Duck Blinds page 2
We've used the same design to construct our blinds for many years. It’s simple and they can be moved easily from one spot to another if we need to do so. Each blind is 10’ long and 5’ wide, framed with 2”x 6” lumber, a roof, floor, seat, gun rack and door. The majority of our managed wetlands flood so we anchor the blinds to permanent 4 x 4 posts. On this particular wetland it does not flood, so the blinds are placed on cinder blocks and tied down with cable to screw in earth anchors.
We attempt to provide first class set ups such as the duck blind above year after year, but our success rate is less than 50% since all of our wetlands are in low lying areas that are not able to produce a crop every year. Open field and crop field blinds are covered with rippy grass and crop stubble. We cut rippy grass each summer, bundle by hand and store in a barn. Rippy grass is a valuable commodity to anyone that has ever managed duck blinds. It’s grueling work since it only grows in fields that hold water and can only be cut during the peak heat of the summer months when the temperatures are in the 90’s and above.
One of three rippy grass loads bundled ready to be stored in the barn.
This blind replaced one that produced for over 15 years on one of our most powerful flood plains; the South Grand River. We burned the old blind, removed the rubble and floated the new blind piece by piece through the mud and water to the mound of dirt the old blind stood. Once our blinds are assembled we stretch and nail hog wire to the front, back, sides and roof.
Our Missouri wetlands on Parsons Creek, the Grand River and Big Creek have many species or oak trees surrounding the wetlands, sloughs, oxbows and creek banks. Pin oaks have strong leafs that don’t drop throughout the entire winter. After we weave the rippy grass through the hog wire we mix cut pin oak limbs with the rippy grass to break up the blond color of the rippy grass. On our most heavily used duck blinds we have flip fronts so the cover will last until the last day of the season. This blind also has dry land for a dog to sit.
