Hey Elvis, Radar...I believe the Ridgeway line of products is NZ made...have either of you guys seen one of these before? If so, what do you think of them?

Ridgeline Single Seat Hunting Hide

I saw this one on Ebay and thought it to be a reasonable idea, although I think $125 is a bit pricey, even though they say the recommended retail is $170.

Cheers, Vince

yeah there is a few designs like it around. the price is about right as the cheapest layout blinds go for $200 NZ they come in a double size aswell. the single will fit a man and small dog.you can stand and shoot or shoot sitting from what Ive seen. the cheeky huas also stole my idea for a haybale blind. this year there is big round bales all over the show so ducks ignore them. put a blind in amoungst them in a stubble paddock and bobs your uncle. you could make your own from a wool pack and four standards or just a camo net and deck chair as alot of parrie shooters use.

I have no idea what kind of trouble it might be ordering out of the US and aside from buying from a national/local producer the price is kinda high when compared to simular items on the Cabela's website.

www.cabelas.com/catalo...t104702580

Thanks Elvis. The price is about right then...fair enough. It is a bit more than I can afford at the moment so I will sit back and watch.

There are a couple of interesting blinds in Cabelas Lester...thanks mate. I didn't check to see if they will freight to Australia, but that is not a problem... more than one way to skin a cat. Usually, the biggest part of the cost is freight charges from the US.

I'll keep looking...I have a couple of ideas in the back of my mind as well.

Cheers, Vince

Vince, attention: skinning a cat gives a nasty smell, even when she is death

And why do you want such a blind? In my opinion that's OK when you want a portable toilet, but for duck- or dovehunting they are rather small. Very difficult to swing your rifle. And where do you put your dog? Or your friend? And how can they also have a look at what you're doing?
And very important: camo is not only about colours, it's also about hiding the shape. So make a few extandable iron pins with a hook on top to hang your camo-net + put some tree-branches in that net. These branches help to break the pattern.
And in my opion the best form: about the shape of the shelter (the dug-out?) at a soccergame. Roof and back forming a kind of shell, most of front and sides open so that you can see. And when you put the back in the direction where the wind is coming from... doves come in against the wind, ducks fly away against the wind... and I don't like the (cold) wind or rain in my face.

Fair call Aloys. Skinning a cat is nasty business, but in Australia, the term "more than one way to skin a cat" basically means there is always more than one option.

I'm thinking that what you have said makes a lot of sense. I spent 26 yrs in the Australian Army, so camouflage and hiding from view is something I know a lot about...I've certainly had plenty of practice. I don't hunt birds, so I don't need to worry about a dog, and I don't have one anyway.

When I am sitting in the bush sniping a rabbit warren (rabbit mound with a lot of entrances) I use the available vegetation around me to build a bit of a hide anyway. Realistically, all I need is to break up my shape and hide any movement. I always keep movement to a minimum and when I do move it is always slow and deliberate...never quickly. Protection from wind and rain is a good idea...but if I position myself carefully then the wind is not a problem. Rain is uncomfortable, but not a major drama. It's surprising how useful a cam painted umbrella can be in the field.

Cheers, Vince

Vince, about these cats: some of my friends were members of a motorcycle-club and years ago, when we were all still young, they used to prepare cats for Sylvester's eveningdinner. I know the last one was when my father was still alive, so it was before 1985. And we did everything to shoot a feral cat, but didn't succeed. As replacement we digged one out that my father shot 14 days earlier...
and the trick was that even my friends did eat a little to get the fear out the party... and at the end, when the cat-meal was finished, the skin was showed...
motormen and women have good stomages, beer is a good disinfectant or they did have a splendid cook, because I never heard somebody getting sick (alltough some usually had to run to the toilets when the skin was showed)
Always heard it tasts like rabbit and you have to examine the bones to see the difference (round <=> oval), but when you're removing the skin you smell the difference with your eyes closed

Sorry, had nothing to do with blinds, or maybe a little as in 'blind-date' ?

No one will have to remind me never to go to Blgium on a motorcycle trip.

Yikes Aloys;14 days dead cat-I'll bet you guys would think that possum and gopher was a delicacy!

Vince-sportsmans guide has several diff't types of blinds(for all occasions ) at some reasonable prices,and some sales too!
I've got a couple of diff't ones for varmint hunting.

Aloysius wrote:

As replacement we digged one out that my father shot 14 days earlier... and the trick was that even my friends did eat a little to get the fear out the party... and at the end, when the cat-meal was finished, the skin was showed

Aloys wrote:

...As replacement we digged one out that my father shot 14 days earlier...

Cheers, Vince

Ominivision1 wrote:

Aloysius wrote: As replacement we digged one out that my father shot 14 days earlier... and the trick was that even my friends did eat a little to get the fear out the party... and at the end, when the cat-meal was finished, the skin was showed

I wonder how the gravy was?

some like it hot
some like it cold
and apparently some like it 14 days old too!!!!
not quite my cuppa tea ol bean I think Ill pass on that meal thank you all the same.
for the same money as a blind of any type you can buy a light weight gillie suit. I have 2 camo nets about 2mtrs x 3mtrs and with suitable clothing we blend in just fine.