Happy yeast as the policeman at the roadblock said to me yesterday.

I’m looking for some advice on what the best pop up blind would be for leopard hunting. When I was an apprentice we used them with good success. The main thing about them is they are quick to set up for cases when you get to a bait late.

I would need something big that can fit 3-4 people and has easy and quiet entry/exit. Which blind would you suggest for this?

Thor , there's a guy every year at the Huntex show in Johannesburg who sells the biggest pop up blind I have come across. I've checked everything for sale in the States and locally. I see no name on mine and I cannot remember his business name. I could check on it at huntex next month and send you info if you'd like.
Most pop ups are restricted on space , this one ticks that box and is well made. Works well.

Tough to find one large enough to get 3 people, let alone 4 in. Most blinds have a 5'X5' footprint, and will only handle 2 people plus chairs, etc.

Here are a couple that should be big enough for 3, maybe 4. Barronett makes the largest blinds that I have seen. Standard hub designs. I've not used one, just looked them over at the deer/turkey show.

Barronett OX5,
Barronett Beast (the Beast is a double wide)
Barronett Pentagon

If you are OK with smaller, my preference is Primos Double Bull. Mine has lasted well over the years.

Jeremy

Items of luxury such as these are what kills the "African hunting experience".

I have yet found a Leopard snotty-nosed enough to not permit the building of a blind in time for a second sitting.
With a crew that knows their job, you can have one done and dusted within an hour - it may not have all the bells and whistles but it'll work.

Thor- Check out the "Red Neck" line. They make one with a gillie style exterior which should shorten your camouflage time. Of all those out there, this is the one that is most strongly built IMO.

We have been using pop up blinds now for a number of years.

But, we always cover them with grass and leaves.

Years ago we set up a blind for lion.

We got there very early in the morning, and got in.

Not long after, a young male comes along from the rear, and lies right against the blind on Alan’s side.

We could hear his breathing so loud.

I signaled Alan to put his hands under the blind and pull the lions tail.

He did not listen to me!

Eventually the lion got up, walked right in front of us, met a fema7coming from the front, and proceeded to mate with her!

It will be extremely difficult to find one to get 4 people in comfortably. Most are 60x60. Ameristep makes one that I think is 74x74. I think it is called the Brickhouse.

I often use an Ameristep but it is a much different model. it "folds up " quickly into a small circle. I love it . It is much smaller than the one above.

I have several of the Double Bull blinds at my ranch. They are very good as well. My guess is that are 60x60. No way could one put 4 people in one of these.

Just did a quick search and found this. I have never heard of them nor used them.

https://www.sportsmansguide.co...fEAQYBSABEgLtBfD_BwE

Happy yeast Thor

I've had one of the original Double Bull Blinds from before they sold out to Primos. Has held up very well and is quick and easy to set. Never liked the limited sight and ability to hear what is happening around you. Primos released a new cover material for them this year on the Surround View Double Bull blind. Check out some of the YouTube videos of them. If I were to do it again, this would be the one.

I have a Barronett Big Cat,
https://www.barronettblinds.co...trail-backwoods-camo
90" wide, 80" high. I could have a party in it.
And it must be good for leopard hunting, the word "Cat" is in the name.

M

On any of these the hubs are the Achilles Heel. So let the buyer beware and get some reviews on the durability of each manufacturer's hub system.

One thing I really liked about hunting leopard with you was the grass blinds you built. It has a certain authentic old Africa feel that the modern pop-ups don't have. With that said the pop-ups are way more convenient, no question. I have had a few different ones over the years and found the Double Bull to be the most durable. The cheaper ones never last.

BTW, the Double Bull blinds I have are the older ones and I don't know how well they are made now. Make sure the zippers are heavy duty.

I've got an old Double Bull that we've taken elk, whitetails and antelope from. Brushed in, it works great, animals pay no attention to it at all. It might hold 3 people if they're not too big and are good friends. It holds 2 comfortably.

Can't figure out why you'd want 3 or, especially, 4 people in a leopard blind. Talk about making it tough...

I would just put two pop up blinds side by side and put the doors in the back .When you have just two people in one blind it is kinda crowded .I would also get one you can stand up in a hate bending over in a blind .You can put mosquito netting in the Windows and put a split in the middle to shoot out of .I like to see out of all the sides so because for some reason everything comes from behind you .I get very good chairs too so you don't get tired of sitting so long .I take kids in blinds hunting all the time it hides their movement .I have had turkeys pick spiders off the side of the blind .It helps hide you and I usually put them with trees behind them in the woods .They work awesome good luck sounds like a good way to hunt leopards !

Thor,
Stick with your traditional grass blinds. Part of the beauty of hunting Zambia is the tradition. I loved the blinds we hunted and enjoyed building them. I sit in enough of the pop-ups at home and prefer not to do so in "proper" Africa.

BTW the Ccat should be home from the taxidermist in a couple weeks.

Don

I always thought the idea of a blind was to
be concealed best you can possibly get in natural matching materials.

I've seen a few set out in the hunting areas and they've always been so obvious from a distance.
A fellow antelope hunter took one out and set it up on the prairie near a couple small trees. The goats that came within sight stood way back (100's of yards) and stared at it then went the other way.

I can't believe a leopard, or lion wouldn't be the same. Unless their attitude changes the rules.

George

Thanks for the advice everyone.
Just so people don’t misunderstand me, my preferred blind is still the grass blind and will be using grass blinds majority of the time. There are just some instances where you want a blind up quickly and the nearest grass will be a 2 hours drive away. And again even if you use a pop up blind it still needs to be covered well with whatever grass or brush is around. Just the pop up blind would be noticed by a leopard or lion.

For a true African adventure, I don’t think you could really surpass the excitement of hunting from a machan

I have used both the traditional and the pop up blinds on leopard. Both successes were using the pop up blinds.

The PH used the Primos double bull blinds. They were good for 2, but 3 would be tight company, and I don't think 4 would work. We always sat with just two people, didn't matter what kind of cat. Trying to accommodate an observer or a cameraman would be a challenge for the PH, I would think- I think noticeable noise and motion increases exponentially with more folks.