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Tower of Death
#5955356
10/01/15 02:01 AM
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Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 369
MartyN
OP
Bird Dog
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OP
Bird Dog
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 369 |
Hey guys, I joined a new lease last year and put my 4x6 blind on a 16' tower that was available on the property. Love the view, but coming up on birthday 55 and feeling like I need to come up with some sort of safety harness. The ladder is vertical, and I usually have a backpack and my rifle slung over my shoulder (unloaded). When I get to the blind I have to hang on with my left hand while I reach up to open the door with my right, then duck as the door swings open. Not a good situation. Also, that first backwards step out of the blind to come down is not ideal.
I know there are safety harnesses for tree stands. Would one of those work? Any suggestions would be appreciated.
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Re: Tower of Death
[Re: MartyN]
#5955362
10/01/15 02:03 AM
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 60,296
stxranchman
Obie Juan Kenobi
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Obie Juan Kenobi
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 60,296 |
Get you a rope to pull up your backpack and rifle that you leave tied up there permantly. I would look at getting an angle ladder or staircase for it.
Are idiots multiplying faster than normal people?
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Re: Tower of Death
[Re: MartyN]
#5955365
10/01/15 02:04 AM
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 32,506
kmon11
junior
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junior
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 32,506 |
Tower climbers have harnesses used on vertical steel ladders.
I would also use a rope to pull my gun and pack up.
lf the saying "Liar, Liar your pants on fire" were true Mainstream news might be fun to watch
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Re: Tower of Death
[Re: MartyN]
#5955374
10/01/15 02:09 AM
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Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 5,067
titan2232
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 5,067 |
Def a rope to pull your gear up. I put in a sliding door on the new blind I just made. Aluminum tracks from Home Depot and a few spare shielded ball bearings from work.
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Re: Tower of Death
[Re: MartyN]
#5955398
10/01/15 02:19 AM
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Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 4,439
TFF Caribou
Extreme Tracker
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Extreme Tracker
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 4,439 |
I would think about some stairs.
The very atmosphere of firearms anywhere and everywhere restrains evil interference. -George Washington
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Re: Tower of Death
[Re: MartyN]
#5955417
10/01/15 02:30 AM
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Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 6,269
swmays
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 6,269 |
I have the same thing at 10'. Was ok 15 years ago. The solution for me may be adding two post and a platform at about 7' from where I can stand and reach the latch to open the door...
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Re: Tower of Death
[Re: swmays]
#5955422
10/01/15 02:32 AM
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 60,296
stxranchman
Obie Juan Kenobi
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Obie Juan Kenobi
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 60,296 |
I have the same thing at 10'. Was ok 15 years ago. The solution for me may be adding two post and a platform at about 7' from where I can stand and reach the latch to open the door... This ^^^^^^^^ If you think getting in and out is difficult today, wait till it is cold and you are stiff from sitting for hours one morning/evening and try to get out.
Are idiots multiplying faster than normal people?
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Re: Tower of Death
[Re: MartyN]
#5955440
10/01/15 02:39 AM
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Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 3,161
SouthWestIron
Veteran Tracker
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Veteran Tracker
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 3,161 |
Sir, I'd recommend a safety harness with a pick off strap. Pick off strap is a smaller webbing strap that attaches to your harness via a carbiner. You can lock in before climbing into the blind and coming down out of it. You can also lock in every couple of rungs going up and down the ladder of the blind.
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Re: Tower of Death
[Re: MartyN]
#5955466
10/01/15 03:00 AM
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Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 369
MartyN
OP
Bird Dog
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OP
Bird Dog
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 369 |
thanks guys, I just ordered a harness, lifeline, and tow strap from Hunter Safety Harness. Looks like just what I need.
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Re: Tower of Death
[Re: SouthWestIron]
#5955476
10/01/15 03:09 AM
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Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 189
JDPoulsen
Woodsman
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Woodsman
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 189 |
I second the safety harness idea. The Tower of Death reminded me of my father in laws Deer Stand he hunted out of over 30 years ago. It was over twenty feet off the ground in a Power Line Tower. My father in law would climb up on bolts staggered up one corner and when he got up as high as the stand, he had to walk across the length of one side to get into the stand. He did not use a rope to get his rifle up there. He held it in one hand and climbed up. He hunted for years out of this stand even climbing it when it was glazed over with ice. He killed some good bucks out of the stand. The Power Company would take it down and he would get his ropes and pulley and put it back up. We finally convinced him to quit hunting out of it.
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Re: Tower of Death
[Re: MartyN]
#5955549
10/01/15 04:05 AM
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Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 529
basspromaster
Tracker
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Tracker
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 529 |
Please be safe. Great job ordering the harness and I too would be using a rope to pull up and drop your gun and pack. You have way to many people that live and care about u to fall and get injured or die doing something like that. Good luck this season and God bless!
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Re: Tower of Death
[Re: MartyN]
#5955907
10/01/15 02:23 PM
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Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 189
JDPoulsen
Woodsman
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Woodsman
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 189 |
When my father in law was a young kid, he and his older brother decided it would be fun to climb the town Water Tower. Their Mama was washing dishes and looked out the kitchen window and saw two of her boys walking around on the roof of the Water Tower. She went out on the back porch and hollered for them to get down. When their Dad got home from work he made sure they never scared their mother like that again. I bet they couldn't sit down for a week!
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Re: Tower of Death
[Re: MartyN]
#5955933
10/01/15 02:40 PM
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Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 39,549
redchevy
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 39,549 |
This is what we did. This stand is only 10 or 12 foot tall but the porch is nice!
It's hell eatin em live
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Re: Tower of Death
[Re: redchevy]
#5955959
10/01/15 02:56 PM
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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 2,441
TxDispatcher
Veteran Tracker
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Veteran Tracker
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 2,441 |
This is what we did. This stand is only 10 or 12 foot tall but the porch is nice! That's pretty much what I went with. I built the base 4x8 and the stand is 4x6, so I have a 2' porch to get on before worrying about the door. And the door swings in...but it's much more comfortable to have that small porch section to stand on
I will get off in a little bit You shouldnt have said that
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Re: Tower of Death
[Re: MartyN]
#5955971
10/01/15 03:06 PM
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Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 39,549
redchevy
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 39,549 |
Hunted a buddies place a couple times they have a 25 foot tall tower with straight ladder with rungs about 1.5 to 2 foot apart. I don't like that stand. It feels like FOREVER till you get to that top rung when climbing down!
It's hell eatin em live
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Re: Tower of Death
[Re: MartyN]
#5956010
10/01/15 03:40 PM
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Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 316
BigBucky2014
Bird Dog
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Bird Dog
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 316 |
Here is the 4x6 that I built last year. Worked awesome last season. I built the platform and base first and then put the blind on top. The entire platform is 4'x10'. The blind is 4x6 which means the porch is 4x4. I used Elevators to secure the legs and deck boards to cover the porch. I know you already ordered the harness with the lifeline (great product), but you might want to do this in the future.
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Re: Tower of Death
[Re: MartyN]
#5956170
10/01/15 05:29 PM
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Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 369
MartyN
OP
Bird Dog
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OP
Bird Dog
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 369 |
would love to have a porch on mine
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Re: Tower of Death
[Re: JDPoulsen]
#5956408
10/01/15 07:40 PM
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Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 21,271
SniperRAB
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 21,271 |
I second the safety harness idea. The Tower of Death reminded me of my father in laws Deer Stand he hunted out of over 30 years ago. It was over twenty feet off the ground in a Power Line Tower. My father in law would climb up on bolts staggered up one corner and when he got up as high as the stand, he had to walk across the length of one side to get into the stand. He did not use a rope to get his rifle up there. He held it in one hand and climbed up. He hunted for years out of this stand even climbing it when it was glazed over with ice. He killed some good bucks out of the stand. The Power Company would take it down and he would get his ropes and pulley and put it back up. We finally convinced him to quit hunting out of it. Committed
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Re: Tower of Death
[Re: SniperRAB]
#5956469
10/01/15 08:14 PM
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Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 189
JDPoulsen
Woodsman
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Woodsman
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 189 |
One morning he had climbed up to this stand in the dark. As he was fixing to step into the stand a big Owl flew out right by his head. Don't know how my father in law kept his composure but he stayed the course and climbed in and hunted that morning!
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Re: Tower of Death
[Re: MartyN]
#5956470
10/01/15 08:14 PM
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Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,113
Bbcat78
Pro Tracker
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Pro Tracker
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,113 |
love it SniperRAB, looks like something my family would do
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Re: Tower of Death
[Re: MartyN]
#5956755
10/01/15 11:56 PM
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Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 103
Rembrandt
Woodsman
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Woodsman
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 103 |
We went with stairs for the safety aspect......especially with the kids.
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Re: Tower of Death
[Re: MartyN]
#5957188
10/02/15 05:12 AM
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Joined: May 2011
Posts: 28,031
skinnerback
THF Celebrity Chef
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THF Celebrity Chef
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 28,031 |
Hunting high (in the air) is different for sure. When I was 6 yrs old I think (5 or 6), I followed my Dad up a 25' tower blind on a fence line in S Texas (vertical ladder). I was a climber, so he trusted me I guess. Made it to the top but ain't gonna lie I was a little scared when I looked down. Dad said don't look down & opened the door, put 25-06 & Thermos inside, told me to hold on tight son as he climbed in then reached his big arm down and pulled me in. First thing I noticed were the yellow jacket nests and before I could even finish my sentence Dad told me to calm down, be quiet, he's got a knife it's gonna be OK (was a little cold out). Took him about 5 minutes to cut all of the half comatose yellow jackets in half and then he poured me a cup of hot chocolate from his Thermos and told me not to touch them because they can still sting you. Also toted my BB gun up and my job was to shoot the cows in the butt if they got too close to the blind. Cows rubbing on tower blind was kinda scary LOL. Right before dark Dad said there's a good buck, he just stuck his neck out of the brush. He's a good ways out there, be quiet and don't move. Set binoculars down grabbed rifle and BAM. I got him son, gonna wait a few minutes. I'm going down first and then you step down. Don't worry, I've got you. I was so excited I can hardly remember getting down. That was my first experience in a tower blind and something I will never forget. Miss you Dad.
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Re: Tower of Death
[Re: MartyN]
#5957189
10/02/15 05:15 AM
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Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 1,177
DH3
Pro Tracker
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Pro Tracker
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 1,177 |
I am 80 and climb a ladder to a blind 16' off the ground. I climb with my rifle strapped to my back. Difference is a "porch". If the O.P. has to climb a vertical ladder, then use one hand to open the blind door (and duck when the wind tries to blow it shut) he is in a world of hurt. Trying to pull a rifle and backpack up on a rope is just asking for it to get caught on the ladder while he peeks out and holds the door open. He needs a porch "add-on" and an angled ladder, MINIMUM. Be safe out there!
Old age and treachery beats youth and stupid every time!
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Re: Tower of Death
[Re: skinnerback]
#5957203
10/02/15 06:18 AM
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Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 5,067
titan2232
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 5,067 |
Hunting high (in the air) is different for sure. When I was 6 yrs old I think (5 or 6), I followed my Dad up a 25' tower blind on a fence line in S Texas (vertical ladder). I was a climber, so he trusted me I guess. Made it to the top but ain't gonna lie I was a little scared when I looked down. Dad said don't look down & opened the door, put 25-06 & Thermos inside, told me to hold on tight son as he climbed in then reached his big arm down and pulled me in. First thing I noticed were the yellow jacket nests and before I could even finish my sentence Dad told me to calm down, be quiet, he's got a knife it's gonna be OK (was a little cold out). Took him about 5 minutes to cut all of the half comatose yellow jackets in half and then he poured me a cup of hot chocolate from his Thermos and told me not to touch them because they can still sting you. Also toted my BB gun up and my job was to shoot the cows in the butt if they got too close to the blind. Cows rubbing on tower blind was kinda scary LOL. Right before dark Dad said there's a good buck, he just stuck his neck out of the brush. He's a good ways out there, be quiet and don't move. Set binoculars down grabbed rifle and BAM. I got him son, gonna wait a few minutes. I'm going down first and then you step down. Don't worry, I've got you. I was so excited I can hardly remember getting down. That was my first experience in a tower blind and something I will never forget. Miss you Dad. Thanks for sharing. Good story
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