How to “do” deer camp?
 

I’ve been thinking about this…I’d like to get four or so of my buddies together and do a week-long hunting camp somewhere in the mountains of Virginia next season. Thing is, I have no idea of how to go about something like this. A cabin would be better than living out of tents (especially for food prep purposes), but either would be doable. To those of you who have had successful camps, what logistics were involved? How did you make it happen?

thanks for posting this i am curious myself

I have made many 9 day long hunting trips to Bath Co VA in the hidden valley area. We have used campers, tents, army tents, trucks, and even cheated and got a hotel for a couple days. The cheapest way is to get a tent and camp beside of the dirt road, not in the camp ground. I always take a grill for food prep. We always eat good so the food is our most expensive part. A good sleeping bag is a must because it will get cold on the mountain. I have woke up to -20* F temps before (the eggs were froze solid, ate oatmeal). You can make it with next to nothing if you wanted too do it cheap but the more you have the better and easier it is. I usually always take these items: Tent, sleeping bag, propane grill with a side burner, cook ware and utensils, ax and splitting maul, big cooler, plenty of water, chainsaw, a folding table is nice. As far as food we usually done eggs and toast and oatmeal in the mornings, sandwhiches and beans and snack cakes for lunch, and meat with tatters for dinner.
It seems like a lot but it is SO worth going. You will make friends for life just from camping and hunting together. I have been going since 1997 and look forward to it every year. Even though we don't kill HUGE bucks I would rather go a week in the mountains with my dad and grandpaw and brother than all of hunting season in Pike Co. or somewhere like that.

Also, when you camp beside of the road you can walk to the woods in about 10 seconds! No driving unless you just want to.

We do Deer Camp every year for the last 20 years,..Good Times, I'm packing this week..Here's some pics .. We started out with pop-ups, some years we used campers, then we started bringing up the Army Tent, wood stove, nothing better. Don't stay in a cabin..Try a Tent, you will survive..we're a bunch of Old farts a we still do it..LOL

We have a little cabin in wolf co ky we use. Got 2 rooms and a loft. It's not fancy we do have power some what it has one light inside and one on the porch we heat it with a wood stove that we also cook on. We also have a charcoal grill outside it's the best way to catch up with friends and family you only see a couple of times a year. We built the cabin from trees off the farm wich is cool. My dad uncle and grandad built it in 2000 before that we used tents and campers. I enjoy the camp time as much as the hunting time.

Now thats a SET UP! Our army tent was round but we had the wood stove and cots and that worked out great. It sucks setting it up and taking it down but well worth it in the end!
Nice pics!

Like others have said, the more perks you have the better it is, but just a week with the guys is gauranteed to be a good time. I've never been to deer camp and not had fun.

Glockman55 that is the way to set up deer camp!
Good luck!
Live it up! Doug

Have to go stake out a good place before season obvs. We used to go down to Buffalo lake in WV. We were less then 2 miles from VA where we camped. Its right were rt 33 and 250 come together. Basically we took weekend rides to public hunting grounds and looked for places to camp. We used large tent with stove Cabela's sells and the 4 of us went down for 5 days for about 4 years straight.

You learn each year what you do and dont need. We took propane heaters instead of a small woodstove the 1st year. That was a horrible idea. We purchased the water heater device for showers. The public ground had permanent porta potties for our more serious business.

Just remember to leave early if you find a good spot most likely other folks know about it to and will be heading down there. Have a plan B and C where to go. If you want more info on the place Im talking about PM me. Like I said we were very close to VA line at our camp site. The nearest town was Bartow WV and it did have a small hotel and restaraunt to get a hot meal at the end of the day. Its all what you make it really.

If you do go miles from home and its miles from no-where make sure you bring a back up gun to share between the group JIC something happens so no ones hunt is ruined. 1st year we went bud dropped gun and scope broke. That god we had an extra.

Deer camp is definitely fun. My first and only experience so far was back in 2008. About 10 people drove up with campers and supplies. They would form a ring around a clearing, then set up a 40x20 something army tent complete with shower, woodburning stove, sink with running water, oven, dishwasher and a flatscreen TV with cable. On the 4th day of staying there, they tore it all down and left. It was fun, but seriously leave it up longer!

what part of the mountains are you lookin at? I live in the shenandoah valley

My family has a olddd house about a mile from where we hunt, Its where we stay when we dont feel like driving 45 minutes to an hour from town. Its nothing fancy, With a kitchen, livingroom,just a bunch of old couches and a fireplace, a ""dorm" with 3 bunk beds and 2 large beds, a bathroom and a shower, and when it gets cold the only heat source we have is a ancient old furnace heater thing. What i love about the deer camp is its a chance for all the old friends and family members to eat and lodge together, and it creates a nice place to come back and take a nap or talk about the previous hunts with your loved ones. Its almost like a camping experience. and i love it (: its one of my favorite things about hunting!
-Bayou

Our deer camp started like the tent setup Glockman55 showed back in 1950. The guys got permission to hunt the small section of land and wound up buying it. Placed a trailer on it. Over the years attached a house to it and got permission from the adjacent landowners to give them some workdays and we'd have hunting rights to the club. Grew to 25 guys, 650 acres, and I had the pleasure of hunting my first year as a member in 68. Dues are really inexpensive at $250, but other clubs in the area charge 400 or 500, but it includes meals and a cook. We have no running water, just an outhouse, but it's home to us. Having everyone at the camp on the night before opening day is what we wait 330 days for. I've taken off the friday before to bow hunt the morning, and head to the camp in the afternoon. It's good to have the keg tapped, as well as some of the best food the guys can bring up. Smoke turkey, venison sausage and pepperoni, backstraps, loins, God, it's an eating fest. I, being called the "City Boy" still after all these years bring up the equivalent of Authur Avenue in the Bronx with Italian Sopressata, boccacini, prosciutto, roasted peppers, stuffed hot cherry peppers, etc. And I make the best Pasta Fagioli, which I usually bring up a 20 qt pot and it's gone in a week.
My son and I usually hunt the weekends and the friday after Thanksgiving. I wouldn't trade that time of year, even if I could hunt for the "Trophy Buck" someplace else for free cause those other 23 guys are my "Family" too. Knowing who's in the woods, knowing they follow all the rules, responsible hunters, makes all the difference in the world. Good luck to all.