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Shooting Houses?

I am considering putting a few tower blinds/shooting houses on our land. I really don't deal with the bitter cold as well as I used to. Also I think it would make things more enjoyable for the kids. The biggest reason I haven't done this already is actually 2. 1. Does anyone with experience with these know if the mature deer shy away from them? 2. I really have no fields. I will probably put one on a fence line that is about 50 yards from my best funnel. The funnel is to the north and south or behind of the blind would be a neighbors 70 acre field. I do have permission to hunt the field, so that's not a problem.

Has anyone ever set one of these up in the woods? I have a bottom between 2 ravines that I will be putting a food plot in. This is a natural travel area, and I don't want the blind to mess it up. I set up and brush in pop ups on this property every year and have no adverse effects. I'm just leery of a big permanent structure. Any input from those with actual experience would be appreciated.

We have one in the woods in a funnel. We shoot deer out of it every year but not one mature buck. The stand has been up nine years. We have seen two mature bucks out of it but we shoot older does out of it so in my mind mature deer do go by it. It did negatively impact deer movement at first but now I see great trails by the stand. My daughter shot her buck out of it. I wouldn't hunt out of it as my best chance for a mature buck even though the location is great.

Don't have one but one of the neighbors has one along a cedar creek bottom and every 4-5 years or so shoots a mature buck there. He's one who often shoots the first buck he sees, though, so might just be able to take a larger one more often if more patient. I think if you camo it and construct it off-season you'd be fine. Of course, this is farm country, with a lot of outbuildings, wagons, bales, etc. out throughout the year. I think deer get used to that stuff. In big woods country, not sure. But the big bruisers that roam through only during rut might not even know it's there until it's too late. Though I'm not a big fan of all the towers strictly from a selfish point of view (would rather see "wild lands" even if they're not mine!), and I prefer sitting in the elements and hearing/seeing better, it's obvious such houses can keep young and old (and everyone in between) on stand longer. And in the unpredictable gun hunt, the longer you're on stand, the better a chance at a bumped daytime deer (probably the most common deer taken outside of dawn and dusk; one giant buck years ago here was pushed by a group driving and was finally shot more than a mile from where it was bedded, by another group; even crossed a major river). On the other hand, I've heard a lot of stories of "comfortable" hunters playing or texting or surfing on their phones missing those split-second opportunities (or even longer …) because they weren't paying attention like they maybe would be if out in the open where they couldn't/shouldn't be moving their hands all the time.

I have shadowhunters deer arent spooked at all get the octagon version for fov smoked glass as well wind direction no longer matters as they cant smell u

Built one this year for my wife. She shot a 250 pound 6 1/2 year old buck 250# dressed. Didn't bother the other mature bucks either according to cameras.

I have built them in Iron County in big timber on my property I found out the best time to build them is right after the season ends providing you don't have a lot of snow. I also built them in March but I pre fab them then haul to the site.I take pictures of the area all four seasons to try to camo it to match the area. I have taken mature bucks from the stands but not all produce..I thought I had pics of them but can't find them... Hope this helps Joe

My friend's property in the UP has around 10 of them scattered about. They are awesome for gun hunting from. The deer don't mind them at all and lots of deer are killed from them annually.

If you build one consider planting wild grape vine (native ones if possible) at each corner post. Can't find a better natural camo than that. You will need to 'train' it to grow around the windows.

I am actually thinking of building one too after the early COLD weather we had to hunt in.

Don't fall asleep and start it on fire... could be a bad hunt..LOL

Being up there in years I use them all the time in Waupaca Co.I have 6 tower stands. Put them up all by myself. Deer get used to them. BUT once they are spooked they will look up there. They will smell you.

Camp2, does the trailer still have it's wheels on it? If so you might want to check into the the law about shooting out of a "vehicle". Yes I know it's rediculous but I know that used to be illegal but with the new gun case laws that went into affect a couple years ago I'm not sure if hunting on a trailer with it's wheels on the ground is illegal or not.

I have 10 of them, some in the woods, some on the edges. We shoot plenty of mature bucks. A couple of things, if you plan on bowhunting out of them make sure you build it tall enough to stand and shoot. You can get good windows at a fraction of the cost by asking for last years "show" windows at your local window dealer. I used Elevators for getting the angle right on the corners. They are a little expensive, but worth it. Our stands are 8 to 12 feet off the ground to the floor.

Yes they are nice and it allows you to hunt in some pretty crappy weather!

Good Luck!

We built this one about 5 years ago, after the first year has done very little to disturb activity around it. It sits on a funnel between two corn fields.

Why not just sit in the cabin and crack the patio door?

Ok, that was tongue in cheek before anyone gets upset:) I'm aware we all hunt in different ways, and it's fine, just some of these shooting towers seem a bit elaborate to me is all. You gotta understand that's coming from a guy that spent the last 35 years sitting on an old oak folding stool under a pine tree for the most part. Have to admit, the thought of a nice warm shooting tower has crossed even my mind a time or two!

My enlisted younger brother was stationed in Hawaii and Georgia early on and he complained to no end when he came home to gun hunt. So I built him a "skybox" with a nice staircase, porch, roof and sliding windows. I put a heater in it and he was in seventh heaven. Now that he retired as a major and his wife retired as a Lt. Colonel she pulled rank and they retired in New Jersey next to her mother. He has now gotten used to the colder weather and the skybox stays empty until a snowstorm or opening day rain forces him inside again with the mice. He doesn't like mice. All kinds of deer tracks in the snow next to it this year. Its part of the landscape now.

Thanks for the answers and pics guys. Polk county hunter, would you have any plans or inside pics. Possibly a materials list?

I sat in a Shadow Hunter at a show the other day, and was impressed. It was the 6'x5' gun model. Thinking seriously about it. I would put it on a 10' platform. About 1500.00.

I'm 69 and no tents , blinds , or shooting houses for me . There is no connection to nature when inside a " house " of any type . J M H O .

That's exactly how I've always felt, even dislike sitting in a blind for turkeys but must say the few times I've done it was easy for kids to move around and not spook anything (have had more kids shoot turkeys without a blind, though, simply because I rarely use 'em). If my dad survives another year, might just be inside one of those "shacks" come opening day of the 2015 gun hunt — if I can talk him into it. He didn't gun hunt this year, the early cold, ice and snow made the decision for him; still loves his turkey hunting spring and fall, though.

Ya know I always said hunting from a tower blind would not be fun until my dad engineered one and we built it on our land. Talk about fun. I allow friends to use it and sometimes there are 3 or 4 of us in sitting in it. We shot 6 deer out of it this year and made some very awesome memories. Changing times in the hunting industry call for condos in the woods and fields.

Ruger1022 x1!!

I can't argue with you Ruger. I've been "anti-condo" all my life. But, The last few years, I've spent fewer and fewer hours in the woods during gun season because of the weather. I'm 62, and in good shape. But, all day sits are getting more difficult. With decent weather I'd be in a tree stand, but when it gets wet, windy and super cold, I'd rather in the woods than complaining about the conditions inside my cabin. I'm giving some serious thought to one of these for those conditions.

RutNut@work .....Sorry no material list.. a Saturday beer and imagination project. can give you the basics. Its a 6x6 platform 16' to the base. I built it for a hunting partner in panels Menards mossy oak OSB and 2x2's 8 sided 4 door and 4 windows and a rolled rubber roof works for archery to and has closed cell spray foam insulation also.

It usually only gets used for the gun season,I still sit in tree stands myself have for over 30 years but have to admit when the wind, cold temps or rain get cranking Im starting to think I could deal with it.

When I can't hunt this way, it will be time to go grouse hunting full time. Anyone with a class A disability, I understand completely. For me it's a tree! I may not agree with using a condo but, you are entitled to hunt the way you want.

Here's of bunch of 'em on 170 acres, cabin and outbuilding to boot, turn key operation. Marinette County an hour north of GB.

Naz sometime when you are in the area stop by and I will give you a tour of our place,You might like it

I'm sure I would. Maybe bring my dad, you and him could swap some tales from the old days!

Yard light .. Cabin....and a pile of feed.. Hmm?? Good thing WI is over run with deer...Oh..wait.. it's not.. gee I wonder why?

I wonder how we made it through the 80s and 90s when there were either no limits on bait and feed, or it was 10 gallons. Averaged more than 400K dead whitetails a year for more than a decade straight, including the highs and lows. A bad winter in 2013-2014 likely killed far more deer up north than hunters did. Still a few left, but what the wolves don't drag down this winter the bears, coyotes, bobcats, wolves and firles will eat in spring. The northern region kill will be zero next fall.

This buck doesn't seem to mind it.

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