Hunting Camp & Alchohol
 

I' ll post this here as the big game hunters are more likely to have a hunting camp, though the question applies to deer hunting as well.

A recent conversation with friends we started kicking around the idea of having someone pack us into the Sierra Nevadas and camp/hunt/fish for 5 days. While I' ve never done it I do have some small knowledge of what it might be like. I was explaining how you' d take a filter bottle, drink stream water, maybe freeze-dried food, etc. It became clear that he was thinking that we' d pack in a bunch of booze with us. This got me to thinking about what you experienced hunters do.

Seems that most camping and/or fishing trips involve massive alcohol consumption. On more than one trip folks have been to hung-over to fish the next day. Kind of a waste if you ask me. I' m thinking that getting up well before dawn to get into position by sunrise, I' d be pissed if my hunting partner couldn' t get his butt out of the sleeping bag. I' m not opposed to drinking, just don' t drink that much. When on vacation I tend to drink even less.

What are your experiences/camp policies regarding alcohol?

RE: Hunting Camp & Alchohol
 

We are in camp for up to 12 days and we always bring some beer, wine and liquor to mix with hot chocolate or coffee. We absolutly do not ever drink until we are back at camp for the night and we certainly do not get drunk by any means. We simply like to enjoy two or three beers or a couple glasses of wine with dinner and before we turn in for the night. We are all responsible adults and act like it. A cold beer that has been chilled in a natural cold spring is great with dinner.

Be responsible and drink responsibly. And never go hunting if you are intoxicated even from the night before. Sleep in if you need to. Just don' t be stupid while hunting and around guns.

RE: Hunting Camp & Alchohol
 

Well, fishing is an entirely different story; as long as you' re not operating a boat, the worst you could do is fall on your face and drown.

However, hunting and alcohol definitely, 100% do not mix. Stories of ' I was too drunk to...' are exactly what non-hunters need to hear to believe we' re all morons. I have too much respect for hunting to do something like that, to say nothing of the inherent dangers of having loaded firearms.

RE: Hunting Camp & Alchohol
 

I keep a flask with me to mix with Country Time lemonade after a cold, wet ride back to camp. A cup of thet will put life back into you. I also like a snort to celebrate a successful day' s hunt. Gettin' drunk ain' t in the cards, and is what gives hunters a bad name. Also, very hard to function in my country with a hangover. I got no problem with alchohol in camp, jus' drunks.

RE: Hunting Camp & Alchohol
 

I myself drink socially, but I will not in hunting camp at all. By the time I get up in the morning, hunt all day, and do the chores around camp, I am ready for bed. Alcohol, believe it or not keeps me awake at night, so I stay away from it. My hunting partners are the same as me (except for alcohol keeping them awake). So there is never any alcohol in our camp.

RE: Hunting Camp & Alchohol
 

At the end of the day, we may have a beer or two with our meal; the rule is that if you act stupid by getting drunk, you get a one way ride back to civilization and no invites in the future. Hunting safely is important without adding drunkeness to the situation.

RE: Hunting Camp & Alchohol
 

We never really drink in camp either. It' s just the way it has always been with our group. Once in a while someone brings a little bottle of something or other but it generally never gets opened. We hunt pretty hard and by the end of a long days hunt, dinner and clean up we generally have a coffee around the fire and are in bed within an hour.
Also, who wants to haul a bunch of booze in somewhere when you are already pressed for space.

RE: Hunting Camp & Alchohol
 

I guess you need to sit down and ask yourself what is your objective.
Some peoples main objective on a hunting trip is to get away the guys drink a bunch and hunt a little, social trip mostly.

Other guys objective is to hunt as hard as possible before sunup to after sundown,
get back to camp well after dark scramble a quick meal and hit the rack because 4:00 wakeups come early. This is the hard core trophy hunter, he is all about getting a nice animal.

Groups with a mix of these two types of people do not work well.

For my camps alcohol is never an issue. Nobody every drinks more than two beers at night when we are camping by our vehicles. When we pack in there is never room for alcohol it is definitely not a priority.

RE: Hunting Camp & Alchohol
 

Never seen a good use for it other than cooking while hunting. I hunt all day long so I need my rest at night and I certainly don' t need a hangover when hitting the hill the next morning. It only takes one guy who drinks a little too much to slow everyone else down. I guess if you only had a beer or two or a small mixed drink it wouldn' t really matter but I can stand to live without it on my hunting trips.

RE: Hunting Camp & Alchohol
 

I thought everyone would reply saying something how they would go just to get drunk of have a good time. I was wrong, something new every day huh, lol. Last elk season, our hunting party downed 2 half gallons of BV and 4 half gallons of Cordial (sp)(its vodka mixed with sugar and any fruit.. tastes like kool aid or juice but gets you drunker then a skunk) by 3 o' clock in the afternoon on opening day. Carazy hunters aye. I' m only 15 and I haven' t drank but seems like our hunting party just likes to have a lot of fun.. Oh yeah, the next day everyone showed up for breakfast and no one had a hang over. I guess you guys should drink more so you can handle your booze better, lol.

RE: Hunting Camp & Alchohol
 

Hunting and alcohol does not mix. At the end of a day of hunting I may slam a couple Budweisers down, no time to get drunk because I' m so exhausted from tropping the mountain side, I have a hard enough time doing it sober, I could not imagine some-one doing it hung-over. Also if a party member was too have too much to drink, I' ll be damn if I' d let him hold up the rest of the hunting party. They can do catch up or head back. When you can' t carry your own weight, I' ll leave ya behind. Bobby;)

RE: Hunting Camp & Alchohol
 

Hey BrushChimp;
Let me know where you guys hunt so I can make sure to stay far away from there!

As many have pointed out in this thread, responsible hunters would never allow themselves or their camp mates to be in the bush while intoxicated. If you want to get sloppy then more power to you, but you' d better not leave camp.

I had a sitution a few years ago where a guy in camp stayed up most of the night drinking and then wanted to hunt in the morning. He was still very much " pickled" so I took his bullets. He was really pissed and would probably have been ready to fight if I didn' t outsize him by 80 lbs. Something about a sloppy drunk totin' a .338 around the woods right behind me gave me the willies. Needless to say, this guy doesn' t get any more invites to hunt with me!
I like beer as more (or more) than the next guy, but it' s in camp and limited to a couple with dinner unless I' m tagged out and staying in camp the next day.

RE: Hunting Camp & Alchohol
 

brushchimp,
So from your description that would make your hunting trip more of the social variety.

Next time you guys are going out to hunt take a second to post and let us know where you will be camping so we can all be sure to be nowhere near your group.
I just hope your group has all your guns put away before you start hitting the drinks.

I used to hunt with some guys who did the same stuff as your party when I was first getting started hunting. As I met some other hunters who were more serious I quickly detached myself from the first group.
You will need to decide for yourself if you want to be a partier or a hunter.
You can get all the partying done in town, party if you are going to party, hunt if you are going to hunt. They don' t mix well at all.

RE: Hunting Camp & Alchohol
 

Brushchimp,
You are a young man in dire need of a role model. Sayin' they drink to have fun? Its a hunting trip for christ sake! Hunting alone would be no fun at all, of course?Hunting is the fun part! Don' t grow up thinkin' fun comes in a bottle, or " handling your booze" is a sign of manhood. I wish I had back every minute I wasted drunk an' sick as a youth. Lemme clue you in about girls too. Drunks are awful lovers. Ask your mother. Oops, was that too onry? Ok, ask any lady over the age of 25. No matter what you see on TV an' on yer huntin' trips an' among yer pubescent friends, being drunk ain' t more fun than bein' outdoors or playin' sports, an' being drunk a lot ain' t cool at all.

RE: Hunting Camp & Alchohol
 

BrushChimp, you will be doing yourself a great service if you pay attention to everything that BeaverJack just said. The type of behavior you' re describing has no place in a hunting camp. I really hope you learn that soon. Those are the kind of people, notice I didn' t say " hunters" , that need to stay out of the woods![:@]

RE: Hunting Camp & Alchohol
 

You gotta have some booze in camp. Not while hunting of course but nothing better than a cold beer with dinner after a day hunting. Here in my elk camp we have one night were all of the local camps get together for a big party. That is usually the only night that I have more than I should.

RE: Hunting Camp & Alchohol
 

The folks in my group have a splash of bourbon in the evening coffee. BrushChump, I hope you don' t believe what you are seeing over in that camp of yours. Given the great image we already have, please don' t share your experiences and observations with others.

I don' t know where the part about women liking drunks came from, but I fear the only reason they might, is so they can get a free drink...

RE: Hunting Camp & Alchohol
 

One of the few times I agree with what BeaverJack is saying but he' s right, nothin wrong with a snort to warm you up or a celebration sip. But tying one on should be left at home anymore. I can' t see trudging around all day cover miles and elevation on a hangover:( Man I don' t even like the word hangover anymore. Brushchimp, I' d pay close attention to what the others have said.Lot of truth in their words.

RE: Hunting Camp & Alchohol
 

Not much to add , most bases have been covered. In our camp the shooter gets the trophy and the meat is shared evenly with who ever is out hunting that day, if you where at camp baged out, you get an empty bag.

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RE: Hunting Camp & Alchohol
 

In our case, it just wouldn' t be elk camp without some appropriate libation -- but its got to be controlled and kept within reason and it depends on your crowd, your set up, and the " pace" of your hunt!

CROWD: I avoid inviting people who I know their personality changes when they drink -- getting either crazy or mean or debilitated -- elk hunting is too special of a time to have to put up with any of those. We have a couple of Mormon guys in our camp and they are true to their beliefs - it is a " live and let live" arrangement and no one goes out of their way to " rub their face in it" by getting loud, rowdy, or obnoxous, so I' d say everyone stays pretty well behaved or I don' t think they' d keep coming back (Great hunters and hard workers).

SET UP: We " truck camp" right off the forest service road in a plosh wall tent camp set up (no RV' s) so we don' t have to handle packing way back in. This by its nature allows us a bit more latitude in terms of alcohol vs. weight, packing, and labor fatigue.

PACE: If you are an iron man elk hunter and everything is a " forced march" from arriving 2 days before the season and packing WAY back in to hunting hard morning noon and night for a week while fighting a losing battle to sleep deprivation, then there is hardly a place for alcohol beyond " medicinal use" . I imagine that would be like maybe a BJ hunt or someone who backpacks way back in and is essentially a " human horse" .

LIBATION - EKM Camp Style:

PRE-HUNT: We are in camp 12 days or so for a 5 day hunt (1-2 setup, 5 scout, 5 hunt) -- so alcohol' s role in our stay is a little more " liberal" . During the scouting days, we don' t get out of camp before 900am after a big and leisurely breakfast. We get back in camp by 400pm prepare a gourmet meal and enjoy our stock of liquor and cigars which culminates on Wednesday (before the Saturday hunt) with banquet night for those groups (many out of state) that keep coming back to the same area year after year. We throw a big feed and catch up on the last year -- THEN THAT' S IT -- usually in bed by 1100PM. Thursday and Friday are low key and the camp is dark by 8:00PM Friday for a 130AM to 200AM wake up call Saturday.

HUNT: Maybe one beer each before bed AFTER one' s chores are done -- two beers would be damn near terminal, some substitute hot chocolate and schnapps. Our Morman guys go for hot herb tea -- no problem.

POST HUNT: As we start killing elk our group splits in two: those that got elk and now are on the " packing and butchering" side and then there are those who are still on the hunting side. For those still hunting, alcohol use is nil because as the days roll on they are fighting sleep deprivation and fatigue.

BUTCHERING: We usually spend one to two and a half days butchering our elk in camp depending on our luck. We break into teams of three, elevate a table, break out the knives and the beer and the coffee and cut elk all day. Everyone stays in limits and it is one of my favorite parts of the whole elk hunt process -- libation, good friends, great country, " war stories" and the fruit of our harvest -- that wonderful elk meat being crafted into gourmet elk cuts. No one has gotten " really" cut yet -- nicked yes, CUT no.

So that is what works for us.

Never Go Undergunned,
EKM

RE: Hunting Camp & Alchohol
 

Maybe I will have a beer at camp after a day of hunting, but not very often. I do not hunt effectivly hung-over. After I have killed my animal, that is the time I celebrate with roasted tenderloin, heart, liver and onions, a nice beverage, good friends, and a fine cigar. Good hunting!!

RE: Hunting Camp & Alchohol
 

Even though we all drink some, our group has decided that hunting and alcohol don' t mix. We don' t allow alcohol at any time in hunting camp, even in the evening. Anybody that would consider taking it on a pack-in hunt must NEED it pretty bad.

RE: Hunting Camp & Alchohol
 

Alchohol in camp? You bet. Drunks in camp? Hell no.
We' re there to have a good time and hunt hard, we do just that.
There ain' t nothing better sitting around a campfire going over old times and having a cocktail with close friends, also discussing that days experiences, plus a few good jokes every now and then. I can see it now, man I can' t wait.

elknut1

RE: Hunting Camp & Alchohol
 

I used to smoke ceegars reglar, allays had one in my teeth when on the trail. Now I don' t smoke ' xcept after a kill. I got 4 cubans waitin' for this year' s hunt. Allays sprinkle the end tobaccy next to the critter' s snout to say thanks like my grandaddy tort me. Keeps ' em happy an' comin' my way year after year. If the doctor tells me I cain' t even smoke then, I reckin' I' ll find another doctor!

RE: Hunting Camp & Alchohol
 

Txhunter, I hope I never come across your camp, it sounds real boreing, do you guys have a curfew that your suppose to be in bed by too?
Elknut, right on, thats what hunting is all about, its not just the kill but savoring a special moment with friends sitting around a fire and exchangeing stories. This is one of the things that most of us look forward to, at the end of a hard day kicking back enjoying a nice fire and a beer or two and then do it again the next morning.
Bobby;)

RE: Hunting Camp & Alchohol
 

When we go to Colorado, we rent a horse and throw most of our gear on the pack horse. Just never bothered bring any alcohol as I' m there to hunt and want to be totally focused on the hunt. I have packed into the Boundary Waters in Northern Minnesota and since there was a restriction on taking anything but plastic, we bought Smirnoff travel bottles and cherry coolaid mix which was pretty damn good and didn' t take up the space or weight that beer would' ve. Kind of lost my taste for alcohol after a bad car accident that I was a passenger in. Not against it but I just enjoy a clear mind too much at this point.

RE: Hunting Camp & Alchohol
 

12... : Interesting that you felt the need to poo-poo on the fact that we don' t do things the way you do. Doest thou protest too much? I guarantee you that we have every bit as much enjoyment in the woods as you do. I don' t presume to judge or tell others they shouldn' t drink, just that we don' t. As far as my comment about packing in alcohol, maybe you considered that judging. If so, I apologize. My philosophy on a pack in hunt is that I am only going to take the essentials. Alcohol is not essential. If one chooses to pack in alcohol, I would think that he NEEDS the EFFECTS of alcohol to have a good time. I don' t.

Signed,

Boring and loving every minute of it.

RE: Hunting Camp & Alchohol
 

For many years I hunted in a cloud because of the amount of alcohol I consumed each night of hunting season at camp. Always had a good time (I think?), but wouldn' t bring home the bacon until the second week when I hunted solo in a different area. I quit doing the " camp" thing about 10 years ago, and have been hunting solo for the past 5 years, except for the occasional outing with a friend or family member. And as far as alcohol goes, I had to give it up a few years ago because of health reasons, and I' m starting to realize how nice it is to hunt when I' m feeling good! :D

RE: Hunting Camp & Alchohol
 

I did not mean to hit a nerve txhunter , but since you have a rule in your club in not allowing alcohol in your camp, How would you react to me poppping a beer at dinner at the end of a hard hunt, or is that a sin in your camp and I would never be asked to come back again? It has nothing to do with needing it, I wonder who of those who enjoy a fine cigar at the end of the day actually needs it. If and when it becomes a problem in camp, then by all means the situation needs to be addressed, but to treat everyone like a bunch of juveniles and say NO, is kinda saying, " my way or the highway."
I am sure that you enjoy the woods the same as I and we both have hunting in common, but I personally don' t see anything wrong with a beer or two at the end of the day if its available, and if its not, its not a big deal. I am 49 yrs old and if I choose that I want a beer at then end of the day, then I am big enough to do it and its not like I use a mule loaded up with cases of beer and go in the bush hunting. Never meant any disrespect. Bobby

RE: Hunting Camp & Alchohol
 

to answer the first question
when i pack in to hunt i pack everything on my back and alcohol is far from making the list beer is to heavy and everclear just isnt very good straight

when i dont have time to pack in 1 or 2 days then i enjoy a beer or two after dinner and to bs round the fire

i guess maybee if i had a couple extra horses it wouldnt be bad but then id have to spend time taken care of them and im not there to babysit im there to enjoy the elk and deer before those wolves eatem all up

RE: Hunting Camp & Alchohol
 

I think what' s most important is that, besides that BrushChimp fella, we' re all in agreement about moderation. Even txhunter' s camp is understanding of alcohol, and even the most liberal camp has very little alcohol in it.

I would say to BC, that not wanting to drink before we hit the woods is not a sign that we can' t ' hold our liquor.' I can drink with the best of them... but when it comes to hunting, it' s just so much more important and powerful than anything alcohol can give me, that the alcohol is an annoyance more than anything else.

Bottom line, when I' m hunting, everything about me is focused on that. Anything going into my body had better be fuel to get me deeper, faster, quieter, stronger into the woods. Beer doesn' t help with any of the above, therefore it is definitely out.

RE: Hunting Camp & Alchohol
 

I am one of the hard core hunters in our group, we also have a couple that are more on the social side. I enjoy a glass of red wine or a beer when preparing the meal, than it is my usual 2 glasses of water while palying some cards and hit the rack. The rule in camp is simple you don' t go hunting if you are drunk or hung over and their is no second wake up call. If you don' t get up with the rest you are left in camp that day. We have never had an issue. The party sort to speak comes on the final evening, as their are a number of groups from all over that have been hunting the same area, we have a game feast, play some cards and enjoy stories of the weeks events and past years. It is great end to a long week and most of us are so bagged from hunting hard all week that it ends pretty early for a shin dig!

Getting drunk in camp while hunting is unacceptable and I see no need to do so. I also see no harm if the room is available to pack a few drinks for the evening after the hunt, as long as the whole group knows the score and can limit themselves appropriately.

RE: Hunting Camp & Alchohol
 

Man all this talk is getting me an itch to go hunting. Is there anything better than staring into an open fire, feeling the heat on your face and the cold on your neck at the same time. All the while listening and laughing at the same story told by the same guy year after year?:D And I' mmore in the same boat as Skeeter now a days, water is usually my preferred beverage.MAn can' t wait :D

RE: Hunting Camp & Alchohol
 

Me and two others brought alcohol on a spring brown bear hunt a few years back, and let me tell you, I' ll never do that again. We didn' t ride into camp until 5 a.m. on four-wheelers, some 25-30 miles from the nearest road. We had camp setup by around 7 a.m. and being so tired from riding all night (in the dark, through lots and lots wet, deep snow and overflowing creeks), I was exhausted. Instead of catching a few hours of zzzz' s I ended up with my cousin and good friend, drinking. I ended up waking up the FOLLOWING afternoon, day 2 on my 5-day bear hunt, hung-over and feeling like ****. I spent the next two days just basking in the hot sun, getting a tan, and trying to feel better. I ended up hunting for a few hours on the last day of the hunt. None of us got a bear. I' ll never bring alcohol in such large quanities again. Heck, I just bring my water purifier now. Keep the booze in town.

RE: Hunting Camp & Alchohol
 

I don' t have a camp or belong to a hunting group like these other guys/gals but I can say that anyone that brings up the social drinking at deer camp (ie we get drunk all night and go hunting in the morning) has no room in my hunting world at all. I use to drink like a fish but would never put a weapon in my hands after a night out (or in). My friends included would not even ask if I want to go with them if they wanted to drink! Alcohol and guns DO NOT MIX, and I would cancel a trip if I found that the outfitter didn' t mind mixing the two! Just my opinion!!

RE: Hunting Camp & Alchohol
 

121553: Thanks for the clarification. I have no problem with you being in the same woods as me. From your posts I am sure that you don' t handle firearms after alcohol consumption.

But to clarify. No, we don not allow alcohol in camp at any time. That is a hard and fast rule in our camp. We just don' t want there to be any chance that someone could drink a little too much. I also took 5 kids under 18 years old hunting this past year. Don' t want any of them to get the idea that drinking around firearms is ok. I realize that responsible adults can handle it, but can all 15 year olds? Anyway, that is our personal opinion that applies to our hunting ranch. To each his own.

One thing we found out through the years that made us change to this policy is that our core hunters may never abuse drinking, but we do allow some guests, and they are not always as responsible. We just take that temptation out of the equation and we have just as much fun. Again, that is what works for us and we are all happy with the results.

Good hunting.

RE: Hunting Camp & Alchohol
 

txhunter58,
You are right about guest hunters..... they are unknown and unpredictable -- some talk the " right" game but problems can crop up in the course of " living with them" for 12 days.

#1 -- Gotta make sure alcohol use standards are maintained and not abused, and

#2 -- My pet peeve, is that a lot of these folks think you, your equipment, and your core group of hunters constitutes an outfitting service and hence they feel they can arrive late and run away early without helping with the set up or the pack up..... in the mean time they expect to be waited on. It' s a pain when they " slip one by you" and " land in your midst" and by then you' ve found out too late. [:@]

Now, after learning the hard way, if one of my crew wants to bring someone along, I make sure we have both of them over for a lengthy summer barbque and serve alcohol then. This lets me see if personalities undergo any " alcohol change" PLUS I can make sure everyone is reading off of the same page -- that elk hunting is very rewarding and fun BUT hard work runs through it all and everyone is expected to participate and NO " cherry picking" the schedule.
Sorry about the side track, I feel better now though. :D

Never Go Undergunned,
EKM

RE: Hunting Camp & Alchohol
 

I guess running a hunting camp and inviting guests is a lot like inviting friends out on your boat for a day of fishing...Once you pull back at the dock everyone disappears and your left cleaning up your gear and the boat...

RE: Hunting Camp & Alchohol
 

Hey EKM, I live in Utah so you can' t throw a rock without hitting a Mormon. As far as I know they can' t drink tea either. In fact I' m dead sure about it, maybe you can give them a little harrassing this fall.