How Big Does My Hunting Blind Need to Be?

Hunters are always looking for the best setup possible when it comes to deer hunting and that includes the type of stand or blind that they use in that setup. Perhaps you are looking to upgrade to a deer hunting box blind that gives you everything you want but aren’t quite 100% sure what to get. Upgrading to a box blind is a big investment and getting the right size for you is essential.

How big of a deer hunting blind you need depends on several criteria. The most important is how many people will be using the blind, the style of hunting you plan on using it for, the area that you plan to use it, and your budget. These factors can make or break your hunting experience!

The criteria listed above should come with some pretty basic answers but there might be a lot to consider for each one of them. Let’s dissect each one of them to make sure that you consider everything possible before you make this investment in your deer hunting blind and gear.

 

How Many People?

Knowing how many people will use a blind is a simple enough question, but we still need to think about it.

Buying or building a box blind is something that you are looking to do as a long-term investment. The last thing you want to do is make that investment to only need something bigger in a couple years because your circumstances might have changed. Ideally these blinds last for many many years.

Right now, you might be hunting by yourself but that could change down the line. If you are married, plan for the future if you have children. Someday you are going to want to take them out into the field with you and pass on the great tradition of hunting. Plan for that now and invest in a bigger box blind that will be able to support two to four people possibly.

Also consider your hunting party outside of your children. If you hunt with friends or other family members, a nice box blind can add to the enjoyment of your hunts now and in the future. Right now, you might hunt alone as your hunting party tries to cover as much ground as possible. In the future though, as family members get older and don’t withstand the elements as well, the ability to hunt together in the comfort of a spacious box blind will go a long way.

If you have been around the block once or twice when it comes to hunting or building something, you have probably at some point thought “Dang, I wish this was bigger!” Don’t have that issue when it comes to your box blind. Even if you don’t think in the future you will need or want bigger, it’s better to be bigger rather than smaller.

You might start hunting with someone you don’t even know yet. Many hunters are very open to introducing new people to hunting and you never know where and when that opportunity might come to grow, not only the hunting community, but your own hunting party/family in general. It is best to be prepared for whatever might present itself.

 

Hunting Style

How big your box blind needs to be also depends on your hunting style. By hunting style, I am talking about what method you use to hunt. If you use multiple kinds of weapons throughout the season, make sure your blind is big enough to accommodate them all. A small but tall blind will be fine for a compound bow, but you may have a hard time maneuvering a long gun around it later in the season.

Most box blinds tend to be geared more towards rifle and gun hunters with lower ceilings and windows that are built to easily shoot a firearm through. If you are a bowhunter though, you need to take into consideration how tall you are and know that you may need to stand up and have the size needed to make a comfortable shot.

The space needed to make a good draw with a compound bow is essential. The last thing that you want to find out on your first hunt with a monster buck standing in front of you is to realize your draw elbow hits the back of your blind or your cam wheel hits the ceiling of the blind. Be sure to check the height of the blind.

If you are an avid bowhunter and are over six feet tall, do your research and find a blind designed for bow hunting with a higher ceiling. Most typical box blinds are around six foot tall on the inside. Make sure you have that covered based on your height if you are a bowhunter. Otherwise, you better start practicing shooting your bow from a seated position.

Your hunting style and method of take should directly influence what size blind you get in both width and height.

 

Hunting Setup

Your hunting setup, or where you intend to place your blind will also have an impact on the size of your new blind. There are some important aspects to consider when thinking along the lines of setup, including access and surroundings.

When it comes to access, I am referring to how you will get the blind to this area in which you want to set it up. If you are leaning towards a bigger box blind, make sure that you can actually get it out to the location you want to set it up without having to do something crazy like helicopter it in…unless you have that option! If you live in a heavily wooded area with narrow trails, bigger might not be possible without widening paths and taking out some of your trees.

Along with access is going to be the equipment that it takes to install or set up these blinds. If you are planning on a large blind that is pre-built, but you want it to be elevated, can you get your equipment to the location to set it up. If you are planning to set it up on the edge of a field or in a more open area, this shouldn’t be a problem. Just take into account your surroundings.

Knowing your surroundings or the type of vegetation you are going to be hunting in can also dictate how many people can or should hunt that area and if hunting together in a group inside one blind is a good idea. If you are considering your being set up over a bigger, more open field or food plot that has a good amount of shooting opportunities with higher deer numbers, then a bigger blind would work. Conversely, if you have more thick woods with fewer shooting lanes that perhaps run along a well used deer trail, less hunters and a smaller blind is probably a better option.

 

Your Budget

As with anything, your budget is going to ultimately have a big influence on the size of your blind. Blinds aren’t cheap, but that is because they should serve you well for a long period of time if maintained. Keeping that in mind and all the considerations I have already mentioned, can you afford to get the size that you need?

Some of these blinds are quite expensive, especially as you get into the bigger ones that sometimes look more like a small condo instead of a blind. If you are trending towards a bigger one, but funds are a little short, find out what kind of financial options you can seek. Does the company offer financing or payments? Or perhaps you just need to keep socking away a little money at a time until you have what you need.

If you are finding yourself a little short, we highly suggest that you keep saving and wait just a bit longer. It is better to wait for what you want than to settle for something that you can afford. If you settle for something less than what you want, you will always live to regret that choice. I know from experience.

Also, make sure there are no hidden costs that might pop up. Things like additional shipping, processing fees, or even installation fees if that company offers it. The last thing you want is to get blindsided by a price tag that is hundreds and hundreds of dollars more than you were expecting.

 

Choose Your Size Carefully

Once you have thought out your options and game plans, next is to find the one that fits you. Blinds come in a variety of shapes and sizes, but you want to make sure that you have enough room. A typical one-person blind is about 4’x4’ or 4’x5’. The more people a blind houses, the bigger it will be.

Choose your size carefully and remember a general rule, get it slightly bigger than what you think you need. You won’t regret it one bit while you happily hunt!

 

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About The Author
Patrick Long Patrick Long

Patrick is a lifelong hunter who mainly chases whitetail, but also enjoys duck and turkey hunting. He has hunted game in various states throughout the U.S. and always enjoys hunting in new areas with new people. Patrick usually prefers his .308 while in the stand but is also an avid bow hunter. Patrick is the author of Omega Outdoors (omegaoutdoors.blog) where he regularly publishes his hunting experiences, insights, and expertise. When he’s not in the great outdoors hunting, he’s writing as much as possible.