What features would you have in your prefect shooting house?

A good buddy and I, are thinking of building a few in the off season. If you were going to build your prefect shooting house, what features, size, materials would you have in it?

We're doing this for fun but thought of building some as a side business, what price would you put on your prefect setup?

Insulation

Pick out a good comfortable chair and build the house around it. If you are not comfortable sitting there, does anything else really matter.

Solar panel for small light
Cup holders
Nice Windows
Carpet on walls and floor
Rifle holder
Seating is very important.
Child seating is even more important
Solar panel for phone charger
Pantry
Shelves for binos and other crap
Butler
Maid
Light bar on the roof for hog hunting (I'm bout to do that actually)
A bracket to hang a buddy heater on so no worries of knocking it over
Coat rack
Cell phone signal booster
Over head storage
Q beam mount
Yardage markers on the wall
Spare butt wipe


Some of those are obviously jokes but not all

a safe set of stairs, especially if guests are going to be hunting it.

A lock on the door that only opens when the wind direction is right.

At least 6'6" inside for us tall fellows to stand up and stretch.

It should be large enough that two hunters can sit side by side in their own rolling office chair, comfortably, and both can see out the extra large window without craning their necks.
4 walls? 4 windows!

jacuzzi

PS4

A pee pipe that runs down into the ground.... a Comfortable chair, insulation indoor/outdoor carpet om the window sills to make them more quite...

Carpeted " shooting shelf" that is the right height.
Like someone else mentioned good steps. Gotta have carpet on the floors and comfy office chairs.

And if anyone can figure out how to keep lady bugs out of them , I'm all ears.

I bought nice office chairs at garage sales for mine. Shelves for storage and a shooting shelf in front of each window. One side wall had coat hooks. Build em tight to keep wasps out. I didn't like the carpet idea. Too hard to clean and it smells bad after it gets wet. You might look at rubber mats instead. For windows, I used sliding RV windows. The key is too build one that you can sit in all day if you want.

Wet bar, Stripper Pole,, etc...

At least 6 big LED flood lights........

rest for rifle to make them long shots

nice windows


carpet on the floor


a good door


and if you price one of the shooting houses sold at Big Box Stores they are very expensive

All walls painted black on the inside. Large awnings on all windows, so no sun shines in. Build it as air tight as you can.

Good advice thus far. Definitely shelves under all shooting windows to use as rest. Go ahead and put "J" hooks in all four corners for coats, backpacks, etc. A couple of shelves mounted above the windows helps hold drinks, snacks, binos, etc. Basically anything to hold gear to keep it off the floor. This is especially helpful when hunting with kids.

I also like the carpeted walls idea to keep noise down, along with the thick, black rubber mat on the floor. I like sliding windows on tracks so you can just crack it a little to get your gun out if you want and don't have to open the whole window. A full size door is nice so you don't have to condense a 6'0"+ man into a ball while wearing 3 layers and carrying a rifle and backpack. I also like to have netting or curtains over all the windows to keep the silhouette down. Installing camo curtains on rods will only add to the value if you're trying to sell these.

I would think a 4x6 built this way and built solidly could sell for $750-$1K depending on quality of construction.

The last couple I have built were 5'deep x 6'wide which is pretty good size for me and my son. I have a couple more to build and those will be 5x8, just for the extra width. I weld up ladders out of square tubing so I don't have to worry about a step failing. Carpet is a must, with good windows and a good roof, you shouldn't have to worry about it getting wet. I build some extra shelves in mine for drinks, and toys, etc... Mine have sliding plexiglass windows in a track I routed in piece of wood. They work pretty good, and I can keep them closed when hunting to keep the warmth inside. I have built mine specifically for the location I am putting them, so they have a 2x10 window seal (turned sideways) on the side that could produce the longest shot and I have a sand bag on that seal. The other windows have a smaller window seal (2x6). The next one I build will need a wide rest on the front window and the left window. I paint the inside walls with some shade of dark paint, at least the upper half of the walls.

5' X 8' with 7' ceiling is a good size. 4' is too narrow.

The only two luxuries I'd like are quiet sliding windows and for it to be built airtight to prevent ladybug, wasp, dirt dauber infestation.

At least 10ft off ground, at least 4x8, air tight, no draft, good glass easy to open windows, swivel rolling adjustable height chairs, heater, good stairs. Put it where the deer are most importantly.

Now that is gonna be a heck of a trick.

Wasps can be accomplished

I've seen no possible way to stop the lady bugs however.

1. lots of big bucks out front of the shooting window
2. see number one.....

At least 20 feet off the ground.

Keeping ladybugs and other critters out ain't hard but everything has to be sealed. Caulk exterior joints and use spray foam on the inside to seal all joints. If they're getting in around the edge of the door, use foam closure strips around the door. They should compress and form a tight seal when it's closed. It's simply more work than the average guy wants to put into a shooting house.

angle your ladder make it easy to climb make step 8-10 inches apart, easy steps to clime

A roof, shooting rail and a chair. Anything that's makes me to comfy will make me go to sleep.

A funnel in the corner with a PVC pipe running to the ground.

What's wrong with sleeping in a shooting house?

House blinds that way you can keep blind open and not be seen. I try and wrap outside in metal so it last along time.

Wow. Thanks fellas. These are all great ideas. The pee pipe and spotlight mount might be my favorite so far. We planned to use the rubber stall mats for the floors, carpet on the window seals definitely going on the list.
Carpet or insulated walls?

Window awnings to keep the sun from shining into the house. Take cheap shelving brackets, turn them upside down and obviously mount them on the outside above windows. Screw plywood to them and mount them at a slight angle for drainage.

Tinted Deerview windows. $20.

On my next one, I'm going to put a window sill deep enough so I can lay my rifle on it so I don't have to transition my rifle from my lap to the window. Less movement.

Octagon shaped will help eliminate blind spots. I'm building the next two 6' deep x 7' wide. It's not a "true" octagon since the front and back are wider. Like everyone else has said, awning over windows and doors. Carpet on the floor and walls. Insulation on walls, floor and roof.

Shelves are a must however, attach a drink holder and binocular holder on the arms of the chair's. This will minimize your movement reaching over to a shelf. I dip and keep my spit bottle right on the side of the chair.

20# propane bottle mounted on the outside with hose attached to buddy heater. Don't have to worry about running out of gas during the last hour of the hunt and having to change the bottle.

Thin carpet on all of the shelves to minimize noise.

12v battery mounted outside with solar charger and cigarette lighter plugs on each side of shooting house. You can use it to charge phones, small coffee pot or water heater for hot chocolate or Ramen noodles. Also, a couple of green lights mounted under your shelves to help you see getting in the stand and when packing up to leave.

Sleeping bag in a big ziplock bag to keep in the shooting house. This is great if you take kids, a wife who doesn't like the cold when the windows are open, or if you want to take a nap on one of those miserably cold days.

Now this next one is a life saver when you want to stay in the stand all day. I keep a 5 gallon bucket in all of my shooting houses w/trash bags to use as trash can. But here is the real reason, it doubles as a Porta potty. I buy a cheap toilet seat, attach some small wood blocks on the bottom side that allows it to fit snug onto the 5 gallon bucket. Next, I keep a roll of the thickest trash bags I can find and double bag the bucket when I have to take a dump. When finished, tie the bag up tight and you won't smell it. I keep the toilet seat hung on the wall and a bungee cord to keep it snug in case you bump it with your chair.

We found a guy in Atlanta who builds shooting houses out of composite material. They are waterproof and never need painting. My advice is to build all your stands on the same blueprint. That way all stands hunt the same once you figure out your personal setup.

Chairs with adjustable height, glass windows that quietly open and close, carpet on floors and walls up to the windows, battery operated lights that are mounted to the ceiling, 6' 6" height on front end, window guards on the outside that don't allow water to easily come in the window when they are open, shelves that fold up and can be fastened closed and are along the top and out of the way, a small fold down shelf below the front window that will hold cell phones, cup holders in the corners, built tight where wasps can't build nests or try to winter, a small porch, and anchored down where the house is rock solid...at least that's what I wanted and built last year.

how about cable TV, maybe coffee maker,wi-fi for your computer. Bunch of pussies.

Several manufacturers already build very good shooting houses. Atacoosa, Ranch King, even Sportsman's Condo. They all have good doors, windows, shelves, etc. it is difficult to build a high quality shooting house out of wood that is as nice as these factory built units. If you figure your total time involved in gathering materials and building is worth $2/hr It is usually cheaper to buy a manufactured unit. Been there, done that, several times.

I have 2 more houses to build this summer. I would love to see a few pictures of the inside of some of these y'all have built.

I know that there are some nice shooting houses that can be purchased and in some cases that would be a good idea. I am fortunate enough that I live very close to my hunting land. So I build them in my shop then carry them out with my loader when I get done. Plus my son helps me and I use it as an opportunity to teach him construction skills.

man I didn`t even think of adding some of those! fantastic idea. you thinking 3 or 4? can`t put too many in there, don`t want to stink the place up you know.

My perfect shooting house is a Summit 180 max

I had one equipped with a Coleman stove. Made coffee and cooked lunch on it.

The coffee maker is easily accommodated with a deep cycle battery and an inverter, and who needs cable TV when you've got a tablet with a cellular data package? Rookies.

I like the octagon idea. Would give you plenty of shooting options. I also like the idea of building it out of composite material, it'd last forever.

What do y'all think about mounting a shooting house to a trailer? I've seen it in Texas but it was a platform.

If I had this in my shooting house, I could eliminate the need for the PVC pipe, heater, chair or even windows to look out.

I'd probably never leave that shooting house.

That is the best option i have ever seen for a shooting house, I might just live in it for the whole season every year. Then by the time season was over with i would be tired of her sh!t and go back home. The I could get a new one the start of the next season.

What's the best chair you've used in a shooting house?

Personally, I like the mesh office chairs. Really quiet they seem to not lose their shape as easily as the leather office chairs.

Love the chair, just needs to recline, and have a cup holder. Then it would be perfect!

The chairs need to be height adjustable so little people and big people can see out of the windows easily.

Thanks brad. That brings up another important question. What size windows? So many options.

Mine are 16" tall and slide on tracks ,bypassing each other .

I am building a house or two this summer and have thought about window size. I personally think most put in windows that are too wide vertically. In all of my spots you can easily see everything you need to see through an 8'' to 10' max width window which is enough room to easily get a scoped rifle out of. I don't need to see the sky and tree tops but most stands I have been in were that way.I feel the bigger the opening the higher the likelihood of a deer spotting me.

8 to 10 inches wouldn't be near wide enough for me. Would be plenty tall though. I'd like it 3 feet wide myself.

Sorry, miscommunication. I meant height of window from top to bottom. Width is pretty much the entire shooting house wall.Would be difficult peering through an 8" vertical slit.

So y'all just going to ignore this accessory?

Not ignoring, but we're trying to keep the price down as much as possible. And I'm sure that would break the budget.

2dogs- that's a nice looking shooting house. How wide are those windows?

House is 5'X8' those windows pictured are about 36" to 42" wide. The large front window is 6 to 7 feet wide. I think all are 16" tall, maybe 18". Been awhile.

6" deep carpeted shooting rail so I can leave rifle laying up there and ready. Also helps with stability for longer shots. Also a shelf on back or side wall for pee and water bottles

what is wrong with u guys. just stay home and watch TV

In terms of materials efficiency I like a 4x6 size footprint b/c it can be wrapped with 5 sheets of plywood plus 2 more sheets create a roof with plenty of overhang

Screw-in U bracket for shooting shelf. Don't tighten too much for freedom of movement.

I'm building 3 new 5x6 shooting houses this year and installing Deer View Windows in each. The windows pictured are the 24"x 12" hinge windows. Sorry for the poor image quality, but it was bright outside and dark inside house. I still have to spray foam, paint and add carpet to finish house.