Elevated hunting blind project.

[Woody65]

So, A large white pine had 3 of its 4 trunks snapped off during a severe storm last year. They snapped at about 30' high. It is 10 feet from a tree stand that I like to use for deer hunting. I came up with an idea to cut the remaining trunks down to 15' and use the base for a hunting blind. Because of this severe storm which took down 50+ trees, I became an amateur logger and sawyer. I have been milling lumber for the past year and will be building it out of the trunks that fell out of this tree. The remaining trunk that withstood the storm was 100'+. Just got started this past weekend on the prep and build. I get up to the property once every other week. So, it will be a slow go. Time for pics. Milling some of the floor boards and siding. I am going to go with a live edge siding look. The site after a little clean up. Still have some more to do. Getting the base up onto the 4 trunks. The base is attached utilizing Simpson hurricane straps and flat strapping used to connect floors in new construction. The blind will be 6'x6'x6' high with a ridge roof 8' high.

 

[Lineman North Florida]

Maybe it's different up there but down here in the South in less than 2 years the only thing that would be left of that pine stub would be the heart or as we call it Fat Lighter and all your work on that nice platform would be for nothing as the rest would have rotted away.

 

[Woody65]

Maybe it's different up there but down here in the South in less than 2 years the only thing that would be left of that pine stub would be the heart or as we call it Fat Lighter and all your work on that nice platform would be for nothing as the rest would have rotted away.

Here they will last a long time. The base of that tree is 6' across. But down the road I can always add posts from the ground to the platform.

 

[oosik]

Hmmm - - don't realize how truly big those two remaining stumps are until you see the ladder leaning up against them.

 

[ZTMAN]

When do you run the heating duct work to that palace?

 

[EddieWalker]

Looks like a fun project that I'm looking forward to following. Do you have any fear of heights? Putting the roof on would terrify me

 

[oosik]

I never thought of that Eddie - that's a loooong first step off the platform. I was told long ago why hunters in this area don't have elevated hunting blinds. Too much to drink - too long a step. I've got "hunters" that come out with their 34' motorhome and XX #'s of cases of beer and JD(NOT John Deere, either). Spend a week out here parked on one of my meadows - spend about eight hours out of the week hunting. But - OUZZA - do they ever have a good time. The evening gatherings around the bonfire is something not to miss.

And occasionally they will find an elk and shoot it.

 

[CobyRupert]

Maybe it's different up there but down here in the South in less than 2 years the only thing that would be left of that pine stub would be the heart or as we call it Fat Lighter and all your work on that nice platform would be for nothing as the rest would have rotted away.

Here they will last a long time. The base of that tree is 6' across. But down the road I can always add posts from the ground to the platform.

"Fat lighter"? Huh, how 'bout that! I learned something new today!! Fatwood - Wikipedia
I thought you were talking about a Djeep or a Zippo compared to a Bic.

The platform covering the "stumps" should help a lot. But eventually insects and the peckers boring for them will compound. I suspect it will take awhile, maybe a decade or so.

 

[Woody65]

Hmmm - - don't realize how truly big those two remaining stumps are until you see the ladder leaning up against them.

There are actually 4 stumps between 18-24". It was quite a tree.

 

[Woody65]

Looks like a fun project that I'm looking forward to following. Do you have any fear of heights? Putting the roof on would terrify me

I was a roofer from the age of 17 till about 5 yrs ago when I closed down the company. So, I better not be. Lol.