This is a transportable photo blind I designed and made in 1994. There are several features I considered necessary that went into the design of this blind:
Compact and transportable--the blind will fit in a van or pick-up truck to be moved to another location. It can be easily be manually wheeled to another nearby spot.
Comfortable--the blind is of a size that allows comfortable seating with back resting against closed door. The occupant is well protected against wind and weather. You can move around without being noticed outside the blind.
Built-in camera support--a supported shelf makes a sturdy tripod head mount as well as a place to hold items such as a can of pop or teleconverter. Other items such a flash brackets can be mounted to the wood frame of the blind.
Durable--the painted, glued plywood construction means it is durable and can be left out in the weather for long periods of time allowing complete acclimation by wildlife.
This blind is obviously
best suited for use on private property or where
permission can be obtained to leave it on site. It has worked very well
for me and I would make no big changes if I had to build another one. It is
constructed out of 3/8" sheathing plywood around a 2"x2" wood frame. All plywood to frame surfaces are attached with construction glue
and drywall screws. The outside dimensions of the box are 33"
deep x 30" wide x 62" high at the front. The roof panel is sloped
about 4" to the rear for water runoff. 24" cart wheels
with pneumatic tires and top mounted handle bar are attached to the front of the
blind. A rear 2"x4" stand was incorporated into the box frame to
be the
same height as the cart wheels in front. Inside, I sit on a covered plastic
5 gallon paint pail with a foam cushion on top. The bucket also holds
misc. items. The tripod head is bolted through the bottom of
2"x6" shelf with a 3/8 bolt. I have 2, 4 and 6 inch 4"x4"
wood risers with appropriate length bolts to adjust the height of the tripod
head. The close-up photo shows the a riser under a Wimberly tripod head.
To move the blind just grab the handle bar in front and tip it toward you and roll it around like a refrigerator dolly or hand cart. The large wheels allow movement over fairly rough terrain. I carry a few pieces of scrap wood in the paint bucket to level the blind on uneven ground. There is a latch lock installed on the door which acts as both a door latch and door lock. I sometimes leave items locked in the blind when I leave it--so far no one has tampered with the blind. I did apply camo paint to the blind. This was to make it less noticeable to humans. I also later added small door ports on the left and right side of the blind at eye level big enough to stick a 400 f5.6 lens through. I don't like that helpless feeling of missing action to the side of the blind. I made camo netting curtains to cover the front opening with the lens poking through. When you are inside with the door closed, you are effectively sitting in a chair with a tall back rest. I can spend many hours in this blind when necessary and be comfortable.
