# Deer blind building time...features?



## brazman (Aug 22, 2006)

The next few months will be prime deer blind building time for me out in East Texas, while it's still cool and semi-dry, then the undergrowth out at the land is fairly thinned out.

My plan is to craft a stilted blind, maybe 4-6 ft high, with a 4'x8' base platform and walls maybe 6 1/2' high. 

Here's where yall come in: what features have you included in your deer blind(s) that you consider a must-have for successful and comfortable hunting environs? I'm talking top to bottom, ammenities, having the door open this way or that because..., this style/shape of windows that open XYZ way because____, really any kinds of advice about any feature.

Here's another challenge: I will probably only want to put in about $200-300 into it and not all at one time either, as it will be a work in progress once I feel I can climb into it without toppling or caving, and actually hunt out of it successfully. I will have several years to "trick" it out as funds come available.

Pics are pretty helpful, too :help:

Thanks guys!


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## Buckerup (Feb 19, 2009)

Build it in your garage or back yard or whatever, but complete it before you put it into the woods. If not, you're probably a lot less likely to ever completely finish it the way you would like. Just my 02c. Good luck.


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## RB II (Feb 26, 2009)

I just built a couple of blinds, one 4x8 (the condo!!! LOL) I built them differently this time. I built the base with 2x6 covered with 5/8" plywood. I ripped 1 3/4" x 1 1/2" strips out of 2x4 or 2x6. I screwed a strip onto the bottom of the plywood 6" from the bottom and one vertical on each side of the ends. I built them this way for ease of construction and for taking them apart to move. Once I got the bases set on 4' 4x4s I just tilted the plywood up on the bottom strip and screwed it to the base. Worked my way around, tilting up and screwing them together. Very strong. I used 2' wide doors, cut on one side of a piece of plywood, with a 2" strip left on the strike side and 6" on the bottom. I left a small place uncut on each side, installed the hinges,etc. Once up just cut out the remainder of the wood. Same for the windows. The windows are about 12" high, from one side to the other, again with the 2" left on each side to catch the verticals and provide strength. I hinged mine at the top on the outside to provide shade and water proof the openings when open. Screw a small strip of inner tube at the top of the windows, even more water proof. I cut some small strips out of plywood and made braces to prop the windows open. Put small eye-screws on the inside of the windows, drill a hole in the strip below the window through the eye-screw, drop an 8d nail in the hole for locking the window. I cut 2x6 on an angle at each corner for binos, call, camera, etc. Screw 6" pieces of plywood to inside of the windows for a shooting ledge, also provides something for the window to shut against. Used strips of 2x material as before, screwed the tin onto them for the roof. Slide it up the side and screw them down from the outside at the top/side. Spray foam all of the cracks/joints to seal it all off. Sorry for writing a book!!! Forgot, all materials treated, should last as long as I can climb up in them.


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## Shaky (May 21, 2004)

Clear windows of some sort that you can open quietly help on cold windy days to keep the wind out of your face. Plenty of shelves for "stuff" also put a little bump ledge on the edge of them to keep stuff from rolling off. Carpet on the floor and walls help keep things quiet. 
Find your chair and find your perfect rifle height and build your window sills acccordingly, also an elbow rest for your trigger arm really helps keep your shots steady.
Other than all that just use your imagination. 
Look around new home construction sites and check out their scrap pile, you would be amazed at what they throw away.
Also check out lumber yards, 2 years ago I picked up 12 sheets of mixed plywood mostly 1/2 to 5/8" for 25bucks that were "damaged" or seconds , a few corners were dinged up and lots of knots, but it was perfect for deer blinds.


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## Marshman (Jul 24, 2008)

A piece of black carpet or drapery material to black out the window behind you. Deer WILL see you in there when you are backlight like that.

A 1x3 or 2x2 that fits front to back in the blind to act as a support for your chicken wing when making a longer shot.

A secure place to keep your heater from tipping over.

Shelves in the corners for binos, coffee mugs etc.


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## Specxican (May 17, 2010)

http://texasdeerblindwindows.com ......Check out this place for windows we are going to replace ours with these


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## txdougman (Jul 12, 2005)

*good luck*

:rotfl:$200-$300 good luck..I think your a tad short on funds...seriously!


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## Grizzly1 (Dec 12, 2008)

You may not like my idea at all,,,,,but I started using vinyl siding last year to put on the walls instead of plywood and I have built 3 box blinds this way already. I find the vinyl siding for free, find someone replacing it on there house or put a ad on southeasttexas.com and I'm sure you will find some. It definitely saves money, is much lighter in weight and should last for years, you can paint it or if you get a decent color you want even have to paint it. I frame out a floor with 2x6's put 3 cross braces underneath to make sure the floor will always be sturdy and then put at least 1/2" plywood or thicker. I frame out everything with 2x2s and turn 2x4s on there side for my bottom part of the window....it gives you a ledge to rest your rifle on and it also gives you a place for your window to slide down to if you use tracks with plexiglass. Put 2x2's up and down from the bottom of your window ledge down to the floor and you can screw the vinyl to these, I turn my table saw blade backwards to cut the vinyl siding and to cut plexiglass with.I built the last box blind for about $150, some of the lumber I already had. Another thing I do and I think its a great idea is to Thompson water seal ALL wood, for the protection you get I think Thompsons is pretty cheap, I even seal the inside just because and I seal everything outside including underneath on the floor, I do this even with treated lumber, you can watch the water run right off of the wood once it gets wet and I think this will make the life of the blind a whole lot longer, I put it on with a paint brush or spray it on with a garden sprayer. I paint everything from the bottom of the windows to the roof with black paint on the inside. I also put a shelf under my front window running across the whole front wall, then I put some hooks up high by the roof for hats, coats, ect. Like others have said try to break up your silouette, I usually use tacks and hang strips of burlap from above the windows down, then you can just pull a tack out if you need to move the burlap. Maybe this will help you.


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## Grizzly1 (Dec 12, 2008)

If you care to see a picture let me know.


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## 1hunglower (Sep 2, 2004)

Friend of mine has a BIG solar panel on top of his 4X8 stand he can make a pot of coffee, charge his cell phone. He also has a drain in the corner to relieve himself with charcol in the bottom that goes into the ground.. Seats 2 he texted me this year when it was cold and said he had his boots off and a window cracked because he was to hot. I was freezing my hind end off. He says its nothing to sit there for 8 hours are more.


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## berto (Oct 14, 2004)

1hunglower said:


> Friend of mine has a BIG solar panel on top of his 4X8 stand he can make a pot of coffee, charge his cell phone. He also has a drain in the corner to relieve himself with charcol in the bottom that goes into the ground.. Seats 2 he texted me this year when it was cold and said he had his boots off and a window cracked because he was to hot. I was freezing my hind end off. He says its nothing to sit there for 8 hours are more.


Not a bad idea! Might have to look into doing that next season.

Only thing im gonna change is putting sliding windows to block the wind like suggested above. Just not from that link, cant afford 400 dollars in windows. Gonna have to do a DIY some how.


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## squidboy (Jun 23, 2008)

Get the chair you are going to us when you are hunting and set the window height so you are comfortable. it sucks hunt with windows that are to high. I like a shelf or 2 in my blinds. Carpet a foot up the walls so if you hit it with your boots its not too loud.


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## phil k (May 8, 2007)

*deer blinds*

i built my last ones using some pipe i had.framed out of 1 " pipe , made e-m 4x6x7'6''(high)(front) slopped to 7'(back) 
an one 4x8 x 7'6''(high- front) slopped to (7' back)


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## phil k (May 8, 2007)

*deer blind*

heres on i made also ,,if you don't wanna spend much.,, i already had the DRAIN PIPE(4' DIA) works great !!!


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## wet dreams (May 21, 2004)

When my boys were young I put 'peep holes' in the sides for them to keep their big white face out of the window, I liked them so much I put them in all the stands I build now. Although I do paint the inside black I put up burlap curtains useing treated trotline string and closepins in all windows to keep from being silhoutted against an open window behind me. Checking out all the post for addititional features...WW


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## Johnboat (Jun 7, 2004)

*Windows separate the good blinds from bad*

Never built one. Been in many. Most have really crummy windows. Sliders that dont slide....warped plastic....let in wasps when not there, etc.'

This is where the new high end fiberglass commercially built blinds are great. They have really good windows that WORK. And they keep out wasps and daubers.

another thing I notice is poor blinds are not rigid in the wind. You have your rifle rested on the window ledge and the crosshairs move back and forth.

Anyone with a saw can build a box, but the devil is in the details.


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## buckcrshr (Nov 8, 2010)

Here are two that I built this last year. The 4x6 is mine and the 4x4 is my dads.













































































And the buck that I killed out of it.


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## Weather Or Knott (Feb 25, 2008)

Here are some we are building for a customer


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## Trouthunter (Dec 18, 1998)

I'll post some pictures this evening of how we build ours but one thing you should do is make the stand 5 x 8...that extra foot of leg room sure makes it more comfortable.

TH


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## Shaky (May 21, 2004)

Trouthunter said:


> I'll post some pictures this evening of how we build ours but one thing you should do is make the stand 5 x 8...that extra foot of leg room sure makes it more comfortable.
> 
> TH


Amen to that!

6x6 for me is just about a minimum if you want to spend any time in them.


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## CHARLIE (Jun 2, 2004)

As already mentioned above build it at home. Make it where you can disassemble it and then put it back ktogether whereever you want to put it. Complete it totally at home so you can get it all done and not try to do something later. Usually that never happens. Mine end up with a base, four sides, and a roof. Set the base on whatever or whereever you want then put up the sides and the roof. Works great. 4X4 for one man (we hunt two folks out of these too) and 4X6 for 2 or 3 folks. Way too big for one guy. Have to move too much to see all sides. Good luck

Charlie


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## pg542 (Oct 9, 2006)

Later in the season deer can get pretty skittish around stands and I believe they look to see movement or somebodys head moving around in the stand. That being said, I like windows that are just tall enough for a clear view and enough vertical room for your rifle/scope to poke out. For me, an 8inch window is plenty tall. I also like wide windows, nothing bugs me more than animals that show up in the "blind spot" at the corners. I also like covers hinged above the window that can be lowered over the windows during off season. These covers should be much larger than the window itself so when they are open, they almost act like awnings over each window to sort of shadow the inside of the stand further disguising movement or a silhouette inside. Paint the inside a dark color any where above the windows too. During sunrise and sunset, anything you can do to keep yourself in shadow will help, and the "awnings" really do the trick. It's difficult to watch 360 degrees while in the stand so pick a location that gives you 3 directions to watch and black out the other one. Automotive rearview mirrors, placed correctly can be very cool too. They can allow you to sit almost motionless and glance at them to see stuff sneaking in from behind. Google up Deerview mirrors and they are ready made with a spring clamp designed for limbs while treestand hunting. They work just as good inside your box to watch your 5 and 7oclock position behind you........Just some things I like....


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## Trouthunter (Dec 18, 1998)

Here's one of the last ones that we've built. They last a long time, they're huge at 5' deep, 8' wide and from floor to ceiling I believe is 7'.

You can't build it for $300.00 though 

TH


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## Trouthunter (Dec 18, 1998)

*Couple More*

Pictures


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## wet dreams (May 21, 2004)

Some of these make my back hurt just lookn at m.....WW


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## CoastalOutfitters (Aug 20, 2004)

make the roof overhang aa foot all the way around, less water drip in the windows

paint everything inside and out w exterior paint, you can buy the reject paint at the paint store and tint it yourself.

make your windows so they close, keeps the critters out and makes em last longer if they close and don't get rained inside.

put shelves around part of the inside and some big coat hooks in the corners

use curtains, esp behind you.

frame key stress areas with deck screws

carpet the floor 

you don't need a window the full length of the side. 2' wide is plenty


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## berto (Oct 14, 2004)

Made ours out of angle iron.. Held up real good and will last forever. Have to replace a hinge on one of them since someone didnt close the door and some heavy winds dang near ripped off the door. 

Added a 2x8 shelf all around the windows. Gives a good resting spot when shooting.


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## brazman (Aug 22, 2006)

txdougman said:


> :rotfl:$200-$300 good luck..I think your a tad short on funds...seriously!


You may be right, but I'm also "seriously" not going to let that deter me from having some fun in the woods on my land. If the funds aren't there, they aren't there. But like I said, once I get a serviceable platform, I can build on it as needed until I'm blue in the face.

Thanks to everyone else that offered constructive feedback, and especially pics. Got some good ideas.


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## CoastalOutfitters (Aug 20, 2004)

cheap route

4X treated 4X4's X8' long , skip landscape timbers, the extra cost is worth it for square corners

T-111 siding

asst. 2X4's

barn tin for roof

3/4 plywood for floor


make blind 4'X4' floor

6' high back, 6'6" high front, unless you will hit your head.

frame the floor on the legs so that the top of the 4X4's is the base height of the shelves around your windows.

cut windows out 12"x24" and hinge the cutouts 


This will put your stand approx 4' off the ground , brace 2X4's around the base near the ground


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## brazman (Aug 22, 2006)

I like it. Good idea on the cheap. Keep em coming!


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## KIKO (Oct 24, 2006)

I have some 1/2" plywood (precut from full new sheets) pieces at the hunting classified section. With as about $30.00 you can cover a 4x4 blind including walls, floor and roof for a basic blind.


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## Profish00 (May 21, 2004)

A funnel and 20 foot of water hose


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## brazman (Aug 22, 2006)

KIKO said:


> I have some 1/2" plywood (precut from full new sheets) pieces at the hunting classified section. With as about $30.00 you can cover a 4x4 blind including walls, floor and roof for a basic blind.


Sounds like a really affordable supply of plywood...too bad I'd have to pay so much in gas to take advantage of it. Thanks for the offer, though!


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## TheHunted (Apr 20, 2011)

Windows and doors are key.

Check with www.deerviewwindows.com


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## State_Vet (Oct 10, 2006)

I built my wife a 5x5 stand last year for $170, I'll have to see if I have pics


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