Shooting house heater - what works best?

j-bird

Moderator
I need some ideas as to what to buy. I have 2 small shooting houses, but I hate the cold (yep - pansy - I know). I only need to heat roughly 6' x 4' but I want somthing safe,easy and reliable. I'm sure you WI and MN guys use them - what works for you?
 
Last year we used a Mr Heater that screws on top a propane tank...it is kind of loud, at least I think so but it was the first year my daughter was hunting and one of the colder opening mornings for the gun hunt.
 
My FIL got a Lil buddy heater to go in his and it surprised me how much heat it puts out
 
Get this one. Quiet. Heats well. We connect ours to a 20 lbs gas grill tank which you can't do with the smaller one. Really nice unit


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Last year we used a Mr Heater that screws on top a propane tank...it is kind of loud, at least I think so but it was the first year my daughter was hunting and one of the colder opening mornings for the gun hunt.
I had a couple of these and they are loud but put out the heat, I bought a couple Coleman Blackcats and they are much quieter, heats good. I don't remember paying $80 for mine though

 
I use a my little buddy ice fishing and it works great. For a shooting house you would probably only have it on ten minutes every hour. In an ice shanty I probably only run it half the time.
 
The number 1 heater sold for small fish houses and deer blinds up here in MN.....is the Little Buddy Heater by Mr Heater. For infrequent use.....the 1 lb cans are pretty good and can provide about 3 hours of heat per can. Never have seen a noise issue with this type of heater.

We have six shooting houses with the Little Buddy's......and three of them that get used the most have the 20 lb LP tanks and a hose on them. Lots cheaper and less screwing around when you have that set up. But the hose for this isn't exactly cheap either. I think a hose and filter is about $30. and a tank is $ ?? (remember to use a filter with the 20 lb tank)

We also use the heaters in our fish house and you can heat a small 4x8 house in below zero temps. They have safety features.
 
I use a Mr Heater and love it. Last year opening morning it was -10. Within 15 minutes I was down to a sweatshirt. I have no noise issues. Biggest compliant is lugging in a 20 lb cylinder. Got mine at Fleet for about $50 bucks. I also have the small one that takes a 1 lb cylinder but got tired of buying the cylinders or refilling them.

http://www.mrheater.com/sporting/single-tank-top-heater.html
 
I bought a Mr Heater - little buddy and a few bottles. I will see how it works in the am. We are forecast for a high of 36 Saturday - I know it isn't cold for you all from the nort, but that's pretty damn cold here in November. Nothing will run me out of a stand like being cold. Packing to sit all day, and even just occasional use will help make the sit a little better. I have a funny feeling my hunting buddy will end up with one by the end of the weekend! I will have to look into larger cylinder and hose for more regular use. My shooting house is going to look like a meth lab!
 
This will be my first time with a heater. I never have been a big fan of the cold, but with a week and next week forecast of highs of barely above freezing - and possibly even hunting into December I figured it may be a few bucks I'll be glad I spent. Maybe I'm a pansy - but I intend on being a warm pansy and a warm pansy hunts longer and harder than one on the couch at home!
 
I have not proof of this theory, but I believe the warm air from the MR Heater takes your scent up and over the downwind area....better than not having any heat. I have had critters dead down wind on many occasions......and the warm air seems to rise above them. .02 cents.

I put the tanks on the ground and run a long hose up one of the legs and thru a 1" hole drilled into the stand. I don't like having that big gas bottle in the stand with us.

Were going out in the morning. It will be right at or below 0....but my grandson wants to hunt. Argh.
 
I was in the shadow hunter this AM @ 5. It was -7 when I got in it. Within a few minutes it was 40. Love the Mr Heater. Looks like were heading for another sub zero rifle opener this year again.
 
I have a big buddy that I use to heat the school bus that we sleep in. I can't believe how it it heats up that old school bus. We stayed in there when it was 17 degrees and didn't have to run it on high. The little buddy would be great for a blind, you could probably hunt in a t-shirt. They are almost silent too.
 
Heater worked great - kept me focused on the hunt all day long. Should have gotten one years ago.
 
His name is big bubba if you must know. LOL That's a good one Nov. Mr Heater is the brand name. It's not actually a man doing the heating!
 
All the stands I have been in have a Mr Heater ...
 
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My buddy was a little pissed! I went to one shooting house and he went to the other. I stayed all day (with my Mr. Heater) and he was done before noon - too cold. I showed him my heater and he wasn't sure what to say. I have money that he buys one for next year. Now I have to put actual glass windows in to better hold the heat inside. I only used it once I needed it. Got a total of about 5 or 6 hours of use off of the one bottle. May put it to use here again during our muzzleloader season as well.
 
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