Moving Deer Blinds

[356]

I’m getting ready to move a Booner Blind on a 10’ stand this weekend. I’m fortunate to have a FEL, but will still detach the blind from the tower before the move. It seems something alway breaks when I move my blinds, so I am definitely looking at more permanent locations by anticipating future improvements and natural fringe area development. When I was young (50s) moving blinds was a “trial & error strategy.” now that I am older (60s) moving blinds is a “management driven decision.” One challenge is that I have to do this alone (although if needed, my wife will help).

 

[b116757]

Inverted forks absolutely genius can’t believe I never thought of it that idea alone is worth getting on this sight.

 

[Foggy47]

Inverted forks absolutely genius can’t believe I never thought of it that idea alone is worth getting on this sight.

That is why I bought that brand over other brands......that provides a few extra feet of needed lift (the price was right too). They do not all do this.....I think the brand I own is Tomahawk...and they were rated to 2800 lbs....about the same as my loader. Even as it is......I plan to build about a 10" wooden "palate"....to fit on my forks and into my blinds.....in order to get just a bit more height. I used a couple of 4x4" last time and just a bit more height would be better.

 

[yoderjac]

That is why I bought that brand over other brands......that provides a few extra feet of needed lift (the price was right too). They do not all do this.....I think the brand I own is Tomahawk...and they were rated to 2800 lbs....about the same as my loader. Even as it is......I plan to build about a 10" wooden "palate"....to fit on my forks and into my blinds.....in order to get just a bit more height. I used a couple of 4x4" last time and just a bit more height would be better.

Those forks are cool. I've been working on my blinds by putting a latter up to the bucket and standing in the bucket before it is safe to rest a ladder on the structure. My forks don't invert, but now that I have them, I think I'll build a catwalk that I can lift with the forks rather than using the bucket. That would be safer still.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[DRG3]

That is why I bought that brand over other brands......that provides a few extra feet of needed lift (the price was right too). They do not all do this.....I think the brand I own is Tomahawk...and they were rated to 2800 lbs....about the same as my loader. Even as it is......I plan to build about a 10" wooden "palate"....to fit on my forks and into my blinds.....in order to get just a bit more height. I used a couple of 4x4" last time and just a bit more height would be better.

Thanks for posting the brand, i was about to Ask. Looks like you have a kubota l3560 am I seeing that right? I have an L4701 and have been trying to come up with a way to get this extra height.

What is the process for inverting the forks? does it just have 2 skid steer quick attach points? I'm asking because you obviously did it and did it well, but when I reached out to Tomahawk- they told me it was not doable.
I'm wondering if this is because they changed somthing, or just that they can't say it for liability purposes? If I can be sure that the ones the are selling now can have it done, im a buyer. Here is a picture from the site.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Foggy47]

I have the 42” forks and wish I had bought the 48” forks.....on more than one occasion. Anyway, if you look at the center of the lower frame ther is a cutout section where you can install or remove the forks. Simply remove them, invert them, and re-install. Easy, peasy, lemon squeeze. The forks attach the same way on either orientation but lack the locking slot when inverted . I just use a couple of c clamps.

I’m working at my land today and just moved two blings before lunch and had time to brush out a shootI got lane too. Good method on flat land.

 

[yoderjac]

I have the 42” forks and wish I had bought the 48” forks.....on more than one occasion. Anyway, if you look at the center of the lower frame ther is a cutout section where you can install or remove the forks. Simply remove them, invert them, and re-install. Easy, peasy, lemon squeeze. The forks attach the same way on either orientation but lack the locking slot when inverted . I just use a couple of c clamps.

I’m working at my land today and just moved two blings before lunch and had time to brush out a shootI got lane too. Good method on flat land.

You know, I wonder if my TItan forks would work the same way. I'll have to check that out!

 

[DRG3]

You know, I wonder if my TItan forks would work the same way. I'll have to check that out!

Please post if they do, I have a titan dealer around here reasonably close that might save me on freight costs.

 

[DRG3]

I have the 42” forks and wish I had bought the 48” forks.....on more than one occasion. Anyway, if you look at the center of the lower frame ther is a cutout section where you can install or remove the forks. Simply remove them, invert them, and re-install. Easy, peasy, lemon squeeze. The forks attach the same way on either orientation but lack the locking slot when inverted . I just use a couple of c clamps.

I’m working at my land today and just moved two blings before lunch and had time to brush out a shootI got lane too. Good method on flat land.

Thanks for the info, I saw the clamps on your pictures. That makes sense.

 

[MadMadHoosier]

I have the 42” forks and wish I had bought the 48” forks.....on more than one occasion. Anyway, if you look at the center of the lower frame ther is a cutout section where you can install or remove the forks. Simply remove them, invert them, and re-install. Easy, peasy, lemon squeeze. The forks attach the same way on either orientation but lack the locking slot when inverted . I just use a couple of c clamps.

I’m working at my land today and just moved two blings before lunch and had time to brush out a shootI got lane too. Good method on flat land.

Your idea saved us a lot of effort last week. We had one redneck to move on a flat field, and two more to install - in the woods. The assembled stand would have been too wide and tall to fit down my trails for the wooded locations. So we carried the box on the platform to location, raised it about 5' and installed the upper set of legs, then raised it higher to install the lower legs and braces. Pretty slick!

 

[yoderjac]

Please post if they do, I have a titan dealer around here reasonably close that might save me on freight costs.

I know they are removed the same way. I know there are little notches in the top that sort of locks them horizontally in place at certain positions. I'm not sure if that it true upside down. I'm up to my butt in alligators these days, so I'm not sure when I'll get around to checking it out. Probably not until the next time I have a need to replace the bucket with forks. You might want to check with titan.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[Foggy47]

I'm fairly sure "most" forks attach in the manner said here. Tho I can recall some forklifts that had you insert from one end or the other.....rather than the cutout in the middle.....IIRC. What won't work is a way to prevent the forks from sliding on the rails......as the locking notches are only found on the top rails. I suppose you could cut some in the bottom if you were so inclined.....but for infrequent use a clamp or some other means works fine. I also imagine the people that make those forks do not intend for them to be used as said here......so you are on your own for any liability in operating as such. Tho....these blinds are not that heavy.

Glad to see others can use the idea. Works good for me. Moved one more blind today with this method.

 

[yoderjac]

I'm fairly sure "most" forks attach in the manner said here. Tho I can recall some forklifts that had you insert from one end or the other.....rather than the cutout in the middle.....IIRC. What won't work is a way to prevent the forks from sliding on the rails......as the locking notches are only found on the top rails. I suppose you could cut some in the bottom if you were so inclined.....but for infrequent use a clamp or some other means works fine. I also imagine the people that make those forks do not intend for them to be used as said here......so you are on your own for any liability in operating as such. Tho....these blinds are not that heavy.

Glad to see others can use the idea. Works good for me. Moved one more blind today with this method.

Oh, I got it. You are just using the forks in a novel way. I assumed yours were designed for inversion and had lateral slide protection. I'm guessing my forks will do exactly what yours do.

 

[Tree Spud]

That is why I bought that brand over other brands......that provides a few extra feet of needed lift (the price was right too). They do not all do this.....I think the brand I own is Tomahawk...and they were rated to 2800 lbs....about the same as my loader. Even as it is......I plan to build about a 10" wooden "palate"....to fit on my forks and into my blinds.....in order to get just a bit more height. I used a couple of 4x4" last time and just a bit more height would be better.

Inverted forks ... frickin brilliant!

 

[Rit]

We have one of those redneck blinds on our place. I don't care for it. It was more expensive and less functional than the home brew stuff I've made. They don't have enough room inside for me and I don't like the window style. On the up side, they are portable.

Thanks,

We have one of those redneck blinds on our place. I don't care for it. It was more expensive and less functional than the home brew stuff I've made. They don't have enough room inside for me and I don't like the window style. On the up side, they are portable.

Thanks,

Jack

I wouldn’t mind hearing how the Redneck is less functional. I bought a Redneck this year (I admittedly don’t like hunting out of blinds) and I would not associate it in anyway with not being functional. 8 windows 4 long windows for shooting my bow out of, an incredible field of view in 360 degrees, camouflage on the lower long windows for better concealment, smoked glass, great weather seals on all windows and the door, all windows swing in so they don’t give away movement exterior to the blind, every window has a device for locking it open, vent covers, sound proofing foam panels to deaden noise, an all weather floor mat and plenty of space in the 6x6. Not to mention completely weather proof. I know it won’t completely eliminate scent but I am quite sure it will contain more scent then a stick built blind. There is also a nice shelf under the center of the front window that will hold mostly anything you need it to hold. Even has a 2 setting low glow green LED light inside of the blind.

 

[Rit]

That inverted fork deal would have been handy. I put mine up with a SxS + wench, a few straps, and an eleven year old on the wench controls. Kids helped me build the stairs probably my favorite day of the summer.

 

[yoderjac]

I wouldn’t mind hearing how the Redneck is less functional. I bought a Redneck this year (I admittedly don’t like hunting out of blinds) and I would not associate it in anyway with not being functional. 8 windows 4 long windows for shooting my bow out of, an incredible field of view in 360 degrees, camouflage on the lower long windows for better concealment, smoked glass, great weather seals on all windows and the door, all windows swing in so they don’t give away movement exterior to the blind, every window has a device for locking it open, vent covers, sound proofing foam panels to deaden noise, an all weather floor mat and plenty of space in the 6x6. Not to mention completely weather proof. I know it won’t completely eliminate scent but I am quite sure it will contain more scent then a stick built blind. There is also a nice shelf under the center of the front window that will hold mostly anything you need it to hold. Even has a 2 setting low glow green LED light inside of the blind.

I find ours very tight and don't like the windows. My homebrews have hinged push out windows that shade the sun from getting in and illuminating you. It is plastic and really heats up in the sun. With my home brew elevated blinds, I can position the windows exactly where I want them given the terrain and vegetation. I design my homebrew with good upward airflow out the roof. I use a blind as backup for scent control not primary in our environment. We can have quite hot weather during archery season and even into muzzleloader season. I use heated clothing in the winter and ours are mild enough that heating a blind is not an issue. They have a fairly vertical ladder for entry and have a fixed height. My custom use a variety of access methods depending on the situation. Many have stairs for kids and are 6x8 for mentoring. Heights off the ground vary quite a bit from blind to blind based on surrounding cover and terrain.

I'm not disparaging Redneck or any other commercial blind. They are just much less functional for my use. I found them expensive for what we got compared to building my own.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[yoderjac]

View attachment 45084View attachment 45085View attachment 45086
That inverted fork deal would have been handy. I put mine up with a SxS + wench, a few straps, and an eleven year old on the wench controls. Kids helped me build the stairs probably my favorite day of the summer.

Nice job!

 

[yoderjac]

Our Redneck came with a metal stand and tie-downs rather than custom building a platform like yours. This thread has pics of one of the 6x6 stands I build that work well with our warm weather. https://habitat-talk.com/threads/stadder.12211/. As I'm getting older, I don't use a vertical bow much anymore except the early season when I hunt mostly from ladder stands. Horizontal windows work well for me.

 

[Foggy47]

Our Redneck came with a metal stand and tie-downs rather than custom building a platform like yours. This thread has pics of one of the 6x6 stands I build that work well with our warm weather. https://habitat-talk.com/threads/stadder.12211/. As I'm getting older, I don't use a vertical bow much anymore except the early season when I hunt mostly from ladder stands. Horizontal windows work well for me.

Stop already! Maybe those blinds work where you do not have snow and ice....but ut here those sliding windows would never fly. I have several types of well made home-built blinds. All my windows MUST open to the inside. But gotta say in MY AREA that these Rednecks are the most favorite blinds I could ever own. Yep...they are that good. Show me one better tor the money....and I will buy it. I have three Redneck 5x6 Crossover Blinds.....and have horizontally vented gas heaters in each of them. BY FAR the best kit for the price and effort.....and I can move them at will. Sound investment.....IMO.