I wonder if a chain link "basket" between the legs and attached to all 4 filled with rocks would hold?

We have ground blinds- 12' foot stands on hogsbacks. 15' bow stands everywhere and zero desire to go that high unless needed. All 20' stands overlook kill plots that are corridors from buck bedding areas and never get hunted until gun, we have (5) gun towers that high... now (4)

Most of mine are 8 feet off the ground or less. If the cover is that thick I can't see anything I just open up a swath. I typically mow them this time of year for next years season. I have learned that I shouldn't open them as wide as these are, just enough to see them and poke a bullet down that hole. This works well for me but each situation is different.

I dug a post hole underneath mine in the center. Used an anchor as shown, and filled with sacrete. It is attached by a cable with a tensioner built in. I keep it tight as it settles. This stand is built on top of the ground. Another box I built and buried the posts about 3 ft in sacrete and stick built on top after they set up. No problems either way, but nothing is invincible. Good luck

Eagle - from your description maybe the problem was that the anchor(s) were in the center instead of out away so the cables would be pulling at a 45° angle. Maybe the same screw in earth anchors would work if used out away with the cables tight from 45°. Of course the cables need to be kept tight. Hopefully it was not occupied when it went over!

Question - how did you build and then stand them up, or build in place, giant excavator, man lift, or build using antigravity? A 24 foot tower blind is an amazing building project. I have two to put up that I recently finished. The platforms are 8’x8’ and the legs are 16’ to be attached using brackets that position them a double 10°. Because of slope, the legs may be cut down. I plan on putting them up using a rental excavator.

Can you share info about the T-post bracket? Brand, name, source? That looks very helpful for securing a gate post that I would rather not pull out to rebuild.

best to have a very good anchor system....

This really got me thinking of having a redundant security on the other towers- never had an issue until clear cut with stronger a lot stronger winds in previous years but better safe than sorry- the windows were actually open in the stand, reducing the wind shear because I filmed the logging equipment from it. The T-post clips are readily available at TSC, Menards or Fleet Farms, used when you need to attach a wood board to a T-Post.
I actually put up the 20' towers by myself, I have a video if someone else can post it but basically, I leave the back two 4 x 4 legs off and use a well pulley above the stand in a tree and a well pulley at the tree base- I pull the stand up with an ATV and when it's just shy of level- I insert the back two legs and rest it in place. I build the wall sections in modular panels and lift them up with a rope. Here's a screen shot of the video for the erection. (if I can say or show that)

We screw a galvanized ground auger under the center of every stand, then use guywire (like the utility companies use) to anchor ours. I hunt in hurricane country.

A lot of guys here use the 275 gallon chemical totes filled with water. Just place it directly under the stand and tie down to it.

That's an easy cheap idea. And if hauling water is a problem you could always just cut the top off and fill it full of dirt.

I had an old PTO auger that we didn't need anymore so I just drilled it into the ground and disengaged then tied a cable off to the floor of my stand with the tensioner. You can probably find old augers on marketplace for under a hundred bucks



Ol dad

Wow, you work hard to put up those towers! I hope your new redundancy plans permanently secure the rest of the blinds. Work safely!

For most of my life I accomplished projects doing hand work like that. Unfortunately those days are gone for me due to a health issue. Must use equipment where possible. Got my first front end loader in 2017. Got the second in 2018. If I had them 30 years earlier my back would be in better shape today. Now, the front end loaders make projects much easier and safer. One tractor loader lifts to 10’. Still, doing projects alone like this can get awkward.

When I put up my tower blinds in the spring, I will rent an excavator to make the process easier. They have very reasonable weekend rates, plus I have a couple other uses for it.

Charles - what size ground auger do you use? What size cable?

Make some super sized earth anchors

24” of 2” pipe with a hole through it for an eyelet to hook the chain. Run the chain around to legs or through the legs and get a sledge hammer and beat that pipe into the deck. My sons Tower Stand has survived timber cutting, 2 hurricanes (one with 75mph sustained winds), and 2 tornadoes. She needed a little stabilization after the rough hurricane but remained upright.

Wanna be, I’d love to see some pictures of that if you ever think of it. I have two stands I need to secure.

I’ll try and get out there this week and get some pics if I can’t find any old ones.

Anything that high should have 40" of it's legs in the ground along with a heavy earth anchor. It should also have windows that close.

Strong winds can snap off stands regardless of how well they may be anchored.

I take 8' rebar and pound sideways into the ground.
2 or 3 places.
Tie doubled up #9 wire to them and twist till tight.
Works well.