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Sky Blind (Weekend Project)

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    Sky Blind (Weekend Project)

    Weekend project turned out real good.

    The family hunting property is about to be overrun with cows, so I had to get the blind off the ground.
    This is a Barronett Big Mike XT blind, mounted on a 12' tripod.

    Built, mounted, and braced a 3/4" tubing frame to the tripod, that matches the footprint of the blind.
    The blind was in pretty bad shape, and faded, but I sewed up the bad spots, sprayed the inside with a rubber sealer,
    and then put a military camo netting over the outside.

    Carpeted the platform, and turned the carpet up 10" on the inside all the way around.
    It's very solid, and stable. Has already withstood some pretty high wind just setting here unanchored in the drive.
    It'll be very solid once in place, and tied down.

    I have a board that slides across the opening/entry way to keep me from stepping through it.

    Rick
    Attached Files
    Last edited by RickBarbee; 05-08-2017, 06:19 PM.

    #2
    I've got another of these Big Mike XT blinds, and am going to build a platform for it. I'm just going to go up 6ft with it, and it will be a quad pod/leg design. No livestock on the property where it is, but getting them off the ground onto a platform keeps the rats from chewing them up, and makes them a lot more stable.

    I'm never opposed to comfort, and these blinds are roomy inside. Add a buddy heater, and you can stay it the thing as long as you want.

    I've never seen them as being that portable anyway, especially not the ones that actually give you some room in them. I have a ghillie suit for being portable. 8^)

    Rick

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      #3
      Good idea!!

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        #4
        Great job. I've got to get busy and convert my strongbuilt now. I like the extra room.

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          #5
          I love my Big Mike but that thing is BIG and catches a lot of wind. Mines been collapsed a couple of times sitting on the ground in a cedar brake by some of those west Texas t-storm winds. Rick I know you know what you're doing but please be careful. I know, it's none of my business .

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            #6
            Good job, Rick! Just make sure that the camo netting is higher than any cows there can reach, or they will tear it to shreds!

            Ask me how I know!

            Bisch

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              #7
              Thanks guys.

              Ron, I started using doublebull blinds when they first came out. I learned the hard way, you don't set it & leave it without making sure it's all tied down. Never had one collapse since I started tying them down good. I appreciate your concern. Seriously. I built this thing with stability & safety in mind the whole time. The tripod, and all the add ons are solid. Once I get it set where I want it, both the tripod, and the blind will be tied down real good, so no worries.

              Bisch, I know all to well. Sounds like You & I have had some of the same experiences with the cows. I've actually had the darn cows EAT one of my doublebull blinds. The lowest hanging part of this blind is still a little above 11 ft, so I think I'll be good to go.

              Rick

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                #8
                I don't even want to talk about my experiences with pop up blinds and camo netting. Cows enjoyed eating mine so much I think I saw some walking around with traces of the netting still hanging out of their hind ends! I think I am going to hijack your basic idea and try to build a wall around one of my tripods with light plywood and camo netting but much higher than the cows can reach. Basically like four sides of plywood on 4X4 legs with a tripod up through the middle of it and no top on it.

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                  #9
                  My son in law modified a blind in a very similar fashion last fall. Now I have a tripod with carpet and netting hanging all over, around, and under it. Looks like crap and probably scares the deer now.

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                    #10
                    Not saying that yours looks like crap...but it will if you leave it up all year.

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                      #11
                      I dont know much much stability is a problem, but you may want to make some telescoping poles that you could set up on the corners for a just in case scenario.

                      I trust your judgement, just friendly recommendation.

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                        #12
                        Thanks for the suggestions guys.

                        I've done this before.
                        The platform for the blind was actually saved over from the last time I did it.

                        The old blind I used last time had broken rods, and the canvas was rotten beyond repair.
                        It was also to short of a blind for me to shoot easily from, but it stayed in place quite well for the entire year I had it set out.

                        The blind you see now on the tripod is a blind I have been using for 3 years, and it has been set (on the ground) in place for that entire period of time.

                        The only difference now is:
                        (1) I have the camo netting sewn to the blind instead of just draped over, and wrapped around it.
                        (2) I have it mounted onto the tripod.

                        It'll hold up just fine. The key to the whole thing is how well you secure it once you get it where you want it.

                        Rick

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                          #13
                          Got it set, and all anchored down.
                          Went ahead, and filled the feeder, and left it going for hogs.

                          I have a 180 degree shooting range from north to east to south, with 4 windows I can easily shoot from.

                          Can't shoot behind me to the west at all, but I can see the west, and south tree lines from the corners of the grain field right up to the blind.

                          Of course I can see the north and east tree lines also, but they are 350 yards away.

                          The center of the feeder at the ground is 16 yards exactly from the window of the blind. .

                          It's solid as a rock, and I have every confidence it is going to hold up real well.

                          Should be a great spot.

                          Rick
                          Attached Files

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                            #14
                            Looks great!


                            Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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                              #15
                              Looks good. I'd park the truck somewhere else though. [emoji2]

                              Sent from my SM-J710MN using Tapatalk

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