Duck-Toon..

Build in progress..

Picked uptoday at Academy in Tyler at 1:00pm




Got home at 3:30pm and stripped her down with a quickness, to this!


Pontoons are in perfect shape not a ding on em, floor was replaced 3 yrs ago and I'm really thinking of replacing again befor blind construction begins.. It's 3/4 treated ply but it gas a few soft spots starting already, it's not quite like I want it installation wise... Prolly gunna close to double my build cost but it will last 3 times longer.. I'll keep y'all updated as I hope to finish this weekish..

Looking good so far!

My plans as of now, been doodling for two weeks and this is tge final ruff draft, I'm sure as most of my other various builds it will change alittle during construction and take 3-4 trips to Lowes.. Lol

I plan on using metal studs bc they are much lighter and I have framed several metal buildings in my time, so it will be quicker for me.

I still have to figure out the flooring situation..... I'm slightly puzzled by this conundrum... It must be semi cheap, light and rigid... Not worried about looks, I can always pad, paint or carpet... Yep still puzzled

Apply a sheet or 2 of fiberglass mat/cloth to the new plywood if you want it to last longer.


Looking good.

looking forward to seeing your progress

you done yet???

Had to be a good guy and help a buddy move, did make it to Lowes to price shop and figured out they don't carry metal stud in sulphur springs anymore, gotta go to Greenville, sigh..

Still not sure on the floor ordeal...

Started off going to the doctor at 8am for the first visit for my wife and I's pregnancy.. 10weeks and (he?) is very active and looking good!



Went to Lowes in Greenville bc the one here in Sulphur Springs dissent carry the metal studs.. Get there and spend 2.5hrs debating on everything I needed, basically building it mentally doing a check list.

Got it all loaded up and home, put the new ply on top to give it a "new" appearance since the 2yr old 3/4 under was sturdy as heck but slightly delaminating. In the process stuck the Phillips thru my index finger, lol. I kept on trucking thinking the blood would act as a water barrier around the screws, lol.


Got it all installed, 3/4" galvanized screws and a good layer of liquid nails.


Put a good coating of Thompson waterseal on it to help delay water issues on the 1/4" new layer. (still wet in pic)


Got the back wall installed


Got the front wall installed


Got my thumb with a screw this time.. Redneck bandaid


Got the sides and support wall in the middle installed


That is it for today, it was 107 today and i wasn't in the shade .

Drank about 1.5 gallons of water and 12 gatoraids to stay hydrated!

I'm having alittle delima on sturdiness, it's strong and it will be great but not to my standards.. Thinking of going and getting a few treated 4x4s as corner post? Still haven't gotten to the ideas yet since I just got in and out of the frigidly cold shower . More to come if I can get out of bed in the am?

Good luck, looks to be going fast! Try and keep your fingers away from bits and srews (that was a free tip)

-Matt

That looks SWEEET!

It's Big, it's going to be stable no doubt but prolly to big..

My moto is go big or go home, and boys I ain't going home with out a limit!

It's going to be a sum gun to brush but when done correctly it should bs a Killer!

I cant really make out the plans. But once you tie the front in to the back and get your sheeting on, you should be pretty sturdy. I dont think adding a 4x4 would help too much.

Well I'm going to just use a cross between hog panels and chicken wire. I got a 100 ft roll for 45.00. 2x4squares 48'x100'. It's really sturdy but not in panel form so it's not much for serving any structural integrity.

A 4x4 post on the corners with the aluminum studs tied in should really help?

I have to go out in the morning and look at ways to mount a 4x4 to the deck?? May not be able to.

If you going to use hog panels, I would cross bracing it with some angle pieces to sturdy it up.

Not really panels, they were around 16-19 bucks. Kinda like carpet at 150 minimal.. Like I said if it were 12-14 ft I could make this thing BA first try but at 20ft I'm going to gave to start here and add some here and there.

I'm thinking if I do add some cross supports it will help stiffin her up a bit! The stud are 8ft originally and I cut to 6'6" to make it slightly lower so I have about 25 1'6" prices I could use to accomplish this for no extra cost and get rid if "scrap"

Sturdier than a bull (awake of corse for u cow tippers, lol)



Had to take a break, it's 109 here at the house..

Frame is compleated just need to put on the wire, door? dog door and his boarding step, seats & other gadgets and I'm DONE

How do you plan on driving that thing? Or just gonna tow it?

Right now just going to tow, taking it to the dealership in the am to have the motor looked over.. If it's running well I'll keep it on and make a small console.

Frame compleated and sided with horse wire!

Need Roof and "Flapper" Shooting window across the two 10' angled section, might make it four flaps somehow.

Door door and loading step for him.

that's sweet, and looks well built. Looking forward to the finished product.

Looks good, you going to use all natural vegetation to conceal it?

Thanks! It's rock solid!

M looking forward to seeing the finished blind too bc it's alot of freekin work in this 110degree heat

Drove it up to 75mph on the highway for about 10miles then 20 at 55 to the boat shop. Motor runs good but I still decided to take it off for now, it will go back on it 10minutes if I decide to.

Got it all painted so there is no flash for the birds to flare on. Figured out the roof but have to work tomorrow morning untill 11 so I'll grab the supplys on the way home.

Lookin like a duck blind now! 30hrs in with 12-15 left togo.

Man that thing is AWESOME!! Lookin forward to seeing the finished product! Congrats on the kiddo too!!

Lots of planning has gone into it..

Thank ya on the congrats

Got one side completely camoed up, roof and roof supports built and installed


Painted floor, still need 2-3 cans of black sprat paint for a few studs that are still silver. Also have to paint tge hog panels, that should be fun..

Dont pay attention to the panels/shooting flap on right.

I'm still experimenting with size, mounts and stowing..

So are you just going to float it out to your spot and tie it up and leave it floating there or going to drive out to your spot in it.

I thought about doing the same thing but am worried about theft.

It's going to be towed out and left all season. I'm stealing it down on the corners with an unknow metal piece, lol

I'm also making it hard to get into with out keys.. Yes a person can still get in but there's nothing inside to steal.. Basically just to keep "not their blind" hunters out.

you talked to the man in the green truck about that?

that thing is huge

So is this blind gonna be left out on a public reservoir?????

Cody, Can you leave it out there all season?

On the lake it's going to it can be placed 30days before and must be taken off no later than 30 days after season

On day when I find a "good" deal I'll put a 100hp motor on it, not now tho with the first baby on the way

10/4 Thats cool!

Looks good to me. If set up right I can see you spending all day out there and momma wanting to know where your at lol.

She already wonder that, lol

She thinks I'm nutz!

I have been working in this for 4 days 7am-8pm with very little time away, other than trips to Lowes. She has been worried im gunna keel over from heat exaustion.. But I'm stay hydrated then dehydrate after dark. I have been having a ruff time sleeping because of the few design conundrums like tge dog door, real door and shooting flap... The three most important things other than staying afloat lol

I don't think people will get in and steal anything. I would be more worried about someone figuring out how to float it away and keeping it. Or worse, you roll up on it at night and there are already a couple of guys in it... Can't tell them to get out because its public hunting...

Nice work!!

The theft of it is always possible, the lake it is going to is very small and we are very close to both launch ramps/marinas. The owners live on the property and know if it is pulled out by someone other than me, shoot to kill, Jk call tge sheriff

I'm trying to figure out away to lock er up so I don't have to worry about that situation.

True dat. Someone else beats you out there and you got 2 choices----get ready to hit the bank, shed the waders and go toe to toe....or, hit the bricks. GW comes out there and he'll tell you tough chit and could ring you up for interfering with their hunt. To each his own but it ain't worth the hassle to me to leave it out there. But it's your show, scooter. Just be prepared for Barney to be in there puffin on a square and sippin on a cup of Jo cuz it's gonna happen.

Luckily I'm hunting buddies with the game warden he will be with me more than once!

Like I mentioned hopefully I'm intelligent enough to figure out a way to secure it.. Still workin on that lol

I need some help guys, I have two neoprene bench seat covers and want to upholster my custom 7' bench for the toon, I need recommendations on padding that can get wet and won't mildew?

That is easy. Weld some rings on the 4 corners and when in your location drive a post smaller than the ring so it can float and move up and down with the water and at the same time it can't be stolen with out a lot of effort being put into it.

You need to look into a garage style door system for your shooting windows.

Run a set of track on each side of the frame (2 windows split in the middle). Extend the track past the the blind twards the water 8 inches longer that the hight of the window. Attach a spring to the bottom of the window which will be attached to a post you have driven in the water. This will allow the door to "Spring open. Use two pull lock at the top with a rope tying the two together. . When you pull the locks the door will slide down the track quit fast with the force from the spring. This system works great and you never have to worry about guys jumping early.

I got that part figured out lol, like on my buddies gatortrax. Thx tho that could have been great if someone didn't kvow

I need light weight? and cheap but not crap cheap.. That's really smart tho, I gotta look into that

Build it out of aluminum studs and there is no wieght problem. Cheap you might have 50 bucks in the whole system. We have put this system on numnerous blinds and its great. Give me a shout if you would like its hard to explain over text.

214-557-8389
mike

Mike do you have a picture?

Man, you can get some stuff done!

I don't play around, lol

man that thing looks awesome so far!!

[quote=trozy55]man that thing looks awesome so far!! [/quote

Thanks!

Took the bench to the local upholstery shop and for 75.00 I'm getting the bench padded with 2" padding and covered in max4 neoprene! Picking it up Friday

Did you get my text with the crazy drawings?

Lol I did, it is still in the air on what to build

The only bad thing is the post I have to have in front of the blind, that makes relocating the bling alot of work/noise

that thing looks sweet

Nothing 4 heavy anchors wouldnt fix? or tied to a couple trees maybe.

Trees could be an option as long as there are trees around the "X"

So you got a satellite dish on that thing?

Just in case there's a good game on! Lol

Cody that is very nice work man,looks great.++++++++++

Thanks bud! Its solid to.

I got the doors figured out last night!

1x1 square tubing, light expanded metal for floor/door.
Steel pipe hinges.

Cody keep those plans,I may have to buy a copy from you one day.LOL

I think some heads are going to turn when they see that thing coming across the lake. Looks good man!

Thanks!

Hopefully the duck won't even see the monstrosity and they will fall very rapidly!

for some reason, this comes to mind...





jk man, looks good, lookin forward to seeing some action shots!

Lol, kind of a cool ride. I'm going to build one now thanks!

Jk

Got the bench back yesterday!

Sunday I have my welding buddy come out and we will build/install the dog door and real door. Might get the shooting flaps figured out to.

Looking sweet.. this is one of my favorite posts/projects to check up on....Reminds me i need to get working on my boat before too long

I would love to see the look on peoples faces when they see a huge duck blind moving across the lake on the way back to the boat ramp with straps full of ducks.

that thing is sweet, post more pics when you can, i could help you test it out if you want!

I'm going to reveals the door with treated 2x4 to make it more secure.

Also going to put a tarp on the top/back side for wind/water protection to make it more comfortable for my clients. Then put the real grass on top of it

How well did it go down the road?

Holy High Profile Batman!

Like it wasn't even there!

Worked all day on it again today.. I'm running out of steam lol

Reframed big door
Tarp on roof
Mounted bench
Finished 1 side of the shooting flap, don't like how big it is so I'm going to cut it in half to have a total of 4 flaps, 2 per side.

Also found a design flaw, DOH! The dog door is going to be covered when shooting flaps are down. So I'm going to have to relocate on the far from side opposed to in the muddle, it's gunna be a SOB but I might figure out an easier alternative..

Shooting flap (1 of 4)

Shooting flap stowed, kinda ran out of paint, lol

just curious why aren't you hinging the shooting flaps on to the back to open the other way? They wouldn't block the dog door and if you didn't want to have to open them all the way you could figure some sort of stowable prop that can be used when you are there. Don't mean to tell you your business. Big fan of this thread.

this toon looks heavy ? have you water checked the blind yet??

I thought of this but decided this would work best, I may not tho.

All else fails I change it

I have a solution of the blocked dog door, I'm just going to add a few angle bracket for that flap to rest on.

I have not, plan on it today or tomorrow. It will be fine :eeks:

Great project. I remember the days in the early 1980's when You could leave blinds like that out on Texoma. Then came the great blind burning of 1985. One got burned then over the coarse of a week they all burned. The ones with toons got the ole 12 gauge blast to the toon. Those were the days. I dont miss all those blinds sticking up on every point and in every cove.

Thanks

Im taking out insurance on the dam thing lol

that is bad to the bone Cody! Nice work! Those flaps aren't too heavy to flip over?

There not to heavy but I think we will just leave em down.

If there's me and 1 other hunter I'll just flip 1 or two down, if there's like 3-5 they will all get opened.

I may change the design after teal season, cut them in half horizontly top half flip up; bottom half flip down.. Idk just an idea?

EVERYHING LOCKS from the inside: except one, it's a secret passage way Took some thinking but I accomplished it!

Looks great!

Thank Ya!

Gotta start cutting brush soon.. Ug more work lol

That is lookin good!!

Awesome!

As I read this thread I couldn't help but keep reciting "Thou Shalt not Envy..." that is a heck of a rig man!

That's a lot of brush to stick on a rig. I didn't see the silver reflection of duct tape so I'm guessing you used a ton of zip ties? If it can't be fixed with either of those two things or wd-40 it's broken.

ALOT of zip ties!

Thanks guys thus journey/build is almost compleate!

Greatness

Just wondering, are you going to leave that in one spot for a while or move it daily. Just asking because some nut at a lake your familier with very well in a very popular creek left one like this there the entire duck season years ago in a spot I used to hunt and of course they did not hunt it much but everyone had to leave that area alone just in case they decided to stroll in at LST.
I know you can not build blinds on that lake but is it not abandment to leave something like this out there. I do not hunt there anymore but I was wondering when I saw this post. I know the blinds are considered first come, first use per the local game wardens but a Duck-Toon? Just wondering.

It will be set up all season, moving with the birds if course.

It is first come first serve on blinds out there but it camouflaged so well you can't see it, lol

But if someone decides to try to hunt it, they will be disappointed when they can't get in..

Thanks bud!

That will just make them mad and probably go to destroying it.....just saying....

How is this different than leaving decoys out overnight to save a spot which has been a hot topic on here in the past.
Will the decoys be left out all the time during season as well?
Just wondering because people will get in lock or not, I have seen it with several blinds and setups out there for over 20 years. I am really disappointed with the way some guides on that lake have acted over the years thinking it is there spot for duck hunting since they built a blind. That false sense of intitlement is why I stopped hunting that lake a few years ago.
I know you are just getting into the duck guide business so none of this is aimed at you just venting a little.
I even had one "guide" try to make me leave "his" makeshift tree limb blind, which I built two weeks prior, telling me he built it for his clients, obviously I did not leave.

All good questions Mo..

It's first come first serve like you mentioned earlier.

A guide does not own the lake/spot.. Being a full time bass guide I have pulled into my best spot 100s of times to see a boat sitting there, do I tell em to move it, certainly not.

It comes down to judgement

I come out toss my deeks @ 5am, head back to pick up my clients at 5:30 all to get back and have a hunter sit up 20yds away? That would call for me to drop my clients off at the blind, putt out to the other hunter and discuss the situation, if he gets heated or refuses, so be it. I'll head back to the blind and explain the cituation to the clients.. It's all you can do in good judgement.

As far as saving a "spot", whether you build a natural blind or a that area is nit yours or protected but a hunter whom is wise, courteous and a real duck hunter will leave things alone. I know there will be some sort of debate/problem this season but haters will be haters..

I hope we have enough ducks this season where it won't matter where your at!

That blind is very nice.. a lot of thought and hard work....I hope the water comes up at Fork or the only spot it will work is Bell hump...jk.....nice job

Dang Cody, will that beast still float ..LOL

Good looking ride though!
I want to book a hunt just to get to be in it.

Luckly there's plenty of water left

I bet I could get good advertisement sitting it just off the boat lane with a big Buck-N-Duck sign in it lmao

We shall soon find out! Might turn into a big brushpile lol, even then it's a win, win. I just let my fishing clients catch 10#ers out of it

Cody, in a perfect world all would be good for you and your duck toon. But allow me to throw some reality at you. I guided on public rservoirs for nearly 15 years. Back when there wasn't this influx of Foiles wannabes that sprang out of all the new collegiate DU chapters that have popped up over the last 10 years. It was a time when you could get to then lake early, toss out the blocks, hang a lantern and head back to ramp to get your clients without fear of others creeping in on ya. Back in the day folks had respect. Nowadays it is a free for all and I haven't guided clients on public rservoirs in many years. Why? Not because I fear that Barney is gonna show up and ruin the morning, but rather that I couldn't take a mans money and risk even having an altercation. It ain't fair to folks that are dropping good coin to have to put up with arguements between the guide and other hunters over who should move. I never had 1 altercation. But I was smart enough to see the the way things were going and got out before I and my clients were put in that situation. You duck toon turned out to be a cool project in the end. However, you are gonna be unpleasantly surprised to see how things go once that comfy condo is out on the water. You could put 100 locks on it and it ain't gonna mean squat---they are still gonna get in. And when enough hub bub is made over the fact that this blind was put out by a guide to the Corp or lake office and he " thinks he owns the lake" is the battle cry, one of 2 things are gonna happen--- either you are mandated to remove it or it will be one big bonfire for folks to come warm their hands up one cold morning. Would hate to see that happen to all of that hard work you put into it but rest assured that this condo ain't gonna be welcomed by those who plan on hunting the same area this thing ended up anchored in. Just saying......

Would be a nice addition to a piece of private water if ya got any

......Absolutely, 100% Correct.

It will however make a damn fine crappie brushpile.


..

I can assure you if I have hunters and a Barney comes in an spoiled a hunt the client will be taken care of. I am a professional guide that equals a certian level of professionalism when things don't go as planned. That is one area that makes the average joblow outfitter make us look poorly. Yes this is my first year to guide for waterfowl but I have 7 yrs of bass guiding under my belt. Being just 25. I treat customers like royalty and if someone spoils a hunt we will take care if it.

As far as a big bon fire, that's called areson, when I'm in it every day I will know who has done it and appropriate actions will be taken. There is risk and I completely understand that.. I also appreciate your .02 as some fold may not have thought of these types of things.

How do yo plan on anchoring this thing in place to be secure?

That is a secret

.....Translation: "I have no friggin clue."

Are you planning on brushing out the top and the shooting holes?

Normally yes, lol. In this case I know exactly how

1 Year....I'll bet you $50 that this Duck Toon ends up floating (or possibly not floating) in middle of Lake Fork before the end of the season....

Wow, that's pretty jacked up to post that here but to each his own :thumb:

Not trying to be a prick here, but you better get realistic about guiding on public land and "parking" your blind somewhere that you aren't going to be every single day. I hope it all works out for you as you have put a lot of work into it.

Nice...if you brush that down with some fiber glass epoxy by itself it will last a long long time and you shouldn't have to worry about getting soft spots.

I initially built this blind for a really good client, whom has become I'll and won't be hunting anytime soon, hopefully he gets well enough to one day.

It's been fun but ideally it's for sale. After many hours of thought about a possible $ loss I decided to finish it out, hunt it and hopefully a client would buy it.. If not someone would see it here and possibly want it. That's why u have done such a good job at this advertising. I'm waiting to get it out, test it and post pics of actuall hunts to show it's duck killing powers

Hopefully I can find a nice price of lease property to dump her on but everything is dry.. Luckily my client made me keep his deposit but it was only 20%.. If anyone's intrested pm me

Send me a pm with the price delivered to fork.

Pm sent. Asking $4500.00

Good luck with the sale Cody. Sweet rig you put together.

Thanks bud! It should go FAST!

Hey Cody, your pm box is full. shoot me one when you get a chance. i have an unrelated question for you.