Ultimate Hunting Stand

Making the best free standing hunting blind, for a more comfortable safer hunt, you can share with a friend.

My father in law wanted to make a new hunting platform, he had a few goals for this project. First he wanted to make a new blind in the most deer heavy area of his woods , a crossroads with a feeder in it . Since it was in a crossroads he needed to be able to shoot out of it on all sides. he also had a bad fall out of a tree stand a few years ago so he wanted this stand to be safer and easier to get in and out of , and lastly he wanted it big enough that he can get his grandson out and teach him to hunt.

this would be great for anyone who has any similar needs or goals, especially if you want to take someone out with you

Step 1: Build a Platform

First thing my father in law did was to build a platform , it is 8' square and 10' tall. it is build like you would any other deck with the exception of the four corner brackets. these were from Menards found in the playground section they are normally used to make swing sets. he used joist hangers for strength and composite deck boards so they don't rot in the weather. The ladder comes up in the middle of the platform for safety so you don't have to climb over the edge. also the legs are on wide footpads to keep it stable and so it doesn't sink in mud

Step 2: Put a Blind on It

My father in law had this popup blind so I helped him lift it on to the platform, then we used screws with washers in the loops of the blind (usually used to stake it to the ground ) and screwed it straight to the decking. this will keep it from blowing away in the wind

Step 3: Add Luxury

The blind would be perfectly functional as is, but we wanted some seats inside , and we had access to a old RV which had these two seats in them, they swivel and slide, we laid them out and drilled and bolted the seats in place so they are nice and secure , making sure to use heavy bolts and lock washers.

This will make it easier on the old bones of you have been hunting awhile or more appealing to the younger kids , this blind I think will be very good for teaching new hunters.

In the future we are going to build a rail all around the inside as a gun rest and a trap door to cover the ladder entrance , I am also thinking of adding some sort of heater system in the future but for now it's still an awesome blind ready for hunting season

Comments

[TomW219]

Thanks for the info..nice stand.....I am going to build one myself...I use a Mr Heater portable heater in my ground blind now...Now it's time to elevate it...cheers

[chriscmoor]

In the "adding luxury" department, I would suggest adding a floor covering both for sealing out the drafts and, more importantly, reducing the noise from moving around or accidentally dropping something. It also makes it comfy to switch from boots to slippers while in the stand. You could use a carpet scrap and just plan on replacing it every season, but it will wick water in under your blind. A better solution would a bit of "astroturf" style outdoor carpeting. A quick check of Craigslist might lead you to some that's been taken up from a porch or patio. You can also get remnant pieces from floor covering stores. Remember, this is a hunting blind so multiple seams won't ruin the room aesthetics. Personally, I used a piece of commercial carpet salvaged from a hotel ballroom renovation. I just installed with the jute backing side up for ease of sweeping and cut it to fit inside the walls of the blind.

Nice work on your blind. I'll look forward to seeing your upgrades and improvements.

[gm280]

If you are nice and comfortable, you will hunt longer and more intense. I use to build 16' platform stands walled in on three sides high enough to allow you to see over the walls while sitting, and for long range propped shots. I also painted them with the latest camo styles and patterns and even had exterior paints mixed for each color. There were seriously a piece of work and so comfortable, that I hunted from them a lot longer during each hunt. You could easily use a heater in them when it got extremely cool as well. Nice post and project. Safety has to be first, and then serious hunting will happen all by itself.

[ReconDigital]

those sound great , safety was a big priority with this one as my father in law has broken a few ribs falling out of tree stands before and he isn't getting any younger, we might be building some more next year and we can see if we can use some other designs , thanks for your comment