Jim Boyd
Senior Member
Calling all carpenters and structural building experts!!!
Doing property work to open up 500 yard lane.
Want to build a rock solid platform that is 80% shooting platform / house and 20% deer stand.
I have a powerline across my place and a long thin food plot that we recently mechanically widened with mulcher.
Using the mulcher, I opened a spot on south side of power line and the platform will be under some pines for shade. Facing north, the sun will be behind the stand and not in our eyes.
At the other end of the lane, I cut a rectangular opening about 20 yards into the woods to make the 500.
There is a slight rise and then fall of the earth as you look north so platform needs to be elevated.
I am thinking:
- it must be bone solid
- either 8’ wide x 6’ deep or even 8x8
- use 5 telephone poles set in concrete 3-4’ in ground, one on each corner and one off center, slight to right
- off center post in center, under a right hand shooter, will allow a wire rope and tensioner X system under the platform, about 2’ below the platform
- x brace all outer poles
- 2x8 joist system with 5/4 floor
- Integral ambidextrous bench tied to truss system
- not sure about chairs
- stairs coming up 8’ on the back of the platform with left and right handrails. Steps should be 4-5’ wide
- verticals at all 4 corners with left and right mid verticals and verticals either side of stairs. No verticals on front.
- Roof @ 6’8” at front and 6’4” at rear with a green panel roof.
- rifle leaning rack
- walls at xx ” tall?
- bench at xx “ tall?
Thoughts?
Suggestions?
Spotting scope mount?
Chrono mount?
Dimensions?
Chairs or bench arrangement? For shooting and perhaps for viewing?
Berms at 100 yd intervals?
Signage on dirt road along western boundary when we are shooting?
What am I not considering?
Appreciate all thoughts - blank canvas, nothing written in stone yet.
Lane in center of pic.
Also - super easy to shoot deer on power line and north on long plot. Both get planted annually.
Doing property work to open up 500 yard lane.
Want to build a rock solid platform that is 80% shooting platform / house and 20% deer stand.
I have a powerline across my place and a long thin food plot that we recently mechanically widened with mulcher.
Using the mulcher, I opened a spot on south side of power line and the platform will be under some pines for shade. Facing north, the sun will be behind the stand and not in our eyes.
At the other end of the lane, I cut a rectangular opening about 20 yards into the woods to make the 500.
There is a slight rise and then fall of the earth as you look north so platform needs to be elevated.
I am thinking:
- it must be bone solid
- either 8’ wide x 6’ deep or even 8x8
- use 5 telephone poles set in concrete 3-4’ in ground, one on each corner and one off center, slight to right
- off center post in center, under a right hand shooter, will allow a wire rope and tensioner X system under the platform, about 2’ below the platform
- x brace all outer poles
- 2x8 joist system with 5/4 floor
- Integral ambidextrous bench tied to truss system
- not sure about chairs
- stairs coming up 8’ on the back of the platform with left and right handrails. Steps should be 4-5’ wide
- verticals at all 4 corners with left and right mid verticals and verticals either side of stairs. No verticals on front.
- Roof @ 6’8” at front and 6’4” at rear with a green panel roof.
- rifle leaning rack
- walls at xx ” tall?
- bench at xx “ tall?
Thoughts?
Suggestions?
Spotting scope mount?
Chrono mount?
Dimensions?
Chairs or bench arrangement? For shooting and perhaps for viewing?
Berms at 100 yd intervals?
Signage on dirt road along western boundary when we are shooting?
What am I not considering?
Appreciate all thoughts - blank canvas, nothing written in stone yet.
Lane in center of pic.
Also - super easy to shoot deer on power line and north on long plot. Both get planted annually.