Alsatian

How many of you participate in a "deer camp" of some sort? Is your camp in a cabin or in tents? How long do you stay in camp? How did you form your group of hunters? Do you stay in the camp for the duration or do you go out for dinner in a neighboring town to restaurants? Do you cooperate in hunting or just go your separate ways? Do you share your deer meat, or does everyone keep the meat from his own deer?

I ask because I occasionally read of deer camps. These camps are described as being great experiences -- shared comraderie, good food, shared knowledge and wisdom, shared burden of work tasks. It sounds pretty enjoyable, but I have never had the pleasure of experiencing any deer camp. I usually stay at my mother-in-law's house and drive about 20 minutes to the hunting ground. Not deer camp in any traditional sense of the term.

So, I'm interested in hearing some of your descrptions and tales from deer camp, since I have not had this experience.

Georgetownboys

I hunt private property in Texas. . .so the owner/friend determines the group. In my case our camp is a large double wide mobile home, sleeps 12. So during the big weeks, Turkey day and Xmas the camp was full. . .group meals, lots of beer around the campfire at night. Plenty of heckling when someone brings in undersized trophies or makes a poor shot. Lots of help tracking, skinning, cooking etc.

Yes it can be lots of fun. . .but my favorite times are when I am there alone for a day or 2. The peace and quiet is a nice change from regular life.

BarnesX.308

We hunt out of a cabin/house and we have a group of guys. It's not technically a camp because it's our family vacation house and we don't charge dues. We just have a group of friends that come up and they bring food and good company. We don't usually go out to eat. Everyone brings food and we pride ourselves on having great dinners every night.

Rustyaxecamp

I am part of an old school deer camp your talking about. It is mainly all family. Currently we lease a large piece of property in the U.P. of Michigan, but historically we have had camp on federal land, state land, and other private land. We set up and tear down camp each year. We are currently using a 16x32 army tent as camp, but have historically used a portable wood cabin (my uncle's design), other army and smaller tents. We have had as many members as 18 and as few as 3 from year to year. We heat the tent with a wood stove, have an outhouse, buck pole and all the other great things you imagine about a "deer camp." My mind actually drifted there this morning as I tried to work...only nine more months.......

Our duration depend on how the season falls during hte week, but averages a week or so. We do everything in camp, we only leave to get needed supplies, and that doesn't usually occur until the fourth day or so. We all basically do our own thing (hunt our own specific stands) for the first three or four days, then depending on success, we get creative (drives, switch stands, explore/hunt).

I am sad to say I feel anyone who never took part in an actual deer camp has missed one of the biggest joys in a hunters life. It is a great occasion to visit with friends and family, tell storys, relive past years, and RELAX.

I had the luck to hunt with many family members who are no longer around including my grandfather and great-uncles. It was pretty cool to see the difference in the past generations hunting style and the current style. Makes me wonder what they would done if they had Gore-Tex, Thinsulate, Ultra Mags, and all that back in the 1930s and 40s..... They shot a ton of huge bucks back then using what seems now to be pretty primative equipment.

The only downside is that many deer camps are more beer camps than deer camps. I love to have a drink as much..well probably more than the next guy, but deer camp (at least ours) is no place for that. I can't remember anyone ever getting drunk at camp.

Sorry for the long post, I could go on and on.... God I love deer hunting and being at deer camp.

Erik

Rusty Axe Camp

quiksilver

We do the whole deer camp thing... Our group has been as small as one and as large as 15. My family owns a camp with some property which abuts the Allegheny National Forest in PA. It was built in 1935, and was not much more than a lean-to. It's been remodeled a few times and is now pretty nice. We have electricity, heat and gravity-fed streamwater flowing through the place.

Most of the guys don't care so much about getting a deer, and just enjoy escaping the wives for a few days. We usually head up on Friday night, get things in order on Saturday, watch the Steelers play on Sunday at the local bar, and hunt M, T, and W. Some of the guys don't even hunt - either they're too out of shape or just have lost interest. They cook.

We always get a few deer, have good food, play a lot of cards, tell a lot of stories, drink a lot of beer and do our best to avoid burning the place down.

We have deer antlers mounted on the walls of that place that predate the camp itself. There are racks killed by my great grandfather and his brothers. It's more than just a weekend of hunting, it's a trip back to my roots, and a chance to hone my poker skills (lose all my money).

cardeer

Nope, just me in a honda station wagon . eat ,sleep in it. Pee anywhere and poop in a bucket

ShootStuff88

The land i hunt belings to my Great Uncle, i hunt with my dad, grandpa, two cousins (great uncle's 2 sons) and my Great Uncle. Sometimes we have another one or two guys hunt, but usually 6 is all.
We live out of an old hog farrowing house that we cleaned up and moved to the land we hunt. Its probably about 30x35-40ft, real nice sized, and we have a gas range, and wood burning stove. We sleep on rollaway beds, and have a nice big table inside for eatin.

Outside we have an outhouse (only for poopin' ) and one big old oak we hang our deer from.
It's got COLD running water, but no electricity, we run a TV off of our trucks' batteries.

Really cant beat it

Mat

beaglefreak

Our origional deer camp was in Basto,NJ. It all started back in the 1930`s when my grandfather was young with a bunch of his friends. The way we hunted were organized deer drives. We would have from 20 to 30 guys starting the week out, then dwindle as the week went on.I was 12 at the time,but remember vividly, every detail. My dad, grandfather, and uncle would make sure I would be there for half the week.
We always have meat hanging from the pole, averaging 15 bucks a year.
!n 1980,As the remaining member numbers went down from death or departure, They decided to sell this camp and purchase a camp in Countersport, PA.[guys were getting too old to do deer drives].There was about 18 members left. We had a nice 4 bdrm home with bunks, fire place....everything...I loved it...Then in 2000 there were 7 shareholders left and 5 wanted to sell[I voted against along with my dad].I wanted to cry..The old bastards were stubbern.And to this day they all admit it. I`ve killed alot of nice deer up there.

Well as far as the drinking-playing cards-shooting guns in the middle of the night-comeroterie-great eats-practical jokes-laughing-being with the guys-...It was the best hunting experiance in my life.I miss it so much.I remember every year,what happened,who killed what,who did what..etc...Now I hunt by my-self most of the time, it`s ok, but sitting in my stand I can always remember back and just laugh my but off..
What great times...........................................

soarkrebel

My deer hunting life has been kind of a roller coaster. as a kid my grandfather had a big club of about 10,000 acres before leasing was around. it was a good time probably more for the adults of the time.
then in time the club went and just my grandfather and my cousins and i hunted small parcels of ours and others land.

Then my cousin and i started a club that was more of a party club it was fun at the time but it got old.

then myself and a friend started a little lease club and it got more fun because of the camp fire sessions and just friends having a good time.
over time it has grown to 2100 acres and 16 folks . now i actually camp away from the main camp and my 14 yo son has become the best hunting buddy i have ever had. i have begun bringing other young folks into it with my son and i. watching them learn to enjoy hunting and the experiences that go along with it is the greatest i have ever had.
i enjoy my other members but it is more enjoyable to be able to provide a good clean camp for my boy and other young folks . even though we are not a drinking club i still stay away. i keep areas clear of other hunters so that they have great areas to hunt safely.
heck this year one of the only shooter bucks i saw i had my cousins 15 yo with me. he killed his first buck and it was a unforgetable experience to be with him.

clubs are all different i guess and i put one togather that fit what i wanted and enjoy every minute of it.
now i don't really rough it anymore i stay in a 26' slide out camper with city water and electricity. and i have a 3 bdroom trailer with a big addition next to my camper for other friends that come to visit.

One the things i enjoy the most about deer camp is the cooking. i always have a big steak cook night. we cook steaks over a open fire and they always taste better than any you can get in a restaurant.
one other thing i enjoy now over the past is no hang overs in the morning.

I wouldnt trade what i have for anything else i know!

greatwhitehunter101

my family has a camp in vermont the biggest deer we got was a 14 pointer that field dressed 265lbs holy ****!