Elevated shooting house
Whitetail Deer
My Dad is 75 and had a stroke a few years back. He was an avid bowhunter prior to his stroke, and now its tough for him to get out and around. I was thinking of building him an elevated blind on a food plot so he could bowhunt in warmth and comfort. Anyone have any ideas or plans that would be helpful. Thanks.
We have an elevated box blind made from industrial racks (the kind used in Home Depot) that is 4 X 9 and about 15 feet high, and infinitely adjustable, and we walled it in and put a roof on. Very large, secure and sturdy. We use ours for gun hunting (we sit on the ground under it for bow hunting!), but the walls we made (out of plywood) could easily be made larger to accomodate bowhuntig. Look in the newspaper or Craigs List for these industrial shelves, they are nice!
Good luck!
zipper,
I was just getting ready to start a thread asking about hard shell blinds that were durable, fairly portable, and resonably priced. The only thing I found so far was blindturtle blinds which are over $700 each. A little too expensive for me. So, I hope someone else has information on other companies or do-it-yourself plans that are tried and true.
My farm has some standing crops and I tried using a pop-up blind, but the deer are really skitish around it, even after leaving it out over night. I want to set up some permanent types this spring and leave them out all year, Thanks.
We built one back around summer 2006 and it is 8' high to floor and roughly 8'x 8' square with a 8' ceiling. Carpeted and 2 windows on each face (windows from a mobile home). Cozy and comfortable and with a fold down bench/bed on back wall and 1 overhead shelf there also. All screwed and treated lumber. Nice easy climb stairway and small deck/porch by door! A Buddy Heater or a keroseen Heater work well in it too!
You can hunt 'under it'....or 'in it'.....or on 'top of it'!
Cost roughly $2,400 in material and worth every drop of swet my wife and I put into building it!
SEARCH....Illinois Forum Threads on 'blinds' .....in the past I posted several photos there back when......they should be Archived I'd think....
Serb that is one heck of a time share you built yourself there. Only one question. Where's the bathroom?
Serb where is "the picture"
And you can rent it in the off-season!
PS----I will get some pictures posted of my "Home Depot" blind this weekend-----VERY CHEAP to build, and roomy!
I built an 8'x8' this fall. It is 11'6" to the floor from the ground. The most expensive part was the windows. I went to Menards and bought some cheap sliders (4'x4') for around $175 each. Any better ideas on windows? What about standing in the 4'x4' opening. Is there any way to "frost" the glass without screwing up the visibiity? Great place to take kids to get them into bow hunting.
Come on Serb....you know the pic where you are "hunting" in your shooting house.
I built this this fall. It is on skids so you can move it around the field. I put windows in it after this picture. My father attached bungee cords around it and put branches and brush in them to conceal it. It was great and I was really looking forward to using it in these cold months until...
My father and one of our hunting partners decided to move it in the middle of a heavy rain and thought that it had a zero degree turning radius. FYI it takes about a 60 yard circle to be turned around with a truck or tractor. Well it got stuck in the mud at the bottom of a soy bean field and while trying to turn it in place, two of the posts broke and it now looks like an elephant sitting on its back legs.
I think if I were to do it again, I would do 6' 6" walls insted of the 7' walls. And NO ONE would be allowed to move it without me there!
Serb I have to admit that is one fine shooting house. But I have to say that Bentshaft has you beat with the grill and septic. I just about busted a gut!!! That is living!
Just wondering about this - If you build a HUGE stand, it's likely fairly permanent. Are you sure the critters you're hunting are going to be passing by this spot year after year after year?
I'd always planned on using the same tree for a number of stands, but then (for various reasons), the tree became unusable, or the patterns of travel changed and the stand was no longer THE place to be.
Wouldn't you be stuck if the location became unattractive to the wildlife??
It's why I would hesitate to put up something I couldn't move with relative ease...
iowaPete
Here is mine....we gun hunt out of it, but we do sit in the chair on the ground for bow hunting.
The TV Show "Get in the Game" produced by the NWTF just had an episode on this week in building one. They made it relatively lightweight so it could be built then assembled in you hunting area. Walls were made out of aluminum studs and Luan board. Roof was tin.
Nice design. It is supposed to be on NWTF.ORG, but I cannot find the plans / details anywhere. There is mention of the show title under TV, so you might want to try and watch the episode or keep checking for plans / updates on the web site.
Wow. Those are some really cool set ups. Makes me want to build one but, I only have six acres to hunt on my own property right now.
I have a food plot installation business and do hunting property maintance. I have a design that is portable and is available in different sizes I am in the process of finishing one up right now I'll take some pictures of it and try to get them posted tomorrow. This one is not real roomy but its nice enough sized for a afternoon hunt. Not necessarily one you would want to spend the hole day in. 4 foot by 4 foot square. It can be moved in about twenty minutes though.
Why bother putting your stand on an elevated platform . I just put a floor in mine and set it on the ground on pressure treated 4 x 4 's . I put a horizontal window for viewing and a vertical window for shooting. Windows are of smoke plexiglass with hinges so it can be opened as deer get near. The blind is 6 ft square which is perfect size for shooting from with bow. Easily handles two hunters and is very portable if I need to move it.
Lets see if this link works to the stand squid was talking about.
BC
Some great ideas. I don't know if I should thank you guys or not as I see what my next project is and anticipate some money being spent :).
I finialy got some pictures today but didn't get a chance to do any more work on it. so I'll include some pictures. When done it will be twelve feet high and this one will have windows.
Another option for you...
BC
Zipper
If your dad wants to bow hunt from this stand make sure the windows are at the correct height. From what I see in most of the photos here the windows are way to high to shoot a bow from . Also with the windows so high you have to stand to see out. I like mine low so I can sit and view out the windows . I use a swivel office chair with arm rests . Makes for better comfort when sitting 8 to 10 hours a day. Also you need your windows lower for close shots but they have to be high enough for the longer shots.
Bearhunter, What would you say is the correct window height and size ? I'm thinking of building either a 5'x5' or 6'x6'. How high off the floor are your windows ? What are the dimensions ?
Are any of these 2 holers :)
Here is a blind I built for my dad who is 73 yrs. old. He uses his crossbow and rifle out of it. It's not real big, but I only had around $400 into it. PM me if your interested in the plans. I bought they on the Internet.
Zipper
I have my vertical window 35 inches from the floor on the inside of the blind . 10 inch high horizontal window that is about 30 inches in length , than a 20 inch vertical window on top of that . I left a 8 inch opening in the vertical window. I have tested this set up and can shoot from point blank out to 50 yards if I have to.
bearhunter..."I use a swivel office chair with arm rests . Makes for better comfort when sitting 8 to 10 hours a day. "
NO shite...me too...lol
There you go bowfreak...THE PICTURE...as you call it..lol
btw....Just wait till you see this years new condo i'm building....4 sliding glass doors!!!
This aint deer huntin its a vacation!!
"SERB"....are those "Birch Trees"?
