Texas Hunting Forum

Ideas To Anchor Blind Down

Posted By: Sick Train

Ideas To Anchor Blind Down - 10/26/12 01:43 AM

Looking for some ideas on how to anchor down our blind. It's a 4x8 wood blind on top of a 6' steel stand. So what do you fellas think?
Posted By: ragtag

Re: Ideas To Anchor Blind Down - 10/26/12 01:50 AM

i know its been on here before but i think its a good one. if in west or south texas just cut the top of a mesquite out so that the base is there and a little bit of the fork too and attach the blind to the trunk.. better than any anchor you can put in the ground
Posted By: Ranch Dawg

Re: Ideas To Anchor Blind Down - 10/26/12 02:39 AM

I put a 4x4 post in concrete under mine secured it with a chain to bottom of blind.
Posted By: pafree

Re: Ideas To Anchor Blind Down - 10/26/12 05:22 AM

Originally Posted By: Ranch Dawg
I put a 4x4 post in concrete under mine secured it with a chain to bottom of blind.


mine is similar but i used a earth anchor from tractor supply. i put eye bolts with fender washers up high on the leg of the stand and ran a cable diagonally from one leg down to the eye in the earth anchor and then back up to the other leg. i then ran a second cable between the other two legs and the earth anchor. (criss-cross pattern) i put a turnbuckle on each cable so i can tight with ground settle. the stand survived a funnel cloud that sucked the lid off my feeder 70 yards away.



it is also going to depend on the terrain. in rocking ground, i have seen similar with a big basket of rock under the stand with cables.
Posted By: twinbubba

Re: Ideas To Anchor Blind Down - 10/26/12 10:41 AM

Here is how we anchored ours where we had not much to tie to and the ground too hard to dig in. Made the basket out of one hog panel and cable clamps.

Posted By: Sick Train

Re: Ideas To Anchor Blind Down - 10/26/12 05:25 PM

Originally Posted By: pafree
Originally Posted By: Ranch Dawg
I put a 4x4 post in concrete under mine secured it with a chain to bottom of blind.


mine is similar but i used a earth anchor from tractor supply. i put eye bolts with fender washers up high on the leg of the stand and ran a cable diagonally from one leg down to the eye in the earth anchor and then back up to the other leg. i then ran a second cable between the other two legs and the earth anchor. (criss-cross pattern) i put a turnbuckle on each cable so i can tight with ground settle. the stand survived a funnel cloud that sucked the lid off my feeder 70 yards away.



it is also going to depend on the terrain. in rocking ground, i have seen similar with a big basket of rock under the stand with cables.



So you only used one earth anchor? How far do they go down?
Posted By: Wader

Re: Ideas To Anchor Blind Down - 10/26/12 05:35 PM

Originally Posted By: twinbubba
Here is how we anchored ours where we had not much to tie to and the ground too hard to dig in. Made the basket out of one hog panel and cable clamps.





I just love this idea...
Posted By: pafree

Re: Ideas To Anchor Blind Down - 10/26/12 09:24 PM

Originally Posted By: Sick Train


So you only used one earth anchor? How far do they go down?


one four foot anchor in the middle and it is three feet in the ground.
Posted By: Nathan Nelson

Re: Ideas To Anchor Blind Down - 10/29/12 08:52 PM

One guy on here cut a tree down and left 2 foot sticking out and then used a come a long to secure the sand to the root system of the tree. I believe he used a Mesquite tree. That seems pretty practical to me...
Posted By: Navasot

Re: Ideas To Anchor Blind Down - 10/29/12 08:56 PM

put ibolts at all four points of the frame...then run a wire through the adjacent two throug a buckel hook....take a trailor house anchor and twist into the ground directly below the middle of the stand and run a wire from it to the bottom of the buckle.... the main thing you want is for the buckel to be about halfway from the bottom of the stand to the anchor so you have plenty of room to tighten it down
Posted By: Quick Shoot Again

Re: Ideas To Anchor Blind Down - 10/31/12 10:27 PM

We used to do the Mesquite tree thing. Find one with about a 5-6 inch dia. cut off just enough to get the stand over it then loop cables from each opposing leg and then tie to that with a good heavy cable and use a come a long and suck her down. You can pull it tight enough that the stand will quiver, but it will not move unless it is a direct hit by a tornado. I lost one twice and then never again after doing the above.
Posted By: curt o

Re: Ideas To Anchor Blind Down - 11/02/12 03:44 AM

Originally Posted By: Navasot
put ibolts at all four points of the frame...then run a wire through the adjacent two throug a buckel hook....take a trailor house anchor and twist into the ground directly below the middle of the stand and run a wire from it to the bottom of the buckle.... the main thing you want is for the buckel to be about halfway from the bottom of the stand to the anchor so you have plenty of room to tighten it down


This
Posted By: Payne Ranch

Re: Ideas To Anchor Blind Down - 11/04/12 02:20 PM

x2 for the trailer house anchor. I didnt have any cable handy so used ratchet straps. It has lasted so far. Only bad thing is in high wind the straps get to makin noise, regardless of how tight they are.
Posted By: Rockinmyshoe

Re: Ideas To Anchor Blind Down - 11/04/12 02:23 PM

Originally Posted By: Payne Ranch
x2 for the trailer house anchor. I didnt have any cable handy so used ratchet straps. It has lasted so far. Only bad thing is in high wind the straps get to makin noise, regardless of how tight they are.


When your using rachet straps give them a twist and that will stop the vibration from the wind. up
Posted By: Redneck Messiah

Re: Ideas To Anchor Blind Down - 11/04/12 03:37 PM

screw in dead man anchor if the ground will allow it
Posted By: redchevy

Re: Ideas To Anchor Blind Down - 11/05/12 05:08 PM

We just use t-posts and wire.

I think the rock basket is an interesting idea, the same end can be reached so much cheaper and easier... the rock basket is a good conversation piece tho.
Posted By: twinbubba

Re: Ideas To Anchor Blind Down - 11/05/12 07:22 PM

That lease was so rocky you couldn't drive a 16 penny nail into the ground. What is your solution for such rocky ground that would be cheaper than a $20 hog panel?
But you are right about one thing, it is a good conversation piece.
Posted By: redchevy

Re: Ideas To Anchor Blind Down - 11/06/12 01:59 PM

The grass and fence says otherwise.
Posted By: stxranchman

Re: Ideas To Anchor Blind Down - 11/06/12 02:16 PM

Originally Posted By: redchevy
The grass and fence says otherwise.

I'll take you to a spot that has grass belt high and you won't get a T-post in the ground more than 6-8" due to loose flint rock. Jack hammer or pneumatic drill is what built that fence is my guess.
Posted By: twinbubba

Re: Ideas To Anchor Blind Down - 11/13/12 12:09 AM

You are right about that stxranchman. At camp on that lease I was trying to drive a 5/8" steel rod into the ground in my fire put to hang a cook grate on and it took my at least 20-25 tries before I could get it more than 6" into the ground. We gave up on one spot we were going to put a feeder because we could not drive t-posts to build a fence around it to keep the cows out.

One of the fence posts redchevy is talking about is an 8" well pipe. They didn't drive that into the ground with a t-post banger.
Posted By: dawaba

Re: Ideas To Anchor Blind Down - 11/13/12 12:51 AM

Here's an easy solution if you're setting up on solid rock. About 15 years ago, I decided I wanted a 14' tower blind on a site that was solid hardpan rock. Using my 18v drill and a big masonry bit, I drilled a hole straight down into the solid rock about 6" deep (you may need an extra battery, but I didn't). I believe the bit was 3/4" with a 1/2" shank. Then I dropped a 5/8" lead anchor into the hole and screwed a 1/2" eyebolt with lag threads into the anchor. Then I secured the stand using the tradtional cable and turnbuckle method. Despite the wind and storms typical of the Big Country, the blind has never toppled.

My brother did something quite similar with a 16' tower. He used the masonry bit to drill into the rock. Then he filled the hole with JB Weld Epoxy and shoved an eyebolt into the glue and gave the eyebolt a couple twists to mix the glue with the rock powder (which he called "aggregate"). By the time we ran the cable properly, the glue had hardened. The stand has never moved.
Posted By: Stove Works

Re: Ideas To Anchor Blind Down - 11/13/12 05:22 PM

The least expensive and time effective method I have usde in the past is to simply drive 4 metal fencing posts at an angle at each leg and simply tie or wire the leg to the post. Most trucks wont pull up a t post and it can be done it 15 minutes or so. I hope this helps.
Posted By: Leonardo

Re: Ideas To Anchor Blind Down - 11/13/12 06:44 PM

I drive tposts at an angle by each leg. Then wire it down.
Posted By: twinbubba

Re: Ideas To Anchor Blind Down - 11/14/12 12:31 AM

That might work IF you can drive the t-posts into the ground.
Posted By: Pope&Young

Re: Ideas To Anchor Blind Down - 11/14/12 10:56 PM

Originally Posted By: ragtag
i know its been on here before but i think its a good one. if in west or south texas just cut the top of a mesquite out so that the base is there and a little bit of the fork too and attach the blind to the trunk.. better than any anchor you can put in the ground


By doing this you can have your stand up and anchored in less than 15 minutes.
What’s needed?
Chainsaw (cut tree to desired height)
Cordless Drill
1/4 inch drill bit (drill pilot hole in center of cut tree)
3/8 self-tapping eyebolt
Screw driver (screw in 3/8 self-tapping eyebolt using screw driver)
Still cable
Turn buckle (connect one end of turn buckle to eyebolt. Run still cable between turn buckle bottom center of deer stand)
Posted By: saltbranch

Re: Ideas To Anchor Blind Down - 11/15/12 01:51 AM

Originally Posted By: Payne Ranch
x2 for the trailer house anchor. I didnt have any cable handy so used ratchet straps. It has lasted so far. Only bad thing is in high wind the straps get to makin noise, regardless of how tight they are.

If you are talking about 2" ratchet straps, put a half twist in the strap and run back through ratchet and tighten up. Will not vibrate from wind anymore. Same thing when hauling stuff on a trailer, put a half twist on each side of the item tied down and no more vibrating strap from the wind.
Blind anchors, we use t-post
Posted By: Rockstar.3345

Re: Ideas To Anchor Blind Down - 11/15/12 02:33 AM

About 10 of these with extra wire added. That's a total of 3000 lbs holding power, not bad eh?
Posted By: armybuckhunter

Re: Ideas To Anchor Blind Down - 11/16/12 02:02 PM

pope and young your post works very well.. i have used this for years
Posted By: 482camaro

Re: Ideas To Anchor Blind Down - 12/02/12 08:12 PM

Originally Posted By: ragtag
i know its been on here before but i think its a good one. if in west or south texas just cut the top of a mesquite out so that the base is there and a little bit of the fork too and attach the blind to the trunk.. better than any anchor you can put in the ground
Posted By: crease_flounder

Re: Ideas To Anchor Blind Down - 12/04/12 12:02 AM

Originally Posted By: dawaba
He used the masonry bit to drill into the rock. Then he filled the hole with JB Weld Epoxy and shoved an eyebolt into the glue and gave the eyebolt a couple twists to mix the glue with the rock powder (which he called "aggregate"). By the time we ran the cable properly, the glue had hardened.


This, only I drilled 2 holes about 12"down and used a piece of 1/2", "U"-shaped, rebar and cement. The cement may be extraneous because it's tough to get that rebar down that far. The bit is the most expensive part of this setup, and, if you find a big enough rock, that blind isn't going anywhere.
Posted By: twinbubba

Re: Ideas To Anchor Blind Down - 12/04/12 12:27 AM

You guys are kidding, right? You are gluing your tower blinds down? Yeah, I would have a lot of faith in that. NOT!!!
Posted By: Nogalus Prairie

Re: Ideas To Anchor Blind Down - 12/04/12 12:39 AM

In east TX I use a 4' ground anchor screwed in about 3 feet attached to a chain welded on the tower with a cheap come-along so it can be tightened.
Stands have survived some pretty good blows....
Posted By: crease_flounder

Re: Ideas To Anchor Blind Down - 12/04/12 01:35 AM

Originally Posted By: twinbubba
You guys are kidding, right? You are gluing your tower blinds down? Yeah, I would have a lot of faith in that. NOT!!!


I bet to a 1/2" piece of rebar is stronger than that fence wire! Here's to hoping neither of us has to find out how much it takes to tip over.
Posted By: wldsd

Re: Ideas To Anchor Blind Down - 12/05/12 02:44 PM

Originally Posted By: twinbubba
Here is how we anchored ours where we had not much to tie to and the ground too hard to dig in. Made the basket out of one hog panel and cable clamps.



This is a great idea!
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