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Box Blind Installation | How to Set Up a Box Blind

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The Right and Safe Way to Set Up a Box Blind

You couldn’t stand it any longer. All the dreaming of epic hunts on your property from the comfort and luxury of a tower blind was just too much to handle, so you finally bought a brand new box blind. The adventure is just beginning for you, as there are many benefits to hunting from a box blind (e.g., shelter from the weather, better scent control, can get away with more movement, etc.). But before you get to enjoy all those perks, do you know how to set up a box blind? If you’re hearing crickets chirping in your head, here’s what you need to know about how to set it all up and how to raise a blind. First, make sure you read your entire instruction manual that came with the blind, and follow all safety recommendations at all times.

Best Location for a Box Blind

Before you set up a box blind, you should decide where you are going to put your new tower. Box blind placement is so critical for several reasons. First, you presumably want to see deer and be able to hunt them from your blind, so putting it in the right location makes a difference. Second, though not particularly complicated, setting up a box blind does take much more effort than simply moving a climbing tree stand to another tree. That’s why you need to try to nail the spot the first time.

Setting it up near a food plot is almost always a good idea, provided you have a good access trail and can sneak in and out without being detected. Hunting over food sources is a proven way to see deer, but it’s especially useful when hunting mature bucks in the late season months. Sitting in an insulated box blind, you can easily wait out the late season cold weather until a reclusive (but hungry) buck finally steps out to feed on standing corn or beans.

Situate the blind on the downwind side of the food plot or field, with the shooting windows facing the direction you expect to see most deer. Always keep the ladder on the back side so you can sneak into and out of it. It helps to have some kind of cover to hide your approach too, whether that be a spruce windbreak, a messy field edge, or some tall grasses you planted for screening cover.

Planning Box Blind Setups for the Early Season

How to Set Up a Box Blind

You will definitely need to be able to transport your Muddy® box blind and the deer stand base to the field using a large trailer or tractor. The blind comes completely assembled so you don’t have to worry about how to set up a box blind itself. But you will need to assemble your tower kit, whether you choose the 5- or 10-foot option (depends on availability at most Muddy® blind dealers), before you can raise the blind. Depending on where you set your box blinds up, it may be easier to assemble the tower kit at home. At least you have all the necessary tools there and the mosquitoes, flies, and ticks shouldn’t be as bad as they would be in the field. In addition, finding dropped nuts and washers in your garage would be a lot easier than on a field edge!

After assembling your tower kit per the instruction manual, you basically have two options when installing a box blind. As for the best way to raise a box blind, it really depends on your own preferences, what equipment you have, and how many people who can help.

Option #1: Assembling in the Air

The first option to set up a box blind is to tackle the two pieces separately. Choose a level area and set your tower kit upright – two people should be able to lift this up into place. The base should then be leveled and staked down to provide a solid structure on which the blind will sit. If you don’t know how to level a deer blind, simply place a level on all the horizontal beams you can. Try excavating with a shovel beneath the legs to adjust the ground surface until everything looks completely plumb. Then pound the rebar stakes into the foot pegs of all four corners and the ladder as well. Find the very center of the base by tying some ropes from corner to corner – where the two ropes cross is where you should twist the auger stake into the ground until the loop hole rests on the ground surface. At that point, use wrenches to turn the turnbuckle loose while still keeping the two ends connected. Attach the bolt and clevis to the auger stake loop, and attach the wire to the loop-end of the turnbuckle. Use the clevis to tighten the excess wire and secure it. Finally, tighten the turnbuckle by turning it clockwise until the wires are taut. Now the structure should be very solid.

At this point, use a tractor to lift your Muddy® box blind up and place it on top of the base. Before doing so, make sure everybody is clear from the surrounding area, and ensure nobody is underneath it! Obviously, you should also make sure the door is located on the ladder side. Once the blind is resting on the base, attach them to each other and double check all the connections are secure. You will likely need to retighten the cable attached to the auger stake once the blind settles the tower a bit.

Option #2: Preassemble and Team Lift

The other option to set up a box blind is to attach the blind to the tower kit on the ground, and then team lift the whole thing up into position. As with option #1, make sure the spot you choose is a level area and in the right spot. Lay the tower kit and blind on their sides, and arrange the base of the tower to be exactly where you want to lift it up. Then, attach the blind to the base using the proper tools.

About 10 to 15 feet away and 45 degrees from the base (towards the blind), drive two of the rebar stakes into the ground. Attach support straps to them from the foot pegs touching the ground. This anchors the base to the ground, which will allow you and your team to safely lift the blind into position without the base kicking out from beneath you. Using your team and safe lifting practices (lifting with your legs, not your back), slowly raise the full blind and tower kit up until it settles into place. At this point, you should go through the same leveling and staking steps as listed in option #1 above (i.e., level the tower, drive the foot peg stakes into the ground, attach the auger stake to the cable, etc.).

For the full instructions for each of the options listed above, check out the video below.

Time to Go Hunting?

After you set up a box blind, you’ll probably feel like you can’t wait to get out on your first hunt. But don’t let the excitement get the best of you. Remember that you should always check the connections and ensure the tower is stable and safe to use before climbing into it. The ground may settle and the wind may shift it slightly, which can loosen the cables or foot peg stakes over time. Always keep safety in mind when using any elevated hunting platform.

If you’ve been keeping an eye on Muddy® blinds for a while now, but weren’t sure how to raise a tower stand, we hope this explains it for you. Early season hunting isn’t that far away now, so it’s time to start thinking about how you can incorporate one of these blinds into your hunting strategy.

Box Blinds Score Sheet | What to Look for In A Hunting Box Blind

box blinds score sheet | Muddy Outdoors

Box Blinds Score Sheet | What to Look for In A Hunting Box Blind

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Box Blinds Reviews, Considerations, and Score Sheet

Hunting box blinds can bridge the gap in many hunting situations. Whether it is a food plot, a giant Ag field, or simply a great spot for a permanent stand, box blinds are your best bet. Out of everything a hunter can possibly hunt out of, be it a tree stand, ground blind, or a brush blind, box blinds are always the most impressive and desired. Why? Simply do the fact that hunting box blinds are durable, comfortable, and above all functional. They can bridge the gap where tree stands and ground blinds cannot, giving you an elevated and concealing platform.

While hunters might, generally speaking on box blinds, think that all are “made the same”, they could not be further from the truth. When you are looking to purchase a box blind for hunting, you should be considering a multitude of factors. These box blinds factors, individually diagnosed will give you a clue to whether or not a box blind is worth the buy or not. In some cases what you pay for is and is not applicable here. Running through the following considerations will tell you what kind of hunting box blinds you should invest in.

Box Blind Score Sheet

The following list provides detailed factors that should go into your considerations before purchasing a box blind. These are basics, and will provide you with score sheet so to speak, to rate each brand and box blind you come across in your research.

Rugged Construction

Description: A box blind with rugged construction, is a box blind that can stand up to years of wear and tear, inside and out. This means the box blind must be constructed with more than just a plastic shell. Multiple layered wall panels that take into consideration warmth, insulation, noise, as well as wind and weather proofing is a point added in the right direction. While this should be a given, inspecting a box blind’s construction process and the materials it is built with is often overlooked. However, the construction of the blind is the base from which your hunt will be built upon. Quality is well worth judging in this aspect. Ultimately the base is worth some play in judgement, with 2 points, giving you the ability to assign a blind the score of a 0-2.

Points Possible: 2

Scoring: 0 = Very poor, 1 = Bare minimum, 2= Well-built and thought out

Windows

Description: Window height, size, operation, and function all need to be considered before purchasing a box blind. The ideal window in a box blind should have the ability to be operated with one hand, should be silent, should give you plenty of shooting options for both gun hunting and bow hunting, and should have a seal for weather and scent. Another consideration is window material. Plexiglass scratches easy and can warp overtime, glass however is less likely to be scratched and can be cleaned very easy when fog and weather are present. This is where differences in box blinds can stand out, as it is clear which blinds are well thought out, and which are acceptable at best.

Points Possible: 1

Scoring: 0 = Acceptable placement, material, operation, and size, 1= Well thought out placement, material, operation, and size

Doors

Description: Does the quality of the door matter? Ask yourself what is the biggest battle you face when hunting out of box blinds? Getting in and out of the blind silently! Door size and construction makes the difference for a hunt started off right by allowing you to sneak in silently. The door construction should be easy to operate, able to sit solid through any wind or weather, easy to operate, sealed for scent and rain, and of course silent.

Points Possible: 1

Scoring: 0 = Flimsy, loud, and weak, 1 = Well-built, silent, and strong

Space

Description: Space is a big deal for hunting box blinds. The majority of the time, hunters are looking into purchasing a box blind for hunting with multiple hunters. Whether it is taking youth hunters out, hunting with a spouse, or hunting with friends, you need space for multiple hunters. Space allows you to be comfortable but also have the room to maneuver for shots, and draw a bow back when needed.

Points Possible: 1

Scoring: 0 = 1-2 people, 1 = 3-4 people

Noise

Description: Box blinds need to be quiet period. Noise can amplify in a blind setting. Dropping hunting gear, dropping a window, closing the door to hard…these are all mistakes a hunter makes often. Before purchasing a box blind you should consider whether or not that noise will sound like a quiet and soft thud, or a loud amplifying noise that could potentially clear game out of the area. How do box blinds combat the noise factor? Construction and insulation that is well thought out go a long way. Simple plastic walls will be loud, but multiple insulated layers, seals on windows and doors, and carpeting throughout the blind can keep noise to a minimum.

Points Possible: 2

Scoring: 0 = No noise buffering, 1 = Slight buffering, 2 = Very quiet/great noise buffering

Scent

Description: Scent control is vital in most hunting situations, especially when hunting from an elevated box blind. How do you combat scent control in a box blind? Box blinds can combat scent control by having well-sealed and thought out blind features. The doors and windows of a box blind do not have to be necessarily air tight, but it needs to be as close as possible to seal in human odor to manage your scent properly. Being able to operate the windows with the certainty that no scent is leaking in an unwanted area is key. If scent is a great concern such as the early season, then leaving the windows close greatly reduces your scent footprint, only if the blind is well sealed. A well-sealed blind that keeps scent to a minimum could take the extra step in providing hunting opportunities such as the wrong wind direction.

Points Possible: 1

Scoring: 0 = No Seal, 1 = Sealed well

Comfort

Description: Comfort is a critical feature when it comes to selecting box blinds. Why is comfort so important? The simplest answer is that box blinds can afford to be extremely comfortable, and it is expected out of them. . Box blinds are somewhat permanent hunting settings that you expect will give you what you have paid for. This means the ultimate form of comfort and functionality. Misplaced windows, a hard platform, misplaced shelves, or a misplaced rest can make hunting slightly uncomfortable, which is unnecessary when purchasing such a large hunting setup and item such as a box blind.

Points Possible: 2

Scoring: 0 = uncomfortable, 1 = acceptable, 2 = Extremely comfortable

Box Blinds Score: _ / 10

Chances are you have been looking at box blinds, or you are currently running one through this score sheet, what did it score out of the 10 possible points?

We had two hunters run through the blind score sheet on the Muddy Bull Box Blinds. Not just any hunters however, two that have years’ worth of experience and plenty of that time spent in box blinds. Below is Mark and Terry Drurys’ review of the Muddy Bull Box Blind.

The Muddy Bull Box Blind | Mark Drury’s Review of the Muddy Bull
(Video)- Looking for the best hunting box blind on the market? The Muddy Bull Box Bind features an insulated design that provides thermal, scent and noise control. It has a lockable door, large interior, durable carpet, one hand window design, and ultra-quiet window and door latches.

The Ultimate Hunting Box Blinds | Muddy Bull Box Blind Review With Terry Drury
(Video)- The ultimate box blind for hunting needs all the bells and whistles. Features and design is critical. The box blind door, windows, scent management, sound dampening, and thermal layers all make for comfortable and functional hunting. If you are looking for the best hunting box blinds look no further, check out the Muddy Bull Box Blind!

 

The Muddy Bull Box Blind’s Score Sheet

box blinds score sheet Blind | Muddy OutdoorsMark and Terry Drury have run the Muddy Bull Box Blind through the score sheet. The Muddy Bull came out with a perfect score. See for yourself and run the Muddy Bull through the score sheet.

  • Rugged Construction = 2
  • Windows = 1
  • Doors = 1
  • Space = 1
  • Noise = 2
  • Scent = 1
  • Comfort = 2

Muddy Bull Score = 10/10

Deer season is almost upon us. As you begin to plant fall food plots, run trail cameras, and setup stands and blinds, think of an un-huntable area that could be successfully hunted with a box blind. A spot that could use an elevated platform, giving you comfort and a place to take your friends and family this fall. If you like the idea and are looking to purchase a box blind, run each consideration through this box blind score sheet. Interested in the Muddy Bull Box Blind? Before you buy, take a look at the construction process start to finish.

Muddy Bull Construction Video