4x4’s are trash these days, I’d use 4x6’s. Tubes are good but without the posts actually being in the ground you’ll need cross braces.

 

100% using cross braces

 

I use 5/4 deck plank for cross braces, work very well.
For legs, spend extra and go to a real lumber yard instead of big box. quality is better!

 

I agree, local lumberyard close to me. And I think 6x6x8’s are the way instead of 4x4’s

 

I also use windows from Deerview windows, work well for me.
I'm looking for ideas for ladder/steps up to 8' high blinds.
Getting old ain't for Sissy's!

 

These are my plans, had the same question as you. I’m gonna add on a 2x2’ landing for a ladder with an inward swinging door

 

Truss companies near me sell precut stair stringers.

 

Comparing your dimensions to our 10x10 bedroom, that is a big hunting shack. Pool table and reclliners? FWIW, we had a new deck built and the local code called for 6x6 posts, nor 4x4 as the original had.

 

Yeah it’s a little much, but it’s my buddies land and he wants to go big or go home

 

I plan on building one this Spring as well. 10’x10’ does seem huge. Due to terrain changes where I intend to place mine, 4x4 posts will work, if it needed to be taller, I’d go 6x6.

 

Yeah. Luckily we don’t need to go high, 8’ posts is plenty. Maybe only need 6’ posts

 

Any chance you could get ahold of power line poles? Our local electric co-op gives them to ranchers and people who request them if they have big projects. There is a lot of life left in some of those poles. They would be my choice if I were going to build an outhouse on stilts to hunt from.

 

I appreciate you saying this, great reminder! I have several 10’ long utility pole sections I cut when I build a bridge over a small creek. Utility company gladly parted with them from their scrap pile. I cut to length on location, loaded and hauled away.

 

Shows the brackets well

 

Nice. Those brackets are the way to go.

 

Property I had access to, but no longer do, I built a 4' x 8' with small landing @ 16' elevated box blind 15 years ago using 6" x 8" x 20' lumber from Home Depot for the posts and 5/4 board for braces and floor/box structure.

I tar dipped the first 4 feet of the posts and sank them in auger drilled holes, crossed braced and squared them to construct a very comfortable slant roof box blind. Wood was allowed to patina, then yearly oil seal to protect wood. Blended in perfect with the hardwoods. I used a fire escape ladder I got a deal on from a closed restaurant to get up to it.

I constructed a temporary block/tackle above the area using a 3 tree rope tether. Helped big time considering I did everything by myself.

Took plenty of deer from that blind (when not sleeping in warm dry comfort ) Miss it very much and the success on the property

Dude who bought the property fell in love with it and still uses it today. He added a bigger landing and updated the ladder to a right angle stair with handrail. He even added a small drain pipe down camper toilet, solar powered lighting and battery charging for small appliances, vinyl slide windows, bigger heater with 100# tank plumbed below, flat screen/dvd, etc. He basically turned it into his "get away from the wife" destination!

Still in perfect condition today (as long wood care it kept up).

One caveat, even though the blind is in the woods, I had tractor and trailer access to it as it was in a open woods along thicker cover. Made it 1000 times easier to get materials/tools/generator/compressor back there.

 

Good stuff! I was just thinking this season that it would be nice to build a platform to mount my big hub blind on, about 10 ft up. Nothing permanent in case I want to move it around at some point.

 

Those that use the 4x4 brackets: how big are your shacks? I’m having a hard time finding 6x6 brackets without spending $300 🙄. I’m just thinking 10x10 shack is too big for 4x4 posts

 

I think I’m gonna aim for 8’x8’. 10’x10’ is way overkill, almost as big as my bedroom 🤣. I think I can definitely get away with 4x4 posts with 8x8 and 8’ high or so

 

Couple things
An 8x8 is too big for 1 guy to cover all angels IMHO
An 8x8 will be hard to stand up unless you have a big tractor
I find a 5'x6' big enough for 1 guy, a little tight when I mentor out of but no problem
If you put sway bracing good, a 6x8 or 6x6 blind will do just fine on 4x4's that close to the ground
If you want to use 6x6's because the size needs to be bigger, you can always cut the 6x6 on an angle to mimick the brackets.
They just make life easier

 

I built a 4x4 blind out of osb one year that was about 16 or 17 feet up. Some of these sizes and measurements arent written in stone as this was a long time ago and the blind is at my dads house now so i cant get the specs on it but , The frame of the blind was built out of 2x2 thin angle iron and the osb was screwed into it from the outside. Then i welded some 2 1/2" pipes at an angle in all four corners that were probably 3 or 4 inches long. Then i used 2 inch schedule 40 pipe to slip into those sleeves as the legs for the blind to sit on. On each of the legs i welded a 3/16ths or 1/4 inch tab a foot or so down from the top and bottom with a hole drilled in it. Then i used some 3/8ths round bar with tabs welded at the end of those with holes and bolted them together at the legs for cross bracing on each side. On the bottom of each leg I welded about a 6 or maybe 8 inch circle plate with another sleeve for the legs to sit in and the circle plate acted as a foot on the ground. In the center of the floor of the blind underneath i also welded a loop and used this so tie a steel braided cable that went straight down to one of those big anchor corkscrews that i put in the ground right underneath it on the center to keep it anchored down. Ill see if i can draw some pics to kida give you an idea. You could do it like this but just up the sizes on the legs, braces , etc. That blind never once moved and was rock solid. I still have it stored at my dads house today.

 

Pretty crude drawing but I think it shows kinda what I was talking about

........

 

There is several Options But I have wanted to build an Elevate Box Blind but did not have the Time so I started with a Ground Blind that was 4 x 8, which went to 8 x 8 and is now 8 x12. I used it as my Lodging and Rifle Hunting has a Steel Door house Dr, Built the Roof Trusses, and the only Window is made out of Smoked Tinted Lexan. I now use a NuWay Propane Stove to Heat the place Vented thru the roof, and added a Battery Operated CO / Smoke Detectors just in Case. It has a 3/4 inch Floor with Carpet on top of that. I use an XL Cot even in November nd sometimes December. I have 1 Ft Overhang on the front and 8 inch on the Rear so the Rain & Snow rain off and not into the Walls unless you plan on adding Gutters to keep the water off the Walls. It is sitting 2 Cinder Blocks high with several to support the edges and center so no movement. I also have a couple 30 Lbs Propane tanks and Couple 20 as Back Up as some years it gets down to the teens. I run the 3500 Model Nuway Stove as it has 2 Burners for more Adjustment and more heat when needed. Comfort is Key once you get to 60!
There are some different Windows Opportunities as Shadow offers Windows for both Rifle and Bow Hunting. At 1 Time when Shadow Hunter Blinds where made in Michigan I was looking at a Custom Sized one for an Elevated Blind with Tall Windows you could Shoot an Bow From as well as have a window for Rifle Hunting. As they were made out of Thin Aluminum Sheeting and claimed to be Bug and Rodent Proof which is important as mice and bugs will find a way in. Also know that porcupines like anything wood and will chew thru Plywood and OSB. So Might have to add some Metal Fencing Material around the Legs and low Wood Areas 1/4 inch metal fencing Material works well. For Some reason Plywood is a big attractant to them. If you want it to last I would treat most all surfaces with Some "Flex Seal" As you can coat many things with it and It is all about being Waterproofing I did the Roof Sheathing then TarPaper then Shingles. Less Maintenance. I also used mostly Screws and not nails in case I need to replace the exterior wall sheathing just remove the Screws cut the panel to size and screw it back on.

As for Size That is one thing having a little more room never hurts if you need to have a 2nd Cot and a place to store and set up a place to sit and eat. I have a couple pieces of Counter Sink Cut OutsI and Put 2 together and have it on hinges to tip it out of the way for added space if Needed/ There is many things you can find today as the Small / Mini House is become popular to find ways to store & organize Gear. Many Options as for legs I would think 4x6 or even 6x6 is a good way to go and sinking them below the frost line and setting in some Concrete will add weight to the Structures bottom. As you never know how windy it will get especially these days.
Hope you have some Ideas for your Elevated Stand.
LFM

 

My elevated box blind is 4x8 with 6’ tall walls. The legs are 2x8 screwed together to make an L shape that cradles each corner with screws ran through them and into the structure framework. I enter it by walking up a ladder/stairs through a trap door in the floor. Once inside I just close the door down and get comfy. The floor is carpeted. There are 6 windows, one on each end wall and one on each end of both the north and south facing walls. They are situated where the windows (solid panel sheeting) open inward and create a ledge that a rest or camera can be placed on. Rarely do I open more than one window at a time. Usually I open the one I want and scoot way back into the blind away from it. I set up my trigger stick shooting tripod and wait. The way I described keeps it as dark inside the blind as possible and prevents me from being so easily seen by deer, especially when I am wearing black clothes. The size of the blind works great for crossbows. I do not rifle hunt from it, but bet it would work ok for that too. It is a bit too small for vertical archery and would need size adjustments to work for that.

 

Built mine on a gear so I could move it around each year. Mostly wanted it for when the kids are a little bigger and can come along and be comfortable.

 

Love that and would like to figure out something similar. Junk yard find on the wheels, etc?

 

Talk about the sissifacation ( not really the word I want but close)of America
These big shacks are the sissification of hunting

 

Cool, thanks guys.