Recycling the kids old sky fort

nh1520 · Sep 8, 2003

With the oldest daughter now a freshman in college and the youngest with a part time job and driving her own car - nobody was playing on the old Eagles Nest Sky Fort I lovingly build for them back in '92, kinda sad in a way. I recovered from my sadness quickly and immediately envisioned a nice pull around portable deer stand. With help from my Dad (also a PA buck hunter) - we replaced the old tarp roof with some left over steel from my pole barn and a little framing. Set the whole thing up on 3 skids - notched to let the fort sit down in them and used galvanized brackets to secure the skids to the fort. 60° angles on the skids to prevent dig in. I made some steel loops that bolt through the skid ends for using a chain to skid it around and move it for mowing purposes. I braced the bottom and sides so it doesn't rack when I'm moving it.

Future plans (this fall) are to enclose the upper section with T-1-11 with sliding windows on each wall. A couple cans of sterno for some heat and we'll be all set. Slightly cramped for two adults but we'll each get two windows. I had to leave the swing on it for now since the wife thinks I'm remodeling it for a future grandchild playhouse - lord help me.

It pulls pretty slick with chain and front bucket hook. The New Holland doesn't even know its there. I've leveled out several choice spots to try it out this fall. Here is a side view. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

nh1520 · Sep 8, 2003

Here is a close up of the skids and steel loops. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Slamfire · Sep 8, 2003

Looks pretty top heavy to me, have you considered outriggers?

mikell · Sep 9, 2003

Looks kinda small to me. I'm working on one 12x12 and 18' to the floor. Will be good to move around though.

mikell

enbloc · Sep 9, 2003

I thought the same thing as we ere building the one for the nieces and nephews. Not about hauling it around, but about hunting from it. Of course, at my last house I once saw a HUGE doe and last years fawn, once. Of course they weren't in season, and it was night time, but I pulled in the driveway, and they just stood there. I turned the lights out and waited to get out of the car. Nothing,. I turned the dome light on, got out, stood there watching them a few minuutes. Never moved. I went inside to get the sho.. I mean binoculars (I'm kidding) and they were gone. Where these two were standing, I could have shot them from my bedroom window, still lying in bed underneath the covers - and it was only about 25 yards.

theonlybull · Sep 11, 2003

our deer blind, is 10x8, built on an old woods trailer, then moved to the inner corner of our L shaped field. it's got a nice little wood stove, 3 opening windows (plus the door) there's room enough for the wife to come along for the evening, and lots of room to shoot from... my last 3 deer have been 125 yard shots, nice kills. and you can even drive the truck right too the camp, from the woods side, but i don't when hunting, i hate to have to shoot my truck to get a deer /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

nh1520 · Sep 11, 2003

I wouldn't have built one so small if I was building it from scratch - the key here was recycling what was available without spending a ton of money and having something so big I couldn't move through my walking trails I have throughout my wooded property. Its plenty big for two adults to sit inside - cozy. Small enough to serve its intended purpose for whenever kids want to play in it.

I have pulled it all over my hilly sloped property with both my New Holland and one of JD 140 garden tractors (powerful little brutes) and its very stable with the skids underneath. Its stable enough for skidding around to the prepared places I have available - one man can't tip it over with it standing on level ground without straining his milk.

Thanks for the comments.

Slamfire · Sep 12, 2003

My Dad took our old bus stop shelter and stuck it on some skids, and dragged it around to likely spots with his tractor. However most of his deer came from the loft in the barn, and the biggest out of the back porch window. He'd have used the kitchen, but Mom wouldn't put up with the noise. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif