New to ground blinds

[Big_Holla]

A lot of sights have ways to add some sort of light. Check the website for the brand you have and see if anything is available. There are additional lights that can be added as well. As far as the blind goes it's hard to say. Sometimes you can put one up and they don't notice a thing, other times they do what they did to you. Perhaps they saw you move inside though. Never put your face up to the window to look out as they can spot you easily that way. Wear the darkest clothing you have inside, some even wear just black. As far as your seat goes you need to find something comfortable, even if it's an old kitchen chair. Needs to be comfortable first and foremost if you plan to sit long, secondly it needs to be quiet. If the ground under the seat is uneven you need to take a shovel or something to level it out. I use a camouflage folding stool with a back on it. Often it gets uncomfortable so I take extra jackets to put on seat or back to help make it comfy.

[ajupsman]

This is my fourth season using ground blinds and I have had some success using them. The deer and other animals will get used to them with time. I set mine up around Labor Day weekend which is two weeks before our season starts in NH. I've never had a deer run the other way but I have had them blow before like you said. I've also had deer not care less that it was there even when I had just set it up an hour before. I once had a young doe come within 5 feet of my window. I could have poked her in the nose with an arrow if I wanted to. They are great for hiding movement but as Big Holla said don't put your bare face right in the window. It will stand out. I put a sight on my bow this year that has a light on it to light up the pins when I need it. It works great. Also the best blind chair I've found by far is the Primo Double Bull QS3 Magnum Tri-Stool. I've done all day sits in these chairs without a problem. I still hunt out of tree stands but I have found blinds are handy to have when there are no good trees around.

[BIGHUNTOH]

I use a fold up lounger chair in my blind, I can sit all day comfortably in it. I also use a propane heater in the winter months and never had problems. Good luck

[Bushman]

This is my first year using them as well and im finding theres a learning curve involved lol.

[buckeyehuntr]

i have used a ground blind(s) exclusively for five years now and alot of the wisdom from earlier posts are correct. I get all my blinds, feeders etc out on sept 1st, labor day weekend. brushing them in is fine but having them there for a time is way more important. the other thing ive really noticed is if you close up the windows when not hunting they really notice them when they are open when you are hunting, try to leave them as close to hunting situations as possible. Watch the sun, if your blind is situated so the sun shines in on you they will notice you. I sit right against the back of my blinds and i wear a large black shirt over everything. A few deer seem to never notice me and each year i have a few does normally who spook every time they see the blind, bad experience maybe! i have had to dig the ground to level plenty of times also. I use a fold up camo chair from wally world but to make it really comfy i sit on a camo hot seat and i use a boat cushion for my back. I typically sit from an half hour before daylight until 1-130pm so i need to be comfy. Hope this helps and good luck