Clam Outdoors - Elite Hunter Ground Blind

For years I resisted the peer pressure to turkey hunt, or hunt anything for that matter, from a ground blind. I never thought the effort to carry it into my hunting location and set it up in the dark, or risk having it stolen by setting it up the night before, was worth the reward. That was until I began guiding youth turkey hunters. Youths have a tendency to get antsy and fidgety when they have to sit for long periods of time with nothing to do, which will ruin a turkey hunt for sure. Then I had the opportunity to turkey hunt with my good friend Mike P. at his place in Vermont. I was successful at harvesting a mature tom turkey from Mike's ground blind and I was sold on hunting from one. After seeing how much movement we were able to get away with I knew I would eventually purchase one, but which one? There are more ground blinds on the market than you can imagine.

Price wasn't my main hurdle, as long as I was able to get a blind that was light enough to carry long distances into the field, would last long enough to justify the cost, and was easy to set up in the dark without the aid of a light. As a member of the Clam Outdoors pro staff I knew about the Elite Hunter Ground Blind, but Clam is so well known for ice fishing that hunting blinds are probably the last thing you might think to buy from them. Clam Outdoors makes the highest quality and most functional ice fishing equipment on the market. They also make Quick-Set screen houses which were born from their hub-style ice fishing shelters. I knew right away that if they put the same standards into this ground blind that they do their Quick-Set screen houses and hub-style fish houses, I would be happy with it. I was also pleased at the fact that the Elite Hunter Ground Blind comes with a lifetime warranty against manufacturers defects, so there went my concern about it standing the test of time provided I took care of it. Here are a few things I noticed within the first few times using my blind.

The Elite Hunter Ground blind has a 60" x 60" footprint with 78" x 78" elbow room dimensions. It is large enough for myself and two other people, but I would likely limit it to two people (myself and a client) if there were a bow hunter with me. It weighs in at 27 pounds which is on the heavy side for a ground blind of its size, but that's because it is made with 600 total denier fabric. It also has Clam's Thermal Trap Technology, that retains heat and reduces condensation. I found the insulation especially useful on opening day of the youth season when it was 35 degrees. I was able to kick on the Mr. Buddy Heater and keep my youth client and his father nice and toasty. I'm really going to love the added insulation come deer season. I found that the Thermal Trap Technology also helps deaden sounds such as whispers and movements of fidgety clients.

Like all of Clam's hub-style houses, the Elite Hunter Ground Blind has the largest hubs in the industry making it easier to set up and ensuring a long life in the field. It takes me around 60 seconds to set this blind up in the dark with no help, and without a flashlight, which is huge when trying to get in close to roosted gobblers without waking them. There are 12 window openings with shoot-through mesh and each window opening has magnet and zipper closures. Yeah I know, blind owners hate zippers, but the only zipper I really need to operate is the entrance opening. I removed all of the shoot through mesh from the large window openings so that I can use any window I want without worrying about the Velcro. I use the magnets for the window enclosures making opening and closing them completely silent. My clients and I will be mostly gun hunting out of it and I frankly want to get the muzzle outside when possible to save what's left of my hearing.

To summarize, the Elite Hunter Ground blind is exactly what I needed. I can set it up fast and quiet, it's warmer on cold days, it's virtually bullet proof, and at $369.99 it still comes in less than some of its "top of the line" competitors. As far as I'm concerned it is worth every penny. So far this season me and my clients have had birds around us every time we have been out in it. I harvested my bird from it, one client missed his shot, and another client killed his first turkey ever from it. So far, everyone who has used the Elite Hunter Ground Blind this season has loved it, including me.

Interested in turkey hunting from the Clam Outdoors Eliute Hunter Ground Blind? Visit www.TimMooreOutdoors.com to book your guided turkey hunt before the remaining available dates fill up.

For more info on teh ELite Hunter Ground Blind and all the great products from Clam Outdoors visit www.ClamOutdoors.com.