Abstract:
A backpackable, collapsible blind designed to be mounted against a tree for use by hunters and others. The blind has a backpack-capable frame with canopy support arms that are collapsible against the frame for use as a backpack, a removable canopy, and a seat on a lower part of the frame that can be used to support a backpack load. The support arms define a unique upper/lower support structure for the canopy relative to the seat, with the canopy having a generally triangular opening located above the seat and a lower end or hem that hangs below the seat and the lower end of the frame for a baseless, open-bottomed blind that is useful for nearly any hunting situation.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/458,913, filed Mar. 29, 2003 by the same inventor (Gresock). 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is in the field of collapsible, man-portable hunting blinds and treestands. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Portable hunting blinds and treestands are generally known, including some that can be collapsed or folded and carried like backpacks. However, known blinds and treestands are usually designed for one specific hunting situation, and therefore lack flexibility and adaptability to the many different types of hunting available throughout the year. Ground hunting, elevated treestand hunting, and hunting in flooded timber are three common types of hunting where some sort of stand or blind is often used, and hunters often use several different types of blind or treestand to accommodate all of them. 
   The problem is complicated by the large quantity of gear a hunter typically carries into the woods, including things such as firearm and ammunition, bow and arrows, optical equipment, food, water, extra clothing, licenses, field dressing equipment, flashlight, and more. Some blinds and treestands are designed to be carried like backpacks, such as the canopy-enclosed blinds disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,990,536 to Wilburn and U.S. Pat. No. 6,021,794 to Guerra, whose frames double as backpacks for carrying the collapsed blinds. The resulting backpacks, however, seem designed primarily as self-carrying devices for the blind components, and do not appear able to carry much gear. U.S. Pat. No. 4,148,376 to Campbell, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 4,582,165 to Latini, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,975,389 to Braun et al. disclose treestands whose frames function as backpack frames on the way in and out of the woods for carrying gear and game, but none provides an enclosed blind or shelter. U.S. Pat. No. 4,493,395 to Rittenhouse discloses a treestand with a canvas shelter, but it does not appear to be adapted for use as a backpack. None of the foregoing is believed to carry both itself and gear well, while additionally providing shelter and a truly all-around hunting blind. 
   Some prior blinds are designed to work in complementary fashion with treestands where, for example, it might be desirable to use a blind for its weather protection along with a treestand for its elevated hunting position. Examples are U.S. Pat. No. 6,431,192 to O&#39;Hare and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0078988 to Valpredo. O&#39;Hare discloses a blind with two arched, fabric-paneled sidewalls that can either be mounted to the ground with stakes, or retrofitted to an existing treestand with a relatively bulky, T-shaped, non-loadbearing support base by lashing it onto the treestand with cable ties. The fabric-paneled sidewalls are mounted on the base in a “V” shape; the spacing of the sidewalls can be adjusted by telescoping extension arms on the base of the T, and the angle of the sidewalls can be adjusted through pivoting sockets or elbows on the ends of the base. Valpredo discloses a portable hunting blind with a frame whose base can either be placed in freestanding fashion on the ground, or mounted on a large treestand platform with brackets and bolts. 
   The O&#39;Hare and Valpredo blinds, however, are not believed to be as easily transported as the backpack type blinds, and either do not offer much weather protection (O&#39;Hare) or do not appear to be useful with small, backpack-portable treestands (Valpredo). 
   Finally, none of the prior blinds or treestands is believed to be particularly well-suited for flooded timber hunting, where the hunter typically wants to be positioned near ground level but is hampered by as much as several feet of water. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is a lightweight, compact, backpack style hunting blind that comfortably carries itself plus gear; that provides excellent weather protection and concealment; and that is well-suited for ground hunting, elevated treestand hunting, and flooded timber hunting. It will be understood that although the term “blind” is used in keeping with the invention&#39;s most likely and preferred use as a hunting blind, people may find non-hunting uses where a backpack-portable, tree-mountable enclosure is desired, for example wildlife observation, or shielding spectators at outdoor events. 
   The blind includes a baseless frame that functions as backpack frame, tree mount, seat, and canopy support. The frame includes side uprights joined by upper and lower cross- or yoke-members, the yokes designed to fit against a tree, for example with shallow curved or V-shaped tree-engaging faces. A lower part of the frame includes a seat that extends away from the tree-engaging side of the frame, the seat forming a shelf for supporting gear when the frame is used as a backpack. The seat is preferably removably attached to the frame, or foldable against the frame, for certain hunting situations. 
   The frame also includes two pairs of collapsible canopy support arms: a wider, lower pair located above the lower yoke and seat for supporting the main body portion of a canopy, preferably at or above the level of the upper yoke; and, an upper, narrower pair of support arms above the lower pair for supporting a roof portion of the canopy. The arms extend away from the tree-engaging side of the frame when extended, preferably parallel to one another, although some degree of adjustment may be provided to help tension a canopy. The lower arms extend further from the tree than the upper arms when fully extended, such that the endpoints of the arms define a trapezoidal or triangular plane angled toward the tree when set up. The arms are preferably capable of being collapsed in substantially flat fashion against the frame, for example with a combination of telescoping and folding connections. 
   The frame is baseless in the sense that it has no self-supporting lateral base; the vertical frame is fastened to the side of a tree or similar object for support. The seat is the lowermost lateral projection from the frame, the lower end of the frame otherwise being open and unsupported, designed to be elevated off the ground when the frame is mounted to a tree, the seat extending out over open space at or above the level of the lower end of the frame such that a hunter&#39;s legs and feet will extend freely below the frame when seated. The support arms on the baseless frame support a canopy in free-hanging fashion, with a lower end or hem of the canopy hanging below the lower end of the frame when the frame is mounted to a tree, preferably a distance beyond the legs and feet of a seated hunter. In flooded timber the frame can be mounted to the side of a tree with the seat above water level while the lower edge of the canopy hangs down to or below water level. 
   The canopy in a further form has a recessed roof portion supported on the upper canopy support arms, an extended lower body portion supported on the lower canopy support arms, and a rearwardly and upwardly narrowing trapezoidal or triangular opening corresponding to the endpoints of the support arms. This provides an unmatched combination of weather protection, concealment, and field of view/fire. 
   The baseless design of the blind allows it to be used with a separate treestand platform of known type, where the blind is mounted to a tree above the treestand platform, such that the hunter may alternate between sitting on the blind seat and standing on the treestand platform, and may rest his feet on the platform while sitting. In a preferred form the seat and support arm members on the frame are sized and adjustable in a manner allowing them to be unfolded and extended while the hunter is standing on the treestand platform, without having to move his feet on the platform. 
   These and other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon further reading of the specification, in light of the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a side elevation view of a blind according to the invention, mounted on a tree for ground level hunting, with a canopy in place on a frame and the frame shown in hidden lines underneath the canopy. 
       FIG. 1A  is a front elevation view of the blind of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 2  is a side elevation view of a first detailed embodiment of the blind frame of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  is a front perspective view of the blind frame of  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 4  is a front elevation view of the blind frame of  FIG. 2 , folded. 
       FIG. 5  is a side elevation view showing the folded blind frame of  FIG. 2  being carried like a backpack. 
       FIG. 6  is a front elevation view of a second embodiment of a blind frame according to the invention, mounted on a tree and with the canopy in phantom. 
       FIGS. 6A and 6C  are front perspective and plan views of the frame with canopy and packbag of  FIG. 6 . 
       FIG. 6B  is similar to  FIG. 6 , but with the canopy shown in solid lines in greater detail, secured to the frame and partially opened in front. 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a third, preferred embodiment of a blind frame according to the invention, showing its opened, extended condition in phantom and its collapsed or folded condition in solid lines. 
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a blind according to the invention mounted for elevated treestand hunting. 
       FIG. 9  is similar to  FIG. 8 , but shows the blind mounted for flooded timber hunting. 
       FIG. 10  is similar to  FIG. 8 , but shows the blind mounted on the tree in complementary fashion with a treestand platform. 
       FIG. 10A  is similar to  FIG. 10 , but shows the position of a hunter&#39;s feet standing on the treestand platform relative to the unfolding of the frame of the blinds of  FIGS. 3 and 6 . 
       FIG. 11  is a side elevation view of the blind frame of  FIG. 7  modified with a climbing attachment for use with a climbing treestand platform. 
       FIG. 11A  is perspective view of the modified blind frame of  FIG. 11 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Referring first to  FIGS. 1 ,  1 A and  2 , the invention is illustrated in a general, schematic view in which a blind  10  is mounted to the side of a tree  12 , raised off the ground sufficiently for a hunter to sit in the blind with his feet resting on the ground. Blind  10  has a frame  11  supporting and covered by a fabric covering  14  for weather protection and concealment of a hunter sitting inside. Covering  14  is preferably made from a generally taut-fitting and flexible material, such as (but not limited to) weatherproof nylon, polyester, vinyl, or canvas. Blind  10  is shown mounted to tree  12  with two flexible straps, an upper strap  16  and a lower strap  16   a  (optional), which are attached to portions of frame  11 , for example the upper strap to an upper bracing member or yoke  18  and the lower strap to a lower bracing member or yoke  18   a , using known fasteners such as clips or hooks. The straps wrap around the tree trunk in direct contact with the tree bark to secure the frame to the tree. 
   Blind frame  11  can be carried as a backpack with shoulder straps  36  ( FIG. 2 ), whose ends are also attached to upper and lower yoke members  18  and  18   a  in known fashion, for example with backpack type clevis pins, hooks and D-rings, or other known fasteners at  37 . 
   Frame  11  includes a seat  24  mounted on a seat support  24   a  attached to lower yoke  18   a , preferably in removable or foldable fashion, for example by means of a hitch-type connection or a pin and/or hinge structure, whereby seat support  24   a  (and the seat) can be removed or folded up flat against the frame. Seat  24  and support  24   a  can be separable assemblies, or can be integrated as a unit. 
   Frame  11  is shown in detail in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , with outer and inner vertical frame supports  20 ,  22  extending between and connecting yokes  18  and  18   a , and having upper ends projecting above upper yoke  18  to support corresponding pairs of adjustable canopy support arms  25  and  34 , respectively. Support arms  25  support a lower body portion of canopy  14 , while support arms  34  are canopy roof supports. 
   The above-described components of frame  11  are preferably made from light but strong metal, such as light-gauge steel or aluminum plate and tubing, although it will be recognized by those skilled in the art that other metals and materials could be used, for example plastics or fiber/resin composites, and that different materials could be used in combination for different parts of the frame. The tree-attachment and shoulder straps are made from typical materials such as nylon webbing of suitable strength and abrasion resistance. 
   Still referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , right and left canopy support arms  25  include right and left side rotating tees  26 , which rotate on upper ends of frame supports  20  (not visible) above upper yoke  18 . The illustrated tees are made of tubing to accept the smaller diameter tubing of right and left side rotating elbows  28 , which in turn accept the tubing of right and left side telescoping arms  30 . Elbows  28  accordingly telescope into and out of the lateral ends  26   a  of rotating tees  26 , and arms  30  telescope into and out of the ends of elbows  28 . Rotating tees  26  and the inner ends of elbows  28  preferably include positive locking means of known type commonly used in rotating tube connections, such as thumb screws or spring detent buttons at  29  and  31 , to lock them rotationally and/or longitudinally in position on uprights  20 . Elbows  28  and end arms  30  also preferably include lock means of known type, such as spring detents commonly used in telescoping poles, to lock them in their extended positions. 
   Upper canopy or “roof” support arms  34  are telescopically mounted in the upper ends of vertical inner frame support tubes  22 , in the illustrated embodiment being of a smaller diameter than support tubes  22 . Support arms  34  are also preferably rotatably adjustable in supports  22 . Various known telescopic and rotational locking mechanisms can be used to lock support arms  34  in their extended and rotated positions, for example spring detent buttons  35  or thumb screws operable to lock arms  34  at variable heights and in different rotational positions. 
     FIGS. 4 and 5  show frame  11  folded or collapsed for carrying and use as a backpack. Roof support arms  34  are unlocked and telescoped down into supports  22 , and their lateral or outer portions  34   a  are rotated inwardly to lie flat against the upper ends of tees  26  on supports  20 . Arms  30  are telescoped into elbows  28 , elbows  28  are telescoped into tees  26 , and tees  26  are likewise rotated inwardly to lie flat against the frame. Seat support  24   a  and seat  24  are preferably left in the extended position to serve as a gear support shelf. Canopy  14  can be removed from frame  11  and rolled or folded and secured to frame  11 , either directly as shown in phantom in  FIG. 5 , or in an attached packbag  114  secured to the frame, and additional gear can be secured directly to the frame or in the packbag. It may even be possible to configure the canopy to function as a pack bag after being partially or fully removed from the support arms. 
   Opening frame  11  to use as a blind is simply done in reverse. The user carries the blind like a backpack until a suitable location is found. The tree-engaging faces of the upper and lower yokes  18  and  18   a  are held against a tree while the upper belt  16  is passed around the tree and fastened to the upper belt anchor, for example on the upper yoke  18 . With the frame thus mounted against the tree, any lock members on the tees  26  are released, and the tees swung out approximately 180° and then locked in place, such that the tees are roughly in the same plane as the upper yoke  18 . The rotating elbows  28  are next unlocked and rotated upwardly approximately 90° and then locked in place. The end arms  30  are then released, telescopically extended away from the tree the desired distance, and locked in place. The roof support arms  34  are then unlocked, raised to the desired height, rotated about 90° outwardly to point away from the tree generally parallel with arms  30 , and then locked vertically and rotationally in position. Canopy  14  can then be draped over frame  11  and secured in place on the frame with snaps, ties, hook-and-loop or other known fasteners in the configuration shown in  FIG. 1 . 
   Referring next to FIGS.  6  and  6 A– 6 B, a second embodiment of a blind according to the invention has a modified frame  111 , in which the number of vertical supports has been reduced to two for a lighter, simpler, more preferred construction. Inner vertical frame supports  22  have been eliminated and upper canopy support arms  34  are telescopically and rotationally mounted in the upper ends  26   b  of rotating tees  26 . The diameter of at least the vertical lower ends of support arms  34  is less than the inner diameter of tees  26  and of outer frame support tubes  20 , such that the vertical portions  34   a  of support arms  34  can be telescoped fully into tees  26  and tubes  20  when their vertical locking mechanisms at  27 , for example spring detents similar to  29  described above, are released.  FIG. 6  also shows a modified, preferred seat support  124   a . Otherwise the structure and function of frame  111  is the same as that described above for frame  11 , and frame  111  uses the same canopy  14 . 
     FIG. 6A  shows a preferred pattern for canopy  14  laid flat relative to frame  111 , with some seams separated to better show the pattern. The lower body  15  of the canopy  14  includes sidewalls  15   a  secured by sewing or other known fabric attachment methods to rear wall  15   b  along their side edges. The upper side edge  15   c  of rear wall  15   b  is preferably continuous, while the lower side edge  15   d  is preferably split and provided with adjustable fasteners such as fabric ties  13  to pull the split edges together and adjust the tension of the lower canopy body  15  on frame  111 . The upper, inside, intermediate edges of sidewalls  15   a  are provided in the illustrated embodiment with fabric pockets or sleeves  15   e  designed to fit over the outer ends  30  of canopy support arms  25 . The outer edges of the forward portions of sidewalls  15   a  are provided with fasteners  15   f  such as mating snaps, ties, or hook-and-loop material to temporarily join and tension the front edges of the sidewalls to enclose the hunter. 
   The upper or roof portion  17  of canopy  14  is shaped, cut and sewn to fit around and be supported by upper canopy support arms  34 , and to be attached to lower canopy portion  15  along the top edges of the rear walls  15   b , for example by sewing the lower edge  17   b  of rear panel  17  to the top edge  15   c  of rear wall  15   b . Outer “wing” portions of upper canopy  17  have compound-angled rear edges  17   c  that are sewn or otherwise attached to the side edges of rear panel  17   a ; outer edges  17   d  and  17   e  designed to be sewn or otherwise attached to the upper edges of lower canopy sidewalls  15   a  and to wrap around the curve of lower canopy support arm elbows  28 ; and angled front opening edges  17   f  that define the front opening of the blind canopy. Pole pockets  17   g  receive the ends of canopy arms  34 , as best shown in  FIG. 6B . 
     FIG. 6B  (and  FIGS. 1 and 1A ) show the rearwardly and upwardly angled, generally triangular front opening  38  formed in the canopy around the frame. A hunter sitting on seat  24  or standing against tree  12  is protected from wind, rain, sun, and snow from above and both sides, and from the front over his lower half, by canopy  14 , while having unobstructed front views and increased peripheral vision at eye-level due to the rearwardly and upwardly sloping angle of opening  38 . It will be understood by those skilled in the art that opening  38  (as viewed from the front of the blind) need not be a perfect triangle, and that the term “triangular” is intended to include modified triangular shapes such as the trapezoidal or flattened-triangle opening shown in the drawings, with the bottom of the opening being wider than the top. 
   The hunter&#39;s observation and shooting options can be further improved with windows such as  115  and  117  ( FIG. 6B ) formed in the sides of the upper and lower canopy portions  15  and  17 . The windows are preferably closed by simple flaps  115   a  of the canopy fabric that can be secured with ties, snaps, hook-and-loop, etc. in closed positions for concealment and weather protection, and dropped down or rolled up for increased view or extra shooting angles. 
     FIGS. 6A and 6B  also show a preferred pattern for packbag  114 , in which fabric similar to that used in canopy  14  is cut in a cruciform pattern. The center panel  114   a  is secured along its top edge to upper frame yoke  18 , for example with known connectors such as straps  114   f , grommets, and pins, allowing the top/front, side, and bottom/front panels  114   b – 114   e  to be opened up like petals to receive the rolled or stuffed canopy and/or gear. Fasteners of known type along the outer edges of panels  114   b – 114   e  are used to secure the panels to one another after the panels are folded or wrapped around the pack contents. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that other forms of packbag can be used with frame  111 , including many commercially available types, particularly those designed for attachment to external frame backpacks. 
   A benefit of the cruciform pattern packbag  114  is that the bottom/front panel  114   e  can be draped over seat  24  when the pack is opened up, and could include padding or a sleeve to hold extra clothing for the hunter&#39;s comfort and insulation. 
   Referring next to  FIG. 7 , another and most preferred embodiment of a blind frame according to the invention is shown at  211 . The tubular vertical supports and flat, plate-like yokes from earlier embodiments have been replaced with lightweight hollow rectangular members to form vertical supports  220  and yokes  218  and  218   a . The rotating tee connections for the lower canopy support arms are replaced with one or more horizontal channel members  226  fixed to the upper yoke, in the illustrated embodiment a single tube secured by welding to upper yoke  218  to receive the inner ends of elbows  228  in both telescoping and rotating fashion. Inner vertical supports  222  similar to supports  22  in the embodiment of  FIGS. 1–5  both brace the frame and provide telescopic storage and rotatable support for canopy roof support arms  234 . Seat assembly  224  is the same as that shown in  FIG. 6 , with a rotating pin connection  235  to the lower inside ends of outer frame members  220 . 
   As shown in solid lines, the frame  211  of  FIG. 7  makes a very compact, flat package to transport and carry. Seat assembly  224  is preferably flush with or recessed into the volume defined between frame members  218  and  220  when folded up. As shown in phantom lines, the frame is opened up by first preferably securing it to the side of a tree as described above, via yoke members  218  and  218   a  using cable or straps; rotating elbow support arm member(s)  228  up approximately 90° and locking in place with lock means  229  (in the embodiment of  FIG. 7 , wing-nut type friction screws), and extending end arms  230  from the raised elbows  228  to the desired length; raising roof supports  234  up to the desired canopy supporting height, rotating them out approximately 90°, and locking them in place with the provided lock means such as screws  227 ; and folding out seat assembly  224 . It should be understood that the foregoing order is the preferred but not the only possible order in which to open up, unfold, and extend the frame&#39;s arm and seat members. 
   Another advantage of the frame design of  FIG. 7  is found in the manner in which elbow members  228  can be deployed and stored without crossing the space bounded by seat assembly  224  and the space occupied by the hunter. This allows for a compact set-up/takedown procedure in which the hunter need not move his feet while facing the blind. This can be particularly important where the hunter is standing on an elevated platform such as a ladder step or a treestand platform while setting up or taking down the frame. 
     FIG. 8  shows a blind  10  using any of frames  11 ,  111 , or  211  and canopy  14  mounted well above ground level for elevated treestand hunting. It will be apparent to those skilled at treestand hunting that the baseless, open-bottomed blind and angled opening  38  offers clear shots at game directly below the blind, unlike many other types of treestand or blind, while maintaining superb weather protection and concealment. 
     FIG. 9  illustrates the blind of  FIG. 8  being used for flooded timber hunting, where the frame  11  (or  111  or  211 ) is secured to the side of a tree  12 , with seat  24  raised above the water a desired height to give the hunter a dry seat, and with the free-hanging lower edge of canopy  14  near or touching or preferably submerged (hidden lines) in the water. By placing the lower edge of canopy  14  in the water, the hunter&#39;s legs and feet remain completely hidden, and the canopy fabric will both serve to reduce hunter noise that would otherwise be reflected off the surface of the water, and to dampen any ripples or surface disturbance that would tend to travel beyond the blind and spook game. The baseless design of the blind further ensures that the hunter will not trip over submerged portions of the blind. 
     FIG. 10  shows the blind of  FIGS. 8 and 9  mounted on a tree above a conventional treestand platform  300 , such that the hunter can alternately sit on the blind&#39;s seat  24  or stand on platform  300 . Ideally the seated hunter will be able to rest his feet on platform  300 . As platform  300  will extend further from the tree than seat  24 , the hunter will also be able to turn around on the platform (while concealed) to adjust the frame, and to set up and take down the frame. As shown in  FIG. 10A , the rotating and telescoping design of the canopy support arms  25  and  34  allows the hunter to both set up and take down the canopy and frame without moving his feet, a significant benefit. Roof support arms are raised above the hunter&#39;s head while folded closed (solid lines) before being rotated out to the canopy support position, and telescoped lower arms  25  can be rotated outwardly above the lowered seat  24  with clearance for the hunter&#39;s feet and legs on the platform  300 , before being rotated up and telescoped out. 
   Referring next to  FIGS. 11 and 11A , blind  211  from  FIG. 7  is shown modified with a climbing attachment  411  that allows it to be used with a conventional self-climbing type treestand platform  311 . Climbing platforms such as  311  are often sold with an accompanying climbing device similar to  411 , and in known manner a hunter first hikes the upper climbing device a short distance up the side of a tree, and then pulls the climbing platform up a similar distance with his feet. By repeating this two-step process, the hunter can work his way quite high in the tree, each component of the climbing assembly locking itself against the tree with an angled gripping member, in the illustrated embodiment a rigid angled metal bar  311   d  that is adjustably mounted with bolts  311   e  to the tree-side ends of angled frame members  311   b . The platform portion  311   a  usually includes a toe opening or toe-strap such as  311   f  for the hunter to hook his feet and pull the platform up. The angled upper frame members  311   b  and the platform  311   a  are connected at  311   c  so that pulling up on the platform lifts frame members  311   b  relative to tree-gripping arm  311   d . Gripping arm  311   d  is rotated downwardly, unlocking it relative to the tree, is then pulled up the side of the tree with the toe-lifted platform a corresponding distance, and then locks in place in the new, elevated position as the frame and platform are released for the next climbing cycle. 
   Climbing attachment  411  works in similar fashion, via an angled tree-gripping member  411   d , but is bolted or otherwise secured at  411   e  to blind frame  211  such that frame  211  forms the connection between angled climbing frame members  411   b  and horizontal climbing frame members  411   a , which are provided with an extended seat  411   f , for example a strong mesh or fabric. Climbing seat  411   f  is adjustably spaced from blind seat  224  by sliding it on horizontal frame members  411   a , so that the hunter can sit on seat  411   f  facing the tree, with his legs passing through the space between the seats and with his feet alternately standing on platform  311   a  and pulling on lift strap  311   f . Blind frame  211  accordingly functions as a force-transferring part of climbing attachment  411 . Attachment  411  can be left in place on the blind frame as shown while hunting, with the gripper  411   d  taking the place of tree-attachment cables, and the horizontal frame members  411   a  and climbing seat  411   f  can be sized to lie within the confines of the blind canopy. Climbing seat  411   f  even offers the advantage of a small table-like surface for the hunter in the blind, where lunch, binoculars, calls, etc. can be stored within easy reach. 
   It will be understood from the foregoing examples of one or more preferred embodiments of the invention that various changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.