I drew out for a controlled hunt here in SE Oklahoma. You are allowed to use a recurve or longbow only (with no sights). I'm confident to 25 yds with my recurve. I have a back problem that keeps me from setting in a tree stand all day and I want to stay at my hunting location all day for the 2 days I have to hunt. We get to scout and set up the day before the hunt. I had thought of using a pop-up ground blind and put it in some heavy brush. Will deer pass within 25 yds of the blind the day or two after setting it up? Or, is that going to be a waste of my time?

I've never use a pop up but I have dug pit blinds and used them the next day with great success. You might consider that instead of a bop up if it's allowed. Let me know if you need further details regarding the pit blind.

we set up a pop up blind the day before a hunt. The impala were not scared of it

My experience with pop up blinds in limited, but in all three occasions I set up the pop up and immediatley started hunting. Saw deer all 3 times. They looked at the blind for a minute or two and then resumed feeding.

Not to be contradictory here, but I've never had any success from ground blinds. I've had them set up 30 days in advance and still had deer shy away from them.

I've noticed extremely variable reactions depending on location.

In Ohio, I've seen deer pay a fresh popup no mind whatsoever.

In eastern NC, the object is foreign and must be avoided like the plague, yet the same deer will walk all around a pickup truck without regard.

Like usual with whitetails, your scent is the key. As others stated, their behavior is all over the place, but if they smell you, the jig is usually up. I would really encourage you to look into using a Gilly suit, it is less conspicuous than a blind. If you really fell like a ground blind is the way to go, I would use natural materials from the area, and fashion one out of limbs, grasses or what ever mother nature left around.

Just as an encouragement, I will tell you that I shot a nice buck from the ground last week, just nestled up against a couple of oaks and wearing a Gilley suit. You have to be very careful about when you draw your bow, and be sure you can hold for a good while at full draw, sometimes that makes the difference in being able to maneuver that little extra bit to allow you to make a shot.

Good luck to you!

I have one thats been out sine march of this year and there is a nice buck, several does and several turkeys that walk within 10 yards of it on a daily basis.

I set up another one thursday morning in a different location and killed a doe and a turkey out of it on saturday.