Have an older canvas wall tent I've been using for about 3 years now. For some reason the bottom of the canvas is about 4" from the ground when I set it up. I only use it when its cold so that means I dig 10 4" holes where the poles go to the canvas down on the ground to keep the draft out. I'm thinking I ought to just shorten the poles to lessen the hassle, but figure there must have been a reason they are that long to begin with. Like the old man used to say you can always cut something shorter, you can't make it longer.

Have pondered it for a while only thing I can think of is ventilation, which is a non issue because I definitely don't use this sucker in the summer time. Maybe supposed to keep the canvas off the ground so it doesn't rot out but it only stays up a few days at a time. Figured I'd bounce it off a couple of you old crusty elk chasing, mountain hunting types before I got the skill saw out.

Maybe it wants a wood deck under it.

It has crossed my mind.

On a deck

No idea why the gap, I would assume for a draft. You hunting around Chillicothe?

A little draft is fine at times but there are other times where it can be brutal!

Not Chilicothe, Archer and Clay counties is where I do most of my hunting. I may go the deck route next year, just not a fan of spiders and rats and they'll move in pretty quick.

Designed and built this last year. 10 separate panels, canvas roof and the idea was to put up in October and tear down in January. Long story short I left it out to long and the springs storms shredded my top and boogered up a couple of the panels. Walls are still standing and it is rat, spider and wasp infested. May just salvage it and get another top for next year.



Short of decking the wall tent though I see no reason to not shorten the poles.

Nice pics by the way guys, thanks.

Man that first pick reminds me of the old boy scout days in the 70's. Speaking of the Boy Scouts we used those in the troop and the canvas went to the ground and was staked down. But when we were staffing they had wood or concrete floors. Some used regular tent frames and some had a one piece pipe frame set up and you just pulled the canvas over that. It could be set up for a floor.

How about just a wood frame that goes around the perimeter of the tent with holes for the poles? Then you have the gap filled and something to hold the poles in place.

I think you may have the wrong pole set. All of them I have seen and stayed in, went to below ground level with the weather flap to be buried. The old Army GP 18' dia I had went to the ground and it was a 1948 model! didn't have flaps, but enough to secure the bottom.

Speaking of skill saw .........do you have mine? Lol

Stayed in quite a few. Every one I have stayed in went all the way to the ground.

Have a 8inch sod cloth sewn around bottom.

Some good ideas. Based on what I use it for though think it makes the most sense just to shorten the poles.

Had the same problem with a new one. I called Montana canvas tents and they said cut the poles. Problem solved

Cut the poles, weld a collar on, and screw a pipe plug in. Then if you ever need 'em longer just take the plug out and screw in a nipple!

Got a little weather early Saturday, kiddos snug as a bug. Aside from being a bit of a PITA to set up and take down this is about my favorite way to camp/hunt.

Hardly any memories can beat ones like those. I truly believe it is times like that, that keep us old guys passing on those traditions.


I love tent camping, even though I now have a camper, but some of the best memories I have, is elk/MD camp in the Rockies with a few good friends, with family, it's priceless.

Awesomeness, those memories are going to be excellent! More pictures of your chuck wagon trailer! That thing looks really cool as well. Did you build that?

I think back to the cool stuff when I was little with my dad when it was cold and felt to me like it was 20 below outside. Stuff like sitting wrapped up in an old army blanket under a mesquite with my dad watching for deer, getting a sip of whiskey back at camp to warm up, spotlighting rabbits after dark, freezing butt off in back seat of his 3 door suburban coyote hunting until the early am hours, standing around the fire listening to old guys talk while they cooked up buttered steaks on a mesquite fire and buried baked potatoes in the coals. I was uncomfortable a lot, but it was a heck of a lot of fun.

I didn't build the trailer, actually got if off a member on here a while back. It is cool, we use the heck out of it. Next time I'm out I'll get some better pictures.

If you have set the tent up in the same place, why not put a pipe sleeve on the pipe. Bury the sleeve at ground level, from then on all you have to do is slide the pipe in the sleeve.

Great Pics

that is really nice - you are doing it right!