Started my tower stand today

[EddieWalker]

Since it's such a permanent structure, why not just extend a roof over it enough to cover everything up? Seems like it woudl be easy enough.

Eddie

 

[tommu56]

Also, does anyone have any experience with those locking key holders you can use for remote areas? I seem to recall seeing some at Home Depot that didn't require batteries and were just push buttom combination locks. (

I put one up at the club that I fly rc planes at,

make sure its bolted good to the wall/ post

They are almost impossible to brake in to but some one might rip it off the wall

The only thing one of the other guys at the club did was to put a rubber flap over it to keep the rain off buttons and out of the box and that worked it is mounted out in the weather.

The key hooks to the door of the box and you take the door and key unlock the lock and put key and door back on box and lock it.

as for not getting the utv under there maybe a porch next year for more space?

tom

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Since it's such a permanent structure, why not just extend a roof over it enough to cover everything up? Seems like it woudl be easy enough.

Eddie

It is an option but the idea I had was to have it completely hidden if it was parked there. I will be fine parking it over by the pens and walking the 200 yards to the stand. its still a lot shorter then parking at the driveway at the front of the pens and walking 600 yards. I may enclose it in the spring anyway after walking that distance this winter but we will see how it goes.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

I put one up at the club that I fly rc planes at,

make sure its bolted good to the wall/ post

They are almost impossible to brake in to but some one might rip it off the wall

The only thing one of the other guys at the club did was to put a rubber flap over it to keep the rain off buttons and out of the box and that worked it is mounted out in the weather.

The key hooks to the door of the box and you take the door and key unlock the lock and put key and door back on box and lock it.

as for not getting the utv under there maybe a porch next year for more space?

tom

It will be anchored well. I am thinking about hiding it on the backside railing post along the stair stringer where it won't be seen too easily. That or on one of the 4x6's. I am looking at the Supra KeySafe and it has a rubber cover you can buy for it that is suppose to fit tight over it but allow you to use it easily still. I know if someone really wants to they can break into just about anything. I just don't want it to be easy for them but I also want to have a key there handy in case I forget mine or want to let someone else hunt in there without having to worry about giving everyone a key. Plus as Ava gets older she would be able to go there on her own and get in. I am glad to hear your key safe is working well.

There are no plans for any other additions to this stand. I will finish it off in the spring and then start the next tower on the other end of the property.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Well the outside is done for as far as I am going right now. If I get a chance to bend the metal for the door I will but I am not in the mood to mess around with it just yet.

The third stringer is in and attached, the hand rails are all finished and anchored properly, windows are all caulked as well. Everything is nailed and screwed properly. In fact it was so hot in there today I had to open the windows as I couldn't stand the heat (it was in the mid-60's today).

I took a few pics of the inside in case anyone wanted to see. I am going to start cutting the window extensions the next rain day but right now I have to start getting ready to harvest corn if the weather holds out. I got the harvester ready today and corn head on. Just need to get the trailer ready.

I took one of my parents old recliners out there as they just bought new ones as well as my own office chair since I don't have an office set up at my new house. I will just buy a new chair when the office is done but this saved me some money for now.

I did take Ava out there yesterday and she calls it my "house". Of course I let her in and the first thing she said is "its small, you should have made it bigger" The last pic is Ava coming home from the tower, it was the first day she was outside after fighting the flu for a week so she was still wore out.

 

[scott_vt]

Good Evenin Robert,
It came out super !!!

Glad Ava is feeling better... maybe she is right bigger can be better, of course thats more money also....

Great job !

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Good Evenin Robert,
It came out super !!!

Glad Ava is feeling better... maybe she is right bigger can be better, of course thats more money also....

Great job !

The problem is bigger isn't usually better for a hunting stand. I am thinking of building her a 10x20 1.5-2 story play house so she can really have fun. It would be built similar to this one but much larger and have a second floor where she could bunk if she wanted and when she is a little older can have sleep overs in it. Of course it will be pink and white to keep her super happy. But it will be a fun project and should go a lot quicker then this tower as I won't have to haul everything out to the middle of no where by tractor. I am actually looking forward to that project

 

[wolc123]

Nice stand there Robert. If you are thinking of building more, I have a suggestion you might want to try. I made (2) mobile ground blinds from old construction style truck caps (the type that have sides that fold out), and old snowmobile trailers. I build a 3 ft wall around the sides and front of the trailer and set the cap on top, leaving the back open. I also do a lot of foodplotting, and I practice crop rotation to minimize costs, so the best spots change each season. Every year, I place the "covered wagons" in prime locations sometime well before hunting season, with the solid end of the blind facing the soutwest (prevailing wind direction). When I am not in the blinds, the sides are folded down, but when hunting, I fold them out for a nice overhang (this eliminates glare for easy shooting). The 3 ft walls make a perfect rest to shoot from a padded, swivel, office chair on the center of the deck. The biggest advantage of these blinds is that they can be in the perfect spot every year. I also do some bowhunting but not from these blinds (I climb trees then), and by opening of gun season, the deer start to feel real safe around them. Last year on that horrible wind-driven, cold-rain, NY state, souther-zone, opener, I sat in complete comfort for about (3) hours until a nice doe and fawn walked by about 20 yards away. The last several years, I have shot a lot more deer from these (2) ground blinds, and my house, than I have from my dozen or so tree stands. It sure is nice to be out of the wind and rain, and I also dont mind being down close to the ground. Another good part of these blinds is they didnt cost me a dime as I made them from "junk" that was laying around my farm. Good luck this season and it looks like you will be comfortable anyway. Bow season has been good to me so far with (2) fat does in the freezer, but I eagerly await gun opening in a couple weeks, when hopefully I can bring down one of a couple of bruisers I have seen from afar.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

That is a good idea with the portable ground blinds. I will keep it in mind and may design something similar to try out if I find a used truck cap for cheap. Heck, I already have 2x6 walls built up 4' high that could be cut down to make the 3' walls (they were forms we built for a concrete job 3/4" plywood so they are heavy and useless).

I do want to build a couple more towers in a couple locations so that I can see over the countour of the ground. These are good spots but you can't see very far from the ground because the fields have slight humps in the middle. You just need to be up that little bit extra and you can see so much more and even if you can't shoot that far it is nice to be able to see things and possibly notice a pattern if a certain deer keeps coming from the same area.

I know my grandfather would use the ground blind if I built one like yours as it wouldn't be all fancy like my tower All I know is I will be comfy and if a nice buck shows up I will entertain shooting it. If not I know I will see plenty of deer there anyway and turkeys and maybe the occasional coyote.

 

[Tororider]

If you have a big enough tractor or a skytrack you could build an elevated blind that is mobile. Our neighbor built one and used his skytrack to move it around. Of course you are really limited to a ladder to get in, and if that doesn't work with your back then that could be a limiting factor. You also need to find a way to anchor it to the ground so that it doesn't blow over. Just a thought. By the way, your stand looks great.