Went to pull my portable blinds this weekend, only to find them crushed, full of chunks of ice, and broken fiberglass supports. Both were Ameristep, hub style blinds. I like the blind, as they allow me to shoot my longbows, and recurves out of them fairly well. With these two, it makes three that has just not held up. I know I should have gotten them out earlier. But who makes a bigger blind, that will hold up to the snow/weather, and won't break the bank. As I get older, these blinds are really to my liking now.

rhino xp1 is the best one I have ever used, besides the old DB blinds...

I made this all out of free stuff.

Yaz, I lost one also this year, really odd year with multiple high wind days and heavier than normal snow and ice. At $130-$150 and get a season of use they are pricey!

I don't know if any are strong enough for what they went thru this year. I have 6 shooting houses that are ok, but squirrels have eat on a couple of those also, they need plywood repair.

Not sure what a better pop up blind would be. bean has a couple he built out of farm fence but can't seem to find them on here today, maybe he will chime in.

yaz i lost one also.. it was an ameristep hub also.wonder if the company will sell just the support rods?

Why don't you build some simple plywood box blinds, paint them camo, set them on the ground, and brush them in?

Much more durable, won't flap in the wind, and could be built for the same or less money.

Very common where I've hunted in both Michigan and Kansas.

Yes, all over in Mighigan. Especially northern michigan.

I don't know why more in indiana don't use them.

I have one that has been outside for 3 years and still going strong. Just built this one this past Summer. Very sturdy and can fit 2 adults easily if needed. Only downside is that they are not very portable BUT can be moved if needed. Use "T" post to secure it to the ground. If anyone wants directions let me know.

Here ya go:

Bean, got one just like it! It has lasted 6 years. WInd has uprooted it twice now, and tossed it around. I just rolled it back in place, and staked it back down again. LOVE that blind!

I have to move my blinds around ALOT to stay up with these deer. In this open country, they have no set in stone travel areas. Lot of areas are good to hunt but do not have a single tree. So, I need a couple that I can pack up and move easily week to week. The home made cattle panel one is not exactly "portable"!

It seems the hub style blinds are the most prone to this kind of damage.

A friend of mine has some of the hub-type blinds. And, this season 2 of the 3 collapsed from the snow and ice on the "roof." I believe it is the roof that is the problem in these collapses. One possible cheap "fix" is to support the roof in the middle with some kind of moveable post on the inside. (Move it out of the way when you are inside.)

Perhaps the best fix is to suspend the roof hub by a rope (or rigid pipe or pole) using the nice round metal loop on the very top of the roof. Some nearby trees are a big help. Do all hub-type blinds come with such a loop? I don't know. But somehow supporting that roof from collapsing is very important if you don't want to replace a lot of struts every time the roof collapses because of the weather.

I have also seen blinds put on the back of hay wagons to move around an you can also make them to pull with your 4 wheeler or tractor
http://brownhillfarm.net/Deer-Hunting-Shooting-Houses

Check out the one on skids

Had the same thing happen to a friend of mine's blind. His was a Barronett (sp?) and he was able to go on-line and buy new support rods.

I love parrot's blind!!

hunt with it all fall and the kids can sell lemonade out of it in the summer!

I have been looking into building a box blind myself if anyone has the plans for one that is lightweight and weather tight and willing to share please do

I am building one on 4x4, 8 foot post. Going to screw all the side together so I can take off to move an take down every year. I am going to leave the bottom 2x4's but remove the floor.

Check out the web site I posted for some ideas.

http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/whitetail-deer-hunting/388569-homemade-tree-stand-box-blind.html

Go down toward the bottom pic. Guy said he did it for less than 100.

I highly reccomend these if you build your own stand...very nice product.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjGVnki-IBM

Made in USA also!!

Yaz, you got any old wagons and old tanks around the farm? Here is my mobile hillbilly blind. It is only a prototype. But, no rain and no water. Deer don't seem to mind either.