pop up blinds and snow

[xtrema312]

So last week I am wondering if I can get through bow season with my pop up blind set.  Now forecast is for 1-2" wet snow tonight and I am thinking I should have pulled it out last weekend.  The tree it is under has a lot of leaves yet so I don't think it will be an issue tonight but. ..

I know moisture content is critical but how much snow have you gotten on your hub style blind without more than the top hub popping down and no damage?

Have you ever tried to tie the top hub to a tree limb and if so how did it work?

I have hunted mostly turkey from blinds and this is the first year I have tried it on deer other than the early season and first week of bow when I have not set it for each weekend of hunting.  It has been nice to take the kids out on but I don't want to push it with the weather.

[Mac910]

I have several pop ups that I use, and heavy wet snow broke several poles in them over the years.

 I figured out a way to stop that. Get a 2x2 piece of wood, cut it to length to fit from the ground to the underside of the hub, maybe a hair long. About an inch below the top drill two holes at 90 degrees to each other and run cord through them, Tie knots in the cord to keep it from pulling through. Then put the pole in place and use the cord to tie it in place, going over the hub. All you have to do is untie it when you get in, tie it back in place when you leave. We haven't broken a pole since. YMMV.

[xtrema312]

Great idea thanks.  I probably would have thought to do that if I didn't have a limb to use.  It should work about the same as long as the eye bolt in my hub is sturdy.  I will have to take a better look this weekend. I will go with the jack post if in doubt. I plan to try a field set in some bushes or in some medium size pines next year so the post will be the ticket for that.

[elkken]

I have lost a few to snow ....

[Mac910]

X,

I tried tying the hub up to a limb as well. Something always seemed to go wrong. The cord would break, the squirrels would chew it, once the limb even broke. Once that center hub pops down the snow slides to the center. Whats worse is that the snow melts then re-freezes. We once had a block of ice on one blind that my daugher and I couldn't lift. We had to break chunks off until we could lift it.

[Jack Denbow]

Cabela's has a telescoping pole that you can put under the center hub. I learned the hard way. If it is going to out for awhile, the pole goes up when I put up the blind no matter what the forcast is.
Jack

[xtrema312]

Well a post it is.  I just burned up all my cabela points plus some so a2x2 at menards sound like the plan. I go past one on the way out of town.

[Mac910]

X, Just make sure to tie it into the hub. If that 2x2 slides off the metal hub I suspect it will just tear right through the fabric. Good luck sir.

[stagetek]

I have an adjustable pole from Primo's that works great. But if you have an overhead limb, that would work as well.