a few questions for you duck hunters

Dogfish · 08-21-2001, 03:43 PM

Okay,

I know this isn't fishing related, but I know that a lot of you also hunt.

I am building a basic box frame from PVC as a basis for my duck blind that sits on my 12 foot Jon boat that I will also use for fishing, there, I mentioned fishing [img]images/icons/cool.gif[/img]. I have all of the plastic, and I was wondering what systems some of you folks have used for ease of set-up and take-down. The goal is to get the frame set up in 5 minutes or less

My plan is to glue only the top rails, and then possibly use some d-ring style pins to hold the non-glued pieces, like uprights and the two end pieces in place.

1. Has anyboy ever used this system, or something different, to hold their blind frame in place or is the connector pin idea overkill. I just don't want it to fall apart on the way to, from, or during a hunt.

2. I am also looking for some sort of cheap, black reusable clip to attach to the camo netting, so that once I get to my spot, all I have to do is set dekes, drape the netting over the boat frame, clip it in, and get ready for incoming. Any ideas on what to use and where to get some?

3. How tall should the sides be? The boat has about 16" of freeboard, so I was thinking of a total height of 3.5' to 4' including the height of the boat above water.

Thanks in advance, Andy

[ 08-21-2001: Message edited by: dogfish ]

Jeremy · 08-21-2001, 04:01 PM

The best set up ive found for duck hunting is taking one part Jonathon Smith and one part Ken Simonton, throw in a little Patrick McCall for flavor, mix them all together and sort through the dead ducks after 4,

I couldnt resist

Dogfish · 08-21-2001, 04:11 PM

So which one yells quack, which one puts on the duck suit, and who do you send out to pee or pour coffee so that the ducks will start coming in? [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

Salmonator · 08-21-2001, 06:08 PM

dogfish, I went the pvc route and it was a disaster. They aren't very sturdy and take up a lot of room (unless you found a way that I didn't know about to make it work). I eventually went to a wire curtain system. Weld 6 4" aluminum tubes- 2 in the front center of boat about 2 feet apart, two at mid boat against the gunnels and two in the back same width of the front two. You can put removeable aluminum conduit in these tubes and make the height however high you want the blind to be. Run some plastic coated clothes wire between the end poles with your curtain strung on. Then you can throw smaller pieces of netting over the top gaps. The two poles at center of boat are bent in to support the wire at the middle. This works very well and removes from boat very easily. Good luck

Perfect Drift · 08-21-2001, 06:57 PM

Here's what I use-
Both sides are one piece with the camo attached. Sewing the front and back pieces on also.
May sound tough to build but it really isn't.
Think of grasshopper legs or your arm and elbow. I looked around for the cheapest universal jointed socket set. K-mart or Hi-school Pharm. I then ground them down to the same outside diameter as 3/4" metal conduit. Takes 2 for each leg. So with that, weld one to each end of 2" of conduit. Then weld a couple of feet of conduit to each the other ends of the universal. Do this for all four legs. Find a piece of pipe that will slide over the 3/4" conduit and the universals, cut 4 pieces long enough to cover the entire joint plus several inches on each side.
Wished I had a scanner. Then I made a base that is screwed to the boat. Very simple, a
'U' channel of metal, fit the 3/4" conduit into it and drill and bolt through. Mount to the seats or other flat surface. that's the bottom hinge, the top hinge I used flat stock metal and bent it into a U shape over the 1" plastic pipe attaching it to the 3/4" conduit. So it hinges top and bottom and a double universal joint in the middle.
So now you have the legs. They fold straight up and down. The pipe slides up and down to cover the joint and keep is straight. Using nylon cord, I tied it -in the up position- off at both front and back, which you don't have to touch once tied on.
I used 1" white plastic pipe for the top/end rails and made them long enough for two guys to sit and have plenty of room, say 6-7ft. Putting a 90' elbow on each end. Inserting the correct lenght of 1" plastic pipe for the width of the boat. These I remove for traveling to and from the launch and on the road. I used nylon cloth with the open mesh green/brown camo over it, using baying string to tie it all together. The camo stays on the plastic pipe and is folded up when down. It sets up and down in minutes.
sounds complicated but it really isn't.
What you end up with is the sides folded with all of the camo attached on each side of the boat. Height- in my boat I sit on a 6 gal. bucket w/ a foam cushion on top. I store shells, food, etc in the bucket, the height you'll need to play with. I have it so my head is high enough to see over the top. Try drawing it on paper. No clips, no rope, just pull the sides up, slide the sleeve over the joint, put the ends on and pull the camo into place.

Dogfish · 08-21-2001, 10:43 PM

One of my friends suggested that solid plastic dowel material use for closet rods that they also use to make trim with. Forgot the name, but they stock it at Home Depot, my second home.

He also suggested reinforcing the top rails with a piece of galvanized conduit to add rigidity.

I will have T's secured to the gunnels of the boat, and will run to the hunting spot with the frame assembled. Once I get there, I put up the netting.

I will figure out a way to post a pic once I get it done.

Thanks for the suggestions. Andy

bait boy · 08-21-2001, 11:40 PM

Heres what i'm thinking. When you make the top rails fold or clip the netting to the top rail. whne going from point a to b keep the top rails off of the posts when you get to your spot and get your dekes out just pull up the top rail and put it in the T's.

MetalHead · 08-21-2001, 11:57 PM

dogfish, I too went with the pvc pipe and it is a pain in the @$$ to deal with. I hated to do it but I finally parted with $600.00 and bought an AVERY pop-up blind. I have a 17' GIII jon and the blind folds down flat along the gunnels and is out of the way running to and from the hunting area it is easy to set up and take down by yourself (about) 3 minutes dodging the dog. and the tops are hinged so just bump them as you raise the gun and they fall away. Also it has a windstopper panel behind the camo netting which is really nice in November goose hunting on the river.

Gooseman · 08-22-2001, 04:47 AM

I too went with the pvc pipe and it is a pain in the @$$ to deal with. I too parted with $600.00 and bought an AVERY pop-up blind.
My suggestion in place of clips to hold the blind material would be to use some velcro, you can sew it into place, or hot glue it. Or, just get some black bungee cord material to tie stuff off with.
If you have access to 1/8" aluminum or steel, I could make a sketch for you of the hinge AVERY uses on their blinds.

Jennie@ifish · 08-22-2001, 05:54 AM

Do you guys want a duck board? Hunting in general board? Alot of you do hunt... I know it's not fishing related, but Bill was talking about it.
Jen

Meridian · 08-22-2001, 06:07 AM

Would love to see that Jen. You could put it right under the bass and panfish section. Better yet, put it above the bass and panfish section [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Predator Dawg · 08-22-2001, 06:09 AM

Jen,

That would be great. I have yet to find a good regional hunting board. ihunt.net would be a welcomed addition.

Steve

OR Coast Range · 08-22-2001, 06:30 AM

GREAT IDEA!!!

Deer season in only 5 weeks! WOO HOO!! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

I might have to change my moniker though. [img]images/icons/cool.gif[/img]

Jennie@ifish · 08-22-2001, 06:41 AM

You got it! I'll move a copy of this thread over there.
Look in the dropdown menu for hunting.
Jen

Hoosier Daddy · 08-22-2001, 07:15 AM

You might try some of those really small spring clamps for woodworking for holding your material down. You can also take a short (1-inch or 1/2 inch long) section of PVC, split it, and make a small half-assed clamp.

Dogfish · 08-24-2001, 08:25 AM

I finished the frame last night, and it is VERY sturdy. It will break down into 6 pieces, and I can get the frame set up in about 3 minutes. I used stainless screws to hold the joints together instead of glue to make changing out broken part easier. I used d-ring clips for the parts that come apart for breakdown, and I angled the sides into the center of the boat so that there is about 30 inches of room between the two side rails.

Total cost was about $32.00. I got the camo netting for free.

I have still not found any clips, but that may not be necessary, as the d-ring clips have a part on them that will hold the netting.

Thanks for your input. I will paint the frame this weekend and post picks next week if I can figure out how.

Andy