Shooting house update

[cecil30-30]

Not posted much on the shooting house lately. Pretty much have it all finished up except for the windows, which are on back order. Looking at another 2-3 weeks on those due to material shortage. Got the door on today. I have decided to add additional braces which I haven't done yet. We had some pretty strong wind yesterday and she held up fine with the mobile home anchors and cable. But I figure the more bracing the better. I think I will nickname this stand the skybox.

 

[rifle02]

Wow, I think it needs to have a flashing red light so it doesn't get hit by aircraft! That thing looks really high maybe it's just the way the photos are.

 

[cecil30-30]

Wow, I think it needs to have a flashing red light so it doesn't get hit by aircraft! That thing looks really high maybe it's just the way the photos are.

Right at 15ft to the floor. I just can't settle on a permanent way to get into the stand. I dont know what route I'm going to go.

 

[DoubleRidge]

Nice! Looking good!

 

[backyardtndeer]

Great job. Looks good.

 

[gatodoc]

Impressive set up.....good for you....

 

[cecil30-30]

Impressive set up.....good for you....

I'm about ready to get that sportsman condo put up. I went today and bought the 4x4's. I'm going to cut the plywood for the floor tomorrow. Hopefully next weekend.

 

[gatodoc]

You'll need to cut the floor in two pieces. One big piece won't go in properly. Use the carpet to make a template. You can get it done with one 4X8 sheet. You'll wind up with some gaps on the edges using one piece but that won't matter. Make sure you get a good matched seam in the middle. You don't walk or set chair on edges.

Using 2 pieces in the sc-3 I think it's best to screw to metal bottom frame. I use carriage bolts and lock nuts. You can remove the bolts already there and put longer bolts through holes or drill through the frame, plastic and plywood to place bolts.

we did our first couple using regular bolts but hand to countersink them on plywood to keep heads down. Have someone hold the carriage bolt heads with pliers and tighten bottom nut until the round head seats into wood

dont forget the " No Pest Strips" this spring to keep wasps out. Trying to seal the windows and door is a waste or time. Floor will be covered with dead wasps next fall but who cares.

 

[cecil30-30]

You'll need to cut the floor in two pieces. One big piece won't go in properly. Use the carpet to make a template. You can get it done with one 4X8 sheet. You'll wind up with some gaps on the edges using one piece but that won't matter. Make sure you get a good matched seam in the middle. You don't walk or set chair on edges.

Using 2 pieces in the sc-3 I think it's best to screw to metal bottom frame. I use carriage bolts and lock nuts. You can remove the bolts already there and put longer bolts through holes or drill through the frame, plastic and plywood to place bolts.

we did our first couple using regular bolts but hand to countersink them on plywood to keep heads down. Have someone hold the carriage bolt heads with pliers and tighten bottom nut until the round head seats into wood

dont forget the " No Pest Strips" this spring to keep wasps out. Trying to seal the windows and door is a waste or time. Floor will be covered with dead wasps next fall but who cares.

That's a good idea to take the bolts out that are already in the floor. I hadn't thought of that. I also bought the carriage bolts and nuts today also.

 

[gatodoc]

Yeah take some out drill your holes but leave the rest as you go or the plastic house will shift on the bottom frame.

 

[BigAl]

Looking good. Next we need to see a pic of the view from the high altitude setup.

 

[westtntoms]

not sure if it's necessary, but I usually put a brace cable in the center, underneath.

 

[PossumSlayer]

Looks like it's braced pretty good.

 

[Gravey]

Right at 15ft to the floor. I just can't settle on a permanent way to get into the stand. I dont know what route I'm going to go.

I was gonna ask that. Could you wrap the stairs around it? Seems a straight set of steps would go way out but maybe not.

 

[tntrkkllr]

Man that's awesome!! I need to build me one like that

 

[Big Pop]

Skybox is a fitting name for it. Looks great!

 

[Knothead]

I was gonna ask that. Could you wrap the stairs around it? Seems a straight set of steps would go way out but maybe not.

You'll need two sections (stringers) of stairs: a section from the ground to a landing, then make a 90 degree turn and have another section from the landing to the house.
Skybox is a good name. Money pit may be more fitting! . Nice job! I love it.

 

[JohnG30]

It looks great. I would probably put an X brace about where the 2x's are at. That would add a ton of stability to it. We had a homebuilt stand we used on my old leases that was called "The Tiki Hut". Loved hunting out of it. We killed a lot of deer out of that thing.

 

[Deer Assassin]

very nice

 

[cecil30-30]

You'll need two sections (stringers) of stairs: a section from the ground to a landing, then make a 90 degree turn and have another section from the landing to the house.
Skybox is a good name. Money pit may be more fitting! . Nice job! I love it.

This is probably what I'll do. But it will probably after next season. Your right, I've spent alot on this blind but my kids are up and coming hunters so I'm sure it'll be a great place for them to kill some deer. And I feel itnshould last a good many years due to the quality of the build.

 

[DoubleRidge]

For steps we built loft style stairs...with pack and gun on your back you can basically walk up them using the stringer as a hand hold....you could add hand rail if needed.....pull a string to set angle and to get your dimensions....all pressure treated....base of steps are sitting on solid concrete block which is set in ground....and each tread is screwed from outside the blocked from underneath....rock solid.

 

[Knothead]

This is probably what I'll do. But it will probably after next season. Your right, I've spent alot on this blind but my kids are up and coming hunters so I'm sure it'll be a great place for them to kill some deer. And I feel itnshould last a good many years due to the quality of the build.

God bless you for thinking ahead. They'll look up to the heavens one day and thank the Lord and their dad/grandpa.

 

[PossumSlayer]

Back porch to put the grill on.

 

[BSK]

Your right, I've spent alot on this blind but my kids are up and coming hunters so I'm sure it'll be a great place for them to kill some deer. And I feel itnshould last a good many years due to the quality of the build.

We already had two tower stands on food plots, but with the huge increase in plot size we created last year, we added four Sportsman's Condos to food plots. However, with the great acorn crop we had last fall, deer weren't on the plots in daylight much, but my daughter was the first to shoot a deer out of one of the new Sportsman's Condos - a 2 1/2 year-old 6-point, the morning after Thanksgiving. She LOVED hunting out them, especially on very cold, windy or rainy days.

 

[BSK]

I'm about ready to get that sportsman condo put up. I went today and bought the 4x4's. I'm going to cut the plywood for the floor tomorrow. Hopefully next weekend.

As Gatodoc pointed out, getting the plywood in as a single piece is tough. We did it (on SC-2s), but it was a nightmare. In fact, I doubt we could ever get them back out in a single piece. However, they are sturdy. And we went a slightly different route than bolting them down. We laid 3" wide by 3/4" thick strips of high-density foam across the floor of the stands and just laid the plywood on those. The plywood does not touch the head of the floor bolts, and the foam-strip base provides a very sturdy and quiet floor. We put carpet over the plywood.

Another thing to think about is a handle to hang on to while opening the door. We found that leaning back with a heavy pack while opening the door was a bit unstable. So we screwed a handle to the outside of the Sportsman's Condo to hang onto while swinging the door open. It also helps while climbing down. See pics below.

 

[BSK]

I think the one further addition we will add to the Sportsman's Condos is sections of "egg crate" acoustic foam to the lower foot or so of the inside walls all the way around. We found that it was too easy to accidentally kick the walls with a boot, which produces a fairly loud "boom."

 

[ttf909]

Insulate the floor . Dropping your phone will sound like a bass drum if not.
I used car stereo sound deadening stick on sheets to the walls also. Amazon sold a box of it large enough to do the inside of a 4x4 for 30 bucks.

 

[utvolsfan77]

This is probably what I'll do. But it will probably after next season. Your right, I've spent alot on this blind but my kids are up and coming hunters so I'm sure it'll be a great place for them to kill some deer. And I feel itnshould last a good many years due to the quality of the build.

If you want to increase the time that your exposed wood lasts, brush on a good coat of Thompson's water seal or a similar preservative at least every other year. Even with that, the wood will begin to weather and turn gray, especially with constant UV exposure.

 

[DMD]

Super nice Cecil.

 

[utvolsfan77]

Another thing to think about is a handle to hang on to while opening the door. We found that leaning back with a heavy pack while opening the door was a bit unstable. So we screwed a handle to the outside of the Sportsman's Condo to hang onto while swinging the door open. It also helps while climbing down. See pics below.

Good idea! Is this the same pre-fab shooting house from Rural King that you posted about several times last year? That looks really good on the inside.