I've got a 4'x8' blind that sits atop a 12 foot angle iron base. I need to move it about 100 yards and don't want to have to tip it over lay it on a trailer to move it. It took 4 men and a Ford Bronco to raise it when I assembled it 3 years ago and it was pretty sketchy getting it from horizontal to vertical. The easiest way would be to get a tractor with a front end loader but unfortunately we don't have one available.

My preliminary plan is to take off the staircase and bolt 2 8 inch swivel wheels from harbor freight to 2 of the leg bases. The swivel wheels are rated for 300 lbs each. I'll then take my little 30 hp tractor and lift the other side with the 3 point by attaching it to the cross member and slowly drag it to its new location. The angle iron legs and cross members are pretty heavy but I'm still worried about possibly buckling them.

Anybody ever had much experience moving these things without a tractor or totally taking it down?

Wouldn't wheels just sink in? Maybe just some sort of skid and drag it?

I'd lay the blind down in the bed of a truck and let the legs stick out the back

Wheels will probably not work very well. I'd bet dragging it on some sort of sled would work better.

The problem is I may have to do this pretty much on my own. This next weekend may be my only opportunity to get this done within the next month and none of my lease mates or friends can make it out there with me. When I told my wife about my plans she said she would come along to help, but there won't be enough muscle there to get it laid over into the back of my truck.

If the wheels don't work, I've thought about buying some 4x4 beams and using them as skids. I just figured those little wheels would be easier to install and would allow a little more ability to finesse it into place.

Can you weld pipe rails to the legs that are slightly angled up on one side?

Think a pair of skis so that it can be pulled by your truck.

Be careful. Long story, but a friend of mine just had one fall on him at his lease. He almost died, and he is fighting hard to walk again.

No welder but the 4 legs have plates on them that are probably 4x6 inches. These are what I was going to bolt the wheels to. If that didn't work my plan was to bolt these plates to the 4x4 beams and try the skid method.

2x6s might be better suited (and cheaper) than 4x4s.

Interesting question. I assume the base is larger then 4x8? Say 6x10? Or larger?

Getting a skid that large sustaining that weight, would be a problem. I'll let the construction guys could chime in but if there is such a material it's probably not cheap.

Frankly I'd revisit the idea of renting a front loader. Maybe some poster here might have a lead.

Good luck

Good point. I was just thinking 4x4's so I could cut them at an angle on the ends to make them easier to pull. I guess I could do something similar with the 2x6's.

Last time I was out there I measured the base and it was around 11x7 if I remember correctly. Now that I think of it, a 12 foot 4x4 beam would be pretty expensive if I could even find one in that length.

If you can get a high trailer meaning 3'+ tall no sides obviously and tip it with a come along while hooked to your tractor then lower it down you'll be good. Then just pull it up slow with tractor when you get it where you need it. It'll work I've done it. More than once.

I don't like Master's emoji one bit.

That's my go to emoji. It works very well or I wouldn't suggest it. I don't want to kill a fellow OB poster.

If you can find a way to tip it just enough to slide 2 2x6s under legs and attach them to the legs, then just attach some eye bolts. Rope or chain to 4wheeler or truck. Slowly drag.

Then quickly fal over at the first bump.

NM

OP can you post a pic? Even better pics of the path you want to use.

Regardless of how you end up doing it, please record and post. Good luck!

Where is the blind located?

Master and I moved several blinds over the summer. Mine was the toughest one. Connect chains to the legs to the trailer so the legs don't kick out when lowering it. Make sure the chain can't slip. It's good to have a vehicle on the back side countering the weight when lowering, and when standing it up, don't get underneath it. If something gives, it will fall on you. We had a sporty moment in that aspect, but nothing fell, and nobody got hurt.

I'm thinking 2x6 skis or even better 2x8s. 11'x7' buy 4 eight footers and splice them together so they're longer in the front (direction of travel). Set two eyes or hooks to tie to your 3 point

The wheels you are talking about would be useless, don't even bother trying.

Skids might work depending on the terrain and how well everything is built and welded.


The right answer is the one that you don't want to hear - take it apart, tip it over, haul it the 100 yards, tilt it back up and reassemble - OR - rent what you need.

Reading the OP, I am thinking "no way", then OP comes back and says he's doing this by himself..... "NO WAY" !

The only possibility to do this according to your terms, is if the ground is level and smooth and you can make a crude sled out of boards that you can pull 100 yards with your truck. Even then, 12 ft is pretty tall to hope it stays upright.

I have seen a couple of minor deer blind crashes.... one, the whole box fell off when it was at about 45 degrees.... always pull it up or take it down by the box, Two, my lab took a walk right under a blind when it was falling down. Luckily it hit her square with the plywood and not a 2x4 corner, and the brush kept it from hurting her. She just walked away. She was not even visible when we had started lowering the blind, and just came walking up right when the tower tipped over.

The HSE portion of me (which is apparently a thing now after 8+ years in refining) is screaming "DON'T DO IT."

All the proposed plans are bad. Doing it alone is worse. Leave it there until you have the right help and equipment. It sounds dramatic but is seeing your family again worth moving a deer blind 100 yards?

Leave the blind where it is. Cut new shooting lanes to your feeder and resight your scope to the desired length.

Where is your place located?

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Be careful. Long story, but a friend of mine just had one fall on him at his lease. He almost died, and he is fighting hard to walk again.

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Yep. I know the guys who were there. Really scary situation. Be so careful if you're going to move that thing.

Do you have a pic of the blind??

Here are a couple of pictures of the blind in question. I know doing this pretty much by myself isn't ideal but if I want to get it done it's going to have to be that way. I'll sacrifice the blind before putting myself into too much of a safety hazard. If it starts tipping I'm bailing out to a safe distance. I figure if I just inch it along the 100 yards I should be able to control it pretty well. The good thing about the blind is it isn't real heavy. 1 inch square tubing frame plus thin sheet metal makes the actual blind only weigh between 300 and 400 lbs I would guess.

It doesn't sound like anybody thinks the wheels will work so I'll probably try the skid method. Thanks for the ideas. If it crashes and burns, I'll be sure to show pictures of the aftermath.

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Unless your blind is on a blacktop road I don't think you will have much luck putting wheels on it and towing. You'd likely rattle the blind apart with debris raining down on you.

The skids would help minimize the jostling/bumping at blind level, plus you can then attach a long enough rope/chain that you can pull from afar rather than being under its shadow if everything goes south.

These are the style wheels i was thinking about using. 10 inch, not 8 like I thought.


Put two on the back side and lift the front with the 3 point arms of the tractor just enough to clear the ground and keep it balanced. slowly creep it up the hill to the new location. having the tractor right next to the blind to lift it might not be ideal, but i would have the ability to lower the 2 legs to the ground instantly if the blind started getting tippy. Idealy, it would be nice if I had 2 of my buddies with ropes attached to either side to help keep it stable. I may just wait till I can get a couple of them out there and try it then.

if you can get the wheels really secure to the back legs and get the front tight and braced with the tractor 3 point, i think you should be fine moving as slow as you can. Just be sure you walk your path really well in advance removing any large rocks, sticks and even tall vegetation that might offer some resistance.

i'd definitely just go with the skid method. should be a bit more stable. plus wood is cheap if it fails and as another said, you can attach a long rope so the truck is well away from it.