The Whitetail Underground

Obviously, low lying areas and land with a high water table should be avoided, and of course the use of pit blinds should be restricted to land you own or private property where you have previously made arrangements with the landowner.

All pit blinds should be safely covered and locked when not in use--to avoid any legal problems--and you should consider posting warning signs. Each situation is different, and you can judge for yourself what precautions are necessary.

A good cover or lid not only prevents accidents, it also keeps out intruders. One of the first pit blinds I built on our ranch proved to be an irresistible draw to the local raccoon population and, if it was left ajar, would quickly acquire new residents.

Sitting in an open stand for hours can be a rather chilly experience when the wind is blowing snow in your face and temperatures are dipping below zero. Pit blinds are a far warmer option. They keep you out of the wind, and the natural heat from the subsurface soil helps keep you more comfortable.

A pit blind also traps your scent. I have actually had deer walk within three feet of the blind without detecting my presence. That makes a pit blind a great setup for spots where the prevailing winds and topography force you to situate your stand upwind from the location you expect the game to appear.

Although pit blinds do not protrude above the ground a great deal, it is still a good idea to break up their outlines. Wildlife will notice any obvious changes to their environment, so you should cover fresh dirt you excavate with camo cloth or simply use brush, leaves and grass from the surrounding area to give it a natural look. In the late season you may not need to worry about this as a couple of inches of snow will solve all of the problems.

As to camouflaging the bind itself, pressure-treated wood is usually dull brown or green in color and blends in fairly well. If you choose to use untreated wood, it should be stained with a color that will blend with the area; don't forget to stain the underside of the lid, too. I also like to break up the solid color by spraying a bit of black and gray paint in an irregular pattern on the top edges of the pit blind walls and the top and underside of the lid or cover.

When I am building a permanent pit, I like to complete the construction by late spring so that I can landscape the area and have it completely blending in with the surrounding vegetation by hunting season. I carefully remove the sod from the construction area prior to digging the hole and set it aside. Once the blind panels and floor are in place, I spread the dirt out evenly around the blind and back-slope it up to within four inches of the top edge of the walls. I then pack it firmly and replace the sod I removed from the area earlier.

I give the sod a good soaking with a few buckets of water and then leave it alone for a few weeks. The sod quickly takes hold, and the new pit blind blends in beautifully.

Always try to match the vegetation that is growing around the location of your blind. If the blind is actually surrounded by clover, alfalfa or another crop, then seed the disturbed area around your blind accordingly.

Maintenance is minimal. With permanent pit blinds it is a good idea to open the lid and let them air out for several days during the dry summer months. They should also be checked for seepage after unusually heavy rains, although this should not be a problem if your pit blind was built in a suitable location and properly covered.