moving/setting up big shooting blinds

skipperbrown · Oct 24, 2006

I built 4, 4'x4'x7' shooting blinds. They are constructed of 2x4's and 1/2" plywood and weigh about 450 lbs each. Each corner has 1' of 3x3 angle iron bolted on the base w/ a 4"x4" iron tube on it. The tube is welded on vertically so a 5' 4x4 post (leg) will slide into the tube and the thing will sit 5' off the ground. The corners are the weak link w/ the 3x3 angle iron.

My problem is how to get these things set up on our food plots. I'm a midget and my hunting buddy is a cripple (I'm kidding, sort of, I'm short for my height and my hunting buddy recently had shoulder surgery). I need 4 bruins to help, but help is hard to get and bruins are never around when you need them.

My initial thought (before I started the project) was to lift the houses w/ my fel (w/ forks) up 5' and slide the posts in and be done w/ it (That puts the roof at 12' in the air.). However, my bx2200 is not up to the task. I can lift the houses and move them around for painting/storage, but at 1' the load becomes quite tipsy side to side and I begin to fear for my life and property. The thought of lifting them 5' scares me.

My second thought was to lay the houses on the forks horizonally, lift to about 4', put in the legs, and then rotate the house off the forks until the legs hit the ground and then use another vehicle or come along to pull the house up the rest of the way. However, I'm concerned the house will just slide off the forks and the house will be sitting at a very low angle to the ground and when pulling up the house from a shallow angle, I'll rip out the angle iron.

Thought number 3 is lower the leg length to 4' and try one of the above.

Thought number 4 is to rent a backhoe or something similar, but I hate to spend several hundred renting equipment and our hunting grounds are rather remote.

In the past we have braced the heck out of the base, layed them on their side and pulled them up with a truck, but the stress of starting the house at 0 degrees and getting it started up to 90 degrees requires a lot more wood/weight.

Any ideas?

HTWT · Oct 24, 2006

I have used my FEL to put a 4X4 blind on 8' 4X4 by myself. I pre drilled the legs so when the were insurted into the brackets I could lock them in using I bolts and keep the legs from falling out. I put the blind in my bucket and then used a ratchet strap to lock it in the bucket, raised it up put in the 4X4 on the other side, loosened up the ratchet strap backed up turning to expose the other leg and inserted the 4X4. I then used an earth anchor to chain the blind so it wouldn't fall when I moved the bucket but used the bucket to stabelize blind by putting it aginst blind higher up. I then installed last leg. I use 2 earth anchors with chain up to the I bolts and turn buckles to lock the blind down. I then ran 2X6 under the blind and built a landing and steps up to the blind. two more 4X4 support the landing and the steps. The whole project would be easier and much quicker with help, but sometimes you do what you gotta do. I used a prefab braket called "elevators". I think Cabela sell them.

Soundguy · Oct 24, 2006

Why not use the fel to lift one side, ( short side ) slide legs in, set down, then lift the other side (short side ), slide legs in.. set down.

Hi-lift ratcheting farm jacks could also be used.

Soundguy

CTyler · Oct 24, 2006

Add wheels to one side and a hitch to the other. Use the 3pt or FEL with a ball on it and your set. Let the tractor will do all the work.

Egon · Oct 24, 2006

Talk about comfort. We used to lay on the cold wet ground underneath a swath!

BTDT · Oct 25, 2006

"If" blinds are going to be permanent, how about drilling holes with phd, insert legs in drilled holes. Set blind on top of poles, then jack up each corner a little at a time and kick dirt back into holes. May take a little while, but may be safest. Just a thought.

kossetx · Oct 25, 2006

Skipper, I know this doesn't answer your question but maybe it will help in the future decisions. Almost everything I build is built on some sort of sled. I have blinds, feeders, a big steel BBQ pit and a steel roping cow all built on sleds. Sure makes it easy to move them around. I can move them all with my 4 wheeler. I found using tires needed constant maintenance but 2" pipe sled is almost bulletproof.

EddieWalker · Oct 25, 2006

When I build mine, I did it on it's side. Then when I moved it to it's location, I fastened the blind to the FEL with the legs sticking straight forward. I lifted the FEL and it was all in the air while I drove real slow and easy to where I wanted it.

Then I put it down where I wanted to bottom legs, untied it and put the bucket under the blind. I lifted it up and drove forward. While doing this, I damaged part of my paint and dented the plywood a little, but nothing serious. In fact, I never bothered to touch up the paint and left it damaged.

Once it was standing, I decided to anchor it by drilling holes in the ground just outside the legs. I put a piece of rebar in the holes and attached it to my legs. Then I filled the holes with a few sacks of readi mix concrete.

I've since sold that land, but it's been four years and it's still standing strong through several storms with 60mph winds.

Good luck,
Eddie

goaliedad · Oct 25, 2006

maybe too late, but when I built my ground based blind, I fab'ed the walls, transported it to the site and assembled it there- much easier than moving the completed building.