The deer stand built by Mark Eilers, Tower Hill, Ill., is actually a small cabin mounted 18 ft. high on a 4-legged stand made from used oil well drilling pipe. The stand is located in a small clearing in an otherwise wooded area. It measures 8 ft. sq., is propane heated, insulated and carpeted with a paneled interior.

A 12-ft. sq. deck made from marine plywood, with a metal ladder leading up to it, surrounds the cabin. The legs at the base of the stand are about 18 ft. apart, with each leg anchored by a 3-ft. auger-type screw.

There are large windows all the way around, and also smaller 1-ft. sq. windows that flip down for shooting.

"It's a lot of fun to use at any time of the year," says Eilers. "Since building the deer stand I've never failed to get my deer during the hunting season. Also, it's a good place to relax with my family and watch wild turkeys and deer. I planted a small patch of corn and maintain a small pond nearby."

He built the cabin on the ground and then used a backhoe to lift it up onto the stand. A small metal disc is fastened to each leg about 4 ft. off the ground to keep mice off.