Help me with a Deer Condo

[trook]

I know this may not be the best place to post this, but I also know that many of us who are interested in tractors are also interested in hunting. Therefore, here goes.....

I am considering building an elevated deer "condo" for me and the kids and I need your help. This will actually double as a deer stand/cabin/camp house at the farm, and it needs to be big enough to keep the kids (9 & 11) comfortable. We will probably spend the night some inside this as well.

I am thinking about a 4-10ft elevated "cabin" approximately 8x12 inside with a 12x8 porch. I anticipate stairs will connect where the front door and porch meet. I also anticipate installing several small double hung windows. I wouldn't be surprised if I end up insulating this thing....

I plan on the following:
6x6 posts 3 feet deep in concrete
2x8 or 2x10 joists
treated 3/4 plywood for the floor
OSB or similar exterior walls
5/4x6 treated decking boards
a traditional door 24-32"
double hung windows

I am considering an elevated cabin primarily to keep snakes (we have lots) and other critters from hiding underneath and to help me see the property better while hunting. Is there a preferred height as a rule of thumb for something this size? Pros and cons for 4-10 elevation?

Is there a better material than OSB for the outside walls that will not cost substantially more? I may consider vinyl siding over "blue board".

How about the overall size? Should I go larger?

Please post pics of any other camp houses/condo's, etc that you have so that I may get some ideas.

Thanks, guys...

 

[bcp]

You can get one with most of the work already done:

 

[EddieWalker]

Mine is 8x8 and it's big enough for me and three others easily. The biggest problem is that you can only see out of in two directions. If I had made it smaller, I could see more area, but I couldn't have friends in there and store all my stuff.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/rural-living/130843-creating-my-over-top-deer.html

Good luck and post lots of pics,

Eddie

 

[trook]

Eddie,

So far, I'm about half way through your 19 page thread!! What you built seems incredible. You have some serious carpentry skills!! I do have some questions:

1. Are your posts 4x4 or 6x6?
2. What size boards did you use for your joists? 2x8?
3. What size boards did you use for the 8ft long pieces that create the frame
between your posts? (sorry, I don't know what they are called)
4. Would you enjoy a 8x4 (give or take) covered porch?
5. Are you satisfied with the size; 8x8?
6. What would you do different if you were to do it all over again?

Thanks for all your help!! :thumbsup:

 

[Digdug5240]

A couple of years back we built a 8x8. As mentioned earlier, it takes 2 people to man the stand so that nothing will get by you. We used 6"x6"x18' for the legs. I'll try to find my pictures and post them.

 

[LeadPoison]

All great advice so far. The only thing I would add is that there is no need for concrete in the post holes. It will accelerate rot. Those posts aren't going anywhere after they are three feet down.

 

[trook]

WOW!! That is NICE, Robert!! :drool:

 

[Brake Weight]

How about a hideaway ladder like for an attic? Change the rope out with some light chain or a cable.

My uncle has one sitting about 15-20' up. He has his own ATV repair shop and did some work for one of the guys at the power company. Scored two old lightpoles, cut them half and had the guy set them with their truck. Simple shack though. Marine plywood, tin roof, lean to ladder. It would be 8'x8' had he not used the floor to put the walls on. No doors or glass windows. Tin flip up flaps for shutters. Nothing special, but you can see for miles down the high wire out front and the length of the property on the fire lane to the left and right.

Location, location, location.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

WOW!! That is NICE, Robert!! :drool:

Thank you

 

[adjusterr]

A lot of good ideas. I agree with LeadPoison, don't put concrete around the posts, the wood will shrink and water will run down between the post and the concrete and quickly rot the post. When you dig the hole, put a few inches of gravel or small stones in the bottom so the bottom of the post does not contact the ground and wick up moisture. Send pics as you build. Good luck.

 

[EddieWalker]

Eddie,

So far, I'm about half way through your 19 page thread!! What you built seems incredible. You have some serious carpentry skills!! I do have some questions:

1. Are your posts 4x4 or 6x6?
2. What size boards did you use for your joists? 2x8?
3. What size boards did you use for the 8ft long pieces that create the frame
between your posts? (sorry, I don't know what they are called)
4. Would you enjoy a 8x4 (give or take) covered porch?
5. Are you satisfied with the size; 8x8?
6. What would you do different if you were to do it all over again?

Thanks for all your help!! :thumbsup:

My blind is a combination of several things, and really not what I would build for just hunting from. It's too big to see everywhere and to heat up. I might need to buy a bigger heater, but I'm also the biggest baby on here when it comes to the cold. I have my two shooting lanes that I can watch and not miss anything, but that's only have the land that I could be watching. If I was to build a blind for just hunting, I'd be more satisfied with 4x6.

The height is ideal. I don't see any advantage to going taller.

Insulate and get decent windows. The bugs will cause all sorts of damage over the summer, and I just let them go until it gets too bad, then I put a bug bomb in there. A month or so before hunting season, I'll clean it out real good, but from the end of deer season to then, it's just a mess in there.

Robert,

How well has your caulking and sealing done to keep out the bugs? They are getting in through my door, so thats what I'm going ot have to work on.

Eddie

 

[Robert_in_NY]

I have been happy with the caulking, my problem is when I open the windows or the door the flies do get in on warm days. I am thinking of hanging a fly strip out there to catch any of them that do come in but I caulked the door both inside and out as well as under the threshold so they can only come in when invited:laughing:

 

[Brake Weight]

I've never priced one, but would it be cost effective to buy a premade shed and jack it up. It would be more time efficient vs. stick building one. They do houses all the time in flood zones and it isn't that hard of a concept.

 

[kiotick20]

here is some pics of my cabin. may give you some ideas.

 

[trook]

Kiotick20,

Thanks for the pics. Can you give me the inside dimensions as well as the dimensions of the porch. What you have is pretty close to what I am imagining.

If you had to do it all over again, would you make any changes?

Thanks

 

[kiotick20]

the deck is 8' x15' x 10' h and the cabin is 6 1/2' x 11 1/2' x 7' h . the walls are insulated with 1 1/2" pink styrofoam, finished inside with drywall. the wood stove comes in handy for coffee or hot chocolate. even made breakfast on it. thought of a ladder up the side to the deck, but glad i put in the staircase. hope this helps.

 

[trook]

Did you build the building from scratch or is it a portable building you placed on top of the deck?

 

[EddieWalker]

the wood stove comes in handy for coffee or hot chocolate.

YOU WIN!!!!! That is the best deer blind that I've ever seen. Love the wood stove. That's just so over the top as to be genious. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Thanks for sharing, you've raised to bar to a new level.

Eddie

 

[Robert_in_NY]

YOU WIN!!!!! That is the best deer blind that I've ever seen. Love the wood stove. That's just so over the top as to be genious. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Thanks for sharing, you've raised to bar to a new level.

Eddie

This treehouse is what I would love to do for a full blown luxury deer stand. The commercial is for Chautauqua Brick which is one of the local lumber yards. Chris King Productions - Director, Smaller Budgets Reel