From layout blinds to pit blinds to box blinds and more, these top picks are sure to help you hide in plain sight. (Chris Ingram photo)
August 21, 2021
By Wildfowl Staff
You’ve heard it many times before, but we’re going to remind you again, “It’s all about the hide.” Staying well-hidden is one of the easiest ways to help bag more ducks and geese. And while some days the birds just refuse to play nice, show up with a good hide and stack the odds in your favor.
Waterfowl Layout Blinds Rig’Em Right – Xtreme Ghillie Layout Blind You can’t kill ‘em if they can see you. Concealment, when it comes to waterfowl, is paramount. Enter the all-new Xtreme Ghillie Layout from Rig’Em Right. Interchangeable ghillie covers (sold separately) paired with lots of stubble straps mean you can disappear in this low-profile blind in any landscape. Fitted with Rig’Em Right’s multi-layer padded backrest and water-shedding cover, days spent afield will be dry and comfortable. Sweetening the pot is the innovative frame design, which makes setup and breakdown a breeze. Additional room has been added under the headrest to stash extra gear.
$280 w/GORE Optifade Marsh with Prairie cover | rigemright.com
Alps Outdoorz – Legend Layout Blind Created for the run-and-gun crowd that chases the migration, Alps’ Legend Layout Blind is a solid option for those looking for a low-profile hide that will work in fields, brush-choaked river bottoms, and the list goes on. Making this blind special is the enclosed floor blind and uber-comfortable zero-gravity chair. The chair keeps your derriere off the cold ground but still allows you to hunker low. A mesh face screen provides additional concealment without obstructing your view of passing birds, and the backpack straps make transport to and from simple.
$400 | alpsbrands.com
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Dakota Decoy – X-Series Layout Blind Early reports from waterfowl industry insiders tell us Dakota’s new blind is worth a credit card swipe. Designed around functionality, the blind sets up and collapses in seconds, which means no fighting, no hassle, and no anti-anxiety meds. A tub-like floor system keeps the feet dry in even the most saturated fields, and the large, zippered footbag allows for easy cleanout. Dakota added a sizeable drag handle behind the headrest for easy moving should you reposition the blind after setup. When the action is slow, snuggle into the large, padded pillow headrest and catch a nap.
$230 | dakotadecoy.com
Tanglefree – Flight Series Snap Layout Blind
A forward-thinking company, Tanglefree took its popular Flight Series Layout Blind and made it better. How? Not by adding unnecessary features, but instead by removing parts. The all-new Flight Series Snap Layout uses an injection-molded heavy-duty plastic clamp that the bars snap into rather than the previously used pin assembly. This feature ups ease-of-use, portability and stealth. Weighing 19.5 pounds, this blind uses 600D material, and the mesh-face panel has added support to keep it off your face. Adjustable backstraps are included, as is an adjustable backrest.
$360 | tanglefree.com
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Waterfowl Box/Frame/Pit Blinds Alps Outdoorz – Alpha Waterfowl Blind
An innovative A-Frame fitted with push-open top doors, this khaki-colored hide will work as a sit-and-leave blind or one you plan to transport from locale to locale. Easily accessible, full-length side doors make entrance and exit easy, and a powder-coated aluminum frame ensures longevity. Square tubing with a hinged shock-cord design makes setup elementary, and interior mesh pockets boost storage. Several U-shaped ground stakes are included, and the durable 600D polyester skin is fitted with a half-dozen viewing windows. Total weight is 39 pounds.
$500 | alpsbrands.com
Redneck Blinds – Mallard Duck Blind
When you find that oh-so-sweet duck hole that seems to produce year-after-year, set a 5’x9’ Redneck Mallard Duck Blind there and enjoy slaying ducks in comfort and total concealment. Fitting four hunters and all the necessary gear needed for a good smash-fest, the Mallard features heavy-duty powder-coated steel complemented by a rugged 600-denier water-resistant cover that will keep heat in and moisture out. A Buckle System means no fumbling with zippers when Mother Nature is at her worst, and each blind sports four adjustable shooting windows. The blind is available in Mossy Oak Bottomland or Realtree Max 5.
$800 | redneckblinds.com
Blind Spot Outdoors – A-Frame 4’x10’
Just meat and potatoes, Blind Spot’s A-Frame 4’x10’ was built to withstand the rugged abuse waterfowlers commonly put their gear through. This all-aluminum frame blind is light and durable, and the hard sides provide extra support, concealment and help keep warmth inside. Fitted with a number of trays for gear storage, this blind is an ideal choice for your favorite goose field or duck hunt.
$900 | blindspotoutdoors.com
Hunting Pits – Unlimited LTL Pro-Pit
Serious waterfowlers love to customize, and you can do so to your heart’s desire when you order an LTL Pro-Pit. Designed to be shipped anywhere in the lower 48, this 10-foot blind allows for the addition of steps, dog boxes, and you can connect two blinds to create a 20-footer. Built like a German tank, this pit blind features fully-welded seams inside and out to prevent leakage and is finished with a durable, no-shine powder-coat finish. Inside features include shotgun stand pegs and a 9-inch-wide shelf.
$4,000 | huntingpits.com
Avian-X – G-Blind Avian-X’s latest and greatest has been dubbed the G-Blind. Built with the same concepts that made the A-Frame such a hit, the G-Blind features a unique G-shaped frame, which ups overhead concealment, keeping you hidden from fowl as well as protected from inclement weather. The sturdy aluminum frame is highly portable — taking less than three minutes to set up once mastered — and the 600D cover will handle the weather. Allowing for maximum versatility, you can shoot sitting or standing, and the new portable design will keep you hidden from any angle.
$450 | avian-x.com
Lucky Duck – 4-Man with Flip Top Cloaked in Optifade Marsh, Lucky Duck’s new waterfowl fort is fitted with easy-to-operate flip tops that keep you concealed from beady eyes, and when the time is right, allow you to emerge quickly and get on target. This 10-footer was made with 7/8-inch square tubing, and the walk-through design provides an open floor plan with no bars to limbo under. The 4 Man fits four hunters and their gear, and the cover and Flip Tops are lined with stubble straps and pockets for added concealment.
$800 | luckyduck.com
Kohler Blinds – The Blind Making it feel like you’re hunting from the comfort of your living room, Kohler’s The Blind is offered in a myriad of sizes to meet your specific needs better. Long on storage, these blinds are fitted with gun cases, ammo boxes, cooking supplies as well as a front storage shelf that will hold a litany of at-the-ready gear. Keeping you comfortable from dawn to dusk is a trio of 15,000 BTU burners that easily connect to propane bottles hidden in the propane tank compartment. With this setup, you can enjoy bacon and eggs as well as a piping cup of Joe. The floor is comprised of heavy-duty rubberized mats, and the seats are incredibly comfortable.
$7,500 12-foot | kohlerblinds.com
Bayou Deview – 20’ Low Wall Dugout Pit Everything you need and nothing you don’t. That’s the story with Bayou Deview’s 20’ Low Wall Dugout duck hide. Built for those who dream of backpedaling wings over a spread of perfectly placed fakes, this pit is long on craftsmanship and offers ample room. Twenty feet long and five feet wide, the blind is fitted with a pair of 4-foot shell boxes on the back wall, and dog boxes are found at each end.
$5,800 | bayoudeviewduckblinds.com
Concealed Comfort Waterfowl Pits – Switchback Designed from customer feedback, the Switchback is Concealed Comfort’s most versatile blind to date. Eliminating the front step and raising the roof increased in-the-blind movement and created a better view of the goings-on in the sky. A dual front pit with center seating means you can see while sitting and quickly transition to a standing position in a single, smooth motion. If the wind changes and you need to shoot a different direction, just switch lids and spin around.
$6,250 | concealedcomfortpits.com
MOMarsh – Invisi-Chair An ideal choice for shallow-water money spots where cover is nil, this 24-ounce packable chair is adjustable for water depths up to 34 inches and the mesh top ensures viewing of the sky. When wings cup and feet come down, simply release the kick-out bar on the arm rest and the top will spring open. You can shoot sitting or standing. The chair comes with storage bags for dead fowl and your gear.
$300 | momarsh.com
Waterfowl Blind Accessories Final Approach – Hot Seat Waterfowl hunts aren’t typically a tropical affair, and staying warm and comfortable in the field is a staple to consistent success. Capable of fitting all Final Approach blinds and most competitor blinds, the Hot Seat, under compression from the body, uses a styrene bead padding to generate natural heat. With no batteries or wires to worry about, this lightweight, rugged pad measures 56-inches long and 19-inches wide.
$60 | fabrand.com
Camo Unlimited – Military Spec Camouflage Netting A far cry from your typical on-the-shelf box store camo netting, Camo Unlimited’s Military Spec Netting was built to cloak a blind and keep you hidden season after season. Heavy rip-stop material that is waterproof, UV and anti-rot/mold treated, this netting can take a lickin’ and keep on tickin’. In addition to a rugged build, the netting material is treated to eliminate glare. It offers 3-D leaf-like foliage, is whisper quiet, and remains pliable even in extreme temperatures.
$110 Reversible Green/Brown | camounlimited.com
Gibson – Duck Blind Covers Blind covers that won’t rot or fray, Gibson’s Duck Blind Covers trump hand-woven natural plant materials and keep you and your hunting companions concealed. Easy to use rolls that blanket your boat or other blind systems, these handmade covers provide seasons of use and stand up against violent weather. One set contains 24x48 rolls.
$72 | gibsonduckblindcoversinc.com
