[Jamie]

I'm looking at getting a new blind for my boat. I'm wondering what people have to say about the various blinds on the market. Also,if you've hunted out of multiple blinds which you prefer and why.
I've been looking at Avery, Beavertail, and Mudbuddy. The Mudbuddy looks nice because of the total concealment, but may be hard to see birds coming in from behind. The Beavertail is nice, because it can double as a goose field blind. What do the rest of you think?
The blind is going on an 18 foot crestliner.

 

[Predator]

I like the beavertail blind, well worth it's money. I just wish I had a use for my boat, trying to get rid of the gig.

.02

 

[captmike]

I use the mudbuddy fastgrass blind on a 17ft x 44 BFC marine prodrive edition with a 27hp prodrive mm. The blind is VERY sturdy and we shot a total of 215 ducks in louisiana and Kansas. Early season the ducks decoyed extremely well but got tougher as the season progressed.This is the second season i've used fastgrass blinds and i am not 100% sold on it for various reasons. My #1 concern is that the more it gets pulled down the highway,the more the top rail of grass gets matted down thus causing the hunters insde to become more exposed from above when the blind is in the up position.

 

[TadpoleMVP]

I love my Beavertail Blind. With it folded down it is out of the way and makes driving a lot easier and safer to me before daylight. Then with it flipped up you stay out the wind and fairly dry. Mine is worth every dime it cost.

 

[jmike]

the mudbuddy is is the best i have hunted out of , theres holes in the back to see out of, we cut ours bigger then sewed netting over them , also you dont have to have the top up all the time, we used it on a 15 degree day put in one little heater and it was so warm and cozey ........................jmike :thumbsup:

 

[Jamie]

jmike, have you ever hunted out of a beaver tail?
tadpole, have you ever hunted out of a mud buddy?
I think I'm going to take a trip to check out both before investing $. Let me know the positives and negatives of the blinds you prefer and the others if you've hunted out of both.
Thanks, Jamie

 

[TadpoleMVP]

I have never hunted out of a mud buddy. The only thing that I would change on my blind is the shooting holes I wish they had a zipper on them instead of a few pieces of velcro. That way on windy days they would be closed better and not let any air in. I might add them this summer myself on the back two openings. The mud buddy pics I have seen looks like it is a nice blind. I bought the beavertail because a buddy of mine has one on his boat and I like the way it works.

 

[HaydenHunter]

Maybe I can help. I have hunted out of a couple of Beavertail blinds. I own a MudBuddy QuickFlip.

The Beavertail is a bit faster to set up. If you are in a situation where you want to erect and collapse the blind many times per hunt (no dog to get your birds) this may be an advantage. Visibility is a bit better on the Beavertail because you stick your head out of an opening in the top. This allows full 360 degree movement to see everything. The downside is that with that movement comes detection by birds. You have to keep your head really still when the birds are working. Slouching down where the top of the blind is at eye level, resting the bill of your cap about an inch above the top of the blind, allows you to see and (hopefully) the birds will not make out your face.

The Beavertail is a durable blind and as others have said, it is very cozy in the cold and wind with just a small heater providing warmth.

As for the MudBuddy, it takes slightly longer to set up. I mean just a few more seconds. In my opinion, it looks better than the Beavertail. Extra shock-corded fabric tapers down over the bow and over the motor, fitting tight like a shower cap. The Beavertail looks more like a camouflaged giant shoe box versus the profile of the MB. The tapered ends make it look more like a natural land mass.

The retractable cover on the MB is worth the price of admission. First, you stay drier in the rain. This is because you have solid cover over your head, versus sitting in a hole. Second, the MB provides critical overhead cover. You can really move around inside the boat even when the birds are right overhead. Pulling back the retractable lid involves tugging on a strap, standing up and shooting. There are viewports out the back of the blind to see birds swing from that direction. The front opening runs the length of the "shooting box" and is adjustable for height. I have mine set at about a 12" opening.

The crossbars holding the MudBuddy frame to the gunwales of the boat are recessed lower than those on the Beavertail. My buddy and I both run mud motors and the sunken MB design makes for less interference with the handle of a mud motor.

Both are excellent blinds and each have their advantages. I think the QuickFlip's pluses outweigh the Beavertail's and so it gets my vote.

Hope this helps.