Duck Blind DIY

lindyrig79,
I had a 16ft jon, double deep & double wide with a 40hp outboard with power trim and tilt for several years. I really enjoyed the boat for hunting. It had a detachable blind. I used the boat for both hunting and fishing. During fishing time I hung the blind in the rafters of an out building. I bought the rig used. I had planned on rebuilding the blind. After getting caught in a snow storm, that expedited the rebuild during the off season. I would be more than happy to talk with you on the phone and explain some of the modifications that I did. Send me your phone number and we can talk if your’re interested.

Thanks DFP, I will send you a PM

FYI- I dug through some old posts. Several guys were talking about leaving their labs on a front platform like mine. I found one from deertracker that showed pics of his blind and dog in the front. Kinda leaning towards doing it that way as it would be easier to build and my dog will have better sight lines for marking downed birds

Just an update: I got the frame all set as of today. I used 3/4 inch conduit and a bender to make each side. I used Bimini hardware to attach to the cross beams. And attached to the boat with c clamps so it’s removable.

Next is to paint the frame and then dress it up. I’m thinking of using a wetland pattern burlap and zip tying raffia grass to that. But if anyone has ideas on the camo part feel free to chime in. Just happy to have the frame done…..

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I don’t hunt with a dog, so I can’t help there. I’m still procrastinating grassing my blind in this year. I bought 22lbs of Raffia. Got about 1 lb on and it takes so long and sucks so much to work with, that I stopped and haven’t touched it in weeks. I’m dreading the day this season that I’ll need it and spend the entire night grassing it…

My advise, just buy grass mats…they don’t blend quite as well, but they take a FRACTION of the time to install…I seriously regret taking on the Raffia grass task…

Im in process of re grassing the front of my blind and making some kind of flip down extender to cover the pup. We get busted by birds because of him all the time. Front deck is the only place i could imagine having him. I’ll take some pics when i figure it out. Leaving for nd next fri hope it works out

That’s an interesting take ‘Merican. My initial thought was to use the burlap (or another cloth material) and then just use the Raffia grass somewhat sparsely but maybe I need to rethink that.

I actually have fast-grass mats from a different boat I owned. I didn’t really care for them, because of how bulky and heavy they were. Plus, the lake I will be hunting the majority of time with this boat there really isn’t cattails like that. More green colored pencil reeds that we sit in.

Smackem – I agree that’s the only place I see the dog working from in this set up. When we hunt out of canoes in early season, she has a different platform that is in the middle of the canoe that works out pretty good and we just cut her a lane in the cattails. All depends on the type of cover you are hunting I guess.

I may have to do a modification like you’re talking about for the dog. Post a pic when you get it figured out.

Getting close to the finished product. I painted the frame black and stitched on the burlap with some decoy string (on the sides) Clothes pins (on front and back).

Still debating on how to incorporate some grass, and cover the front up a little more

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Smackem33 wrote:

Im in process of re grassing the front of my blind and making some kind of flip down extender to cover the pup. We get busted by birds because of him all the time. Front deck is the only place i could imagine having him. I’ll take some pics when i figure it out. Leaving for nd next fri hope it works out

Really, my dogs were always on platform or exposed and I don’t think ducks or geese ever didn’t finish because of the dog. Dogs never were in a blind in the field either. My dogs have all been steady and this is over 30 years experience.

My pup isn’t as steady as yours i guess all it takes is him turning his head. My dogs tail is always wagging even when sitting . It’s like a big white flag lol

The dog really shouldn’t be an issue, unless he is up moving around. My dogs would be turning their heads watching the birds but would always be sitting or laying down. Golden retrievers, black or chocolate labs. I would guess it’s movement by the hunters. My boat blinds were always completely covered overhead and we never had any type of cover attached to them. No black hole or faces for the birds to pick out.

What about a removable, 3 sided, grassed out box blind with a 1/2 covered lid or camoed out screen for the top? Front is open for your dog, all 3 sides are grassed out, and the 1/2 lid or 1/2 screen on the top where the dog can look up and see?
Or forget the lid/screen top, and build the box height just short of his head, so his head is the only thing exposed for him to see in all directions? I kinda envision a field blind for the dog with a 1/2 top, or no top at all that could be removable.

What did you use to join the 2 pieces of conduit?
DT

I would be mindful of the black hole effect an opening on the top that size will create from the sky. Maybe find someone with a drone and fly it above the blind when setup, you’ll be amazed at how much it sticks out from the sky but looks invisible on the ground. I made a simple flip 1/2 cover over the top to minimize that effect. It’s not fancy, but it works. I just drilled holes in the beam where I wanted it to flip from and made another hoop to fit on the inside and just bolted it right through each end on the conduit. Allows the top to be flipped back when standing to shoot.

deertracker wrote:

What did you use to join the 2 pieces of conduit?
DT

Just a standard coupler, it has two set screws

Good point on the overhead view. I was planning to take a couple more squares of burlap and clothes pins (so they can be adjustable) to at least partially / mostly cover the top. I would still leave enough open space basically to stand up / shoot, so it would not be 100% covered from above in that scenario but hopefully enough to minimize.

The next step would be some type of flip-over cover for the top but I like to be able to look around and that might make me feel cramped so I need to test it out

lindyrig79 wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>deertracker wrote:</div>
What did you use to join the 2 pieces of conduit?
DT

Just a standard coupler, it has two set screws

Carry extras. I used those as well and broke numerous ones in the cold. I then tried the coupler that you tighten on both side with a wrench and broke those as well. Now I’m trying to find the proper diameter slugs to fit inside the conduit. I think that would be the best.
DT

The one that I built has the drop down top pieces. I’ll see if I can find that thread.
DT

DT, check out the Youtube videos from rock solid blinds. He is no longer making stuff, but I welded up brackets similar to his but they are bolted together instead of set screwed. They aren’t breaking or backing out! They’re essentially long sleeves you can bolt or pin the conduit into.

Awesome, Thanks.
DT

Good to know about the couplers. Definitely the weak part of the frame. I will also check out the You tube videos ‘Merican mentioned. However, I don’t know how to weld….

Here’s a view from the top with the extra squares of burlap added. Using bungee cords underneath for support and clothes pins. Pretty quick set up and adjustable.

I do have a couple Hanks of Raffia coming from Joseph Stern. Not planning on doing a bunch, but maybe just enough to add some depth.

We’ll see. I’m sure some more modifications will be needed.

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