[buckeye dan]

My cousin is putting the finishing touches on Almost Heaven. The name for his new deer tower/cabin on stilts. His wife took one look at the staircase and nick named it the stairway to heaven that's how the tower got it's name.

When it is finished it will sleep 4 and be virtually sound proof. He'll be able to spend the night in this heated cabin on stilts and awake on opening day to see all the deer in the 5 acre plot field. He even talked about a mini underground septic system. The box under the stairs will be a coat closet and supplies closet underneath. The top portion will house the propane tank for the heater and lantern.
The cabin measures 8'x8' and is 16 feet high at the floor. It is made entirely of treated lumber and stands on 6"x6"s. We figure it will be standing there long after we are both dead if a tornado doesn't take it out. Which is a possibility. Still cleaning up a mess from the last one. It took out a beech tree that was well over 100 years old. It would have taken 3 people to join hands around it.

 

[Mountainman]

That looks sweet! Keep us updated with picks as he gets it finished.

 

[texasnative46]

WOW! just WOW!

yours, tn46

 

[saxman]

Thats a nice one there

 

[SPECIALIZED]

Nothing like being comfortable for those long hard winter hours on the stand.

Sweet!

 

[Guide Girl]

Now your doing the Texas style thing. It'll be good for rifle hunter and a cameraman or having to take a kid with you, they can play on the floor. Been there, done that. Looking good there!

 

[Cossack]

That ain't right. Just ain't right... for deer hunting. Sure is a nice 'tree house' to play in though.

 

[Kozman4907]

Looking good!

I bet I could even talk my wife to come hunting if I had that " love shack"!

Looks beg enough to sleep in! Very nice!
Koz

 

[Tim50]

Great looking place! Keep us updated with the progress!!

 

[Bayou Excalibur]

Looks good. Please post it a follow up when it is finished.

 

[urban legend]

Does the butler open the door for you when you get to the top?:hat:

 

[buckeye dan]

Our deer program on this property is still in it's infancy. We are still in land management stages. It may be good enough to film a couple of hunts this year however.
I have seen one monster buck and 2 or 3 others that are no slouch but are still too young. We have several resident does and at least one of them is very mature considering the pressure the neighbors put on them.

They clear cut 400 acres a couple of miles up the road and we are not sure what the impact will be when the guns go bang and dislocate all those deer in our direction. Several of them moved north and there is quite a bit of pressure in that direction. I expect many more of them will take refuge in our area when they find the plots and feeders.

After this deer season is over we will have a better feel of things to come. Our fall plotting success or failure will have a lot to do with it too.

 

[buckeye dan]

Does the butler open the door for you when you get to the top?

If you count the angels as butlers then yea!

 

[conductorguy]

Now that is what I have always wanted a grownup tree house/hunting blind...way kool!!!

 

[buckeye dan]

Almost Heaven...Almost done

Some updated photos. Still interior work to be done but the shell is finished.

 

[JakeinTX]

Wow,

You guys are taking a little of The Lone Star state to the midwest! GG may know the name the blind manufacturer it is escapeing me right now (It might be Atascosa Blinds) makes a killer corporate blind with running water, wet bar, heat/AC and a poker table in the middle. It is a huge thing that would probably run you about $50k to put one up with all the doo dads in it. Kind of takes the "roughing" it out of the hunt. But since these go up on leases where the guys are paying $10k or more for a buck I guess this falls in line with "hunting" for the folks. Anyway, this is cool, kind of like a fishing shanty on stilts.
Good Luck
Jake

 

[buckeye dan]

I knew Texas has been using towers like this for years due to the lack of trees suitable for deer stands depending on the region. But they are actually quite common in Ohio. Not as much as they used to be but they are catching back on.
People built them years ago when our winters were very harsh. You never know if it's going to be 60 and sunny or 45 and raining or worse 0 and snowing with 30 yard visibility. Since food plotting has gotten so popular here they are making a come back.
My cousin does not bow hunt. He mainly muzzle loader hunts. But now if it's freezing or raining during bow season I'll have place to escape the elements. The big crossbow sized window faces a major path they use to cross through the ladino, chicory patch. The deer crisscross the field in both directions within bow range of the tower. We plan on strategically placing a couple of fall plots to make sure the traffic keeps up.
I'll probably get a roll of camo burlap for the lower section that can be hung or removed for a turkey ground blind too.

 

[Guide Girl]

Yea, I just bought two of those tower stands to get the info on the lease.
Jake, you're talking about Atascosa Wildlife Supply. There's another company that just moved from here and I can't remember his name! He's been bow fishing with us a few times too with his boys. I actually just saw pictures and price tags on thise blind when I was looking through my pictures on this computer. We were helping a blind co. with local retail info.

SPECIALIZED, I'm not gonna make a comment untl I see the big 30 point buck hanging in front of the trailer! Go team go!

 

[hunterfisher]

SWeeeeeeeet.

 

[tc scout]

Very Nice! Makes mine look like a, well you know "Outhouse" :thumbsup: