Trap door entry for elevated blind

[j-bird]

Any of you use a trap door entry style for your elevated blind? I am considering doing this in an effort to reduce the chance of me getting picked off when on the landing of my blind (in at least 2 cases I will be skylined with no back cover at all). My thinking is that it's easier to screen 6 to 8 feet up than it is 15 or more. My plan would be to enclose the legs of the blind in some sort of screening material and then enter the blind via a trap door. This way as long as you can get to the blind undetected it "should - in theory" then be home free. I am giving my elevated blinds some serious consideration to both hide them better as well as improve my access to them as well...some may even be replaced entirely. Right now many stick out like a sore thumb and that works fine for killing does and young bucks....but I fear it may be hampering my success on older bucks that have been around the block a few times or may be new to my property. As much as I don't have much proof that the exposed blinds spook the deer I am after...I figure it probably couldn't hurt. I also think it may help with keeping moisture out and increase my visibility as well.... I see several "pros"....looking for the "cons"....

My concern is any "issues" with using an entry like this that I may not be aware of. I'm thinking a 30"-36" square opening should be plenty.

 

[chickenlittle]

We did the trapdoor on the blind we built. It is a little less convenient as you need room to open the door, room around the opening to get you and your stuff up in without dropping anything back down, then close the door before spreading out. And repeat the process to go down. We need to take your pack off and pass it up through. I know my father has dropped his rifle at least once. Everything is harder if I'm taking a child up in with me too. But it made sense for our build because the stand is on telephone pole skids and we can move it around.. Having the whole entrance ladder directly under the outline of the building was compact and convenient. When I get to building a permanent stand, I'll do a side door.

 

[Nova]

I have one blind with stairs, a landing and a regular door. That is My Dad's stand and he is 84 years old. All the rest I use a trap door. #1 it's a lot easier to make a trap door, #2 it leaves another full wall to put a shooting window in, and #3 like you said you can conceal yourself getting in. My 84 year old Dad actually likes one of the blinds with the trap door best. Here is my layout


This is another style I have done

 

[bowhunternw]

I used a trap door on mine, granted its only 5 feet off the ground but it works great. Attatched a couple of 2 x 4 to the legs of the stand for steps. I will do all of my future ones the same way.

 

[cavey]

You can do a trap wall too... a side wall section hinged at the top. I do agree with your thinking about popping in from the floor as a being a bit more sneaky.

 

[j-bird]

We did the trapdoor on the blind we built. It is a little less convenient as you need room to open the door, room around the opening to get you and your stuff up in without dropping anything back down, then close the door before spreading out. And repeat the process to go down. We need to take your pack off and pass it up through. I know my father has dropped his rifle at least once. Everything is harder if I'm taking a child up in with me too. But it made sense for our build because the stand is on telephone pole skids and we can move it around.. Having the whole entrance ladder directly under the outline of the building was compact and convenient. When I get to building a permanent stand, I'll do a side door.

I wondered if the "floor space shuffle" was a real issue and if the gear/weapon transfer would be a struggle. Those are things I will take into consideration.....exactly the type of things I was looking for.

 

[j-bird]

I have one blind with stairs, a landing and a regular door. That is My Dad's stand and he is 84 years old. All the rest I use a trap door. #1 it's a lot easier to make a trap door, #2 it leaves another full wall to put a shooting window in, and #3 like you said you can conceal yourself getting in. My 84 year old Dad actually likes one of the blinds with the trap door best. Here is my layout
View attachment 27579

This is another style I have done
View attachment 27580

I doubt I go octagonal....but you touched on a lot of the positives I see with a trap-door design as well. Do you use any sort of counter weight for the door? I was thinking maybe a counter weight or some sort of a latch to hold the door open. Last thing I need is a door hitting me in the head! I think I would try to orientate the ladder/stairs so I can use the interior wall for some means of support while transferring to and from the ladder/stairs as well.

 

[j-bird]

I used a trap door on mine, granted its only 5 feet off the ground but it works great. Attatched a couple of 2 x 4 to the legs of the stand for steps. I will do all of my future ones the same way.

Does the lower height help at all? I'm a little over 6'1" tall. If you are only 5 feet off the ground I could open the door and be able to stand in the opening and be able to see into the blind and maybe even place items to prevent having to carry them up the ladder/stairs.

 

[j-bird]

You can do a trap wall too... a side wall section hinged at the top. I do agree with your thinking about popping in from the floor as a being a bit more sneaky.

Interesting idea....I have seen that for wheelchair accessible ground blinds and the like before. Not sure how well that would work in an elevated situation....

 

[Tree Spud]

I have never liked trap doors. They break up the structural integrity of the floor and can have squeaks, groans, etc. when opened or rolled over with a chair.

I build a half high door on the backside with just a wood ladder so I can sneak in without a platform. You can still put a window above.

 

[Nova]

I doubt I go octagonal....but you touched on a lot of the positives I see with a trap-door design as well. Do you use any sort of counter weight for the door? I was thinking maybe a counter weight or some sort of a latch to hold the door open. Last thing I need is a door hitting me in the head! I think I would try to orientate the ladder/stairs so I can use the interior wall for some means of support while transferring to and from the ladder/stairs as well.

I don't use a counter weight, but put a small steel plate on the floor side of the door and a magnet on the wall it leans against. Push the door open and it catches the magnet, holding the door in place. I took a couple in the head before I figured that out.

I also have a large hook at the top of the ladder and just below the floor. When you get to the top of the ladder you hook your pack and gun/bow on the hook, open the door, then take your gear off the hook and place inside on the floor, then you enter. Reverse the process on the way out.

 

[bowhunternw]

Does the lower height help at all? I'm a little over 6'1" tall. If you are only 5 feet off the ground I could open the door and be able to stand in the opening and be able to see into the blind and maybe even place items to prevent having to carry them up the ladder/stairs.

That is exactly how we do it. Open the door, then we can set all our stuff on the floor before climbing up into the blind.

 

[j-bird]

I have never liked trap doors. They break up the structural integrity of the floor and can have squeaks, groans, etc. when opened or rolled over with a chair.

I build a half high door on the backside with just a wood ladder so I can sneak in without a platform. You can still put a window above.

Interesting concept....I may give that some thought on ones I put at a lower height. I would not want to be on a ladder with all my gear on trying to mess with a latch or the like on the door. My clumsy butt would find the express route to the bottom! I would think that may be difficult on a persons joints later in life....or if they had knee issues or the like...maybe...

 

[willy]

I have trap doors in all my enclosed blinds. The two main advantages imo are a relatively hidden entry and less openings for wind and moisture to get through. I have put 1/4" 4x8 sheets of brown peg board up on the tower legs and it has made the climb up to the trap door completely hidden. The sheets will have been up for two years in April. I/we have been able to get into blinds with deer within 30 yards of me that were clear to see me if the peg board wasn't there.

If you do go with a trap door I highly recommend putting the door as close as possible(make sure gravity will still hold door open or make a latch that connects when the door pushes to it) to one corner so that you'll have a bigger continuous space to sit on going down the ladder, get onto off the ladder, set hunting items on, etc. I did several like Nova's trap door before I realized it should be where I recommend putting them now.

To combat creaking and cracking I recommend putting the sill plate material on the top of the floor joists with calk between that and the board. It will be totally quiet. On top of your floor then put carpet. Your good to go. On the edge your trap door sits on put window seal strips on top, self adhesive and then wood sits on it and no squeaks. The edges of the door has to be totally separated from the sides of the floor board or one will get a squeak or creak there.

 

[cavey]

Interesting concept....I may give that some thought on ones I put at a lower height. I would not want to be on a ladder with all my gear on trying to mess with a latch or the like on the door. My clumsy butt would find the express route to the bottom! I would think that may be difficult on a persons joints later in life....or if they had knee issues or the like...maybe...

I think the only benefit if any is you dont have to ascend to a bit higher level - that you would with a regular door. Beyond that there probably isnt a reason to do a hinged wall or partial flap below a window. Just saw one once

 

[chickenlittle]

J-bird, the shuffling gear is really driven by how big it is inside and where you put the trapdoor (like Willy suggested, corner is best). Our blind is relatively small so there is only about a 15" of floor along side the trapdoor and maybe 6" on the other side. The other half of the blind open. It would be easier had we placed the door all the way to one side and closer to the corner but it was a last minute design change and not as thought out as it could have been. To help with getting in and out, we use an old plastic shower chair (medical type thing left over from my grandmother) that is light enough to hang up on a hook 7ft off the floor.

 

[ghilliehunter]

Any of you use a trap door entry style for your elevated blind? I am considering doing this in an effort to reduce the chance of me getting picked off when on the landing of my blind (in at least 2 cases I will be skylined with no back cover at all). My thinking is that it's easier to screen 6 to 8 feet up than it is 15 or more. My plan would be to enclose the legs of the blind in some sort of screening material and then enter the blind via a trap door. This way as long as you can get to the blind undetected it "should - in theory" then be home free. I am giving my elevated blinds some serious consideration to both hide them better as well as improve my access to them as well...some may even be replaced entirely. Right now many stick out like a sore thumb and that works fine for killing does and young bucks....but I fear it may be hampering my success on older bucks that have been around the block a few times or may be new to my property. As much as I don't have much proof that the exposed blinds spook the deer I am after...I figure it probably couldn't hurt. I also think it may help with keeping moisture out and increase my visibility as well.... I see several "pros"....looking for the "cons"....

My concern is any "issues" with using an entry like this that I may not be aware of. I'm thinking a 30"-36" square opening should be plenty.

Jbird,
We put a trap door in the blind we built. I definitely would recommend that. However, my next one will have the trap door closer to one side of the blind instead of the middle. This allows for more room to place your gear and to step on to.

 

[buckdeer1]

They work ok,I would frame around bottom so it seals tighter

 

[WeedyJ]

OK, so here's where I reveal more of my ignorance and hope to learn. I've never understood why we should be so stealthy with a raised box blind entry. I don't have the ladder to any ladder stands concealed, and some of those in the woods. I CERTAINLY am not the stealth meister when climbing with a climber. So why box blinds? Unless you're getting to one at a field edge that may have deer in the plot. I'm going to be putting a couple of these up this year as well.

 

[Da U.P. 'eh]

Weedy I think you nailed it. I can't think of any other reason for sneaking in or out other than to avoid scaring deer out of a food plot.