Been working on this is recent weeks. I kicked around all spring and summer trying to figure out a way to get a blind set up that would be big enough for the family, without spending the $8000 that they want for a large pre-built blind.
Requirements were-
1. Big enough for the whole family and have room to store some minor conveniences.
2. Affordable.
3. Last longer than the usual rotten in three years wooden blind.
4. Be high enough off the ground to actually help.
5. Have stairs rather than a ladder so my dad, young kids, or others with minor disabilities could get in and out safely.
6. Be open enough for people to actually still feel like they are outdoors and experience nature. Whats the point of going hunting if you're sealed inside a capsule with a little hole to peak out of.
Rather than build the usual dimensional treated timber base with a box that sits on top of it, I decided to go with used telephone poles set deep that would extend to the roof. This would create a rock solid base and make it more wind resistant as a whole. It took some digging to figure out where to get the polls but by far the easiest way to do it is find a place where they are doing work and the crews are happy to let you have the old ones so they dont have to haul them off. The best part is they are for free!
Bye bye popup blind.
I prebuilt the main floor on the ground. All lumber is treated. Two 5/8" sheets of plywood so 8X8 floor space. Used the skid steer to ratchet it up in to place by alternating sides being raised and using temp supports to hold in place.
With the platform set to 11ft, it was time to install the stripper stairs. Not bad for a $200 craigslist find. The landing will allow the door to open outward to save space.
Framing to support the lower walls. Siding is recycled cedar fence pickets (for free). Tinted flip up windows all the way around set a little low to 36.5" so kids can see and shoot. Purchased from ultramatic feeders on 290. They keep a large stock so no 4-8 week wait like some of the other companies.
ScentWrap by Dupont between the interior and exterior walls.
Exterior walls on. Pops helped some but he was instrumental in testing the suitability of the trash pile, move out day (for free) blind chairs.
Next was the framing for the upper walls and then the roof. Everything so far has been set on the inside of the polls at 8x8. The roof is 10x12 and set on the outside of the poles to give a nice overhang. Roof is galvalume R-panel from Hilco metal just south of Navasota. Ive used them for a couple projects and been really happy. Only $74 for four 12ft sheets. The junk at lowes would have been way more.
View to one of the feeders.
That's where she sits currently. Hope to finish the roof and walls tomorrow then give an update on some conveniences. Ive got one buck that has shed velvet but the rest are still grouped up. Trying to get wrapped up and out of the woods before they start trying to set their territories.
Requirements were-
1. Big enough for the whole family and have room to store some minor conveniences.
2. Affordable.
3. Last longer than the usual rotten in three years wooden blind.
4. Be high enough off the ground to actually help.
5. Have stairs rather than a ladder so my dad, young kids, or others with minor disabilities could get in and out safely.
6. Be open enough for people to actually still feel like they are outdoors and experience nature. Whats the point of going hunting if you're sealed inside a capsule with a little hole to peak out of.
Rather than build the usual dimensional treated timber base with a box that sits on top of it, I decided to go with used telephone poles set deep that would extend to the roof. This would create a rock solid base and make it more wind resistant as a whole. It took some digging to figure out where to get the polls but by far the easiest way to do it is find a place where they are doing work and the crews are happy to let you have the old ones so they dont have to haul them off. The best part is they are for free!
Bye bye popup blind.
I prebuilt the main floor on the ground. All lumber is treated. Two 5/8" sheets of plywood so 8X8 floor space. Used the skid steer to ratchet it up in to place by alternating sides being raised and using temp supports to hold in place.
With the platform set to 11ft, it was time to install the stripper stairs. Not bad for a $200 craigslist find. The landing will allow the door to open outward to save space.
Framing to support the lower walls. Siding is recycled cedar fence pickets (for free). Tinted flip up windows all the way around set a little low to 36.5" so kids can see and shoot. Purchased from ultramatic feeders on 290. They keep a large stock so no 4-8 week wait like some of the other companies.
ScentWrap by Dupont between the interior and exterior walls.
Exterior walls on. Pops helped some but he was instrumental in testing the suitability of the trash pile, move out day (for free) blind chairs.
Next was the framing for the upper walls and then the roof. Everything so far has been set on the inside of the polls at 8x8. The roof is 10x12 and set on the outside of the poles to give a nice overhang. Roof is galvalume R-panel from Hilco metal just south of Navasota. Ive used them for a couple projects and been really happy. Only $74 for four 12ft sheets. The junk at lowes would have been way more.
View to one of the feeders.
That's where she sits currently. Hope to finish the roof and walls tomorrow then give an update on some conveniences. Ive got one buck that has shed velvet but the rest are still grouped up. Trying to get wrapped up and out of the woods before they start trying to set their territories.
That's a big sucker, and looks hurricane proof!!
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