Let's see your...HUNTING SHACK

[northerndave]

It's a good question & I need to figure that out exactly. I guess I was thinking i had less than 5k into it but the wife says closer to 6. I need to go through the checkbook I guess & try to figure it out.

[Scott K]

Hey northern dave, or anyone, how have you set up the foundations, I am looking on building new soon, I havent figured how to lay the foundation to survive the settling?

[northerndave]

soil is all sand where we built, maybe only 2" at most of blackish topsoil which is also mostly sand. We sriped all that off with a dozer & pushed in more sand from a pond we dug to build the spot slightly above grade. Then we leveled & packed, then as silly as it sounds... I set 3 rows of railroad tie footings, ties stacked 2 high. We built on that.

crazy huh?

I've seen it work before. Kind of a floating footing I've got. I wanted to be up off the ground & keep the ends open so it isn't so inviting for critters.

[Johnny_Namakan]

We just put ours on concrete blocks. We're way up in Northern Mn and mostly all rock. I bet there was maybe 4 inches of topsoil and then nothing but bedrock. We built on the top of a ridge. It did shift a little bit, but in 8 years it's still pretty descent.

[northerndave]

I have ties to a couple different iron range shacks built on rocks & blocks.. the older one I can think of got re-blocked last year after about.... 20 years of sitting.

the other was built around 1990, so I guess it's around 17 years old & I don't think it's ever been re blocked or leveled.

[Scott K]

Thanks for the tips guys.. The soil where I would build sounds simular to yours Northerndave, it sounds to simple, it just might work! Considering all the construction guys I have asked told me to make a slab, then 4 ft barriers around the outsides, the foundation alone was going to be 10-14k. So that put a hault on my plans! If I would have came up with a plan like this it would have been built already.

[northerndave]

that concrete & excavation work alone is enough to kill any hopes & dreams of having a shack.

I know of many, many shacks that sit on railroad ties, cement blocks, patio blocks, posts in the ground or a combination of all of the above.

of course there is a best way to do everything, but if you wait till you can afford that best way,,, well your "best years" may get away from you & the way I see it, we're here for us, right? not for the longevity of a building.

besides, the future generation will need something to do in 35 years, let the grandkids re level it in 35 years, it'll be good for them

[toughguy]

Did you need building permits to put your new shacks up? Do they allow a structure without footings? just curious.

[northerndave]

no permits needed where I built.

[MNmikew]

My shack I built in Wisc. required:

land use permit

building permit

electrical permit

soil test

priviy permit

6 trips to shack by inspector

But it's finally done! Well, almost.

[Craig_S]

Most northern Minnesota counties don't require a building permit for hunting shacks with a size restriction. I think it's something like 550 square feet. I'd check with the county first. Or maybe not.....

Craig

[northerndave]

oh my gosh, guess I'm pretty lucky then.

very remote area where we built to though.

[toughguy]

good to know. I'de like to build one some day when the budget allows for it. Nothing fancy just somewalls and a wood stove. Running water and electric are nice but sometimes it's fun not to have them too.

[Craig_S]

I wouldn't sweat it Dave. I built mine long before I knew about the hunting shack exemption. Didn't ask or tell anybody. I figured it was might right, as a human being to have a shack and a [PoorWordUsage]er. Ask for a permit my butt.

It took about 5 years and they found it though. Changed the taxes from timberland to seasonal recreational on that 40 only. Maybe costs 75 bucks a year. If they count loft space, I'm over the limit too.

Craig

[bela0023]

Here's our hunting shack in Northern Itasca County. It's been there for 35+/- years with several additions put on and another one planned for next summer. It sleeps 14 in bunks, and there's 2 couches too. Many of my uncles, cousins, my dad, brother and friend will all be up there this weekend for the deer opener, tentative count this year is 13 hunters.

Here's a view from the front coming down the driveway

This is inside the shack in the dining/living room area. Notice the board with years hanging on the header, if you miss a deer you're required to cut off a piece of your shirt tail and hang it on the board, and yes, the tail is a little short on my favorite shirt, although no cuts for quite a few years now!

Good luck to everybody hunting this weekend, I hope you have a fun weekend!

[Craig_S]

I once hunted a large camp in coastal Virgina (the State). It slept about two dozen and had been there for over 100 years. Even had it's own cook. For 100 years misses were recorded on the shooters shirt tail and nailed to the logs. The place was literally covered in shirt tails, each with a short story. Very very cool.

Craig

[skee0025]

I'd Show my "shack" but i doubt anyone wants to see pictures of my pop up ice fishing shelter!

[Coach1310]

I really enjoyed this thread a few years ago and figured I would send her back to the top.... feel free to add some pics of your hunting shack..... it's already that time of year again!

[aberg22]

This is my Shack/Deer Stand. I am still working on it. Hope to be done by deer hunting next year. http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=89561&id=1146813631&l=edeeb3532b

[jegerjack]

Bump... Have not seen any new entries for a while... Any updates or new shacks...

[NoWiser]

I'll throw ours up here. After a couple years living in a pup tent during deer season my dad decided we needed to upgrade. We cut some nice straight pine trees from his land, and he spent all last summer sewing up some canvas. Now we get to live in luxury while we deer hunt....an 18' diameter by 24' tall teepee! It is great for eating at night when we get in from hunting. Much warmer than sitting outside by a fire. In the mornings it is the same temp as outside, but I think 9 degrees was the coldest we had this deer season up there, so not bad. We can make a quick fire for some oatmeal and chaga tea in the morning before we head out. While it isn't as comfortable as a cabin (we still have to sleep on the ground), it's pretty dang nice, and allows us to camp 2 miles from the nearest road, and hunt even farther back.

[perchking]

Here is mine: Interesting story, I bought it from guy before the bank repo'ed it. I had 30 days to move it before the paper work was filed by the bank, At least that is what the guy told me... Dont know how true it is but that is the story I was told. Poured a slab hired a moving company and withing 15days it was onsite and I was sleeping in it.

[Nate McVey]

Nice Greg! Sorry I missed you this year, but maybe I'll see you come Teeter Pig time...

[rustysetter]

Now there's a hunting shack. Nice job. Bare necessities and still comfortable. I hope to find a 40 or 60 acre spot in the next few years. I thought about getting an older camper, but I think this is a better idea. And I could probably build it fairly cheap.

Kid

We did something similar we bought 63 acres a year ago and use our wheelhouse as our shack in the fall and fish in the winter. No tax implications

[Crow Hunter]

Here's my shack. Wish it was November and I was there...