# Looking for a DIY bale blind.



## KSandTXbowman (Dec 5, 2004)

Anyone made one before? Id rather make a few for what it cost to buy just one. Any links you guys have would be much appreciated it.


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## IA Monsterbuck (Jul 18, 2006)

Search the DIY section. They are super easy to make. Here's one I made .


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## Rembrandt1 (Mar 6, 2005)

Pretty easy to make, many different ways to do it. I used electrical conduit and cattle panels, welded up a skeletal framework. Made it with sliding windows and magnetic door latch. Covered with tarp and duck blind grass. Deer have actually stuck their noses inside the windows.....they work that well.


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## wastnawayagn (Dec 17, 2006)

Wow, these look gr e at. I'm gonna make one this year. Can't beat blinds


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## SycamoreCreek (Aug 31, 2014)

That's awesome


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## RatherBArchery (Oct 31, 2006)

what are the approximate dimensions?? Guessing each of your hoops are longer then 10 feet.


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## krieger (Jan 24, 2007)

Very well done, both builds! I have a wood frame, concrete wire mesh in progress, it's fairly heavy at 5'x8', big enough for 3 people. I like the conduit idea! I need to find someone with a roll bender for the end pieces. Would be very slick, never would rot like a wood frame. I plan on leaving mine out in a good turkey/deer funnel.


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## IA Monsterbuck (Jul 18, 2006)

RatherBArchery said:


> what are the approximate dimensions?? Guessing each of your hoops are longer then 10 feet.


I used I hog panels. I think 14 or 15 foot. Was able to do the whole thing with 3 panels, two for the sides and one for the ends. Bottom is 4x7 (built frame 4x8 then realized the plywood I had sitting around actually had a foot cut off from it). Put it on 4x4 skids. Pulls very easily around the field behind my 4 wheeler.


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## KSandTXbowman (Dec 5, 2004)

Awesome feed back thanks. Do you use just small electric welder to weld it together? What about a canvas tarp? Would it last longer or would it being in the weather draw more mold? I thought about building one on a trailer as well.


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## RatherBArchery (Oct 31, 2006)

Rem,
How long were your EMT hoops before rolling???


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## Rembrandt1 (Mar 6, 2005)

RatherBArchery said:


> Rem,
> How long were your EMT hoops before rolling???


I think they were 10'.....the longest length Lowes had in stock. Overall length of the bale is 7'.


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## DrewJF8 (May 7, 2010)

IA Monsterbuck said:


> Search the DIY section. They are super easy to make. Here's one I made .


What are you using for the outer most layer?


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## IA Monsterbuck (Jul 18, 2006)

DrewJF8 said:


> What are you using for the outer most layer?


Erosion control matting. It comes in an 8 ft wide roll and I think it was 100 ft long. Enough to do 3 layers over the whole thing. I think the cost was around $90.


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## DrewJF8 (May 7, 2010)

IA Monsterbuck said:


> Erosion control matting. It comes in an 8 ft wide roll and I think it was 100 ft long. Enough to do 3 layers over the whole thing. I think the cost was around $90.


That's similar to what I've used, but I can only find rolls about 4 ft wide amd 50 ft long. Where are you buying yours? How does it hold up year to year?


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## IA Monsterbuck (Jul 18, 2006)

DrewJF8 said:


> That's similar to what I've used, but I can only find rolls about 4 ft wide amd 50 ft long. Where are you buying yours? How does it hold up year to year?


I bought it at a local supplier. Search online maybe you can find it near you. Don't know what it would cost to ship a roll that big.

Only been out less than a year so not sure of the long term durability but it still looks good. Having 3 layers it should last quite a long time. 

One thing is that it really doesn't have to be perfect to fool deer. Even if the cover starts to wear thin the frame is covered in a brown tarp so it will still be servicable. Wherever you put it the deer just need to get used to it.

I ve seen deer walk right by my tractor wherever it's parked in the field. They are just used to seeing it out there. Last fall I could have shot a whopper buck from the seat of it he walked so close to it. Of course I was sitting in a treestand watching and he didn't come close to me.


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## RatherBArchery (Oct 31, 2006)

Rembrandt1 said:


> I think they were 10'.....the longest length Lowes had in stock. Overall length of the bale is 7'.


Yep, 10 footers is what I buy from Lowes too. Just wasn't sure if you added to that length. I have about 9 sticks in my treestand/ladder building stockpile now that may meet the tubing roller very soon. How did you form your 'hoops' ????


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## KSandTXbowman (Dec 5, 2004)

Rem what size welding rod did you use for the conduit and how many amps? I m in the mix of getting me a small welding machine for the garage.


Rembrandt1 said:


> Pretty easy to make, many different ways to do it. I used electrical conduit and cattle panels, welded up a skeletal framework. Made it with sliding windows and magnetic door latch. Covered with tarp and duck blind grass. Deer have actually stuck their noses inside the windows.....they work that well.


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## Rembrandt1 (Mar 6, 2005)

RatherBArchery said:


> How did you form your 'hoops' ????


We have a roller at work to bend tubing.



KSandTXbowman said:


> Rem what size welding rod did you use for the conduit and how many amps? I m in the mix of getting me a small welding machine for the garage.


Never had much luck with stick welding thin wall tubing, used a wire welder.


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## Duck$&Buck$ (Aug 28, 2015)

Wouldn't a tarp keep the heat in? In SC it's still 85 degrees when bow season starts. Wouldn't just duck blind grass be ok?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Alaska at heart (Aug 25, 2009)

I love the looks of those hay bale blinds and hope to have one of my own before season starts this October. If one of you gents with photos could possibly make provide a parts list and some specs, I would be very grateful.


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## QTWM (Feb 3, 2013)

very slick. nice work.


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## ReleaseTheBeast (Apr 30, 2016)

I need one of those


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## IA Monsterbuck (Jul 18, 2006)

Guys, these things really work! Best thing for hunting I've ever made.


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## V-TRAIN (Feb 27, 2009)

IA Monsterbuck said:


> Guys, these things really work! Best thing for hunting I've ever made.


sweet, congrats, that is awesome.

i am sure that they could be made square also, easier with a few 2x4's and some erosion control fabric, would look almost like a stack of bales.
i can't imagine a deer or turkey locking up the brakes going "Aw heck no there is a non-round hay bale over there time to jet". lol
i know the turkeys wouldn't mind, they don't seem to pay one bit of attention to stuff like that, unless it is moving. deer are a lot more cautious, at least where i am.


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## IA Monsterbuck (Jul 18, 2006)

V-TRAIN said:


> sweet, congrats, that is awesome.
> 
> i am sure that they could be made square also, easier with a few 2x4's and some erosion control fabric, would look almost like a stack of bales.
> i can't imagine a deer or turkey locking up the brakes going "Aw heck no there is a non-round hay bale over there time to jet". lol
> i know the turkeys wouldn't mind, they don't seem to pay one bit of attention to stuff like that, unless it is moving. deer are a lot more cautious, at least where i am.


Thanks.

You know it's funny buy the first couple years I used pop up blinds and the Turkeys avoided them. Even leaving them out a couple weeks in advance. 

I built this and it's been out there several months now and they ignore it. I would agree it's really not the look but just being able to leave it out for them to get used to.

The nice thing about a hay bale blind is it Blends in and does not stick out to people passing by. It looks better and does not draw the attention of unwanted people. With the windows closed you can t tell it's not just a bale of hay sitting out in the field.


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## V-TRAIN (Feb 27, 2009)

IA Monsterbuck said:


> Thanks.
> 
> You know it's funny buy the first couple years I used pop up blinds and the Turkeys avoided them. Even leaving them out a couple weeks in advance.
> 
> ...


your birds are a lot brighter than mine. i have some at my my house and they walk all around my truck when i park it back there.
it blows my mind, but i guess they are used to it, being around and if it moves a little bit it doesn't matter.

deer are just different i have this feeder at one of our farms and had something happen, that if i were not sitting watching it wouldn't believe it.
it had been in this plot for about 4 months, deer were coming to it like crazy. i moved it about 15 yards to more of the center of the plot farther away.
i like having them to pull deer to plots, i don't hunt near them cause you have to sit still for freaking ever. usually just the does and small bucks go to them, but the big bucks will cruse the plots checking out what is going on.

i went back the next day and when it went off about 12 deer came and went to the original spot, and would not get anywhere close to where it was now sitting.
they just stayed there staring at it for about 20 or 30 minutes, ate in the plot and left. it was really funny to see their reaction to it.


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## Flatheadking06 (Aug 5, 2016)

Rembrandt1 said:


> RatherBArchery said:
> 
> 
> > How did you form your 'hoops' ????
> ...


On your hoops, is that just one piece of conduit bent to shape or did you have to weld 2 together to get the length for the bend? And do you happen to have the hoop measurements?


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