I received some PMs regarding the blind used on my treestand, so I thought I'd share this with everyone. The treestand blind is a
custom construct of my own using the following material:
- Tree Umbrella
- ground blind material w/stakes
- shoot-thru camo mesh netting
- burlap camo material
- Safety Pins
- Gorilla tape
Instructions:
1. Set up umbrella over your stand VERY securely. Don't cut corners (be sure you go high enough!)
2. Take the ground blind w/stakes (it's just the 2' high material w/stakes woven into it that rolls up real tight
and will fit in your pack. It usually comes with 3 stakes, so you can form it into an "L" or "V" when using it on the
ground) and take the right most stake (camo facing out) and drop it through the most front/right corner grate hole
on your treestand's platform. When complete, ther should be a thin, plastic stake sticking out the bottom of your platform. Take the center stake of the ground blind and drop it through the most front/left corner grate hole on your platform (don't worry if it's loose/floppy at this point- you'll make it taught later. Finally, take the left side of the camo material and SCREW it into the left side of your tree. You should have now made an "L" with this ground blind material w/stakes. Now you need to put
tension on the two plastic stakes that are sticking down through the bottom of the front two corners of your platform. Pulling these tight/taught, will spread the emergent, top portion of the stakes apart- thus creating a nice tight spread in the camo material topside. I used Gorilla tape- multiple strips & tightened them between the two stakes themselves.
3. Take the shoot through mesh netting and create "curtains" that wil hang from the side/front edge of the umbrella. Weight is a significant factor here, so DON'T use burlap or nylon (too shiny) for this step. If you have to- call Cabelas and order replacement shoot through mesh netting for one of their ground blinds. The curtains should be about 4-4.5 feet long and as wide as you feel is "right". You can always trim them up later- once they are hung. Next, place a small, 1" square piece of Gorilla tape (don't skimp, use the good stuff) on the UNDERSIDE of the outer edge of the umbrella at
EVERY spot you attach the mesh curtains via the safety pins. This is done to
prevent the umbrella material from ripping. Once fastened, use a small piece of Gorilla tape to to seal the end of the safety pin that opens/closes. TAKE THE TIME TO DO THIS, as it will save you much pain/suffering once the season starts and you arrive at your stand to see that the overnight winds have blown the safety pin open and your front mesh curtain is either down or dangling! Put up as many curtians as needed but remember you need to keep one side open so you can get in/out.
4. Take the burlap material and cut a 12-15" wide strip that will act as a height extender to the lower "L" blind you made in step #2. You will need something lightweight to act as "Extender stakes" so you have something to connect this material to. I used paint stirring sticks- lightweight, relatively strong enough & easy to put on. Connect your extender stakes to the top of the existing stakes (I used, you gueesed it- Gorilla tape!) then connect the camo burlap material to your extender stakes. You have now raised the height of your lower "L" blind by 12-15 inches.
5. Optional- To protect against the curtains from blowing in the wind and drawing attention, you can safety pin the bottom of the mesh curtains to the top edge of the "L" blind. The obvious downside of this is that the curtain becomes harder to brush to the side when it's time to shoot, if pinned at the bottom. This is a personal choice.
6. When complete- spray down everyhing with some type of cover scent. This material each carries with it some type of scent- scent that deer aren't used to smelling. COVER YOUR TRACKS !!
That's it..............
Here's one last picture of the ten who's been in this plot multiple times since the final mods on this blind were completed.
Rob