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Small Cabin Forum / Cabin Construction / 10x10 Hunting/Photography Shelter
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RckyMtnHi
Member
# Posted: 27 Feb 2016 07:45pm - Edited by: RckyMtnHi
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I built a 10'X10' hunting/photo blind 2 years ago and thought some of you may be interested in seeing my non-traditional building "style' on this project.

The reason for the non-traditional build was the steeply sloping lot that I own that also has limited access. I did a good deal of the project on my own so I had to come up with a design that would satisfy my needs while being practical to build solo. This property is generally not accessible during the coldest and snowiest months of the year due to drifting so my use was limited summer camping and hunting/photography blind. This piece of property is 10 acres of North facing slope, heavily treed in aspen and spruce and sits at 9800' altitude. There is a small ledge, possibly from a old logging road, that transects the property. It is too heavily wooded now to use as an access point but was the perfect place for my shelter. I had to hand carry everything downhill about 100 vertical feet over 200 yards of trail.

Since the nearest power line is over 12 miles away everything was done by hand, except the plywood cuts, which were done with a DeWalt battery powered circular saw and drill.

There are a million things I would have done differently had I found this website before starting my build, this is what I came up with on my own.
The Property
The Property
Local
Local
Getting Started
Getting Started
my buddy helping on the roof
my buddy helping on the roof


RckyMtnHi
Member
# Posted: 27 Feb 2016 08:02pm - Edited by: RckyMtnHi
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A few more pics...
Lay of the land
Lay of the land
Bear claw marks
Bear claw marks
Starting the siding
Starting the siding
Door frame
Door frame


RckyMtnHi
Member
# Posted: 27 Feb 2016 11:38pm
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I built the A Frames at home in my flat driveway so they would be straight, then took them back apart for the 1.5 hr drive to the property, then moved everything down the hill and re-assemble it. Standing both sides of the frames up and adding the lateral supports, by myself, was a royal pain.

I spooked a sow and cub the first day I was working there and I'm pretty sure I was more spooked than they were I ended up getting between them, before I knew they were there, and it was touch and go for a second until they were reunited.
Door in
Door in
Starting the paint
Starting the paint
more help
more help
Finally dried in
Finally dried in


turkeyhunter
Member
# Posted: 28 Feb 2016 09:17am
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very nice set up....I really like the look!!! Any particular reason for the A frame look?? just asking!!!
We build our hunting blinds 4'x 6' or 4'x8' and place them on the top of 4"x4" 's approx. 8' to 12' off the ground for better visibility!! We use a Kubota 4x4 tractor with forks to set the platform on top of the post!!!

Nice job on your build !!! Good luck this season!!!

BTW!! what will you be hunting from the blind?? bears..lol

Littlecooner
Member
# Posted: 28 Feb 2016 09:32am
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Love the design, especially with the fact that all the building material had to be "hand" carried to the site.
Large enough to sleep in and be there "for daylight" the next morning. What state are you in at that 9800 foot elevation of the Rocky's? To this eastern guy, no greater place on earth that an Aspen grove in the Rocky Mountains above 9000 feet. Always in heaven when I make it to those places for a few hours.

old243
Member
# Posted: 28 Feb 2016 09:52am
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Looks like a real good funnel point and probably a good runway close by. Good job on the blind. You can probably camp comfortably if you want. I have a blind 6x8 , that I move around with my fork lift tractor. depending on deer movement , and crops in the area. No floor , cedar walls and frame . Steel roof. A comfortable chair or two . Works well for my old243 and me. old243

RckyMtnHi
Member
# Posted: 28 Feb 2016 10:19am
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Thanks TH, I thought if I could make the A frames, and square them up with the cross braces on site, then I could turn the whole thing perpendicular to the hill to give the roof some slope and make the cross braces level across the hill. Then I could hang the floor joist in level no matter the angle of the A frame. It was the easiest way I could think of to get a level floor without a foundation. I also wanted to be able to stand up straight to stretch so that influenced the taller A frame as well. It ended up having 6'6" inside height after hanging the floor.

If I had it to do again I would have built on stilts as you describe with traditional stud walls. Mostly to get the siding up out of the snow pack and I worry about the 4X4 legs of the A frame warping over time from the angle. I did have fun building this though, just making it up as I went

I have hunted elk from the blind and will probably hunt deer here as well but tags are hard to get. We have Merriam turkey about 25 miles from here I will hunt in the spring.

Cooner, Thanks! This is in central Colorado. I also grew up back east, in Philly, and I feel blessed every day I get to spend in the mountains... even after 20 years.

neb
Member
# Posted: 28 Feb 2016 10:20am
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Looks great! I like your idea on building everything at home then taking to site and installing. I did that also mostly because I had to carry, pack or sled everything to m building site.

Keep us posted.

RckyMtnHi
Member
# Posted: 28 Feb 2016 10:31am
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Old243 the shelter is actually on a major thoroughfare for animals due to the old logging road being the easiest route across the hill. In a perfect world I would have built it about 25-50' up hill of the ledge, not on it, but the slope would have been tough to work with.

A few more pics..
finishing touches
finishing touches
downhill view
downhill view
uphill
uphill
luxury seating
luxury seating


Littlecooner
Member
# Posted: 29 Feb 2016 09:05pm
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Do you need any help keeping the ground squirrels out of the cabin this fall during Elk season? I have a 22RF pistol and could provide that service as long as you are in an Elk area that has over the counter tags, Ha Ha. Love it. By the way, Got drawing for an Elk tag in WY three days ago, do not think I have gotten any sleep in the past few days from the excitement.

RckyMtnHi
Member
# Posted: 3 Mar 2016 11:44pm
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Neb, a sled?! I'll have to check out your build that sounds pretty cool.

Where at in WY Cooner? I'm about to put in for my tags here soon

A few trail camera pics from this summer with the shelter in the background
Muley
Muley
Big Daddy
Big Daddy
Black Bear Cub
Black Bear Cub
bobcat
bobcat


old243
Member
# Posted: 6 Mar 2016 09:49am
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All you need now is a fold down bunk. Well done, hope you have good success. There seems to be lots of travel through there. old 243

Red Bear
Member
# Posted: 13 Mar 2016 10:51pm
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Awesome shelter and pics

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