# Pit Blinds



## ADN (Sep 27, 2005)

Has anyone on here used, built or hunted out of pit blinds? I know, obviously, that they aren't mobile but I have a spot or two that are consitent every year and am thinking about digging some in.

Looking for recommendations on what works for dimensions and such.

Let me know if you have any ideas.


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## Dusty05 (Aug 21, 2005)

I have hunted out of pits alot. To make it good it should be concrete. How long you make it really depends on how many hunters you want to hold. You should make it deep enough so that when you stand up you will be at about chest level.


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## Old Hunter (Mar 8, 2002)

I had pits at one time. The pit covers were made of metal conduit. I used 2 layers of chicken wire and fastened this inside the frame work of the pit cover. Inside the chicken wire I would place the crop residue from that field. I would sandwich it tightly inside the 2 layers of chickenwire. Your covers blend in well. It worked great even in grain stubble. I would pull tufts of stubble up through the chicken wire so it would stick upward. The pits dissapeared it was very easy to step on tops not knowing where they were. Dusty is right if they are not tough they cave in. Your need a gun rack in the front of the blind. This gun rack needs a cover above the gun barrels. Anything loose blowing towards the blind will not be going into the guns. Everything was camoed. Wind is tough with this set up


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## cut'em (Oct 23, 2004)

How about seasonal pit blinds? Is this what your looking to build? I'd like to build pit blinds in places where I can put them, but the farmer must be able to crop over the area in the spring. This would be a somewhat shallow blind that could be filled back in at the end of the season. How are you guys doing this? I've dug shallow trenches and filled them in at the end of the day, but how do you get permission to dig a pit to use all season?


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## 4CurlRedleg (Aug 31, 2003)

Absolutely the best way to hunt watewrfowl. I've been hunting out of them for the last 20 years and it is always a great time.

Four feet is the minimum for width, any less and your mobility is hampered. Length depends on how many guys you will have along, 8 ft. is enough for 3 but I prefer 2 per blind. Old Hunter is correct for the tops, most important is concealment.
When you place your blinds in the field of choice make sure you will be able to set-up in every different wind direction. I wouldn't pick the highest point in the field but an elevated view so you can see the birds coming and that you will be the first thing they see.
You will become an ace in the art of running traffic and a top notch goose hunter! Have fun with it.:wink:


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## ADN (Sep 27, 2005)

4Curl-

I am thinking of putting it in a spot we hunted this past year twice. Both times we were running traffic and did excellent because the field is located in a very strategic spot; right in the middle of what I have taken to calling our local goose triangle- formed by two lakes and some prominent feeding areas. We hadn't seen a single bird land in this field until we set up our spread out there.

I don't have to worry too much about the landowner's permission because it will soon be my brother who will be adding acreage to his farm.

We have gotten quite used to being spaced a bit apart using laydown blinds and what I am most concerned with is safety. Having enough room per person so that people are being endangered.

You think that 8ft/2people works well?

It's absolutely an ideal spot, I am just worried about safety.


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## ndwaterfowler (May 22, 2005)

The pit that we hunted out of last weekend is an old 22ft gas station tank that had been washed out. Our buddy cut a 3 1/2 ft gap on top and then buried it. He then laid pallets on the floor and put plywood over the top of them. For the cover, we used bundles of grass/cat tails. It worked awesome as we got our 7 man limit of birds in a little over an hour....and these are high-pressure honks.


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## brknwing (Dec 6, 2005)

I love hunting out of ground blinds but pits are what we out out of most often at home. It take a little of trial and error to set the dekes with different wind directions but once you get that down its game on. A four foot by eight foot pit is about perfect for two people but this year we sunk four foot by twelve pitts for four guys, A little cramped but it works fine also. Actually have four of them lined up together. It may seem like alot but there is no better way to conceal yourself from the birds. Do it and you will love it!


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## Sean Ehmke (Jan 4, 2006)

Would you be interested in a portable blind? My friend sells a 5'x 8'-8" blind with 2'-0" high sides and can float in 2" of water (not used as a boat) but can pulled behind a boat. It is made of 1/8" thick plastic and the top is made from Pop Up Blinds. The overall height when the top is up is 58". It can seat up to 4 people. It sells for less than $2,000.00. If your interested I can get you some pics. We have been hunting and cooking out of one for 4 years. :beer:


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## C BROWNDUCK (Oct 11, 2003)

if it were me, i would consider building a 4x8 or 4x12 made out of cca treated 1/2inch plywood and have a farmer around their dig the hole with a backhole, they surely wouldnt charge that much, a concrete blind will cost a lot of money. here in missouri, we put in a 4x12 just like a told you about and we treated the outside of it with a sealing tar like they use on basement, it has been in the ground for over 15 years now, unfortuneatley, they goose hunting died way off 10 years ago and you may have the same problem where your at, great hunting for 5 or 6 years and then they change thier patterns and your stuck with a money pit in the ground if you go to extravigant. make sure you brace it well in the middle and use 2x6's for inner walls so they can take the pressure of the ground on it....good luck!! :beer:


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## ADN (Sep 27, 2005)

BROWNDUCK

You have shot out of a 4x12 blind? How many people can comfortably hunt out of that? I mean without muzzle blasting each other and that business, I'm not a fan of having somone sit on my lap while we are both trying to hunt.

I might try a temporary pit (wood) this year and if it works well I might concrete it in. Have to see how it goes. Seeing as either me or my brother will own the field I am not too worried about permission.


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## C BROWNDUCK (Oct 11, 2003)

adn, we could shoot 4 peoeple out it, most times usually only 3, you can choose any dimension you want, my point was why put in such a permanant expensive blind when you may not be hunting it in 5 years. there are a lot of pit blinds at swan lake in missouri that never get used anymore due to the change in migrations, it happens!


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## T Shot (Oct 4, 2002)

Back in the day, my dad and his buddies would drill temporary pit blinds in traditionally hot fields (after the crop came out) for the fall. It was the best setup ever. They had a post hole digger with a bit just wide enough for us to stand in. The other nice thing about it is that if we gained permission in a hot field that was within a reasonable distance from the tractor we had it set up on, the game was on if the farmer didn't mind. Of course we always filled them in after we were done with the field. The only downside was if something was dropped in the hole. I was always nominated to hang upside down in the hole to retrieve it. Usually, we only drilled them in a worked corn field because the dirt was easier to hide. The absolute best idea we ever came up with, but then the guy who owned it sold out and the bit left. That was a sad day.


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## T Shot (Oct 4, 2002)

This leads me to a question. Have any of you ever done field work for a farmer to "help" a field along? There were numerous times growing up where I would disc a corn field so the geese would use it sooner. The farmers loved it, free labor. I loved it because the geese would find that disced corn within a day or two. Man, good times. Anyone else ever done this? Obviously you would have to have some good contacts, you wouldn't just ask a farmer you didn't know to do this.


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## ADN (Sep 27, 2005)

Grew up on one.

Family still owns it. Alot of time get's spent helping out but it all pays off. Both hunting and also just helping other people out.


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