One of the places I like to hunt when I visit Dennis Crabtree in Ohio has a strip  of woods adjacent to a big open field. As usual for Ohio, it’s an uphill walk  to the treestand near the edge of the woods. At the top of the hill I always pass a few round hay bales and from the treestand 80 yards away I have seen several bucks that never came into my area.

Every time I walk by those round bales I wish I had a ground blind that looked like one of those hay bales.

So when I saw a big round bale in one of the booths at NWTF I had to check it out. It was Blind Ambition Bale Blinds from Cross Plains, Wisconsin.

It has a realistic straw covering that is bonded and sewn to a black lining that is wind proof and water proof. The blind has a frame made of galvanized aluminum. Set up the frame first and the covering clips into place. The guys in the booth said it can be set up in 15 minutes. There are several models but they had the ‘Sportsman’ on display. It is 70 inches high and weighs 68 pounds, so it is portable but not a run and gun type blind.

I liked this blind a lot and believe the sales pitch that deer and turkeys have seen round bales so often that they are not concerned about this blind. For info call toll free 888-317-7355.

A few aisles further I was stopped in my tracks by another ground blind, the Backpack Ghillie Ground Blind. One look at this rig and I was sure that it would fit in as a round bale blind as well as just about anywhere there is woods. The Ghillie cover is built of Polyester knotted netting and is durable and its coloration looks like it will blend into any area.

The Ghillie Blind has a zippered door. Inside there are 8 windows, plus each side has a larger zippered flap that can be opened for better viewing.  Included are, 2 folding fiberglass poles for support, 8 metal stakes with 4 ropes, and Velcro straps to secure the Ghillie cover.  Tent cover is 150D, Water-proof PU black coating on the inside, and fire-retardant.  Tent size is 5 1/2 feet by 5 1/2 feet, with an internal height of 6 feet 4 inches. The blind fits in an incluided backpack bag for easy transport. All the accessories are included and stored inside the bag.

I got inside and sat down. A guy named Todd Muirheaed showed me the window system and how I could adjust things to shoot in any direction.

Another interesting aspect of this Ghillie thing is you can buy just the  Ghillie cover and put it over any portable ground blind. I’m definitely going to get one of those. Plus, I bought one of the Ghillie Blinds on the spot. I think it will be a real asset for the upcoming wild turkey hunts this year. For information about the Ghillie Blind call toll free 877-510-6501.