How to Build a Blind for Photographing Wildlife

I am beginning to get into nature photography more seriously now and I

find myself in need of a blind since I can't afford a 400/2.8 or

600/4 to bring the subjects in close to me. I am not really interested

in bird or waterfowl photography. I will be shooting deer, turkey,

squirrels, and other such forest mammals. I don't want to buy a blind

if I can build one (just for me). The problem is, I don't know how to

build one, or with what. It would be nice if it was somewhat portable

and/or collapsible because I will have to be travelling through a

rather thick forest to get into position. Also, I need the blind to be

large enough to stay in an entire day

with camera equipment and supplies.

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I am also concerned about my scent (no, I don't stink) since deer have

a keen sense of smell. I know I should be downwind from them, but the

wind probably will change throughout the day. I'm not too keen on

rubbing fox pee all over myself though (like some hunters do). Should

I consider a more plastic or thicker camo; instead of using a

fabric/mesh type material?

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-What materials should I use/did you use?

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-How did you construct it?

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-Are there any sites with plans for building a blind?

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Thanks for your help.

Jonathan - type of hide depends a lot on what you intend to

photograph, and where, what time of year, prevailing weather

conditions, and how hardy you are! It is possible to construct a blind

from local materials (sensible!! no cutting down trees) for the

location you choose. Advantages are that it uses local material so

should blend in, and is easy to carry in! Disadvantage is that it has

considerable impact on the environment depending on how careless you

are, and probably is not weatherproof. Plastic is noisy stuff so

avoid it.

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Another option is a small camo tent - the really small bivvy type with

a hoop front that you can get inside easily. You should be able to

just sit up. Made of Goretex it should weigh only a couple of pounds

and be completely weatherproof, so you can use it in winter or in the

rain, sit inside in a sleeping bag and get lovely images of wildlife

in 'interesting' weather conditions instead of boring sunlight.

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Going into such a wildlife location is like dropping a stone into a

pond - the ripples of your presence spread out and affect all the

wildlife. If you sit down and are able to blend into the scene,

gradually the ripples of your intrusion will fade and after a while

the animals will start to return. When it works right it is a very

very rewarding experience. Good luck!!

I have built and continue to use a number of blinds where I live. A

very simple blind to make is one with a frame made of 3/4 inch pvc

pipe. You basically make a box shape and then cover it with camo

fabric. It is light and easy to break down. A bit of sewing skills is

needed to get the fabric to cover the frame.

If you are desparate a refridgerator box will work in a pinch. I

sometimes will use one of these when it is in an area that I feel a

good blind may be damaged by passerbys

God's light to you

There is a good diagram for building a blind in Len Rue's book, "How I Photograph Animals." I have used the commercial Rue Ulimate Blind for several years and swear by it. I think the current cost is $229 or so. It sets up in 30 seconds and is light weight. If you wish the build your own blind, be sure that the fabric you use is opaque enough that light behind you doesn't create a shadow on the front fabric. I routinely get within ten feet or less of Wild Turkeys, but you may have trouble with mammals such as deer, fox, coyotes, etc. if you don't have at least a 300 mm - a 500 mm or larger is highly desired for mammals and makes your life easier with birds. Mammals have pretty good noses even with covering scents. For fall deer, rather than covering yourself with scent, you might try my method: Take old plastic film canisters, fill with cotton and add a few drops of deer scents (dominant buck or doe in heat). Place these in trees where you want the deer to be for the photos. Len Rue's bird photography videos have some good footage on using blinds.

I'll second the PVC pipe idea. We built a 6x4x4-foot box with 3/4-inch pipe cemented together, then covered it with camo tarp. Entire cost was less than $30. No sewing necessary as we bungi-corded the tarp on.

 

Works well for birds, especially when it's concealed in a stand of trees or brush.

 

Key to using a blind, though, is to know where to put it. I live in a woods full of deer; they're easier to photograph by learning to stalk, as I'd never have any idea where to put a blind with any assurance they'd be in the right place. Other, more wary animals --- and that includes wild turkeys --- could be even harder.

 

Good luck and have fun.

Coming from KY in turkey and deer hunting heaven, I've picked up a few tips along the way: fox piss need only go on your shoes. You shouldn't even really be able to smell it. As for your cloths- don't wear freshly washed cloths-let them air out at least a week before you go out. Animals hate the smell of tide and other detergents. No deoderent, animals hate that smell too(your significant other will not kiss you when you come home, they will point you to the shower). No shower the day you go (soap smell again), no shave either (shaving cream. I believe toothpaste is ok. If you have aa car deoderizer, take it out way before the time you plan on going. The main thing is, limit the atificial smells you carry in with you. Most of this is for the deer, but I believe it applies to most wild animals. Good luck!

I have seen several 4X4 "2" men camoflage blinds at several sporting goods store. They are big enough so you can swing a lens on a tripod without any problem. The cost was under $40, and I beleive it may have been considerably less. It seems like the price of items such as blinds and vests goes up by a factor of 10 when it is to be used for photography. Unfortunately, they are out of stock right now and will be so until about September, just before hunting season.

 

As far as the big glass, you might try to check into renting a long lens. I have rented Nikkor 300mm AF-S, 500mm AF-I and a 600mm AF-I, the latter 2 with a TC-14E teleconverter. While the 600 really brings the subject close, I prefer the 500mm as it is a lot easier to handle. Funny thing, I really didn't use the TC with the 600mm while I almost always use it with the 500mm.

 

Finally, my wife and I were in Fairfield State Park in Texas about 2 weeks ago and got a number of shots of deer. The bucks are in "velvet" growing their horns right now. The largest buck we saw was only a 6 pointer, while a park ranger said he spotted a herd with two 8 pointers and one 10 pointer. We were using the 600mm AF-I mounted on a tripod in my wife's little Mercury Capri convertible. It made an excellent platform as the deer seem to ignore cars on the roads. We also encountered several doe and their fawns while walking on some of the trails. But, carrying that 600mm was gruesome.

 

Good luck and have fun.

P.S. To complete my answer about designing a blind, you might want to go to some of the sporting goods stores which carry hunting equipment and see if they have any blinds. If so, that may give you some ideas on what to do. If you do make a blind, I agree with others and suggest you use PVC pipe. You don't have to glue the sections to as there should be enough friction to hold the pieces together. Finally, you might be able to use 1/2 inch which will be considerably less bulky to carry though it may tend to sag.

A blind does not have to blend in, just has to be there for a couple of days so that it becomes part of the enviroment, it could be Survival Orange and still be effective.