Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Homemade permanent deer blinds or purchase?

Needing to put up some permanent deer blinds on our property. I'd like them to be insulated or able to heat easily. Also at least one that's easily accessable by someone with restricted mobility. Curious if anyone has any homemade plans for building some or these days is it a wash over the purchased ones? If one does decide to purchase, what are some good commercial ones you recommend?

Building Deer Blinds = Size--Elevated-- Insulated, Ramp will work if it's not to tall, Big Door Wheel Chair Accessible, ladders and stairs don't work well for the disabled, Elevators are a option on a Big High Blind, How much do you want to spend??





Took these pictures while we were painting this Blind.12'X12' Elevator, Big enough for 2 Wheel Chairs and helpers, with room to move around. Rio7

Are your deer wearing orange jumpsuits?

😂😂😂


Impressive setup - hosts a lot of wounded vets IIRC.

I built my latest & last blind on a mower trailer with ramp tailgate. That would be a good application for a wheelchair bound person. It is permanently mounted, 5x7 on a 5x8 trailer. I can tow it all over the lease with my Honda.

One consideration with the plastic, panel-style blinds; I have not had an experience so close to being a tiny human inside a marching band drum as sitting in one of those during a rain/sleet storm. I don't use them, but the guys I hunt with who do have taken to throwing berber carpet scraps on top to cut down on the noise.

Limited mobility access seems like it would be more dictated by the local terrain - KS beanfields or WV hollows - and how high you need to be for effective sightlines.

I have hunted out of tent blinds, home made plywood box blinds, and commercial plastic and fiberglass from cheap to expensive. They all hide you, keep you out of the weather and if made right are comfortable.
They all work better than sitting against a tree. or behind a bush because they contain your scent. I preferred the box blind I built to anything else. I had 2 comfortable chairs in it with the window sills the correct height to shoot off of out of those chairs. I carpetted everything you could bump to keep noise down. If you don't they are like a bass drum. Tents are quiet mobile, camo and contain scent. Just not as comfortable. All can be heated.

I have hunted in many. Heres my take.
Cloth blinds - inexpensive , hide you well, easy to put up and move , great for moderate weather, not that durable.
Homemade box- can be good but all about the plan. Less expensive than store bought blind, can be durable.
Store bought plastic - noisy, I ready dislike these. Usually unlined.
Store bought premium blinds, expensive, quite usually well designed , have a good liner, usually comfortable in moderate to cold conditions.

Build the stand out of plywood, keep paint on it and it will last 25 years. Insulate with foam board, build windows with glass panes. A small heater will keep you warm.

I've been in this one a couple of times. Only bad part was sharing it with about a hundred yellow jackets.

We've done home built out of wood, as well as pre-fab fiberglass units and metal panel units. All work well and the pre-fab ones are nice, especially for closing the windows during the off-season. Costs being what they are, we now just buy from a guy down the road that has a side business of building wood tower stands of varying sizes and heights. He's stacking up his inventory right now. I can't buy the materials and put in the hours to make sense of doing my own anymore, unless I'm repairing or rebuilding an existing one. Like Hanco says, keeping paint on a plywood one will get you 20+ years with minimal issues.

This is one that the wife and kids helped me with in our pasture. Will fit a family of four. (5x10)



This is a 4x4 that my uncle build about 20 years ago and we've killed a lot of stuff from it. I prefer to go with 1/2" sheathing instead of chip board, as it holds up better. I also prefer wider window openings.




This is typical of what the we buy these days from the local guy. Usually buy 4x6 with bigger windows.

A ground blind, whether fabric or wood, etc, the deer will get your scent if an opening at all. Have had them snort over 100 yards if wind drifting to there direction. Now if a tower stand you can get away with, have one 40+ feet, and they can walk under you and not get your scent. I have hunted in ground blind and unzip a window and if wind drifting toward them...game over.

Built this not long ago. Metal frame, 5’6x4’, that length because it will fit in my tractor bucket. I’ll cut the ladder to fit when I put it up, landing and handrail comes off. I’ve built platforms as high as 20 feet. I have a couple of platforms that are 40 years old. I’m a metal guy, wouldn’t have a wood platform. This platform is made out of scrap.





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Foam board insulation



Windows swing up



I use this to keep them from seeing me. Cloth and thump tacks. It helps if you have open-No windows in a stand too. Damn afternoon sun also. Helps keep scent in too. I can open a window with deer 50 yards away. They pay no attention.

Built this a few years ago, 15’ high. The day we were putting it up.


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Built this not long ago for son in law
15’ I think

I hunted out of this blind in Kansas, it wasn't finished but I really liked the mobility and comfort.

The weak point on most home-built blinds are the windows. I buy the sliding windows from TheDeerblindWindow.com

I just priced up building a 4 x 6 blind and all the material (windows, lumber, paint, shingles) will cost you $925. Then the cost of a stand to put it on. I have my blind on a 3' tall stand with skids. If I ever need to move it, I can drag it to a new location or winch it onto a trailer.

BTW: If you mix equal parts of Rustoleum Rusty Metal Primer and Rustoleum Hunter Green, it makes a perfect olive drab.

Those are nice! It is expensive now to build anything

We have a couple of Maverick 6-shooter blinds.




They're pretty reasonable in price and lightweight so one person can assemble/maneuver. There's a wealth of room inside and small heater would get it cooking in a hurry. Unfortunately they're not insulated but a friend that works for the company said some guys have been spray-foaming the interiors.

There is 4-5" lip at the bottom of the entrance door so that could make accessibility a challenge.

we have 2 stump 4 blinds. a 4x6 and 6x6 i believe. their foam insulated and have window curtains. A candle can keep them warm. We also have a Shadow hunter 4x6 . All 3 are great blinds.

I have about $50 in lumber per stand for legs and steps.