Tower blind / deer stand question

[ts_hunter]

I am building a 6 x 6 deer stand that is 6'2" on one side sloping to 5'8" on the other to give me a slanted roof for rain to run off. The floor is built with 2x8 lumber and OSB for the floor, walls are OSB and 2x2 lumber. My question is this; I am planning on treated 4x4 legs supported with 2x4 cross braces. Would it be a bad idea to NOT bury the 4x4's down 4' into the ground? I was planning on doing this, but it would sure be alot easier to just let it sit on the ground with a few extra bases right at the ground. I don't really care about it coming out of level eventually because of frost/heaving. This guy on youtube looks like he just sat his on the ground....but wouldn't a strong wind blow it over...or is it heavy enough?

What do you guys think.

[buckhunter21]

I know of guys that have got by with doing that in the woods where the wind isnt as strong but if you are planning on having it out somewhat in the open I would probably put them in the ground. A 6 x 6 is a good sized stand and im guessing your going with at least 4 foot walls, thats alot of area for wind to catch. We have a box stand similar to the size you are talking, no roof just 4 foot walls and it is out in the open. If you get a good gust of wind you can feel it shake a little and ours it cemented 4 feet in the ground. I guess it depends on how high off the ground it is too, ours is 12 foot to the floor. I would suggest putting it at least a couple feet in the ground and then just pour in a bag of quick-crete or something to keep it in place.

[Code-Man]

I used 2x4's for my floors and 2x2's for my walls. had a roof till it blew off. I took 4x4's 20' and got them in the ground about 3 feet. Wish I could have gotten them better into the ground. still pretty high up there and you shake in the wind. If you were to put it on the ground I would put eye bolts. I have seen in cabelas where it's a cork screw design like what you put a rope for a dog in the yard but on steroids. I'd put one of those down in each corner if possible and make it good and tight. We might be doing that to mine this year to snug it up. One fear of going tall is what you build must go up. were lucky we didn't kill anyone and took some clever engineering with a tractor to finally raise the beast. Good luck

[vister]

just drive in some fence t-posts in at angles at the base of each leg. then screw in a lagbolt with an eye in it. secure the fence post to the eyelag with some heavy wire. walla! this way, if you ever want to move it, it won't be such a hassle.

[harvey lee]

I built a steel base with huge steel well pipe for legs and a heavy base for the floor of the stand. The thing weighs a ton but it is there until the pipes rust to pieces which should be long after I'm gone. I also painted all of the metal area.

I also then run guide wires to stabilize it in case of high winds. After 4 years of use, she is still standing very well and can take fairly high winds before it sways at all.

[Musky Buck]

Right on guys, I went with treated 10 inch telephone poles not dug into the ground, it has been in place since 1983 and the poles are still doing well. Biggest issue before using such a heavy base was the stand becoming so top heavy and tough to upright, so we went with those poles and it has been very solid, in the heaviest of wind it doesn't budge.

[bottomdweller]

If you dont plan on moving put it in the ground.

I built a 8x10 last year. 6" posts 14 ft long and put it three feet in the ground. For the roof I just used 2x10s and cut them from corner to corner. Then I attached a 2x4 there is the slope.

This beast is never moving I hope.

[quackersmacker]

I built a 4x6 with walls, and roof. The floor is 12' off the ground. I set it on the ground, and added 2x4 kickers I pounded 4 feet into the ground at a 45 degree angle. It is solid, even during the winds we had this year, and it didn't move too much with the frost.

[NWBuck]

A couple of summers ago we built an elevated blind near our food plots, and it has been a great producer ever since. We call it the "camo condo", because the final touch was to put treebark camoflauge tin on it. It was a bit "overbuilt" at 8x8, but there's plenty of room for 2 or 3 people, which is nice. Here's a picture:

The windows are 2 feet wide and 1 foot high. The plexiglass slides in grooves we notched out, and with a little weatherstripping, they are a very nice seal.

Entry is through a door in the floor, which also makes for a tight seal, and virtually weatherproof door.

In October, my son shot his first deer out the window shown, and was with me during late muzzleloader when I shot this guy out the same window.

It was cheaper than buying a commercially produced blind, but the downside would be that it's not moveable. Based on the number of great hunts we've had out of it in the last couple seasons, I doubt we'd want to move it anyway.

[crothmeier]

we used a old gas barrel stand for mine. Cut the barrel off and built up from there. Attached railroad ties to the bottom of it and dug the ties in a foot into the ground. Well the wind tipped it over twice. now we have Mobile home anchors on the corners with steel cable attached and it hasnt moved since. i would definitly dig the 4x4s into the ground. Posts and anchors on the corners is a good idea too.

From experience, its not fun taking apart, standing up, then trying to put back together busted, warped parts.

[bottomdweller]

Here is the little hut I built last year.

[ts_hunter]

***** UPDATE *****

Went out today with the floor and legs to assemble. We hit rock about 10" down with the power auger (post hole digger). We tried several areas and hit rock everywhere. Now the plan is to lag bolt 4x4's perpendicular to the legs and lay on the ground to keep from tipping, and then pound in t-posts at an angle and secure to each leg.

Kind of disappointing, and alot of work. But it will be worth it in November...