Last year the local thieves came onto our property and stole our 2 person tree stand. Wife and I figured if they stole it once they would steal it again. Last week started building this. Floor sides are 2x6 with joists on 15 inch centers covered up with 1 inch decking boards. Sides are plywood. Floor is 5x5 and sides are 35 inches tall. Main posts are 4x4x12. X braces are 12 foot 2x4's and cross braces on the bottom are 2x6's. Had to cut down about a dozen small trees to get the tractor to the stand so we could use the FEL to stand it up. Once it was up slid a piece of 2x12 under each leg as a base and only had minor leveling to do. Using the 2x6's as cross bases allows me to use the tractor to lift each side individually so I can fine tune the leveling as it settles.
All wood is pressure treated and exterior screws were used everywhere except for ringed nails that hold the decking boards in place. Only thing remaining is to connect a strap to the holes on the metal brackets then screw in stainless 5 inch long eye bolts into the 4 trees closest and use ratcheting straps to help anchor in all 4 corners for safety reasons. Or do you think this is overkill?
Seems stable as a rock as both the wife and I were on top trying to shake it around and it didn't even wiggle. The stand in the tree had us limited to about 150 degrees of hunting in front of us and slightly to each side. We both missed great opportunities at big deer that were behind us as we could not twist around to get a shot off. Now we have 360 degrees as we sit in the nice swivel chair. Might add a roof but for now both of us like the openness. We have a ground blind close to this in case the weather really sucks. Estimate we have about $750 in materials including the aluminum ladder we bought for it. This was our first attempt at building a stand and think it came out pretty good.

Looks good !

Be surprised how much longer you can sit and hunt in something like that without fidgeting around trying to get comfortable.

With no roof, did you put in floor drains or leave a little gap between floorboards?

Gap between each floor board. Used a large nail as a spacer

What size TV are going to put in it? Refrigerator for beer and a heater?

I bet those mofo's ain't gonna steal that. That thing probably weighs over 1/2 ton.

Do you guys think I need to tie down each of the corners or is it stable enough to handle 20 mph winds?

I would put one guy wire from the middle of the deck and put it in some concrete.

Damn that's nice. I can't see that thing blowing over in 20-30 mph winds. Looks heavy as fugg.

If youre really OCD about it, slump two sandbags over those 2x6s at each corner. That will add another 400-500 bottom pounds to it.


Let deer assassin come and obliterate all your does and button bucks. You'll get major hero cred over on the mothership.

Laughing

Nice!

If you can put a screw in anchor in the middle that would be more than enough. Ratchet strap, come along, turnbuckle. Middle of stand straight down.

With that foot print I think it would be hard to turn it over even if not anchored

Nice ..
I'd not worry about tipping over in the woods - out in an open field - yeah .

A roof will be enjoyed .

Looks very nice; nobody is gonna walk off with that one. 😊

That’s a lot of sail area and you’d be surprised what a good storm can do. On our lease the ones that have been blown over have had an anchor in the center of the legs. Those long legs provide a long lever to work on a center anchor. We’ve had tripods with just a swivel chair and a rail blown over with a center anchor. Overkill is better😊

The stand will last longer with a good roof, and it would make hunting in the elements much easier.

We had powerful winds all day today. If the stand is still there tomorrow it will be safe for a long time. I like the idea of the center anchor though. Might add one as insurance. Will consider adding a roof but if we do it will be after deer season is over. Trying to give the area a rest since we spent almost a week building it. Wife is happy, first day she climbed up and sat down she watched two deer within 5 minutes of sitting down.

My buddies in alabama have over 75 box blinds that have been there at least as long as I have gone there 8 years and not a one has been blown over in all that time. They all have a center guy wire and are at the edge of food plots and in the timber. They are only 12' foot high though.

After deer season ends will mix up 3 bags of concrete and pour it in a hole underneath the floor and attach the floor to the concrete with a ratchet strap.
Good idea