Guidesman brand box blinds at Menards?

O

Olympus

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Has anyone ever tried one of these? They have two sizes, a 4'x4' square and a 72"x75" pentagon shape. It seems that Menards is the only place that carries this brand. I've tried searching and there is hardly no information online about these blinds. They seem to be very reasonably priced. I've built wooden box blinds and they literally get eaten to pieces by squirrels and raccoons and they rot down in a matter of years. I was thinking about an all-plastic blind and then building an elevated platform to build it on.

Has anyone ever used one of these blinds? The website says my local store has them in stock so I'm going to go by tomorrow and check them out in person. Hopefully they have both sizes on display. Here is the link: http://www.menards.com/main/tree-st...-h-pentagon-hunting-blind/p-1444424094243.htm
 
Squirrels will gnaw on plastic, too. They'll even eat rubber tires.
Regarding the nards blinds, I'd look closely at how the parts are connected, if there's a weather seal between parts, and how the doors/windows open, hinge, whatever.
FWIW, I bought two "pop-up" blinds from nards a few years back and both fell apart in one season. In comparison, even a cheap Ameristep pop-up lasted 3 years(and only cost 50% more).
 
It looks good but given Menards is a midwest store I don't see any insulation. Like said all blinds can experience failure. This past year a bear decided to gnaw a hole in mine. Probably would have done it even if it was plastic.
 
"...Squirrels will gnaw on plastic, too..." Yep. And nearly everything else when they're little tree rats. Almost everything I have stored on my balcony has tooth marks.
You can make a very light weight, portable, blind with a roll of burlap. Found in assorted colours in garden and discount fabric shops.
 
Olympus
Hopefully you'll let us all know what you found out about your Menards blind.

BTW: I have never bought a store bought ground blind. Have built many open stands in tall tree's when I was much younger. And Cadillac above ground blinds as of late for myself and helping others build there's. Even so that hard plastic Menards blind at a good price would be dandy for one reason alone. Hunting from a enclosure not effected by nasty weather. A terrific perk for any hunter.
 
We build our own box blinds from scrap materials for 1/3 the price nards is selling those for. If you don't have those materials and skills, the nards blind is an easy take it out and assemble package.
 
I've built my own too, but they don't last long before the wood starts rotting and squirrels eat it up even faster then.

Wood just doesn't seem to last for me.
 
"I've built my own too, but they don't last long before the wood starts rotting and squirrels eat it up even faster then.

Wood just doesn't seem to last for me."

I built my first ones from cheap cottonwood and maple sawmill reject lumber with tar paper on the roof. After a couple of years, I added shingles top and sides. Those finally rotted away after close to ten years in the field.
The last 3 "deer houses" we've built use treated plywood with corrugated metal roofs. These set on farm wagon frames and are only in the field Oct to Feb but are exposed to the elements year round.
 
The problem I see with this blind is the very small lip at the bottom for mounting to a floor. They sell for 500 here and the only reason I don't own them is the small thin lip. I don't believe that washers will make it last much longer. I would run a piece of aluminum or piece of angle iron the full length all the way around. I would probably even build my floor bigger than the blind and brace it up on the outside about 2 or 3 feet.

The trick to keeping a plywood box hunt able for years and years is a roof that don't leak and paint. I don't buy treated plywood but I do paint the box's inside and out with 2 coats of paint. Then every other year at the end of season I put on another coat. I have some that are still in great shape after 15 years.

The inside of the stand needs to be dark so they don't see you. I put paneling nails just above the window frames so that I can adjust my burlap any shape, form, or fashion I desire. In the off season I cover my windows with plywood to keep out the weather, wasps, and buzzards. I keep my windows small. Any small cracks around the posts or roof gets filled with cheap cans of spray foam. I buy cement blocks that are 10 inches wide by 16 inches long and 2 inches thick. $3 each. I bust them into 4 pieces by repeatedly taping my pattern with the hammer until you hear the sound change. Pick it up, drop it flat, and you will end up with 4 pieces to set under your legs. Steps for some reason always rot. Even on cement, painted, and placed in the stand during off season. I hope this info helps.
 
I looked at the blinds at nards yesterday. They are pretty flimsy especially the hinges/latches of doors and windows. No ledges, hangers, or vent at the top. I did not see any anchor tabs to fasten the blind to a platform. Openings were poorly re-inforced so cracks may develop around windows or door. It is open at the bottom-no floor.
Overall, I'd call it "you get what you pay for" in this case. It's 1/2 the cost of other brands so don't expect 100% of the longevity or serviceability. It is fairly lightweight so getting it into position would be easier-just make sure you put some braces in the base before stressing the assembly.
 
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