What’s This Strange Looking Object Spotted in Hudson Valley?

A bomb shelter? A she shed? A new kind of porta potty? One Hudson Valley Facebook group was buzzing recently over what it could possibly be.

Facebook group The Hudson Valley is a huge public group with nearly 150 thousand members. The group is described as a place to share your appreciation for New York's Hudson Valley.

The admin says to feel free to post local photos, videos that you've taken, and upcoming community events (the more widely appealing and closer to free-of-charge, the better). You can also ask for local recommendations, post suggestions of interesting things to see and do in the area, and share intriguing local facts.

Also See: Popular Hudson Valley Applebee's Location Closing Its Doors

A recent post by Kathy Rock Ferrone caught the attention of many group members, including myself, curious about an object that she recently photographed in Columbia County.

She said there were two of them spotted on a property in Valatie, NY. Valatie is located in the center of the Town of Kinderhook in northern Columbia County. The population was 1,785 at the 2020 census.

When I saw the photo, I immediately, along with many others, assumed it could have been a bomb shelter. LOL but boy were we wrong.

There were many guesses as to what the object could have been, some very entertaining. Including some new kind of porta potty.

Another guess was that it was Sheila's She Shed.

One person thought it may have been some kind of Time Machine. If so, take me back to 1985!

Another possibility was that it was the mothership.

One of the best guesses was that it was a Wonkavator, the flying elevator from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Agreed! Looked just like it! LOL

Although the guesses were all very entertaining, after seeing some comments and doing some research, by the looks of the object, we came to the conclusion that the object was definitely a hunting blind.

Here's a hunting blind we found on Facebook Marketplace for sale.

What Is a Hunting Blind?

A hunting blind is a concealment device or shelter for hunters designed to reduce the chance of detection by animals. There are different types of blinds for different situations, such as deer blinds and duck blinds.

Some are exceedingly simple, while others are complex. The legality of various kinds of blinds may vary according to season, state and location.

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According to New York State, All tree stands and blinds must be marked with the user's name, Access Permit number, and telephone number. Tree stands and hunting blinds must not damage trees and must be removed at the end of the season.

So we have come to the conclusion that a hunting shield is what was captured by Kathy Rock Ferrone back in April of 2024 during her Hudson Valley travels. We will now close the book on another Hudson Valley Mystery. If you happen to stumble on a bizarre sighting in the Hudson Valley area, feel free to drop me a line at Tigman1@yahoo.com