you, especially during the late season when birds are wary of anything that smacks of danger, including any hint of what may resemble a blind or pit.

Stalking Geese in an Open Field

Another trick for hunting late season geese is to stalk them. A ghillie suit—used by snipers in the military—lets you go to the birds when they won’t come to you. A sniper suit is free of strands on the front side to allow you to crawl low to the ground without catching on brush and stubble. With the camouflage strands on the back side of the suit and on the head covering, you can move around while staying completely concealed at all times.

If you’re hunting in a big group, split the group into two teams. One group hides in thick cover downwind of the geese. The other group stalks the geese until they are close enough to open fire. When the geese take off, they will head straight for the second group of hunters, who can pick off another round of geese.

Keep hidden in the snow with a layout blind snow camo cover.

With snow cover on the ground, it’s time to start thinking about a snow camo cover for your layout blind. The Layout Blind Snow Cover now available from KillZone Hunting is designed to fit most layout blinds on the market, including the KillZone Lay ‘n Slay, the Avery Migrator, and the Eliminator, as well as other similar style blinds.

This heavy duty polyester cover is waterproof for protection against rain, snow, and moisture. Just slip the cover over the top of your layout blind, attach it to the blind with hook and loop straps, and snug the elastic hem around the bottom of the blind.

Stubble straps down the length of the cover let you brush in the blind for natural concealment. Flagging ports on the snow cover are designed to match up the flag ports on most blinds. A matching carry bag is included for storage and transport.

Sizing:

• For blinds up to 80″ long
• Fits doors up to 66″ long

Get your layout blind snow cover now!

Scott Baker from Delta Duck Hunters shooting from a KillZone layout blind.

If you’ve ever been on a guided duck hunt with Trophys Unlimited or Delta Duck Hunters, most likely you’ve used one of our blinds. Jay Cranford, a professional hunting guide and owner of Trophys Unlimited and Delta Duck Hunters, gears up for his hunting expeditions with KillZone layout blinds.

For one, these blinds are comfortable for long waits, with extra-thick bottom padding and a thickly padded seat and headrest. They are quick to set up and durable enough to withstand heavy use in the field (which is especially important for a guide service). Plus, they offer the same features and quality of the big name brands, but at a much lower price.

Here’s what Jay had to say about our layout blinds:

“The KillZone layout blinds are without a doubt the best blinds for the money on the market today! One minute setup right out of the box and tough enough to handle the abuse that mother nature and hunters dish out!”

Jay Cranford
www.TrophysUnlimited.com
www.DeltaDuckHunters.com

Layout Waterfowl Blind

When looking for a layout blind, it’s important to find a blind that you’re comfortable lying in for long periods of time. The warmer, drier, and more comfortable that you are, the more you will enjoy your time in the field.

Bottom of Blind

The bottom of the layout blind should be thick in order to protect you from the cold, hard, or wet ground. Some waterfowl blinds are waterproof on the bottom and sides for use in marshy areas.

Material Thickness

The thicker the material, the more durable it will be and the warmer and drier it will keep you when you are inside the blind. The bottom should be rugged material and thicker than the material on the walls and doors.

Color and Pattern

Khaki and camouflage patterns are available. Since you’ll be mudding up the blind and brushing it in anyways, the pattern and colors are not generally a big deal.

Weight Limit

Make sure the blind frame is able to support your full weight. You don’t want to worry about the blind collapsing underneath you.

Features

All types of features are available for your layout blind, including flagging ports, a zip-open bottom flap to empty out shells, inside storage pockets, stubble straps, padded seat and headrest, and others.

Carry Bag

If the layout blind comes with a carry bag, that’s an extra bonus. Bags with shoulder straps come in handy to carry the blind on your back like a backpack. This leaves your hands free to carry other gear.

Doors

Spring-loaded doors spring open easily as you sit up, allowing you to shoot quicker. Flip top doors require you to open the door with your hand.

Weight

The lighter the layout blind, the easier it will be to carry into the field. Take into account the weight of all other gear that you need to carry with you.