BHOD prostaffer, Tommy Alford, recently set out on a quest to return to his roots of run-n-gun style turkey hunting. He was tired of being stuck in a ground blind when the action was elsewhere. He wanted to move with the action and stay with the birds throughout the day.Â
That’s what led him to build a DIY tripod blind for run-n-gun bowhunting this spring. It’s a quick and simple process that allowed him to go undetected and get to full draw with gobblers less than 10 yards away. Here’s a look at how he did it.Â
To make it compact and portable, Tommy used a lightweight camera tripod. The tripod served double duty, providing a hide as well as a camera mount to self-film his hunt.Â
The tripod quickly folds out in seconds, offering faster setup time than most anything you’ll find on the market. It also allows for complete camo concealment from top to bottom.Â
What You'll Need
Provided you already have a tripod, the material list on this one is quite simple, and really inexpensive.Â
Camera Tripod (small and light)
Artificial Plants/Greenery
Camo Fabric
Zipties
Tommy used an ultralight tripod from Manfrotto (Manfrotto befree). It weighs just a couple pounds, including fluid head.
He spent $25 on artificial plants. They can be found at your local arts and crafts store.Â
The fabric Tommy used was actually a $5 fleece camo blanket. It’s super light and offers great concealment without the see-through effect you typically get from burlap or camo netting.Â
The complete package can be put together and zip-tied in short order. Once everything is in place, you can open and close the blind without having to rebuild each time.Â
The fabric material provides adequate concealment from the eyes of turkey and deer, but the leafy add-ons are what really help this design go undetected.
When built right, this blind simply looks like a small brush pile or tree top laying on the ground. It’s the perfect setup for a quick and easy run-n-gun style of hunting. Â
How Well Does It Work?
The concept for this blind is simple enough, but will actually work?
Be sure to check out the video for a look at the blind in action as Tommy breaks it in on a big Illinois gobbler.Â
Conclusion
A big congrats to Tommy on his first turkey of the season and getting it done with his brand new DIY tripod blind.Â
Tommy plans to use the blind for hunting deer in the fall as well for the ultimate in mobility throughout the season.
What about you? Would you use it? Comment below and let us know if you’d give it a try.Â
