It was one of the few times I can remember that a bear didn't know I was there. Only 15 yards apart, we were close enough to look into each other's eyes, but the big boar had no clue I was in his wheelhouse.

Well, I was in a house of sorts -- a pop-up ground blind. Bears see better than they're given credit for, but the 7' boar never even glanced at my Primos Double Bull blind as he sniffed for the scent of a hot sow.

I admit to a somewhat higher cardio rate than usual as I drew on that bear at eye level, but my shot was perfect and I had a 19½" boar in the bag, my first from a ground blind.

Pop-up ground blinds have become staple hunting tools in the past decade or so, and for one reason -- they work! They're especially effective on turkeys and pronghorns, but almost any game animal can be hunted from a thoughtfully positioned blind.

The portability and quick setup of these blinds makes them useful in many situations. When turkey hunting, you can strap one to your back and hunt on the fly, setting up in just seconds when a gobbler responds. No brushing-in is necessary.

When hunting pronghorns at a waterhole or fence crossing, you're wise to set up a few days in advance of your hunt to allow animals to get accustomed to the blind. However, if the weather is hot and dry, and you have the only waterhole around, you'll probably get animals within range the very day you place the blind. They will just come in cautiously.

For elk or whitetails, you'll have best success if you brush-in the blind to make it blend with the surroundings. Choose a spot that works to absorb the shape of the blind, like the base of a cedar tree. Cut nearby brush and tie it to the sides and roof of the blind to eliminate the hard outline of the blind. Horizontal lines are unnatural and draw the attention of animals.

Whitetails are especially sensitive to the presence of black shooting holes. First, keep the holes as small as possible, and close all unneeded openings to block out light. For ultimate concealment, place shoot-thru mesh across your shooting holes. The netting absorbs light and makes the holes, and your movement, invisible. You must shoot either a fixed-blade broadhead or an expandable that will not deploy when going through the mesh.

Don't place your blind too close to a hot trail or waterhole. Stay back so you're not trying to move and get a shot off at pointblank range. Silence is imperative. Clear forest litter before placing the blind, and equip your blind with a comfortable, quiet chair. When circumstances allow, I fold up my chair, set it aside, and shoot from my knees.

More than one animal's life has been saved by the bottom edge of a shooting hole in a blind. Since your line of sight is well above your arrow's flight path, always be aware of your arrow's position in relation to the edge of the window before releasing the string.

When choosing a blind, look for one that sets up quickly and quietly, has adjustable shooting windows, doesn't flap in the wind, and has a black interior. To enhance the value of the dark interior, wear black or dark camo clothing. Here are some pop-up blinds that will do the job for you.

AMERISTEP
Two new models, the Tom Taker and the Carbonator, feature Ameristep's NS3 MICRO-TECH fabric -- a fleece-like finish that's quieter than previous fabrics. It also diffuses light, eliminating shine and softening interior shadows. Ameristep's Vertical Window Technology gives you long, vertical shooting holes to allow for ultra-close or steeply angled shots.