Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Birth of a deer camp

Exactly, I was thinking about fish houses when I wrote that, vandals & thieves will punch a window out & thread a chain in one window & out another, hook it to the truck & rip a whole wall open if they want inside a fish house that they suspect might have something they want.


I went to the shack last night, brought out some old donated kitchen cabinets & a different door for the front of the shack, it has a window in it, nice door.

I'm getting ready for the weekend because my nephew "the boy" and one of his sisters (the oldest) are coming up this way on sat morning to see us & to stay out at the shack.

I hope to get a kitchen together & maybe mow some trails in the woods & pick out some deer stand spots.

It's going to be great, the last time he was up it was to help set the rafters, he's in for quite a surprise.

I can just see the look on the "boys" face when he sees the progress.

He is starting at cornerback again tonight!

I know, that's awesome, football star on top of everything else!!!

Good luck buddy!! Don't get too banged up cause we got work to do out in the woods tomorrow!!!

Well, the wife is always wondering what the hell I'm writing so much for on this campfire deal...

She read the whole thread tonight, and she cried.

I um, ... I didn't really know what to say or think..

It's all just been such a blurr, the whole summer since that late day in June... From the funeral forward.

I'm not really sure what made her cry while reading, I suppose it could be that she maybe understands my drive a little better.

She was crying when she read my downplaying of what I said my role was in the sittuation before us.

I know it's more than hunting, and more than a deer camp. I know that, I just don't want to make a show of it. the truth is, the deer camp & the pressure & drive to have it completed on time is because I need it. I need it to serve as a tool. Yes it will be a wonderful place for a long time to come but right now I need it as a tool to create the atmosphere tzone was talking about. Yes tom you are exactly right, I've personally done a lot of growing up in deer camp amoungst the right company. It does provide the relaxed atmosphere from which things can be talked about, discussed with a little more comfort.

I love these kids so much, my cousin's kids. It's simply automatic that I want to be for them what ever they need me to be, I want to do for them what ever they need me to do. I want to be what ever I can be best for them.

The camp is a tool, a place to strengthen bonds & become comfortable.. become at home.

My wife was all but hitting me & crying when she got to the part where I downplayed "my role".

My role quite honestly will be as much as I can have it be.

I hope for as much as I can have, and more.

But I don't want to count any chickens before they hatch.
(thus the downplaying)

It just has to happen naturally, and at it's own pace.

I just can't think of a better way to really kick off a new future, with newly strengthened bonds, strengthened frindships...

I don't know of a better way than to belong & start from the ground level with the birth of a deer camp. Being of the originators, belonging to the first year where tradition begins.

I guess it's what's been in my head since the day I mustered the courage to ask "the boy" if he could help me & if he could also maybe come & hunt with us.

He said yes & it was like someone fired a starting pistol in a race, I became driven. Never with any words about the depth of it all. I just became driven, with the physical aspects of it all, the building.

Now we are arriving to that point in which we transition into the actual heart of the whole project. The part where we get to light a fire in the stove, stay up late talking about what ever with lanterns flickering.

Planning spots for stands & trails... deer statagy, deer stories, other stories.

It all leads to a level of comfort.. and it all leads forward from there.

Tomorrow is one of those days. Actually guys, it is the first one of those days.

I'm very excited & I probably won't sleep much tonight.

I am happy, very, very happy.

"The boy" and his sister who of course we will call "the girl", will be up here in the morning.

We will all stay out at the new deer camp tomorrow night.

It will be the first night that we will have the pleasure of spending as a group overnight in the deer shack. It will be the first night that "the boy" gets to stay over in the shack, & the fact that he is bringing his sister aka "the girl" with him just makes it that much more wonderful. (my daughter is especially excited about that)

No building work is actually necessary, so we will do what ever we feel like doing. I suspect we will cook a good meal on the grill, we will scout for hunting if weather permits, mostly we will relax & enjoy each others company.

It starts tomorrow. I am very happy.

Dave

status report, weekend was grey, cool & wet. "the boy" layed yon smack down on 3 timber chickens this morning with his pump action cordless grouse swatter.

We have decided to save the 3 birds for next weekend where we will make a deer opener meal out of them.

Yep, that's right, deer opener. We have an early antlerless season which we have decided to take part in.

I'm not certain if I will hunt myself, I may just stay back & be camp cook & drag deer or what ever a good host does.

One thing's for sure, my wife, she's had a dry spell. She loves to deer hunt. This is a great opportunity for her, I have a good spot picked out for her, I will set it all up after work during the week & she'll have a nice spot by the weekend.

It was a great weekend, we mowed some real good trails, we found a spot for "the boy" to put up a climber, I mowed a frickin slaughter yard for him with the tractor, it should be a deer factory.

It was a great weekend, I will spend the rest of the week after work going back over the trails I cut today, fixing the spot for my wife & i also need to set up a spot for the girls because it sounds like they are pretty serious about sitting together during season also.

All in all, fantastic weekend.

Dave

Sounds like you got it under control, take some time now and enjoy it all!

Thanks Scott,

I think I will do just that.

That's where it's at right now, if i see one person out there having a good time, it's like it's double happy for me.

It's awesome.

I'm so dog ass tired right now, I don't care if I shoot a deer out there this year myself. (that's how i feel at the moment, I will deny that in the morning)

The boy, he'll shoot em up, heck he'll select... I aint worried about him. But what I wouldn't give for my wife to do well, my daughter too as she will be hunting. But my wife, I'd love for her to put down a buck to brag on this year, it would do me so much more good than dropping a big boy myself.

But that's what I'm gonna do Scott, enjoy it... when yer this tired, it's all you really can do!!

Thanks

Dave,

Glad to hear that you all had a Good time! I hope you ALL shoot a B&C out there this year... Nice to see that your Wife probably has a better understanding about you and the place too. As I'm sure the time you've spent away from home while working on camp hasn't been exactly easy.

Now did you get any pics of that place this time..LoL...

OK, here we go. a couple of the front side after some clearing/mowing.



I have to get a few stands up & ready for this weekends early antlerless hunt.

And it's raining cat's & dogs, forcast is for more of the same this week. I sure hope I get a chance early this week to get those stands out without working in the rain.

BTW, we found a nice portable on my property on sat, it had been on the tree for quite some time, the tree has grown so the screw in step are there permanently but the stand looks to be in very good shape, it's an old API, I think they used to call the "baby grand"

very cool find, I used to have, still do have another like it but the seat on that one has gone bad, this one is in good shape so I'll probably use it this year.

Dave that's just looking great! I assume you have a nice deep front porch in mind too?

Allen

yeah that's the plan Allen, probaby about 10' out the front with a roof over it. We'd also like to wrap a porch/deck around to the right side where you see the floor joist system with nothing on it (future attached sauna/mud room)

She's lookn' good Dave. Real good. This whole thing from start to finish has me dreaming. Inspired to save and get my own place. I was up to Duluth this weekend and it was cool and rainy there too. Good luck with the doe hunt and happy dragin'.

Tom

Tom, why didn't you grab my double ladder stand from out in the woods while you were up that way?

I could really use that thing about now but the gas money to drive & get it would be more that a new one would cost right now (that's sad huh?)

Dave

I couldn't help but notice that we have experienced some sort of clumpy white precipitation in MN during the night.

Ground was covered with the white stuff, temp read 32.... hmm, that came a few days early. could use some of this stuff on Sat morning when mama & the kids are out deer hunting.

I opened the door of my truck, reached in & turned the key to start it & let it run while I ran into the garage this morning to feed the dogs. My wiper switch was still on from my drive home in the rain yesterday so as soon as the engine started the wiper blades scooped & dumped a large amount of heavy snow off the windshield & directly into a side compartment on my drivers side door which holds a cased ruger MKII rimfire plinker, a couple of pens, misc papers & reciepts, a matchbox car sized toy dump truck & what looked like a partially melted halls cherry cough drop...

so, I got to clean that all out before I hit the road this morning.

I really don't mind the snow but it's kind of crappy timing, I need to do a few things out at the shack before the weekend & I understand it's supposed to rain/snow all day again today.

Sure would like to see the sun for a couple of days.

Ahhhh yes, The northland fall. Well at least the snow didn't go down the back of your jacket like it usually does to me oohh 8 or 10 times before I figure it out.

I heard about the snow on the radio this morning. Got me thinkin' there is probably some stuck on the groud at the camp right now. I hear ya about the timing, I would like to snow again Friday night so I can see some sign on Saturday AM. Headed there on Friday after work. Can't wait...... I'm gettin' the itch.... the good kind not the one you get from a good night at the bar.

Tom

I hear ya Tom, grabbed for a hooded sweatshirt this morning before leaving the house, there were plenty of sweatshirts there, blue ones, red ones, black.... I grab an orange one... coincidence? I think not..

Snow. Sheesh. Where did the summer go??
Oh well its fall and huntin season is comin up! Yee Hawwwww

Dave,
First time I've read this whole post start to finish at one sitting.
Kinda speachless but felt the need to reply anyways.
First, I'll not get carried away with the well earned acknowledegment you deserve RE the "boy" and your effort to create an atmosphere for familly bonding , togethernes and growth, that is getting way too rare these days. And your, feet still on the ground, attitude of let things grow as they will. (Oops, I guess I did )
The camp looks Great !!! Lots of blood , sweat, and hard work to get that much done in a few months !! WOW !!!!
Awesome deer the "boy" got , Very impresive , Congratulations !!!
I love the clasic look of that wood stove.
When you replace those heavy big battery drills , a 12 V impact driver will put screws in easyer , and I too love my paslode nailers.

Best of luck to all this weekend and extend that for the next several generations.

The thread helped give me a little more insight as to what my Dad was thinking as we were building our camp. Thanks, I needed that reminder.
And keep that log book up to date now that you have the time .

Wicked long reply but I just kinda mushed it all in one.

Phil

Hey thanks Phil.

BTW, you "lernt" me something with your pictures & replies on the "share your camp photos" thread.

these are dark pictures but take a look ...



i don't know if you can make it out or not but look on the stove pipe... I got one of those thingama-jiggies like you guys have on your stove pipe at your shack.

pretty cool..

as far as the 12 volt thing, I hear ya, my 18v just crapped the bed on me so I might have to look for a lighter replacement.

Dave

I was amazed that my 12v driver out performed an 18v drill over and over, at like 1/3 less weight, and many fewer stripped screw heads. Thumps the bigger long screws right in (noisy though). Makita fan here , but Dewalt has the same type. The 1/4" hex quick connect is a godsend as well.

Phil