# building a cattail blind



## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

Hey guys, I thought i would pick your brains on making some blinds, since you guys hunt in this type of stuff, I wont be using them for waterfowl, but i have a bow spot in mind that is in a pond surrounded by cattails on the edge of a crp field. I want to build a blind that will hold up in winds. I plan on taking the panels down once season is over so i am not concerned about it overwintering. I do have some avery grass mats that i may use but since i am in the cattails i would like to make it out of cattails. You guys have any tried and true blind designs? I am going to make it a 5x5x 6 foot tall no roof. It will have a raised floor to keep me out of the water.I thought about panels with galvanized chicken wire and zip tying the cattail bundles to the wire. does this hold up well? This is on private land. I want to make it cheap and simple.


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## warrenwaterfowler (Aug 31, 2007)

Run some railing around your blind and tie off bundles of cat tails to it all around...done.

Be careful cutting and handling the cattails...the blades can be sharp and give you some nasty paper cuts
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## mkroulik (Jan 14, 2003)

I may be wrong, but I am pretty sure that cutting cat tails is illegal as they are considered wet land plants pretty much anywhere in the state. May want to make sure before you go out cutting them down. 

Mike


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## jonesy16 (Sep 19, 2011)

Probably should just use phrag instead! Hehehe.


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## Duck-Hunter (Mar 31, 2005)

You have the right idea. Wrap with chicken wire and zip tie bundles of reeds to the chicken wire. It will hold up all season no problems. I've seen guys try tying the reeds off with rope and other methods but that will only last a short time. The reeds can be sharp I usually wear some gloves, if you have a weed whacker that you can put a blade attachment on will help out a lot. A lot better than using a machete.


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## mi duckdown (Jul 1, 2006)

What ever you do Do not use Phrags


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## limige (Sep 2, 2005)

its nice to start with grass mats or burlap over wire fence. I like the big rectangle hole fencing. zip tie bundles over your base layer


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## Matt.tzew (Oct 9, 2012)

mkroulik said:


> I may be wrong, but I am pretty sure that cutting cat tails is illegal as they are considered wet land plants pretty much anywhere in the state. May want to make sure before you go out cutting them down.
> 
> Mike


http://www.michigan.gov/documents/deq/wb-anc-faq_303770_7.pdf

Looks like you can cut them down on your own pond. When you find a way to weave them let me know!
This is the best ive found on the youtubes


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## Matt.tzew (Oct 9, 2012)

Anybody find a better way?


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## smelz like wet dog (Aug 12, 2006)

I make a few panels out of concrete reinforcement wire. Stands up better for shore blinds.


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## Mr. 16 gauge (Jan 26, 2000)

I went to the army surplus store and bought some camo netting (just the net; no material in or on it). The squares are (IIRC) about 2" square. I cut the netting to the size I wanted, then cut reeds, cattails, phrags (cut the heads off, so it's just the reeds/stems)....whatever I could get. I then just threaded them (reeds) in and out through the squares in the netting, and then tied them off in a couple of places using jute twine. Ithen trimmed the bottoms, and the tops (as needed). I added some burlap strips and dyed fabric strips here and there to help fill it out.
To use it, I just push a couple of poles into the water, then unroll the netting over the poles, and fasten the netting to the poles with some spring close pins (you can get like 100 for $1 at the local dollar store).
That's it!!
Fairly simple..................................like me!!!


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## tkmuddler (Feb 15, 2010)

I use large woven wire fence around the entire blind, then just weave cattails and other vegetation through the wire. You can make it as dense or as sparse as you need. You could easily cut shooting windows with a pair of light duty bolt cutters. Many years ago I did the same thing with wooden snow fence, but the wire works much better. I've been building duck blinds this way for a long time now and it works great.


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