Finaly took the plunge on a deer blind.

[H20fwler]

Two weeks ago the wife and I were driving down the highway and a guy turned into a truck stop pulling a shooting house on a trailer. I pulled right in next to him introduced myself and started asking a bunch of questions about his good looking blind! He was from KY and had driven all the way up to get it, turns out a guy twenty miles north of me goes up to MI and gets them in bulk from an Amish then resells them down here. He gave me the guys number I gave him a call and within a half hour had one...actually the wife bought it for me for my birthday.
Next day I trailered it home got a bunch of treated wood then spent a few days last week building a base painting it all and got it set up on an old logging trail in the woods. It is 8' at the top of base and I put it on skids so I can move it if I need to.
Just need to get a rubber floor mat and a comfy chair, looking forward to the bad weather this fall now. And it should be a hoot to hunt with grandkids out of one day, I'll put nice steps on it for them.

It blends in pretty good on the logging trail

 

[Knehrke]

Very nice! My buddy built one that is similar to that on one of our properties this year, predominantly for him and his young son to sit in during the late season. I still prefer being up in my Millennium ladder, unless it's sleeting enough to freeze me to the seat lol.

My birthday is today - the wife bought me a Stihl MS261. It's good to be alive. Happy Birthday to you, too!

 

[Hoytvectrix]

Do you mind if I ask how much you paid for it? We were thinking of contracting the amish to build one for us this fall or winter.

 

[BuckSutherland]

Lumber is a PAIN IN THE ASS right now! Fricken prices just keep shooting up on all building materials. I got told today to expect a good price increase on shingles and I have a couple hundred square to get done before harvest and rifle hunting. Think that storm in Iowa is gonna gobble up a lot of building materials in this area.....

 

[swat1018]

Make sure she's strapped down good!

 

[Mortenson]

Make sure she's strapped down good!

Exactly. Be thinking 100 mph winds like Iowa got. Knock down any suspicious looking trees overhead too.

Great blind H2O. I know you had mentioned wanting one. You'll get used to it pretty fast!

 

[yoderjac]

Two weeks ago the wife and I were driving down the highway and a guy turned into a truck stop pulling a shooting house on a trailer. I pulled right in next to him introduced myself and started asking a bunch of questions about his good looking blind! He was from KY and had driven all the way up to get it, turns out a guy twenty miles north of me goes up to MI and gets them in bulk from an Amish then resells them down here. He gave me the guys number I gave him a call and within a half hour had one...actually the wife bought it for me for my birthday.
Next day I trailered it home got a bunch of treated wood then spent a few days last week building a base painting it all and got it set up on an old logging trail in the woods. It is 8' at the top of base and I put it on skids so I can move it if I need to.
Just need to get a rubber floor mat and a comfy chair, looking forward to the bad weather this fall now. And it should be a hoot to hunt with grandkids out of one day, I'll put nice steps on it for them.

It blends in pretty good on the logging trail

Very nice! I'd ask how much it cost, but it probably isn't written on your gift receipt. Happy Birthday!

 

[H20fwler]

Do you mind if I ask how much you paid for it? We were thinking of contracting the amish to build one for us this fall or winter.

They were $850 uninsulated or $1050 insulated. The guy had just bow hunting or gun hunting style windows or a combo of both (I did both). I'm no carpenter and don't think I could build one for that price.

 

[H20fwler]

Very nice! My buddy built one that is similar to that on one of our properties this year, predominantly for him and his young son to sit in during the late season. I still prefer being up in my Millennium ladder, unless it's sleeting enough to freeze me to the seat lol.

My birthday is today - the wife bought me a Stihl MS261. It's good to be alive. Happy Birthday to you, too!

Happy Birthday! Sounds like you have a great wife, Stihl makes some really good saws.
Funny you mention the Millennium, I just put three 110's together the other day and will be putting them up Saturday with the boys help. Thought it was time to replace my Menards specials, everyone says they are like sitting in a recliner and very sturdy.

 

[goatman]

You guys with Millennium ladderstands better drill drain holes in the bottom of the ladder or water will freeze and split them. Ask me how I know?

 

[roymunson]

I second the "strap it down" sentiment. I have a blind I have to go set up tonight. it's gonna be a booger.

 

[hillrunner]

Two weeks ago the wife and I were driving down the highway and a guy turned into a truck stop pulling a shooting house on a trailer. I pulled right in next to him introduced myself and started asking a bunch of questions about his good looking blind! He was from KY and had driven all the way up to get it, turns out a guy twenty miles north of me goes up to MI and gets them in bulk from an Amish then resells them down here. He gave me the guys number I gave him a call and within a half hour had one...actually the wife bought it for me for my birthday.
Next day I trailered it home got a bunch of treated wood then spent a few days last week building a base painting it all and got it set up on an old logging trail in the woods. It is 8' at the top of base and I put it on skids so I can move it if I need to.
Just need to get a rubber floor mat and a comfy chair, looking forward to the bad weather this fall now. And it should be a hoot to hunt with grandkids out of one day, I'll put nice steps on it for them.

It blends in pretty good on the logging trail

That looks really good, I'm surprised they can build it for that price. What does it have for a door? Are the windows air tight? Is that cedar siding?
That's a heck of a birthday present, should give you years of memories.

 

[H20fwler]

I second the "strap it down" sentiment. I have a blind I have to go set up tonight. it's gonna be a booger.

I attached it to the base with ten metal corner braces drilled into the runners on bottom of blind.

 

[H20fwler]

That looks really good, I'm surprised they can build it for that price. What does it have for a door? Are the windows air tight? Is that cedar siding?
That's a heck of a birthday present, should give you years of memories.

Thanks, I was surprised at the price too!
I have looked at them online many times and never found a deal that good, so when I talked with the guy at the truck stop and looked at his my interest was definitely peaked and the guy selling wasn't far from me.
Pulled these door pics off a vid to try and show you so please excuse, took it the day we purchased mine. I think the outside is rough pine, windows are pretty tight (and tinted) I don't think a breeze or bugs are going to get in that way.

If anyone is interested the guy is located in NW OH just outside of Vanwert, PM me and I'll give you his number.

 

[Victor Van Meter]

Lumber is a PAIN IN THE ASS right now! Fricken prices just keep shooting up on all building materials. I got told today to expect a good price increase on shingles and I have a couple hundred square to get done before harvest and rifle hunting. Think that storm in Iowa is gonna gobble up a lot of building materials in this area.....

I would agree. My local hardware/lumber store has actually told some customers that if they can do it to stop building their houses and wait. One guy's cost was going to be at least $15,000 more than the original plan.

VV

 

[swat1018]

Make sure you get some earth augers and auger them down deep, then ratchet strap it to the earth.

 

[Knehrke]

You guys with Millennium ladderstands better drill drain holes in the bottom of the ladder or water will freeze and split them. Ask me how I know?

Ouch. We have not seen that in five years with a dozen L110 ladders, but I'm all for being prophylactic and all - pm me if you would where you're drilling the holes and I'll take care of it this weekend. Better safe than sorry.

I highly recommend the 36" earth augers from Tractor Supply and 1/4" wire cable with a small turnbuckle connected to a screw eye at all four sides of base. We've had elevated blinds take on 82 mph winds, and - fingers crossed - haven't had an issue yet. I tend to overengineer stuff, though. Our leg braces are 4x6 rather than 4x4, which means we use the elevators that screw in on one side only. The blind that we just built this year cost almost $1000 in materials. It seems stupid considering that you can buy one of the Amish ones like you have for ~$900 locally. In retrospect, we could have cut costs by purchasing our lumber from a local mill and using a combination of tamarack and cedar rather than pressure treated. 20/20 hindsight.

 

[Booner21]

We have been anchoring them with t posts hammered down into the ground besides the poles about 4ft and lagged to them


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[H20fwler]

Found a used office chair in great condition for free and bought a couple cheap runners at Lowes for the floor to deaden sound. Should be ready for the late season now, if I'm not tagged out!