Best Hard Shell Blind?

[Dukslayr]

It is always interesting to hear what other people are looking for in a shooting house. I agree the window is probably the backbone of a good blind. I had the shadow hunter windows in our first house we built in 2009 pictured below. They aren't airtight but it did allow just enough air to flow so that the windows didn't fog with a heater on. This house is in a perfect location and the deer usually couldn't get our wind due to a pond behind it. They did a very good job but needed to be replaced this last year. I tried http://deerviewwindows.com and they are nice but are single pane windows and fog with a heater. I love this house and spend almost 2 weeks straight sitting in it during deer season. This spot consistently produces opportunities at the biggest deer in out area. I am buying double pane windows which should solve the fogging issue with a heater. My buddy owns a window company and put them in his and it solved the fogging with a heater.

We have rednecks also and those windows are a pain in cold weather, they fog like no tomorrow. They are nice and fill a niche in some of our spots and would be perfect if we could get around the window fogging. In mild temps they would be perfect. They are absolutely scent proof with the windows closed in my experience. In really cold weather the windows fog even without a heater. They are nice blinds but aren't perfect. Perfect really depends on your needs I guess. Lots of nice blinds/houses out there, which is right for you depends on a bunch of factors. I am right there with SWAT as to what works best for us. After 17 shooting houses on 4 properties over the last 10 years we have settled on a 5x6 house we build that has double pane windows as being close to perfect for our hunting. These houses are geared around sitting all day in cold weather during gun season and muzzleloader.

Agree with you 100% on the fogging issue. I try to get around that by leaving a window open but it’s not perfect and I don’t like to run the heater with the window(s) open if deer are going to be anywhere near the blind. If someone could come up with a good “no fog” solution for the red neck blinds they would be much closer to perfect.

 

[Tree Spud]

I have made 8-10 myself and have bought another 5-6. Pros & cons with both approaches. Good solid, tight construction and good windows are key, especially when trying to get up close. The challenge for putting a bow blind in a low area is access.

I came across this design the other day. Check out the installation video. It all comes in flat panel sections that you can trailed down with an atv. Looks like good solid construction.

Ultra Comfort Hunting Blinds

 

[Dukslayr]

I have made 8-10 myself and have bought another 5-6. Pros & cons with both approaches. Good solid, tight construction and good windows are key, especially when trying to get up close. The challenge for putting a bow blind in a low area is access.

I came across this design the other day. Check out the installation video. It all comes in flat panel sections that you can trailed down with an atv. Looks like good solid construction.

Ultra Comfort Hunting Blinds

I like a lot of what I see in those blinds. Would be curious to get feedback from anyone that’s used one. There are lots of Pros with that setup. The biggest drawbacks for me would be: 1) The flat roof...not a fan of flat roofs. 2) No option to purchase a 15’ metal stand...where 2 of my blinds are going I need the extra height to see over contours. Wonder if they might work with some of the other commercially available towers. 3) sliding windows. They are bound to make noise when game is close. Looks like if there is any frozen moisture they’d be a real bear to open.

Curious if anyone has used them?

 

[Diesel5610]

First I have seen those blinds, they look pretty neat. Their walk in Coolers have my interest as well.

 

[Bucktown]

Full disclosure....I'm a dealer, but......360 Hunting Blinds are as nice as they come. Here's two different ones of my own. The standard 360 ProSeries has 4 vertical archery windows and 8 gun windows. Can easily shoot a bow out of the gun windows as well. They can also be customized, like the archery custom blind in the photo. 11 vertical bow windows plus the door. Complete 360 view, no blind spots in all of them. Windows are one handed operation, counter balanced sliders. Silent and keep scent contained well. Comes with a variety of ladder and platform options. There's a great dealer in Missouri that'd I'd bet can help you out. None of them are inexpensive, including build your own, but you'll enjoy the hunt a lot more. Good luck whichever direction you go!

www.360huntingblinds.com

 

[Kooch]

I have a Booner plastic 4x4 blind and sat in it for the first time last November. I live in Northern MN, so it's pretty damn cold. I had issues with window fogging. I tried the shaving cream trick on the windows and it worked very, very well for me. YMMV

 

[Dukslayr]

I have a Booner plastic 4x4 blind and sat in it for the first time last November. I live in Northern MN, so it's pretty damn cold. I had issues with window fogging. I tried the shaving cream trick on the windows and it worked very, very well for me. YMMV

What’s the shaving cream tick? I’ll have to try it in my Redneck blinds.

 

[Kooch]

 

[Dukslayr]

Interesting. I have tried the anti fog spray that comes with the blinds...didn’t help. I’m willing to try about anything.

 

[MN Slick]

Total scent containment is my #1 concern. A Redneck with the windows closed and the two vents holes covered allows us to hunt a food plot with the wind blowing straight to the deer. We've had hunts with over 20 deer feeding within 50 yds straight downwind of the blind and not been detected. It does fog up in cold weather and is SPENDY but being able to hunt no matter the wind is huge. This spot would require a north wind to hunt without a blind and some years all we get is south winds which would keep us from hunting one of the best spots on the farm.

 

[Kooch]

Interesting. I have tried the anti fog spray that comes with the blinds...didn’t help. I’m willing to try about anything.

Might have been just the right conditions for my attempt. I'd give it an 8 on a scale from 1-10. I did a lot less window wiping.

 

[Diesel5610]

Toothpaste also works, like you said it isn't perfect but it makes it workable. Does a good job of preventing fogging in the Rednecks without a heater. If you use a heater it is probably a 7-8 as Kooch said.

 

[yoderjac]

I haven't been able to find anything I can buy for less than I can build one. I'm not up north, so keeping cool is more important than keeping warm for most of my hunts. For me 6x6 is the minimum size. Here is one I built: http://www.habitat-talk.com/index.php?threads/foodplot-stand-transfered-from-the-qdma-forum.5529/

If anyone has found a commercial 6x6 hard shell for $1,000 or less I'd love to see it.

Thanks,

jack

 

[Booner21]

Total scent containment is my #1 concern. A Redneck with the windows closed and the two vents holes covered allows us to hunt a food plot with the wind blowing straight to the deer. We've had hunts with over 20 deer feeding within 50 yds straight downwind of the blind and not been detected. It does fog up in cold weather and is SPENDY but being able to hunt no matter the wind is huge. This spot would require a north wind to hunt without a blind and some years all we get is south winds which would keep us from hunting one of the best spots on the farm.

In have had the same experience from our homemade blinds. Spray foam and caulk and seems and openings. Total game changer for hunting late season food plots. I can hunt where I need to be and have every deer go by and not risk blowing the field out after the first group of does gets downwind.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

 

[Dukslayr]

Full disclosure....I'm a dealer, but......360 Hunting Blinds are as nice as they come. Here's two different ones of my own. The standard 360 ProSeries has 4 vertical archery windows and 8 gun windows. Can easily shoot a bow out of the gun windows as well. They can also be customized, like the archery custom blind in the photo. 11 vertical bow windows plus the door. Complete 360 view, no blind spots in all of them. Windows are one handed operation, counter balanced sliders. Silent and keep scent contained well. Comes with a variety of ladder and platform options. There's a great dealer in Missouri that'd I'd bet can help you out. None of them are inexpensive, including build your own, but you'll enjoy the hunt a lot more. Good luck whichever direction you go!

www.360huntingblinds.com

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For what it’s worth I had a chance to check out these blinds in person today. Just so happens that a new place that I’m buying my seed from is also a dealer for them. I like a lot of things about these blind but I’m not a fan of their window system at all. I got in and played with it and if deer are close those two piece vertical sliding windows are definitely going to make noise. The other big draw back for me is that they come in panels and once you screw them all to the base you have to o back and caulk all the seams and gaps. Ultimately not for me. I actually liked their 6x6 square blind better than the round one but was told they’re no longer making it. They also don’t have a 15’ tower option (but they do have a 12’). They are within 50 bucks of 6x6 the Redneck blinds at the same dealer (although I get a discount on Redneck so I would ultimately pay less). Good looking blinds and LOTs of windows...just not for me.

 

[buckdeer1]

I have some round square tubing frames most are 92 inches apart if anyone needs some.These were interduct reels

 

[mtholton]

Anyone have any experience with these? https://www.grizzlycoolers.com/box-blind Heard one first hand report that they prefer it over their Redneck. Can't find much else on them. Looking to get one or two elevated blinds this off season and trying to buy once and cry once.

Base Blind: $2999.99
Includes: Carpet
Industry Exclusive Ozone Doors(4 per blind): +$300.00
Mesh Window Shield: +$24.99 each
Blackout Window Shield: +$24.99 each