A hunting blind is a structure designed to conceal the hunter from his prey. It must blend into the surrounding landscape; an unnatural structure can warn prey away. The blind needs to be light and not too bulky; most hunting sites are often far from a convenient road, meaning the blind must be carried. Hunting blinds take a beating; spray foam is a substance that can be repaired with an additional spray of foam and repainted.
Items you will need
Pencil
Tape measure
Six 1-by-1 wood studs appropriately sized
Handsaw
Hammer
Four L shaped wood fasteners
Wire snips
Heavy duty staple gun
Spray foam
Two hinges
Wood screws
Screwdriver
Paint to match landscape
Building the Simple Blind
Decide on the size of the blind. This will depend on whether you'll sit, stand or lie down, and how much you want to carry to the hunt site. Mark four of the pieces of wood to length -- the top and bottom pieces must be the same length, the two side pieces must be the same length.
Lay the four pieces out in a square. Tie the corners together with the L shaped fasteners. These fasteners often come spiked and can be driven into the wood with a hammer. If not, they'll have screw holes.
Cut the wire mesh to fit the size of the square using the snips. Lay the mesh on top of the square and tack it down with the staple gun.
Apply the spray foam to the mesh. Place newspaper or cardboard behind the mesh to catch the overspray. Thickness will depend on how you want your blind to look. You can carve the surface after it is dried or apply it at different depths to the mesh. An uneven surface will appear less obvious in the bush. Note the foam will expand considerably as it comes out of the nozzle and onto the screen. Expect expansion to be approximately eight times the size it was in the container.
Allow the foam to dry completely.
Cut the two remaining pieces of wood to work as legs. They must be long enough to support the blind leaning backwards. Attach the hinges to the legs at the end with screws. Attach the other side of the hinge to the back sides of the wood frame near the top.
Paint the foam. Use different colors to break up the surface to help it blend in with the surrounding terrain.
Warnings
- Follow all safety instructions with the foam. Use it in a well ventilated area.
Tips
- This is a very simple one-sided blind. It would be possible to create sides much the same way as constructing the front.
- The blind as it stands will be susceptible to wind. This can be alleviated by placing hooks at the top and using string and tent pegs to hold it to the ground, or attaching spikes to the bottom of the feet and frame.
References
Tips
- This is a very simple one-sided blind. It would be possible to create sides much the same way as constructing the front.
- The blind as it stands will be susceptible to wind. This can be alleviated by placing hooks at the top and using string and tent pegs to hold it to the ground, or attaching spikes to the bottom of the feet and frame.
Warnings
- Follow all safety instructions with the foam. Use it in a well ventilated area.
Writer Bio
Rick Waugh has been writing about how to do things since the 1980s. His articles have appeared in "Canadian Biker" magazine, "Adoptive Families" magazine and "CCNews" (Call Center News.) Waugh's post-secondary education includes certificates in computer programming and technical writing.
