Homemade Equipment
Contributors to this thread:Wisconsin
From: Chief2
04-Feb-18
So now that I've had time to think back on my bow / gun season I started to wonder if I could work on improving my odds of getting closer to the deer. I tried regular ground blinds (not a huge fan) and I don't like hights so I was thinking about trying to make some small portable blinds with pvc and camo netting to test this fall. Anybody else make any kind of homemade hunting stuff?
From: casekiska
04-Feb-18
OMG! I've made tons of homemade hunting gear. It started when I was kid. I didn't have any $$$ and there wasn't much camouflage clothing around to buy, but I wanted camo to hunt in. I "borrowed" one of my dad's old army (Olive Drab) jackets and painted it with brown and light green splotches. That was my camo and the start of my making or modifying or handcrafting my tackle. Since then I've made my own arrows, bowstrings, bow quivers, broadheads, back quivers, knives, tackle boxes, bow handles/risers, arrow rests, bow window arrow plates, feather burners, arrow cresters, shaft tapering tools, camouflage blind material, backpacks, climbing tree stands, chain-on tree stands & seats, and ladder stands. I still make and use my own homemade ladder stands. They are large and rock solid. Even in 25 years and with all the buddies I have had hunt with me, we have never had a tree-stand accident.
The thing I appreciate most about making my own tackle is that I can tailor make it as I desire and end up with something that does the job the way I want it to be done. I don't have to compromise and think "if only...." I've learned, if it's not right, I just make another that is.
From: lame crowndip
04-Feb-18
I've built my own stands for years. Most of the hang-on stands are based on the old "Screaming Eagle' stand that Paul Brunner developed. I have also built several ladder stands and made quivers, fletched my arrows and other assorted archery things. If you don't have a wire feed welder, look into one. You can build some neat stuff!
From: casekiska
04-Feb-18
I might add,....to Chief2,...go ahead and try making that blind you're thinking about. Try it. Experiment with the idea. Try different methods and approaches. You just might discover a new twist on an old idea that works great. You will never know if you do not try and really, what do you have to loose? In all the stuff I made, there were lots of failures but each one was a learning experience. To this day I do not regret a single one of them. Even though they might have not have worked the way I designed them, they were still a success because I learned from them. Build the blind!
From: lame crowndip
04-Feb-18
Case-could not agree more. Make stuff!! makes it much more satisfying (IMO)
From: Chief2
04-Feb-18
Yeah good advice thanks! helps pass the time too until I can work on my boat projects this spring.
From: Mike F
04-Feb-18
Trapper, don't you have some awesome ground blind pictures that you can share??
From: ground hunter
04-Feb-18
Chief I am my own blind, and I cover a lot of ground...................
From: bowhuntndoug
04-Feb-18
This is a ground blind that had cement blocks for a base and also for part of a wall.
From: bowhuntndoug
04-Feb-18
This was a good idea but the blind on top got destroyed during muzzleloader season. We will need to enclose the top.
From: tunes
04-Feb-18
Been making bows and flintlocks for years, they work if I do what I'm supposed to do.
From: Hoot
04-Feb-18
I use to make Madison stands. Shot many deer from them, but still wondering why I'm still alive today!
From: Pete-pec
04-Feb-18
I'd rather spend more money on something I made, than buying it outright. I'm always modifying what I do buy, because the manufacturer may have missed a few points.
From: ground hunter
04-Feb-18
nice gun, is that maple wood?
From: casekiska
04-Feb-18
I remember those Madison stands. A buddy of mine used them for years. They were once quite popular in southern & central WI. But dangerous though. Seems to me I hunted out of one a few times but don't recall ever making one.
Back in the day, the eighties (late seventies?) you could purchase an actual real size set of paper plans and instructions for constructing The Madison Stand, a hang-on tree stand. The plans could be ordered through the mail and they cost $2 - $3. I think they were designed and sold from an address in Madison, don't recall the fellows name however. They were made using 3/4" plywood, a length of 1" manila rope, and wood screws.
If you followed the instructions exactly, used and cut the plywood, assembled, and then set it up as instructed, they worked well. If you left them out for a length of time they would weather and become unsafe. The wood would soften and the screws lost some of their holding power, and the ropes rotted. Seems to me the platform you stood on was approximately 20 x 24". You set the stand on the tree with the platform vertical, wrapped the rope around the tree and then secured the loose end of the rope through a hole in the stand in a special fashion. It was designed so that when you lowered the platform to horizontal the rope grew tighter and the stand was secure.
They were sort of a neat tree stand years ago. Easy to make. Dangerous to use, safety belts were unheard of back then. Also, there were relatively few stands on the market, a guy didn't have a lot of choices. Most available were hang-ons, the climbers and ladder stands started coming in later.
Good old memory...The Madison Stand. Thanks Hoot!
From: tunes
04-Feb-18
yes Maple, with Chambers Oil finish
From: Chief2
05-Feb-18
Tunes, maybe a dumb question but where did you start learning to build your own flintlocks and bows that looks like something id like to get into in the future
From: Hoot
05-Feb-18
Case - I tried to find a picture and searched Madison stands to no avail. Great description of the Madison stand. I made a bunch of those back in the day. I used a friends stand as a template. The platform was small, but when I was younger I could stand on that little platform all day, now I'd last maybe two hours at most. They were dangerous, but not as dangerous as the Baker tree climber in my eyes. Safety belts? What were those back in the days? LOL
From: ground hunter
05-Feb-18
Me too, I have always been fascinated with the flintlock
From: tunes
05-Feb-18
tunes's Link
Back in the early 80's I was off work for some time and had a bit of time on my hands. Went to the library and dug up all I could find on both subjects and just gave it a try. After some time I found the NMLRA - National Muzzle Loading Rifle Assoc. The smokepole version of the NRA and got in touch with like minded folks. The bows were easier to build without seeing originals. With the muzzle loaders, it is a lots easier after you handle a few of the "real thing". Now days with the "web" there are many places to get hooked up with folks that can help. The library can still be your friend. Here is a link to what I think is the best site for learning something about front-stuffers. The attached pic is an old one of the first flinter I built.
From: upnorth
05-Feb-18
I build these for myself also sell them . The blind breaks down to 6 pieces with 24 screws
From: upnorth
05-Feb-18
Picture got lost . The 6 pieces doesn't include the lower structure .
From: Chief2
05-Feb-18
Lots of good info here thanks to everyone who is posting my project list just grew another 3 pages haha!
From: Cheesehead Mike
05-Feb-18
Homemade game cart made from the aluminum frame from a scrapped out truck topper. Been using it for over 20 years
Homemade game cart made from the aluminum frame from a scrapped out truck topper. Been using it for over 20 years
folded up for transport and packing
folded up for transport and packing
I make all kinds of stuff...
From: Cheesehead Mike
05-Feb-18
Homemade field point and broadhead targets
From: Cheesehead Mike
05-Feb-18
Real tail with a spring inside added to a decoy. I can tie fishing line to the tail and make it move from my stand.
From: Cheesehead Mike
05-Feb-18
Modified a surplus ILBE pack and adapted it to a Kifaru Duplex frame
From: Hoot
05-Feb-18
Cheesehead - I see you threaded rod to compress your styro. If you need anymore I think I have some out in the shed. You do live in RL. Correct?
From: Cheesehead Mike
05-Feb-18
Thanks Hoot. No, I'm in Balsam Lake.
From: Bill J.
05-Feb-18
Chief, I made a layout blind out of PVC and camo netting. It's half the weight of my FA layout and comes apart/goes together really fast. I will try and get a few pictures of it.
From: Chief2
05-Feb-18
Thanks Bill that's kinda where I'm headed idea wise would love to see some pictures
From: MF
05-Feb-18
This is not home made but I am going to use it and try it out. So, I went to Mills Fleet Farm today looking for a squirrel corn cob feeder and came across this Stokes multi-position bracket. I am going to try it out and use this for a bow holder in my tree stand. The cost is $9.79
From: lame crowndip
05-Feb-18
MF-you can build them for about a buck and a half....
From: MF
05-Feb-18
Lame---- show me the materials and cost?
From: Live2hunt
05-Feb-18
Cheese, I made one like that also. The problem I had was the mess from shooting. I still pick up chunks of foam. Now I take grain sacks and fill with shredded plastic and half way compress. Fold the top and staple, hang from what ever you want. Iv'e had the same one for years now. I just slip another bag over the top when it gets shot up. Not for broadheads though.
From: Cheesehead Mike
05-Feb-18
Live2hunt,
Yeah there is a little mess from the broadhead target. The field point target is stuffed with old poly sheeting, plastic bags, etc. and it works great.
From: Bill J.
05-Feb-18
The cross supports need to be painted, as I lost the original ones.
The cross supports need to be painted, as I lost the original ones.
Opened
Opened
Frame is 1/2" PVC painted black.
Frame is 1/2" PVC painted black.
Chief, here's a couple photos I had. I built the framing out of 1/2" PVC and attached the netting on with zip ties and sisal twine.
From: Chief2
05-Feb-18
Thanks Bill that's pretty neat can't wait to get started on one
From: lame crowndip
06-Feb-18
MF-not at home right now or I'd have pictures. Whenever I can I use repurposed steel and 1/2x1/2 square tubing and an old screw-in tree step and you can make these. I used the realtree ones as an inspiration. Most guys on this site sure can work at least a little with their hands and I'm sure you can do it if you feel so inclined.
From: MF
06-Feb-18
lame... most would need the materials to start with and I guess a welder which I don't have, time is also involved or borrowing someone else's tools. Not as easy as you make it out to be. I believe it would be much higher than the $1.50 you stated.
From: lame crowndip
06-Feb-18
Guess since I thought that the thread is about homemade equipment I figured most would have some tools. Homemade equipment without some tools is sort of like planning to bow hunt without a bow. If one wants to get everything at Scheels or such be my guest. I guarantee I did not spend more than a buck and a half on any of the bow hangers I use. Making stuff is fun for me. Also I enjoy chasing down materials and the time invested is never considered as it IS fun....But again it just my $.02-LC
From: MF
06-Feb-18
To participate in this thread has nothing to do with how much or how may tools one should have. Unless all the materials were graciously given to you, at some point acquiring those materials would have cost you money. Even chasing down free materials would cost you gas money etc. So to say to anyone on Bowsite that it only would cost a $1.50 to make a bow hanger is bogus. If it were that inexpensive and easy I would have already made some or had them made for me, especially for my past business. Just my .02 cents. Off track thread now....Sorry guys
From: lame crowndip
06-Feb-18
I found a picture of the hangers I make. Materials were as follows: steel-50 cents and the treestep-99 cents bought while on sale. Materials were 1.50 since I don't throw away odds and ends of nuts and bolts. Little effort-that's bowhunting.
From: MF
06-Feb-18
Camp 2 dukes, yes Menards is famous for getting rid of there hunting inventory, the good items don't last long. The (23" gear holder) bow holder in your link I have a few of those but the threaded screw is to short and have found in soft trees they tend to slowly slip and bend down when a bow is attached (to heavy). There's a reason why they call it a gear holder and not a bow holder. I guess a guy could weld a metal washer at the end of the threads for stability when flush against the tree. The 53 cent Long Accessory Hook is a great deal for gear bags.
From: Chief2
07-Feb-18
I bought a few oversized bike hanger hooks in the bargain bin at I think it was home depot for 99 cents a pop seem to work good for me
